THESIS ABSTRACT

Abstract

The Bagmati River holds profound religious and cultural significance for Hindu communities in the Kathmandu Valley, and its corridor is lined with numerous monuments, temples, and rest houses (sattals) that constitute an irreplaceable component of Nepal's built heritage. Despite this significance, the conservation of monuments along the Bagmati Corridor continues to be constrained by technical, financial, and environmental limitations, unplanned urbanisation, and weak coordination among the authorities responsible for their protection. This study assesses the reconstruction status and identifies the key challenges affecting the reconstruction of monuments along the Bagmati Corridor between Thapathali and Teku. A mixed-methods research design combining quantitative and qualitative approaches was adopted. Primary data were gathered through field observation, structured questionnaires administered to stakeholders (clients, responsible authorities, contractors, and consultants), and key informant interviews (KII), while secondary data were obtained from the High Powered Committee for Integrated Development of the Bagmati Civilization (HPCIDBC), Guthi Sansthan, the Asian Development Bank, and the Department of Archaeology (DoA). The data were analysed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), thematic analysis, and descriptive statistics. The findings indicate that the reconstruction of monuments along the Bagmati Corridor is largely satisfactory, although notable scope for improvement remains. Several reconstructed monuments do not adequately reflect their original character, materials, or traditional conservation principles. Principal Component Analysis identified six major sets of challenges: administrative and institutional challenges, resource and manpower related challenges, technical and site-management related challenges, financial and procurement related challenges, social and community related challenges, and guideline and policy related challenges, with the first three accounting for the largest share of the explained variance. The study concludes that strong and effective institutional coordination, underpinned by clearly defined roles among the agencies responsible for monument conservation, is essential to improving reconstruction outcomes. Capacity building and technology-transfer training for traditional craftsmen, increased and timely government funding, systematic documentation of designs, and reform of procurement practices towards quality-based selection are identified as priority initiatives capable of strengthening future reconstruction projects along the corridor and, by extension, similar heritage sites elsewhere in Nepal.

Keywords

Monuments, Reconstruction, Challenges, Heritages, Bagmati Corridor, Likert’s Scale, Principal Component Analysis