Panauti: Past - Present (1976-2020)

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Foreword I am very proud of the work the French Embassy and the Alliance Française in Kathmandu have achieved in publishing this book on Panauti.

On 8 November 2018, shortly after my arrival in Nepal, I was invited to attend the launch of an outdoor exhibition in Panauti, entitled "Changes in Panauti". I was fascinated by the beauty of the city and by its historical, cultural and religious significance. This was showcased in a rare combination of old and recent photographs on display in the exhibition. The warm welcome I received and the opportunity to taste authentic Newari cuisine was a delightful experience. Later on, this wonderful exhibition was set up in two other places: in the Nepal Tourism Board courtyard (January 2019) and at the Alliance Française in Pulchowk (April 2019).

Introduction The city of Panauti is located near the Kathmandu Valley, in Nepal, at the meeting point of Punyamati and Roshi Khola Rivers. This locality, tri angular in shape, is mostly populated by Newar people, one of the most brilliant ethnic communities of Nepal. In order to contribute to the local architectural, social and cultural heritage, the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) carried out a research in this city from 1976 to 1979. At that time, the ethnologist Corneille Jest incited me to work on this project. Along with my three architect colleagues, Vincent Barré, Patrick Berge and Laurence Feveile, I was introduced in Panauti by John Sanday who was at that time in charge of the restoration of the Hanuman Dhoka Palace in Kathmandu, under the auspices of UNESCO.

**Contents and Sample Pages**