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Indigenous Practices of Heritage Conservation: The System of Valley Monalisa Maharjan Researcher, Centro Interdisciplinar de História, Culturas e Sociedades da Universidade de Évora

ewars, the indigenous people of Kathmandu Valley, have a unique and sustainable way of safeguarding tangible and intangible cultural heritage through an Nassociation of people known as guthi . !is ancient practice can be traced back to the "#h century CE, and it Newar Buddhist Priests, who belong to the guthi of Taleju and continues to have an organic link with the society and cultural , carrying out puri"cation rituals in front of Kumari House heritage today. Guthi responsibilities range from simple in Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square © Monalisa Maharjan everyday rituals to take care of temples; organize big events Priests, sweepers, cra#smen, and others were paid on the like chariot processions and traditional mask dances; and agricultural products or piece of land for the service they safeguarding the heritage of Kathmandu Valley. !e people teach music. !ey also support social functions by integrating provided. Most festivals and rituals follow the agricultural in the guthi corporation did not understand the nature of tra- young people into a caste-based society. Manandhar guthi during the Bahumata processions. Manandhars calendar. For example, during monsoon season, when there ditional guthi or its functions. Much of the income generated Guthi is based on a caste system as well as a local system traditionally made oils from mustard seeds. © Monalisa Maharjan will be lot of work in the "elds, there are no festivals or from the land funded sta$ salaries. At the same time, a lot of in its functions. Until just a few decades ago, most people celebrations. land was lost due to embezzlement. !e traditional guthi still in practiced only those professions given by the caste. a part of these guthi, many guthi are also loosening their strict !e guthi system continued for several generations uninter- get the same about of money they used to get decades ago People were goldsmiths, farmers, priests, carpenters, and nature as a way of retaining members. rupted, even though there were no strict instructions for the despite high rates of in0ation during the same period. !ese other professions; accordingly, their surnames denoted their Other guthi, guthiyar (member of the ), took care of guthi members regarding their functions, and guthi members circumstances have caused many guthi to stop their func- occupations. But things have changed; today, people can the temples and organize festivals, but these guthi members did not get anything except for being part of it. Still each guthi tions, which has led to the extinction of many mask dances practice any occupation they wish to, even if their surname were not just priests but also farmers, sweepers or other knew their responsibility of taking care of temples or orga- and rituals. still signi"es the professions of the old days. Also, while members of the society too. !e unique parts of this guthi nizing festivals. But the dynamics of guthis are changing and On a positive note, most of the traditional festivals cele- many people live outside the boundaries of ancient city in were the land endowment to these temples and the rituals the some guthi have even ceased to exist. !e fate of guthi started brated in Kathmandu Valley are still done by traditional guthi Kathmandu Valley, the guthi continue to be based on the guthi performed in return for income for the guthi family. to change in %&'* when the Malla kingdoms of Valley went to as well as temples are still taken care by the traditional guthi ancient traditions of the family. Nowadays, many things have In ancient times, when people or royals built temples, stone the Shah kings and created a power shi#. members in turn. !e irony is the unique centuries old prac- changed in terms of locality and caste-based professions, but sprouts, or rest houses, they kept land endowments for repairs, A#er eighteenth century, the new rulers used guthi land tices are not recognized well in formal heritage conservation the structure of the guthi has largely remained the same, with restoration, and rituals. !e purpose of the endowments to fund wars. Later vast lands were used to build the palaces in Nepal. Community participation, which is o#en in con- people belonging to their respective castes and performing varied, from small rituals like o$ering betel nuts to the temple for the Ranas inspired by the European architectures and versation about heritage conservation practices, was already their functions accordingly. Several guthi were required to to organizing big festivals. !e land endowments were related the gardens. When it came to the later half of the twentieth being implemented in the guthi system. !e serious need is be in their respective occupations if they were to be part of to religious piety, as people believed that the o$erings would century, guthi land was used by the Nepal government for to build on the practices that already exist not necessarily to society. !ese guthis included sana guthi , which carried death bring good welfare and bless families over the ensuing seven o+cial buildings, hospitals, and even airport. In %*'/, the introduce completely new forms of heritage conservation rituals, and twa guthi , who taught music to young boys and generations. In addition the land endowments were also used government nationalized all guthi land and formed guthi strategies. If we look closely at the heritage conservation in helped integrate the youth into the community. Many people for avoiding land con"scation during times of political tur- corporations in return; the corporation started to fund rituals, Nepal, traditional community-oriented heritage conservation nowadays are leaving these guthi due to the strict nature of moil, as it was considered a grave sin to revoke the guthi land. festivals, and other events. !is corporation was bureaucratic and formal heritage conservation are running parallel and these guthis, and preferred modern and independent lifestyles Since the society was agrarian and the land of Kathmandu and based on a top-down management style, which was have not yet converged. !e most urgent need is to recognize by the younger generations. Even though many people are still Valley was very fertile, land endowments were a perfect "t, much di$erent to the traditional grass-roots form of guthi the importance of the guthi system before it is swept away leading to numerous festivals, temples, and monuments. management. !ese new approaches destroyed the way of from modern Nepali society. „

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