Lost in development: l’antico mercato di Asan Tole

Sukirti Amatya è la giovane figlia di un vecchio amico. Da generazioni abitanti a Asan Tole, l’antico cuore commerciale di Kathmandu. Nel suo blog racconta come i luoghi della sua infanzia stanno perdendosi. La foto è stata scattata da casa sua nel 1982.

Nowadays walking in the streets I grew up is becoming sad every day. “Ason tole” where my family grew up and where our childhood is mostly spent. The streets of the Ason Tole have been there for more than century. And some shops are there for more than half-century. Even our old house is more than a century old house. But as the part of the development, we all migrated from that place. All our family have now shifted to other places but still, we go to Ason to shop. Shopping in the Ason and New Road have been like culture to us. Every shops and corner are in our mind and know them so well. Every time if we need anything we go to the same old streets.
But the old streets and the old heritage sites are changing day by day. Every time I go there will be some changes. After the massive earthquake in 2015 has changed the whole face of those old streets. Most of the buildings are damaged. Some were fully damaged and some have major cracks. But still, the shops are opened in the major damaged buildings.

Most of the people have a perspective of making high concrete buildings. But are those building good in the streets like Ason? What will happen to our old streets? Am I the only one who has this in my head?
Not only the buildings but the temples are also been buried under the development. This building above is another example of heritage lost in the development. This is Paltan Chhen/ Paltan Ghar which was built before 1832 B.S. This building have been there more than 243 years old and no one cares about it. The building has been ignored by most of the people who come in this area, only a few people know about this and it’s importance.

Also our old house in one of the Chowks of Ason. This building is also lost in the making of a new high concrete building.

There are still so many things that have been lost in the development and most of the people have forgotten. The Bhajan Dabalis, Bhajan mandals, the old newari bhajans all are lost in development. If you go and see those Bhajans you will see only the old generations. If these continue these all will vanish within few decades. I Wish the places were like before