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| Hotel in Kathmandu: Dwarika's Hotel |
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| "Dwarika's is a place Dwarika's Hotel is a unique place in South Asia. It
is a living example that tourism need not destroy heritage and the environment.
In 1952, the late Dwarika Das Shrestha was out jogging when he came upon some carpenters sawing off the carved portion of an intricately engraved wooden pillar. It had been part of an old building which had been torn down to make ro om
for a modern structure. Amidst the rubble, lay the bits and pieces of
exquisitely carved woodwork several centuries old, ready to be carted
off as firewood as the carpenters were merely trying to salvage reusable
wood.As he stood amidst the ruins, Dwarika Das Shrestha experienced all the anguish that a sensitive soul feels when witnessing the destruction of the sublime and the beautiful by wanton and crass commercialism of modern times. He was confronted with the visible signs of destruction of an ancient culture which still lived in him as part of his heritage. Kathmandu's Newari art and traditions have a rich legacy of exquisite wood carvings, distinctive temples, sculpture, bronze works, terra-cotta work and the unique lifestyle of its people itself. Seeing the beautiful carvings destroyed, he could not control himself. Out of sheer impulse, he gave the carpenters the new lumber that they required and took the old ruined carved pillar. This impulse, born from the inner anguish of his spirit, became progressively a hobby, a passion and
a lifetime work. As soon as he heard that an ancient building was going
to be torn down to make way for a modern structure, he would rush to the
spot and buy as much of the ancient wood carvings as he could before they
were sold as firewood or lost in other ways for ever. If he was able to
buy only a part of an artistic work because other pieces had been lost
or he did not have enough money, he would still do so and try to recover
the missing parts later. Often he would discover their historic significance
in the process. In one instance, he was able to trace and acquire a missing
piece after twenty-five years. As his collection grew, Dwarika Das Shrestha
was faced with the problem of storing these bulky works of art which were
scattered all over his garden in makeshift sheds. It was then he decided
to construct a building in the old Newari style of Kathmandu using the
carved doors and windows he had rescued from destruction. The edifice
which was built to give the ancient works of art a new life is now one
among several buildings of Dwarika's Village Hotel. These buildings contain
some of the best woodworks of olden times restored to life and made to
function for a modern age within the traditional architectural setting
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| Accommodation Services & Facilities | |||||||||||||||||||||
| - Attached bath - Air conditioning - Multi channel color television - Central heating - Telephone - Wake-up call - Mini bar - controlled air-conditioning and heating - Business Centre - Concierge services - Airport transfer - City shuttle services - Lobby shops - Duty Manager 24 hours - Multi-lingual staff - Massage & acupressure - Banquet room - Bar - Safe deposit boxes - Restaurants - Coffee sho |
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