The project’s main objective is to facilitate knowledge about cultural practices in urban Nepal, regarding the ever more importance of the patis after the earthquake of April 2015. They not only represent cultural architectural heritage, but also a supportive institution of communication and solidarity for vulnerable groups like elderly, homeless or women. Those people spend a lot of time at the patis, i.e. for social gatherings, chatting, playing cards or reading the newspaper. The sites are also used for religious events. “Patis of Patan” is based on three years of research that maps the varieties and histories of these important architectural and intangible elements in Nepal.
The platform resulted from Brosius’ earlier co-curation of a ‘pati heritage walk’ at the first International PhotoKathmandu festival in 2015 as well as the Cluster’s research project B19 “Ageing in a Transcultural Context”, which was part if Research Area B “Public Spheres” led by Christiane Brosius.
“Patis of Patan” was designed by the Heidelberg Research Architecture (HRA) in cooperation with the Chair for Visual and Media Anthropology at the Heidelberg Centre for Transcultural Studies (HCTS). Part of its research and activities could only be possible because of support from the Barbara and Wilfried Mohr Foundation, SAI HELP NEPAL and the Cluster of Excellence "Asia and Europe in a Global Context".
You will find the platform here.