For decades, Patan was the cultural and artistic hub of Kathmandu. Its intricate network of courtyards, temples, artisan workshops and cafes gave it a distinct vibrancy. All this changed in April, when the deadly quake rocked Nepal, laying ruin to heritage structures and public spaces.

Now a group of young photographers in Kathmandu are selling archival images of Nepal to support the rebuilding of Patan’s damaged heritage sites. Curated from the archives of Nepal Picture Library and the Peace Corps Photo History Project, the print sales aims to raise $100,000 for the Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust, one of the few bodies preserving heritage in Nepal

The idea came to NayanTara Gurung Kakshapati and Bhushan Shilpakar as they surveyed the damage to public space in Patan. In November it will be the site of Nepal’s first photography festival, Photo Kathmandu. “Funds to rebuild the larger temples will probably come from the major donors but the smaller shrines and community spaces will struggle to be renovated or rebuilt, so that is what we would like this fund to go towards.” Kakshapati said.

So two months after the earthquake, the fundraiser was launched. All the images below are from the archives and available online for $150.


The valley untangles itself from sleep as it slowly wakes up with the rising sun. Contributor: Ron Elliott



Yards of fabric hang down the walls of houses to dry. In the light sun and wind, the colours and patterns on the cloth set in more deeply. Then the fabric is cut, rolled and brought to the market for sale. Contributor: Ron Elliott



Shyam Mohan Shrestha remembers many 'outsiders', such as this Chaudhary man, coming to his father to be photographed. The landowners of Tansen would call the Tharus up from the plains of Bhairahawa and Dang for the festivals of Dasain and Tihar. The Tharus journeyed on foot, bringing ducks, chicken and grain for the festivities. Here, this young Tharu man is clearly dressed to impress with a blazer over his linens and his hair combed to the side. Contributor: Ravi Mohan Shrestha



Students take their exams on the school’s playground in Chiti Tilahar. To prevent cheating, Sumitra Manandhar Gurung and fellow teachers had made the students sit several feet away from one another. Contributor: Sumitra Manandhar Gurung



Mass gathering of Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist – Leninist) supporters at Kathmandu Durbar Square. The Kathmandu Durbar Square is one of three Durbar Squares in the Valley, all of which are UNESCO World Heritage sites. When the earthquake hit on April 25, it severely damaged this site. Contributor: Bikas Rauniar



Photographed in the studio of their home, we see Amrit Bahadur Chitrakar’s mother (on the right) and her sister (on the left). When Amrit’s mother couldn’t give birth for 10 years, Amrit’s father married her sister. Then, both women gave birth to healthy children with a gap of ten months between births. Amrit’s biological mother sadly passed away when he was four months old. Contributor: Amrit Bahadur Chitrakar



Two Rai women are pictured here in the midst of a traditional dance. In general, women were reluctant to dance in public, so they only did so as the evening grew late and the raksi flowed more freely. Contributor: Larry Daloz



Bandipur,1966. Contributor: Bill Hanson