May-June 2012

HERITAGE
YALA
With a tag line of ‘creativity in every
sphere’, Yala strives to provide and
inspire just that - creativity in every
sphere. Yala Mandala designs,
develops and manufactures products
and services that are inspired by
the local community and their trade
skills. The products at Yala include
jewellery, natural buttons, paper
products, knitwear, clothing and
accessories, natural rugs, candles,
bath and beauty products, paintings,
furniture and furnishing, artefacts
and collectables. All products of
Yala are handcrafted in Nepal. The
gallery, at the ‘Rajbhandari House’
is a fusion of art, craft, tradition and
architecture which presents the
unique yet traditional products of Yala
in a jovial atmosphere of a traditional
mud and timber based building.
Yala also promotes local and
traditional art by hosting events
dedicated to and presenting the
local music, food etc. Heritage is not
limited to its tangible products, every
aspect of this tradition, from the art
to the rituals and the beliefs should
be experienced. So at Yala, it is not
only the products but the atmosphere
and the energy of the place that one
can experience, especially during
these events and during the sessions
of music therapy and cooking
classes. No aspect of the tradition is
compromised for the benefit of the
visitor, instead the visitor blends in
the experience and perceives as per
their comfort.
Another initiative at Yala is the
promotion of traditional architecture
by preserving and renovating
abandoned or neglected buildings
and inserting activities in such
spaces, starting from their own office
space opposite to the gallery. •
‘Renovation for Adaptive Reuse’ is
an initiative of SPACES to feature
buildings and spaces that have been
renovated or rather reused inserting
new activities and hence new life
into places that at one point seemed
to have served their purpose. The
Rajbhandari House with its history of
transformation and adaptation, and
its current occupancy promoting the
art and craft of Nepal, is a splendid
example of what can be achieved,
even with minimal intervention. A
space that is quite, calm, well lighted,
well ventilated, thermally comfortable
and reminiscing the past of the rich
Nepali culture, the quarters of Yala
showcase all that is beautiful about
Nepal and also inspire people to
create beauty incessantly.
For more on Yala: www.yalamandala.com
May - June 2012
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