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Historic Earthquake-Resilient Structures in Nepal and Other Himalayan Regions and Their Seismic Restoration a) b) Vishal M. Joshi, M.EERI, and Hemant B. Kaushik, M.EERI Since 1255, major earthquakes have struck Nepal. This article looks at the history of these earthquakes and how they impacted the region and its heritage. The recent April 2015 earthquake was characterized by the widespread destruction of historic buildings. It is worth noting that not all of the historic buildings succumbed to the earthquake. In the Kathmandu Valley, more than a handful of restored or reconstructed historic structures survived the force of the quake. Structures such as the Cyasilin Mandap, Patan Museum, 55 Windows Palace, and the south wing of the Sundari Chowk stood their ground. However, the Nepalese government would like to reconstruct the destroyed heritage using the traditional methods and materials. So what can we learn from the past? Can the past guide our future reconstruction? Is there a method that is traditional, and, at the same time, resistant to earthquakes? [DOI: 10.1193/121616EQS240M] INTRODUCTION The M7.8 April 2015 Gorkha earthquake has left an everlasting scar on Nepal. While the death toll rose, news came regarding other devastation. The Kathmandu Valley contains seven UNESCO World Heritage sites, and many suffered significant damage. The iconic historic architecture of the country, most of which date from the Malla Dynasty (1201–1769) suffered huge losses in mere seconds. Dega temples (timber-framed brick-masonry structures with mul- tiple roof tiers), Shikhara temples (stone-masonry structures with pyramidal roofs, an influence from India), stupas (hemispherical mounds, characteristic of Buddhist architecture), and the palace and mandapa (pavilion, in Sanskrit)-filled “Durbar Squares” were unrecognizable after this disaster. On 5 May 2015, the Director General of the Department of Archaeology (DOA) of the government wing responsible for maintaining heritage structures in Kathmandu said, “I think I promise you, [in] five to seven years’ time we can rebuild again, because this is necessary, this is our pride, [and] we will build it” (Euronews 2015). This sentence showed the political determination to rebuild all the heritage that was lost. The question that arises is, was this earthquake a rare event? Will it happen again? If Nepal wants to reconstruct, where can it look for inspiration? What kind of technology will be used in this cash-strapped Himalayan state? The answers to all these questions lie in Nepal’s own backyard and within the Himalayas. a) Architectural Preservation Studio, 594 Broadway, New York, NY 10003 b) Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, India S299 Earthquake Spectra, Volume 33, No. S1, pages S299–S319, December 2017; © 2017, Earthquake Engineering Research Institute S300 V. M. JOSHI AND H. B. KAUSHIK This article will briefly look at the history of earthquakes in the country. We will inves- tigate various case studies of historic earthquake-resistant technology in the region and recon- structed or restored monuments, where modern and traditional seismic resilient techniques were incorporated. All these examples help to illustrate potential “best practices” for the reconstruction of heritage sites in Nepal. A BRIEF PEEK INTO THE SEISMIC PAST OF NEPAL Nepal is considered one of the most severe earthquake-prone regions in the world. As per a study carried out by the United Nations Development Program in 2004, Nepal came 11th, with respect to earthquake risks (Shakya et al. 2012). Earthquakes have been documented and recorded throughout Nepal’s history. The earliest recorded earthquake was in 1255 and had an approximate magnitude of 7.8. This earthquake was so massive that it killed nearly one third of the population in the Kathmandu Valley, including King Abhaya Malla (reign, 1216–1255; Government of Nepal 2015). Another mas- sive earthquake was recorded in 1505 in West Nepal in the region of Lo Mustang, with an estimated magnitude of 8.2 to 8.8. Alexander Campbell, the superintendent to the British Resident (representative) Brian Hodgson in Nepal, records in 1833 that two fine pillars were demolished by the shock of an earthquake (Bilham 1995). He was referring to the earthquake that took place in 1833, which destroyed the eleven-story Bhimsen Tower (built in 1824) and damaged the nine-story Dharahara Tower (built in 1832). The above examples give us a generic understanding of the magnitude of previous earth- quakes. However, it has been rightly pointed out by the director of the Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust (KVPT), “As no photographic documentation of the earlier earth- quakes exist, it cannot be assessed how much was lost and in what ways the cityscape changed its original configuration” (Shakya et al. 2012). A century later, the 1934 magnitude 8 Nepal-Bihar earthquake struck the valley. This earthquake was well documented due to the new art of photography giving us clear evidence of the magnitude of devastation (Building Research Institute 2009). The Dharahara Tower, which was damaged in 1833 and rebuilt, was reduced to a stub by this earthquake (Figure 1). The tower was rebuilt in the following years. The Kathmandu Durbar Square survived this disaster with less damage. Historic photos show dislodged roofs and temple pinnacles while most of the other buildings survived intact (Figure 2). The Patan Durbar Square suffered much damage. The Bhaidegah Temple, the Degutale Temple (Figure 3), and the octagonal Shikhara-style Krishna Temple (Figure 4) succumbed to the earthquake. Following the earthquake, the Bhaidegah Temple was remodeled in Mughal-Rajput style with a dome and finished with white stucco (Figure 5). Most of the historic buildings with white stucco work in the Kathmandu Valley can be attributed to the Rana Dynasty (1846–1951). However, the Degutale Temple and the Shikhara-style Krishna Temple were reconstructed in their original forms. Like the other two Durbar Squares in the valley, Bhaktapur Durbar Square suffered significant damage. The layout of the square was drastically changed after the 1934 HISTORIC EARTHQUAKE-RESILIENT STRUCTURES IN NEPAL S301 Figure 1. The Dharahara Tower (a) before and (b) after the 1934 Nepal-Bihar earthquake (photos: Building Research Institute). Figure 2. Kathmandu Durbar Square after the 1934 Nepal-Bihar earthquake (photos: Building Research Institute). Nepal-Bihar earthquake. The Fasidega Temple, Harishankara Temple, 55 Windows Palace, Siddhi Lakshmi Temple, Pujarimath, Cyasilin Mandap, and Bhairav Temple, as well as many unknown structures, collapsed after the earthquake (Figure 6). However, 55 Windows Palace, the Siddhi Lakshmi Temple, and the Bhairav Temple (Figure 7) were reconstructed in their original form. The Pujarimath was repaired in a quick, haphazard manner. The Cyasilin Mandap was demolished completely (Gutschow et al. 2016). The Fasidega Temple was remodeled in the Mughal-Rajput style. The Harishankara Temple was cleared away, leaving only the two entrance lions that mark this spot (Waise 2013). S302 V. M. JOSHI AND H. B. KAUSHIK Figure 3. Degutale Temple at the Patan Durbar Square (a) before and (b) after the 1934 Nepal-Bihar earthquake (photos: Building Research Institute). Figure 4. The Patan Durbar Square (a) before and (b) after 1934 Nepal-Bihar earthquake. Note that the octagonal Krishna Temple on the right edge has collapsed (photos: Building Research Institute). HISTORIC EARTHQUAKE-RESILIENT STRUCTURES IN NEPAL S303 Figure 5. The Bhaidegah Temple (a) before and (b) after the 1934 Nepal-Bihar earthquake (photos: KVPT 2011). Figure 6. The Bhaktapur Durbar Square (a) before and (b) after the 1934 Nepal-Bihar earth- quake. Note that the Cyasilin Mandap (center front) and the traditional Dega-style Harishankara Temple (left rear) were destroyed (photos: Building Research Institute). In 1988, the magnitude 6.5 Udayapur earthquake struck the valley. This earthquake is attributed to one of the reasons for the collapse of the Vishwanath Temple roof in the Patan Durbar Square (Figure 8; Shrestha 2006). The history described previously clearly indicates that earthquakes have always been a part of Nepalese history. Massive earthquakes S304 V. M. JOSHI AND H. B. KAUSHIK Figure 7. The Bhairav Temple (a) before and (b) after the 1934 Nepal-Bihar earthquake (photos: Building Research Institute). Figure 8. (a) The Vishwanath Temple in 1989 (photo in S. Shrestha 2006), and (b) as seen in December 2015 (photo: V. Joshi). HISTORIC EARTHQUAKE-RESILIENT STRUCTURES IN NEPAL S305 have been a grim reality for the country. They occur approximately every 80–100 years, and historic buildings are destroyed and reconstructed. THE CASE STUDIES RAISING A DEBATE In the 1990s, some UNESCO advisors came to the Kathmandu Valley with the dogmatic aim of enforcing adherence to UNESCO’s guidelines in the valley, especially the rules of authenticity as also known in the Venice Charter of 1964. In the Venice Charter, it is said under Restoration Article 9, “It (restoration) must stop at the point where conjecture begins, and in this case moreover any extra work that is indispensable must be distinct from the architectural composition and must bear a contemporary stamp” (ICOMOS 1964). This forceful imposition of the guidelines in the valley resulted in the DOA passing its own new 1990s regulation. This regulation laid emphasis on preserving the practices in the region, leading to the complete ban of contemporary

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