R.P. Foundation

GACHHEN PROJECT

On 25 April 2015, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake, the strongest to strike Nepal since 1934, devastated the country, followed by a 7.4-magnitude aftershock on 12 May. Around eight million people were affected across 30 of Nepal’s 75 districts. In Bhaktapur, many heritage sites and medieval houses were lost or badly damaged, including in Gachhen, a Newar settlement long admired for its architecture.

Months later, as rescue and relief work wound down, rebuilding remained a mammoth task that demanded enormous money and labour, and many householders could not afford it. Before reconstruction could begin, the wrecked houses had to be safely taken down. This was the thought behind the Gachhen project.

The Rabindra Puri Foundation for Conservation took responsibility for dismantling the quake-damaged houses. In coordination with Bhaktapur Municipality, Bhaktapur Police, the Department of Archaeology, and other local authorities, the Foundation selected the ten most important heritage houses in Gachhen, notable for their traditional doors and windows. The houses were carefully dismantled so that their bricks, decorative struts, beams, doors, and windows could be reused in rebuilding. The Foundation covered the costs together with GIZ.

The project had two aims: to help families left homeless by the earthquake by dismantling their wrecked houses, and to retain the ancient materials, above all the distinctive sanjhya windows and carved struts, for reuse.

By mid-August 2015, the project was complete. The reusable heritage materials were handed over to the respective house owners, who were deeply grateful.

Rabindra Puri (RP) Foundation for Conservation takes the responsibility of demolishing the quake-hit houses in Gachhen. The Foundation on 31 May 2015 submitted a formal letter to District Administration Office (DAO) Bhaktapur to garner the supports from the government line agencies such as Bhaktapur Municipality, Department of Archeology as well as other stakeholders for its demolition initiative. While responding to the Foundation’s plea, an all agency meeting was summoned on 2 June 2015 by Mr. Anil Kumar Thakur, Chief District Officer at his chamber in the DAO. The meeting comprised of the CDO, Executive Officer of Bhaktapur Municipality, Head of Archeology Office in Bhaktapur, Chief of District Police Office and representatives of major political party unanimously vowed all possible supports to the Foundation’s initiative by signing a minute.

10 most important heritage houses of Gachhen with beautiful traditional doors and windows were chosen by RP Foundation for dismantling with a hope that the safely dismantled heritage items from those houses like the traditional bricks, decorative struts, beams, decorative doors and windows, all could be re used for reconstruction of those houses. The Foundation supported all the necessary expenses for this project through itself and GIZ.

The demolition of those houses in Gachhen had following objectives;

1. To help support the local inhabitants who have been rendered homeless following the great earthquake April 25th, 2015 and its successive aftershocks, by providing dismantling their wrecked houses.

2. retain the ancient materials used in the houses such as bricks, stones and wooden objects most importantly the quintessential sanjhya windows, struts and others.

By Mid August 2015 this project was successfully completed. The re-usable heritage items of those houses like bricks, wooden doors, windows and other supportive materials were all handovered to the respective house owners who were all very grateful for this project.