Tradition and culture have been a part of life among local ethnic communities since ancient times, it has taken root and flourished as the time passed by. As a result, artistic ancient Monuments and rich diverse cultural Heritages came into existence in different parts of Nepal, which is home to numerous ethnic tribes.

The importance of preservation and possession of such rich Heritage has been inherited by later generations one after another. The care and sense of protection of such Heritage will, naturally, be profound among the people living in that particular area. Past experience has proven that effective system of protection and maintenance of the Ancient Heritage in a sustainable and cost-effective manner is possible by educating, mobilizing and imparting responsibility to the local people. Whose ancestors have created such masterpieces.
In Nepal, the policy makers at high level are also well aware of this fact. Despite this, they are reluctant to impart with the authority they have been enjoying in the past. Other wise, now there are a number of Local Government who are quite capable to fulfill this responsibility of safeguarding the Heritage and utilizing them for better causes.

At present situation, the sole authority on Heritage conservation lies with DOA, the central Government Agency. Municipalities or Village Development Committees, represented by the persons directly elected by the local people, do not have any authority regarding preservation and proper utilization of the Ancient Heritage existing inside their area.

As per the prevailing legislative provision, Municipalities have to seek formal approval from DOA even for conducting religious festivals and other social events inside Monument Zones.

LALITPUR is one of the ancient cities of Kathmandu Valley, founded more than Two thousand years ago at third century BC by Kiratis and expanded by Lichhavis in the Sixth century. Lalitpur is the second largest city in Kathmandu valley. This city has different names like Yala, Yupagram. Lalitpattan, Patan, Manimangal and Lalitpur. Lalitpur City  is both an artistic, an architectural marvels and center of crafts and cultural heritage of Nepal. Lalitpur, also called "Patan",  is one of the living cities where different ethnic communities embrace each other. It has 16 Buddhist Monasteries, 18 Bihars, 1265 Buddhist shrines and hundreds of Monuments, Pagodas, Palacial buildings and courtyards, Stone Water Spouts and Rest houses of historical as well as architectural values. Royal Palace of Patan City is also listed as World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Most of these ancient monuments are thousands of years old and still on full function.
 
 The traditional arts and crafts have been preserved in Patan and disseminated through Patan. Patan is also famous for copper, brass, and metal craft creation, preservation and dissemination.
Besides historical monuments, Living Heritage in the form of traditional Music, Dance, Drama and Festivals has been well preserved by ethnic groups of Lalitpur, contributing to the cultural heritage of human civilization.

Local residents of Lalitpur, regardless of different religious approach and ethnic groups, sit together to celebrate different festivals and social events. This city has at least one festival each month and the nature of the festival depends on the season.  The most interesting aspect in celebrating these Socio-cultural events is the different type of foods that are served depending upon the nature of the festival. Performance of thousands of years old traditional dances and the sound of typical traditional musical instruments on these occasions reflect the rich cultural heritage of the ancient civilization.
One of the residential Royal Palace compound of former Malla Kings inside Patan Durbar square has recently been converted as beautiful cultural history museum.

Obviously, like any other modern day cities, Lalitpur is undergoing a process of rapid urbanization. Main challenge, at present, is to preserve the traditional values and rich cultural heritage of this city while undergoing the process of modernization. However, some of these shrines have to be restored in near future. Besides these, with such  vast potentiality for tourism promotion, number of tourists visiting Patan City is still negligible.

Despite its rich heritage, both living heritage as well as ancient monuments and traditional arts and crafts, Lalitpur city is facing problem on mobilizing local community for heritage conservation and also shortage of fund for conservation activities and on the other hand utilize its rich heritage and traditional arts and crafts for attracting more tourists in the city.

Main problems faced by the Sub-Metropolitan City, in this context are :

• Rapid demolition of ancient private buildings
• Need to develop an effective system for mobilization of existing local community groups on Heritage conservation activities.
• Need to develop action plan for multiple use of public space
• Need to develop resource mobilization plan for integrated heritage conservation and Tourism promotion activities.
• Need to develop effective Marketing tools for the promotion of Heritage Tour and tourism promotion of the city.
• Need to further encourages Non Government Organizations towards their more active involvement on heritage conservation and tourism promotion  activities.
• Raising public interest and awareness through various programs ensuring greater participation in conservation activities.
• Educating new generation about importance of heritages, both ancient monuments and living heritage.
• Regular interaction programs with Government authorities, press and related private sector.
• Regular publication of heritage conservation and tourism related matters.
• Promotion of heritage and cultural  tour.

The World  Heritage Site in Lalitpur:-

Patan Durbar Square is enlisted as one of the world heritage site of Nepal. The four hundred years old palace of former kings of Patan City is situated in the central part of core area of Lalitpur or Patan City.

The core areas of Patan City may be considered as eternity itself. This city is a living museum. Various local communities, belonging to different ethnic tribes, have maintained their illustrious craftsmanship on wood, stone and metal in the same magnitude since the establishment of this first city in the Valley more than 2000 years ago. Various traditional Musical Instruments, Dances, Dramas and Festivals are being performed and observed by the local people exactly in the same manner like their ancestors did many hundred years before. Patan Durbar and numerous Monasteries, Temples, Public Rest houses, Platforms, Secular and religious buildings, Water spouts scattered all around the city is the proof of the glorious tradition of the rich culture and craftsmanship of the local communities since thousands of years in the past.

Before reaching at present state of well-maintained and attractive look, Patan Durbar square and its surrounding Monument area has undergone through many stages. Couple of decades ago, these historic Monuments were in pretty bad state, in need of massive restoration works. After declaration of World Heritage Site in 1979, lot of attention has been paid in its restoration and improvement of its surrounding area.
Due to generous support from international sector, through the effort of UNESCO, preparation of Inventory and restoration of Patan Durbar in various phases has been carried out.

In this context, technical and financial support from UNESCO, Japan Trust Fund, GTZ, Germany, Government of Austria, Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust and other N.G.Os has been significant. Besides Ancient Monument Zone and World Heritage Site, monuments at other parts of Patan City were restored and reconstructed by Lalitpur Sub-Metro. City Office.. Various programs on community level such as protection of cultural environment, minor repairs and maintenance, creating programs, improvement of physical infrastructure at local levels had been successfully carried out mobilizing numerous local community groups.
Introducing tourist entrance fee since last year has solved one of the main obstacles faced by Lalitpur, i.e. lack of sufficient fund despite availability of skilled manpower and traditional materials. The entire fund collected from this source is being utilized strictly for heritage conservation and tourism promotion activities. The result is encouraging. Because of this financial resources.

Community mobilization on conservation activities:

From this year, out of the fund collected from entrance fee, Municipality has initiated new approach besides regular conservation programs. A special conservation program for Durbar Square as well as another program for establishing Heritage Conservation Community groups, dividing entire Municipality area into 10 Heritage Zones will be started. Such groups will be formed at each Zone, providing seed money from Municipality for mobilizing local people and local resources for conservation of entire monuments inside their zone. Municipality will also provide basic skills and other necessary training for these groups.

Municipality is also encouraging local people to re-construct their private houses in traditional architect. Municipality  provides traditional terracotta bricks free of charge and subsidy on timber for using at the façade of these houses. Lalitpur Sub-Metro will extend heritage protection activities in Lalitpur in large scale. City Office is incorporating active community participation in the days to come.

One encouraging aspect on heritage conservation activity in Lalitpur is the availability of craftsmen who are experts on the traditional skills on woodcarving, metal works and most important the brick masonry works. They can reconstruct any ancient monuments with accuracy and precision like the original structure.

Municipality has been supporting Patan Tourism Development Organization, an N.G.O, in its initiative to convert suitable old traditional houses into a bed and breakfast  guesthouses for the visitors. UNESCO has also been providing financial assistance for this project. Patan Heritage Tour has also been introduced working jointly with this organization recently.

Lalitpur Sub-Metropolitan City Office is taking steps, working jointly with other local organizations and communities and Engineering campus students to implement Visual Improvement and Padestrianization programs of the main Streets in the core areas of Patan city.

With an objective to improve performance of Heritage Unit of this Municipality and to strengthen institutional capability of the Municipality towards Heritage Conservation, the Municipality is working on a project in this regard with cooperation from E.U.

Protection of ancient urban fabric:

The only problem faced by Municipality is the requirement of effective mechanism to check  unauthorized construction of old private houses inside World Heritage Site. One of the hindering factors in this aspect is involvement of many agencies besides Dept. of Archeology  in the process of taking legal action to lawbreakers. Instant penalty and other action is not possible because of complexities of involvement of Town Development authority, Chief District Officer besides Dept. of Archeology and Municipality to complete the necessary formalities in such cases. Review on existing system is urgently needed on this important issue on national level.

Lalitpur Sub-Metropolitan City Office has constantly making approaches to the central  Government for obtaining permission to utilize and preserve the Bhandarkhal Garden, a big open space under control of Govt. that is lying useless at the heart of the core area.. Until now, not even positive assurance has been received from HMG in this regard. This Garden can be converted into a cultural history Museum with regular activities of traditional performing arts, food and garment festivals and exhibition of the arts and crafts.

Heritage conservation activities needs collective efforts from all component of the society; Local Government, Community, Government Agencies, NGOs, INGOs  and international agencies like UNESCO. A sustainable and self-reliant system can be developed mobilizing local community for this purpose. Attitude of the central Government Agencies must be positive towards empowering local bodies like Municipalities and Village Development Committees regarding preservation and utilization of heritages.

Even though, present condition of the World Heritage sites in Nepal is considered satisfactory, the overall condition of other such Heritages, including LUMBINI, the birth place of lord BUDDHA, need more attention from all sectors to avoid gradual destruction of such valuable Heritages.
For development of a sustainable and self-reliant system for preservation of Heritage, following steps is suggested;

• Local Government should be made final authority for utilizing and conservation of Heritages.
• Action plan for mobilizing local resources has to be implemented through local governments for preservation activities.
• Encourage local community and N.G.Os for running effective programs for education and interaction with local people about conservation of Heritage.
• Central Government should provide subsidy on traditional construction materials  for private house owners’ inside Monument zone.
• Classification of all Monument zones inside the country is required for protection of the heritage. And also declare cultural cities within the country.
• Provision of national level award to Heritage Conservation activities.
• Effective measure, with active mobilization of local community, for controlling illegal construction of old private buildings.
• Statutory provision for involving local community, N.G.Os for restoration and reconstruction works. Which will  create public awareness and also saves total project cost to a large extent.
• Concerned central Government Department should facilitate networking among agencies involved on Heritage Conservation activities within  and outside the country for sharing ideas and experiences in this field.
  

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