1952015-Dak-Wed-16.qxd 5/19/2015 10:46 PM Page 1 CMYK PAGE 16 THE HIMALAYAN TIMES, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015 www.thehimalayantimes.com VARIETY Sabitri Dhakal Kathmandu I t was a cultural heritage, but Basantapur Durbar Square was more, much more, than historical, cultural buildings standing tall in the middle of a modern concrete jungle surrounding it. It was a way of life. For many, it was life — childhood spent here, taking part in the colourful jatras, watching performances of street plays or musical soirees along with Shiva-Parbati looking down from their abode in the Dabali, the joy of Gai Jatra found expression here along with those honouring the dead, while lovers spent hours here lost in their love on the steps of the ancient temples. Today that Basantapur Durbar Square exists in memories only. The collapsed building of the Juddha Barud Yantra greets you at the entrance to the Square. And the scene of the Square itself almost makes one choke. Watching people pose for friends’ cameras or selfies with the rubble and the debris makes one feel sad, really sad. Piled up bricks here and there and wooden planks wedged to hold up inclined buildings makes weep for the Square that was the favourite haunt of the Capital’s many. “I always felt relief when I was here in Basantapur. People always used to hang out in the area. The numbers would increase in the evenings. As the place is listed on the world heritage site, there used to be numbers of tourists around here. Apart from that, Basantapur is the place where there used to be more jatras and fun.” shared Anu Chitrakar, a resident of Basantapur. Tashi Wangchuk, a monk, was there with two friends taking pictures of the debris. “It was a majestic building and royal. The earthquake has devastated the history of the country,” he shared. CURIOUS EYES There were hundreds of people craning their necks and looking at the fallen Durbar Memories that was Basantapur Durbar Square Photos: THT and the temples around. Among the crowd was Bishnu Thapa, a resident of Kadaghari. He had come to see how the earthquake had destroyed the Durbar premises. “It was a beautiful place and of historical importance. I wanted to see what was going on in the area around and that is why I am here today. I don’t think we will be able to show to our coming generations the majestic palaces we had,” Thapa opined. IN AN ARTSY CORNER Anything can spark an idea, even devastation. Sitting on the one of the benches opposite the Durbar premises was Dipesh Bhujel, a BFA IInd Year student at Lalit Kala Campus. He was busy sketching an image of the cracked building of the Durbar. But was it safe for him to sit here and sketch? “It takes time for the remains of the building to collapse and in those seconds, I can run to a safe zone,” he smiled. But what about his cycle (parked near the bench with his helmet? “Who cares about the cycle? I must save myself first,” he laughed. WILL IT STAND TALL AGAIN? Basantapur Durbar Square has given many of us great memories and it is even more dear to those who grew up among her alleys and temples and steps. “When I saw the newspapers, I felt bad ... but sitting here and looking at the debris and collapsed buildings everywhere, it makes me sadder,” shared Tara Man Tuladhar, a resident from Balaju. Tuladhar who was born and brought up in Ason had seen many changes in and around the area. The dewals and the temples were the same, but the population in the area had changed, and he wonders — when will this area be rebuilt? But Canadian John Saboe, who has visited the country five times, believes that the temples and the buildings will be rebuilt. “It might take two to five years, but it will be rebuilt,” he said, adding, “Many countries in the world have gone through massive devastations and they have risen from such destruction. Nepal too will rise again,” FLAG AND THE MAN And there is this man in the melee who is holding Nepal’s flag and waving it. People walking around the area ask to borrow his flag and take photos. “I want people to know about our flag and this is why I am with our flag here,” shared Laxmi Narayan Silpakar, a resident of Bhimmukteshwor, Kathmandu. FAITH EVERLASTING Whatever the grief or loss, people find solace in faith. This was evident at the Kal Bhairab Temple premises. They were lighting butter lamps and paying homage to the deity. “We even did our nitya puja despite the devastation,” shared Tara Devi Bajracharya, Gorkhalis! We can run and save our lives. Some damaged buildings are resting on thin wooden supports, but couldn’t care less for such things or their own safety. They pushed their ways here and there to take photos. A man falling on the steps near one such building was enough to prove that we don’t care for our lives as long as we have a photo. But is that sensible? Isn’t it also selfish? You could be risking so many other people’s lives too, many who have come to mourn the loss of the Square that meant ‘life’ to them. the priest’s sister at Kal Bhairab. “Watching the scenes which, once upon a time, was lively and romantic makes me feel bad. But this is what a natural disaster is,” opined Menuka Thapa, who sells butter lamps and other puja items at the temple premises. “But despite everything, faith continues, and this is why people are here to worship,” Thapa shared. ‘NO ENTRY’? WHO CARES? There are ‘No Entry’ signs everywhere but who cares? We are Nepalis, the Brave Nepal’s destructive tremblors Dharahara before 1934 earthquake After 1934 tremblor Bhaktapur Durbar Square before 1934 earthquake seismonepal.com / wikipedia.org After 1934 quake Nepal lies in high seismic hazard zone, earthquakes of various magnitudes occur almost every year and have caused heavy losses of lives. And the country has a long history of destructive earthquakes, the 1934’s quake being one of them. But three earthquakes of similar size (of 1934) occurred in Kathmandu Valley in the 19th Century — in 1810, 1833, and 1866. The country has been left devastated by the recent 7.6 magnitude April 25 earthquake. Read on to know some of the earthquakes that hit the country hard in history 1255 (310 BS) Machhendranath in Patan was completely destroyed while many other temples and buildings collapsed or were damaged. Cracks on land appeared in many places. There was a heavy loss of lives and livestock. The first recorded earthquake in history of Nepal took place on June 7, 1255. Onethird to one-fourth population of Kathmandu were killed including Abahya Malla, the king of Kathmandu Valley, numerous buildings and temples of the Valley were entirely deEither in the month stroyed while many of them of December or January, durwere severely damaged. ing the reign king Sri Niwas Malla, another major earthquake was said to have hit The month August or Sep- Nepal and Kathmandu tember of this year saw anoth- Valley. Although very little iner major earthquake hit the formation is available Valley of Kathmandu and the on this particular earthquake, surrounding areas, during there was heavy loss of the reign of king Shyam lives as well as many buildings Singh. The temple of Rato including temples were either 1681 (1737 BS) 1408 (1436 BS) damaged or destroyed. Nonetheless, the exact location of this earthquake is not known. with possible rupture length of more than 70 km and the event is located at 50 km North-North East of Kathmandu. The human casualties were reported to be less than 500, which may be due During the reign king Rajen- to occurrence of two large dra Bikram Shah in the months foreshocks. of August or September, the strike was experienced in Kathmandu Valley. Houses, temKnown as the Great Nepalples, public shelters collapsed. The tower of Dharahara was Bihar Earthquake, it stuck also severely damaged. Nepal and its surrounding arThe towns of Thimi and eas around 2:00 pm in January. Bhaktapur took the brunt of The magnitude of the earththe disaster severely damaging quake was 8 on the Richter the housing facilities, roads scale. Casualty figures were network and various temples. highest for any recorded Many buildings and temples earthquake in the history of were destroyed. Its magnitude Nepal. It had casualties is reported to be of Mb=7.8 of more than 16,000 people in- 1833 (1890 BS) 1934 (1990 BS) cluding from Nepal and India put together. It produced strong shaking in Kathmandu Valley, and destroyed 20 per cent and damaged 40 per cent of the Valley’s building stock. In Kathmandu itself, one quarter of all homes was destroyed. Many of the temples in Bhaktapur were destroyed as well. 1988 (2045 BS) The most recent earthquake that badly hit Nepal was the earthquake of 1988 which was a moderate size earthquake (magnitude 6.5) affecting mostly the eastern part of Nepal. A total of 721 people lost their lives in this earthquake. — Compiled Published by: International Media Network Nepal (Pvt) Ltd, APCA House, Baidya Khana Road, Anamnagar, Kathmandu, Nepal, PO Box 11651 Phone: 4770358, Fax: 977-1-4770701 / 4771959, E-mail: [email protected] Regd No 143/051/052 Postal Regd. 65-071-072 Printed at: Sama Printers (Pvt) Ltd, Sainbu VDC, Lalitpur. Editor: Prakash Rimal