ARTS AND CRAFTS

The things Nepalese are mostly proud of are their pieces of arts, architecture and crafts etc. Nepalese arts reflected in ancient stone carvings and wood works, paintings, temple crafts and arts done in metals etc. Still earmark the height of Nepalese arts. Many other sorts of craft works such as weaving, molding of idols and other arts, making of pots, utensils, baskets blankets and clothing materials, so called curio goods and hundreds of other varieties have been catching the eyes of the world till to-day. Art works in Nepal is often found much older than its recorded history leaving much food for speculations and research works. Ashok Stupas of Patan are most probably older than 2,000 years, but question mark still exits regarding its time of construction. Was it built by Emperor Ashok of India in memorial of his visit to Nepal as popularly believed? No scholastic proof is found about it. Similar is the case with many other religious shrines and images of gods. Legendary justification of these takes us to a world, which is far away from scientific approach. However, all the art works made during 2 or 3 thousand years in Nepal as can be seen elsewhere in the kingdom, especially Kathmandu Valley, reveal artistic mastery of Nepalese artists and craftsmen. An idea can be formed about it by going through the descriptions of temples shrines, places of interest and several other subjects in this volume. Regarding pattern of art, it seems basically Nepalese, but because of intimate contacts with India and China, styles of these countries also see to have influenced Nepalese arts and crafts. As Arniko of Nepal popularized Nepalese style of arts, bronze works and temple-craft etc. In China in the 13th century, Nepalese artists got very much influenced by Chinese arts as well.