KVPT’s Patan Darbar Earthquake Response Campaign - Work to Date - September 2016

Spacing plates (Nev. cakulã)
All twelve spacing plates at the columns (Nev. cakulã)
broke and had to be repaired. The repair of the spacing
plates, which are located on top of each outer column,
was completed in March 2016. New timber and glue
were used for their repair.
The lotus leaf design (Nev. palehaḥ) of the new timber
elements repeats the pattern of the original parts. The
pillars’ square-cut holes testify to the various sizes of the
original tenons of the columns. These tenons, however,
broke during the earthquake and had to be replaced. It
is therefore not possible to match each spacing board
to its original pillar. But the decentralized holes indeed
provide information about the orientation of the spacing
boards, since the broader part always faces the outside.
As mentioned earlier, the tenons, too, are displaced
for static reason as the columns are load-bearing. In this
sense, it is at least possible to allocate each corner pillar
to a corner spacing board. To complete the work, either
the new tenons will be shaped in accordance with the
holes of the spacing boards or the original holes will have
to be reshaped to fit to the tenons.
Capitals (Nev. metha)
All capitals (Nev. metha) were saved after the total collapse
of the Manimaṇḍapa. The capital of each of the
four corner pillars is composed of two parts that are assembled
at an angle. One end is characterized by a projecting,
capital-like lintel, the other by a beam end-like
part with kũsuru heads (Nev. dhalĩmvāḥ). Some of the
eight components of these corner capitals exhibited minor
damage but did not necessarily need replacement or
repair. Each has a weathered side and a well-preserved
side—indications for the correct reassembly in the
course of rebuilding.
The other eight pillars are crowned by full capitals. They
are intricately carved on both sides, each of them showing
the same kind of decoration: in the centre a halo
face (Nev. kirtimukha) facing the outside, and a stylized
lotus (facing the inside). It is generally understood that
the “face of glory,” which is in fact the hybrid face of a
lion equipped with horns, devours a pair of snake bodies.
In the case of South Manimaṇḍapa, however, the kirtimukha
does not devour snakes, but instead spouts forth
lotus leaves. The design is in each case individual, and in
one case there are kirtimukhas on both sides of the capital.
The capital brackets are decorated with lotus scrolls.
Of the eight capitals crowning the South Manimaṇḍapa’s
outer columns, two had to be restored. In the course of
the reuse and restoration of the two damaged capitals,
one lotus design was copied from a salvaged one and the
other was designed by a carver.
It may be possible to situate the spacing boards and the
capitals using the shapes of the holes which conform to
the original, lost tenons. However, it will not be possible
to do the same with the capitals.
Above
Patan, 30 March 2016
Tirtha Ram Shilpakar seeks to
achieve a smooth transition from
original to replaced carving after
consulting with Pratap Shilpakar.
Left
Patan, 11 April 2016
The twelve spacing boards had to
be repaired in individual manner.
Their square-cut holes testify to
the various formats of the original
tenons of each column.
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