“A lovelier spot than this the heart of man could scarce desire."
The Kathmandu Valley in Nepal was thus described by Henry Lawrence, the British Resident in the mid-19th century. Kirtipur is the fourth largest town of the Kathmandu Valley and an early description of the town appears in Ambrose Oldfield’s1880 account.
“Kirtipur in the early history of Nepal was the capital of a small independent principality, but it was afterwards annexed to Patan. It stands in a commanding position upon the level crest of one of the low rounded hills and overlooks the city of Kathmandu on the north and that of Patan towards the east... Kirtipur has never been an extensive city, but it’s almost impregnable position gave it an importance disproportioned to its size."
The town has a complex social structure, unified by ethnic and cultural bonds, but diverse in the hierarchy of its social groups. It preserves its rural society in close proximity to Kathmandu and Patan, which are becoming increasingly metropolitan. Kirtipur is inhabited by Newars, the most ancient population group of the valley, known for their artistic skills and responsible for the much admired architectural forms which have produced the townscapes of the Valley. Kirtipur itself has preserved many elegant old houses and a number of important religious Buddhist and Hindu buildings.
The book is the result of a Greenwich University project to study the historic heritage and Present condition of Kirtipur with a view to its conservation and development. A team of experts, many from Nepal and some from Kirtipur present detailed studies covering a wide range of subjects concerned with the town and its people. The vernacular and monumental architecture, as well as the art and antiquities of the town are presented with numerous illustrations. Separate chapters deal with topics such as history, epigraphy, social life and religious festivals, the social structure of the Kirtipur community, urban planning, land use, water supply and sanitation, transport and tourism.
With 150 photographs, 79 figures and maps, glossary, bibliography and index.
