A public library of Nepalese manuscripts

A public library of Nepalese manuscripts

A public library of Nepalese manuscripts

The Asha Archieves is a public library of Nepalese manuscripts, named after the late Mr. Asha Man Singh Kansakar, father of the late Mr. Prem Bahadur Kansakar (1917-1991). Mr. Kansakar was a prominent activist, social worker, educationist and Newar writer who had founded serveral social, cultural, literary and exucational instituitions. The nucleus of this collection was donated by Prem Bahadur Kansakar to Cwasa Pasa, a premier literacy association of Newar writers on August 16, 1985. To this personal collection were later added the donations of valuable manuscripts and palmleaf documents by several well-wishers and friends. Among them mention should be made of Mr. Ian Alsop, an American student of Kansakar, Dharma Ratna Bajracharya, Gurushekher Rajopadhyaya, Reverend Takoka, Gyan Ratna, and Dr. Kamal P. Malla. Similarly, more than a dozen other donors have helped this archieves with gifts of their personal collection of manuscripts.

The Archieves was inaugurated by Professor Yujiro Hayashi, the Executive Director of the Toyota Foundation, Japan on December 7, 1987. It was made accesible for the public since that day. The Toyota Foundation had made a generous grant to purchase, innovate and furnish the house where it is now located. The Foundation had also supported the document of the manuscripts and the initial operation of the Archieves with a fund deposited as seed money and endowment.

The Collections
In this archieves there are several valuable collections of palmleaf, loose leaf pothi and folded manuscripts. There are more than 6700 manuscripts and about 1100 palmleaf landgrant documents. These manuscripts belong to various sects and genres written in different languages and scripts. Largest among these are the ritual texts, medical texts, manuals of magic and necromancy, astrology/astronomy, Vedic, Puranic and Tantric texts of Shaiva, Bauddha and Shakta sects. A large number also come from the Mahayana and Vajrayana sects. There are technical and symbolic drawings and architectural designs of religious and secular structures, painted covers, and book illustrations of great beauty and delicacy. Perhaps the most important components of the archieves are the literary texts, hymns, songs, plays, popular narratives, didactic tales and Buddhist avadanas in the Newar language. Written in Sanskrit, Nepalbhasa, Maithili, and Nepali language one can find specimens of beautiful calligraphy in the collection written in plain black ink, silver and golden letters.

The archieves has also a collection of nearly all Nepalbhasa books in print, journals, magazines and newspapers in the Nepalbhasa. There is also a small Nepal collection, consisting of books on Nepal in English and other languages which will be of interest for study and research on the culture and heritage of the Nepal Valley.

Getting there
The Asha Archives is located in the western edge of the old Kathmandu, in the locality known as Kulanbhulu, just opposite of Raktakali at Gha 3/563 Kulanbhulu, Raktakali, Kathmandu. Telephone: 4263417. The opening hours are 10:00AM to 5:00Pm in summer and 11:00AM to 4:00PM in winter. It is open during weekdays except Saturdays and other public holidays.

The National Art Gallery

The National Art Gallery

The National Art Gallery was established by Government of Nepal, Department of Archaeology in 1960 A.D. at the Singhadhoka building complex of Bhaktapur Palace. It was inaugurated by the first elected Prime Minister Shree Bishweshowar Prased Koirala on the occassion of Shree Panch Tribhuven Jayanti. This museum was founded to preserve and introduce traditional paintings of Nepal. This Museum has not been able to function as National Art Museum due to lack of space and management. The collection, however, is not very large but some of the paubhas and manuscript covers are indeed magnificent.

Stone Art Section

This section lies in the ground floor of the building beside the main entrance of the Gallery. In the arcade, there are some representative stone inscriptions have been shown including the time of Lichchavi King Shiva Deva and King Yaksha Malla dated 588 N.S. There are some remarkable stone sculptures. The stone sculputures here are mostly from Bhaktapur area and some of them are the best representative of early medieval to medieval sculputure art of Nepal.The four faced Shivalinga, Harihar, Surya, Chandrama, Vishnu, Tara, Ardhanariswar and some architectural fragments are worth mentioning stone art exhibits.

Painting Section

The first floor has various mediums of works of paintings. In this section paubhas are remarkable particularly. Among those that deserve close consideration are Vasundhara Mandala, Ganesh with sakti, Mahisa Sambhara, Vajra Yogini and Shiva Viswarupa. In the main exhibition hall of the section, there are five showcases in the middle of the room, these showcases are exhibited a few illustrated manuscripts and covers. Among them the most notable is the pilgrimage tour of King Pratap Malla. Another remarkable manuscripts are 11th century Vishnu Dasavatara 13th century manuscript cover of Shiva Dharma Purana. In this section, there is a rectangular room like a corridor, the northern wall painting facing south has rows of paintings all with captions and Shiva Viswarupa, who is multiarmed and multiheaded. The wrist of cosmic manifestation of Shiva has name of King Bhupatindra Malla, 17th century ruler, who made famous fiftyfive windows palace.The long corridors have many water colour paintings of acquatic world, the mythical dragons, various birds, bulls and so on. They are the best representations of medieval folk art of Nepal.

Woodwork Section

The woodwork section has been housed in Pujari-math, which is situated at Hachapal tole of Bhaktapur behind Dattatreya temple. The Pujari-math is considered as the oldest math in the Kathmandu Valley. The Pujari Math with courtyards are decorated with richly carved windows and pillars. The Mara Vijaya, Pooja Devi, Viswaroop and Aryatara, these are the magnificient exhibits of woodwork section.

Metalwork Section

The metalwork section has been housed at Chikan Pha Math, which is situated at Tachapal tole of Bhaktapur, just opposite to Pujari Math. This section has been popularly known as iconless metal work. In this section, the religious and ritual objects of Newar community have been displayed particularly. Almost exhibits are of early 20^th century.

The National museum

The National museum

The National museum of Nepal was established in 1928AD as an Arsenal museum in the historical building, which was raised in early 19^th century AD during the premiership of General Bhimsen Thapa. The initial name of this museum was Chhauni Silkhana which literally means "the stone house of arms and ammunitions". It was opened as a public museum in the year 1938AD by the then Prime Minister Juddha Shamsher JBR. He not only allowed the Nepalese to visit the museum charging very little but also raised a building for an art museum and named it after him Juddha Jatiya Kalashala. Until then only foreign scholars/dignitaries and invitees or guests of the Rana Prime Minister occasionally could have a glimpse of this wonderful collections. It was only in the year 1967AD this was named as Rashtriya Sangrahalaya, the National Museum of Nepal during the rule of His Majesty the King Mahendra.

There are three building within the museum premises for the exhibition of artifacts:

• The main historical building
• Juddha Jatiya Kalashala
• Buddhist Art Gallery

Museums and Galleries in Nepal

Museums and Galleries in Nepal

Nepal Association of Fine Arts (NAFA)

Nepal Association of Fine Arts (NAFA) was founded in 1965 A.D. in the chairmanship of late His Majesty the King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev while he was crown prince. Because of His Majesty's chairmanship the Art sector and this association got highly glorified and there was the beginning of Renaissance in Nepali Art Universe by the achievement of unique contribution in its development. Thereafter on 1977 June 8, with view to make the Association more manageable and progressive following its envisaged goal not to be hampered in any way, the Association was affiliated, by the late King Birendra, into the Nepal Academy under which it is functioning smoothly at present.