This is based on the study of Contemporary Changes in the Ta: Bahal also known an Machhindra Bahal, Patan in Lalitpur District of Nepal. The Study was carried by: Abushan Panta, Barsha Shrestha, Damodar Acharya, Priyanka Pradhan Pusp Raj Bhatt Sunibha Kayastha Yogina Ranjitkar

1. CONTEMPORARY
CHANGES OF
TA: BAHAL
(MACHHINDRA BAHAL)
PUSP RAJ BHATT and Group
www.pusprajbhatt.wordpress.com

2. Theory of Change and Relevance
PREREQUISITE LOGIC OUTCOMES
Theory of Change:
Identifying Goals of Machhindra Bahal and Mapping
Backward to Identify Necessary Preconditions of
Change;
Predicting and Planning the Future to Provide Study for
its destiny through windows of Urban Planning Theory.

3. PROCESSING THE THEORY BEHIND
CHANGE
REALIZATION OF CHANGE through HISTORY,
LITERATURE and PEOPLE
Comprehensive description and illustration of how and
why !
PLAUSIBILITY FEASIBILITY
LOGIC BEHIND
CHANGE ?
IS THE WAY
TOWARD
RESILIANCE ?
TESTAIBILITY
CHECKING
THE WAY
ADOPTED !
CRITERIA of ANALYZING CHANGE

4. THEORIES IN STUDY
• Theory of Change:
Predicting and Planning the Future to Provide Study for
its destiny through windows of Urban Planning Theory.
 Theory of Territoriality:
Basically the negligible migration/ Strong Boundary as
Datum / Fixed but Graded Casts
 Conservationist Theory:
The tendency of Conservation
 Incremental Theory:
The step by step development progressively

5. ASPECTS OF EVALUATING CHANGE
PHYSICAL CHANGES
• ARCHITECTURE : BUILT FORM / COMMUNITY
TERRITORIALITY
• FUNCTION - FORM INTERRELATIONS
• CIRCULATION, STRUCTURE and SPATIAL
ARRANGEMENTS
• TANGIBLE CULTURE
BEHAVIOURAL CHANGES:
 SOCIAL CHANGES
 CULTURAL CHANGES (INTANGIBLE Culture)
 OCCUPATIONAL CHANGES
 ECONOMIC CHANGES

6. Machindranath Temple
 Tiles laid over the façade of temple.
 Fencing around the temple with metal
bars in 2064 B.S
- For security due to increase in
robbery, crime.
Use of
tiles
Fencing
around
temple
Physical Aspect

7. Kwapa - dyo
• Traditional built structure replaced by modern RCC structure.
• Traditional Sa: jhya removed.
Earlier state ( Locke 1985) Present state ( 2016)

8. Transformation of buildings
 Change seen in design, materials and use.
 Violation of byelaws
- House should not exceed height of temple.
 Uneven skyline (mostly 4 and 5 storied
buildings)
 Vertical division, addition of floors
Uneven skyline

9. Transformation of building
 Most buildings are modern. (22 nos)
 Deterioted condition of old buildings.
 Mostly residential buildings
- Lower floors - Renters
-Upper Floors - House owners, Workshop
Modern buildings at
West

10. Patis
 Patis at both sides of front gate reconstructed.
 Patis locked for protection and security
Patis at West Patis used as
store
 Entrance gates are in neo- classical style.

11.  Stone paved - Around the temple
- Brick paved - Raised platforms
 Brick paving for pedestrian
movement in past
Brick
paved
Stone
paved
 Chapa Chhen - Used by Hit
Catering and Rent Service
Chapa Chhen

12.  Insufficient supply of water.
 Storage tanks maintained by joint efforts
of public.
 2 water tanks infront of Tanga Hiti to
store and distribute water.
 2 wells - one historic, one built in 2012
 Wells covered for safety and to prevent
pollution
Water Supply
Jharu at West
Water tank
Well built by Czech
Republic development

13.  Temple completely collapsed in earthquake of 1990
 Not affected by the earthquake of 2072
Earthquake
Guthi sansthan
after
earthquake(2072)
Eastern gate
after
earthquake(2072
)

14. Social Changes
 Heterogeneous society
(mostly Newars>> Bajracharya, Maharjan, Shrestha, Baidhya
and Chitrakar;others: in-migration from hills)
• Occupation: from agriculture to business
• Increasing number of inhabitants >> decline in sense of
ownership towards social activities.
• Decreasing bonding in society; weakening of social values

15. • During several occasions like rice feeding ceremony, bratabandha,
gufa, bel bibah, janku etc. visit temple.
• The central chowk >>extensively used for feasts in past, but now
not much.
Ritual program on Machhindranath
bahal
Group of women enjoying feast on
bahal

16. • The patis >> not functioning
for purposes they are made
for, locked and used as
storage.
• Mrijanga Bhajan >>
conducted earlier in pati at
center of bahal to now in
newly reconstructed pati at
entrance.
• The other pati - use for
conducting Mataya.
Patis locked and used as storage area
Newly constructed patis on west side

17. • Central pati - use for residential purpose of committee member.
• External open area used for parking during daytime.
Pati at centre of bahal Open space outside bahal on eastern
side used as parking area

18. Awareness for rain water harvesting
• Misha Pucha - group of 25 women >> responsible for cleanliness
of courtyards and surrounding areas >> social bonding
• Machhindra Bahal Tol Sudhar Samiti >> local body
(cleaning of bahal and managing regular rituals of temple)
• Community people aware of preservation of the area.
• Approach taken to conserve
resources for future
generation
(Rain water harvesting,
groundwater recharge).

19. Cultural Changes
 Initially people had honor and pride
over cultural values
 Decade ago idols were stolen.
 In 2064 B.S., Tol Sudhar Samiti
fenced temple and monuments for
protection; limited its accessibility.
• Continuation of culture.
(Machhindranath Jatra, Mrijanga Bhajan, feasts, etc.)
• Ownership of cultural activities by new generation.
• Cultural change>> pujaris had to take bath from the well water but
now water has dried up, this ritual is not followed.
Caging of temple and monuments

20. Changing Face
Well constructed with aid of Czech Republic
• Contribution of foreign aid and public participation for its
conservation and renovation.
• Patis constructed with assistance of Indian Government and
neighboring communities and local people.
• An additional well constructed
with aid of Czech Republic.
• Painted- brick texture>> to give
traditional look.

21. Stakeholders involved in Contemporary changes in Bahal
• Stakeholders involved in Contemporary Changes in Bahal
• Changes >> result of incremental development theory of planning.
• Involvement of inhabitants to local committees like Machhindra
Bahal Tole Sudhar Samiti.
• Government of India>>financial
support for reconstruction of
western patis.
• Keen interest of local people in
preserving traditional amenities of
bahal area

22. Discussion
• Ta Bahal : socio culturally important heritage
• Goal: Cultural Tourism Community
•To meet the goal, activities should be generated for physical, social,
cultural, economical and environmental improvement
• The area should be made lively and vibrant
•Sustainable Development of the community

23. Activities to meet the goal:
•Promotion and Publication: to let the tourists know about Bahal
•Facade treatment, Height control, use of traditional materials like brick: to give
essence of traditional Newari Architecture
•Problem of water: Rain water harvesting through people’s participation
•Activities to attract tourists:
o Restaurant : service to tourists
income generation/ employment to the people of lower income
groups (Rawlsian Theory)
o Gallery: preservation of cultural values
exhibition
• Income generated from Restaurant and Gallery for the improvement and
development of Bahal and community welfare

24. • Pati: previously as resting space
locked due to Vandalism and social degradation
can be revived as information lounge for Tourists
• Jharu : revived as water feature
aesthetics
inform tourists about its traditional use
• Solid waste management: for physical and environmental improvement
segregation of renewable and non renewable waste
• Workshops: existing in Diggi Chhen
other metal workshops promoted and encouraged
traditional and local technologies
income generation

25. • Landscaping
• Adding benches: for people to rest and interact
• Maintenance of Garden
• Lightings need to be provided for night time
• Fencing needs to be removed: for aesthetics and access
• Issue of security:
After the activities generation, the place becomes lively and vibrant
society itself act as social security
SUSTAINABILITY
SOCIO-
CULTURAL
PHYSICAL
ECONOMIC
ENVIRONMENTAL

26. Reflection
Reflection of Planning Theories for the development of Machhindra Bahal
• goal of Cultural Tourism Community, in the Machhindra Bahal area is set by
transactive planning theory
• the area under study has to go through Advocacy Planning too
• Rational planning would not be suitable in this context as the development of
area is not possible without people’s participation
• Thus, Transactive Planning is adopted
• Similarly, to raise people’s voice and put down their ideas, Advocacy Planning
is also required.
• Its social, economic, physical and environmental improvement can make the
community live and vibrant
• would lead it towards Sustainable Development

27. THANK YOU !!