Historians write that the famous Buddhist monk Atisha studied in Vikramasila Bihar of Thamel in the eleventh century. Bahas then functioned as meeting places between and among the locals and visitors where monks and commoners shared their wisdom and ignorance alike. People shared information, visions and relationships in and around these spaces. Since such spaces were hubs of intellectual and spiritual activities, it was natural that market spheres started to develop and expand around them.
Importantly, bahas have always remained as part and parcel of the spiritual and quotidian lives of the Newars of the Valley. Newars have used these spaces to act out interpersonal and spiritual relations with their fellow citizens and deities respectively from time immemorial. Bahas still constitute the loci of Newar cultural activities. Over time, great many social, political and economic events and changes were seen through the lanes and courtyards of the bahas. In the course of urbanization, many bahas have disappeared; some exist in dilapidated conditions. Beautifully and intricately carved doors, windows, phalaicha, walls, roofs and toranas among other architectural units that one comes across in these bahas reflect the artistic, cultural and religious heritage of the Valley, and for this reason, many people, including foreigners, visit these bahas.
Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) in cooperation with local Newar communities are reportedly going to launch a joint project to incorporate the architectural aesthetics of the bahas with the services that can be provided to tourists as part of promoting cultural tourism in the Nepal Tourism Year (NTY) 2011. The project as reported in the media will mainly concentrate on some particular bahas that belong to the Shakya, Tuladhar, Chitrakar and Bajracharya communities. The project aims at renovating the bahas from Tabal and Basantpur to Thamel, the main tourist areas of Kathmandu. Cultural committees such as guthis which are responsible for conducting festivals and daily rituals as well as managing bahas on a regular basis will also be involved in executing this project. The project aims to convert bahas into economically autonomous tourist-stay venues.
This project if carried out properly will boost cultural tourism in the Valley. Moreover, the same model can be applied to promote tourism at local levels in other parts of Nepal. A project of this nature will certainly generate employment opportunities for the locals. Importantly, if it is executed carefully, it can play an important role in exploring the aesthetic and economic power of the traditional architectural spaces and showcasing Newar culture and tradition.
Furthermore, this project can prove that local resources can play an important role in curtailing the effects of globalization in tourism. As custodians of their culture, the Newars naturally have the necessary knowledge, skills and wisdom to manage, protect and promote their bahas in the newer social, cultural and economic settings.
Tourists who want to experience the local Newar culture from food and drinks to architectural style will naturally find the bahas the best places to stay. By staying in the bahas, tourists can experience Newar culture and witness the rituals, both religious and social, that take place in these bahas.
This can also be an important opportunity and make the Newars, especially those whom the bahas belong to learn to transform their cultural heritage into services of different grades. Bahas have always taught Newars how to be pragmatic with their neighbors and outsiders. This means, bahas can still function as a space or a platform where both Newars and non-Newars can meet and exchange ideas on a regular basis.
Tourists may not be the incarnations of monks and sages of the past, but they can be very instrumental in helping us preserve and protect the tangible as well as intangible cultural heritage of the Valley. Similarly, ADB and KMC need to launch more such projects to make the Valley residents aware of the immense economic opportunities that tourism offers . KMC needs to correct several mistakes that it has committed in the name of urban development in the past. It must protect and promote the ancient monuments of the Valley by launching preservation projects.
Similarly, NTY 2011 must not be the end but the beginning of several economic and cultural projects that would assimilate cultural assets and resources to help the country’s economy.
Lastly, we must realize that bahas can still help bring people together like they did in the past. Let us appreciate the glory of our past while we ponder the design of our future.
rijalshiva@gmail.com
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