Nako Research and Preservation Project
http://athene.geo.univie.ac.at/project/nako
Kinnaur is one of twelve administrative districts of Himachal Pradesh, India. The district is itself divided into three administrative areas – Pooh, Kalpa, and Nichar – and has five Tehsils or counties. The administrative headquarter for Kinnaur district is at Reckong Peo. Due to the network of motorable roads all the essential facilities are available. According to ancient Hindu texts Kinners are halfway between humans and gods. From here Sangla valley, and district headquarters Recong Peo, Kalpa, Kinnaur Kailash, considered to be the abode of Lord Shiva, can be viewed. Read More: > HERE <
While the 10th and 13th centuries, the Western Himalayan region developed a refined and complex artistic culture under Western Tibetan Buddhist patronage. Some of this tradition’s most striking examples are found in the seven temples of Nako village, Upper Kinnaur, in the province of Himachal Pradesh, India. These temples are not only witness to the long history of this region, but also lie at the heart of the communitity’s religious life, in which even today a Tibetan form of Buddhism flourishes.
These temples are now endangered due to the structural fragility of their architecture, and by the infiltration of rain and melt water. For these reasons amongst others, a major preservation program was necessary, which primarily involved large scale stabilization work, as well as cleaning and conservation of the unique wall- and ceiling paintings. Due to the large scope of the project, for the time being this work has been accomplished exclusively for the Lhakhang Gongma (Upper Temple), while work has now also begun on the Lotsawa Lhakhang (Translator’s Temple).
Some of the major objectives of the NRPP have been (a) providing technical expertise and modern technology to the Nako community, (b) examining and analysing indigenous building techniques and traditional artistic handicrafts, which have contributed to the continued existence of these exquisite monuments, and (c) merging these activities with the ongoing preservation work, while taking into account local economic and technological resources. Therefore, the NRPP is to be considered a model for the future conservation and preservation of this region’s rich cultural heritage. The villagers of Nako have greatly supported and contributed to the efforts and aims of the NRPP, and the ongoing process of consultation between the NRPP, the Buddhist Association and the Nako Village Council remains central to the preservation work.
In order to establish the proper methods and priorities of the preservation process, information needs to be gathered and brought together from technical, social, economical, as well as from historical sources and, in the case of Nako, this information is neither readily available nor easily accessible. Therefore, the research conducted by the NRPP team in Vienna over the last 15 years includes scholars of art history, Tibetan language, religious history, Buddhist philosophy and cultural anthropology, in addition to architects and painting experts. Each of these disciplines provides a distinct methodology for understanding the fragmentary evidence, and their findings serve as the outset for an in-depth study and research of this region’s cultural heritage and it’s preservation.
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UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE http://whc.unesco.org
Beautiful * KASHMIR * Album at fb
An organisation of Kashmiri Pandits today demanded a law to protect their places of worship in the valley which are in a dilapidated state and prone to encroachment. (Temple in the pic is „Shiva temple Mirpore) More about the news plz visit or blog http://valeofkashmir.blogspot.com/
Hindus, Muslims celebrate ‚Malmaas‘ in Kashmir. Read report at http://KashmirPage.com/
„After 20 years, I have seen such rush at the temple which used to be there earlier. I am feeling very happy as local Muslims and Sikhs are with us,“ said B L Koul, a Kashmiri Hindu.
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