Jwajalapa ... a window to newar culture
 home    web forum    articles    newspapers    books  
 email    email group    chat    e-greetings    about  
  NEWAR > introduction   language   religions   festivals   rituals   music   dances   cuisines   ornaments
  views   nepal scripts   nepal era   newah names   newah radios   newah models
Nepal Sambat 1128 ::  16 May 2008, Friday NPT  ::   search this site       
  Navigation  
  Views on the Newars
Different Views

   

Views on the Newars

"Now a days the term Nepalese has a far wider significance, indeed almost a changed meaning, but when we speak of Nepalese civilization, we can only mean Newar civilization"
-David Snellgrove
'Shrines and Temples of Nepal'
Arts Asiatique
VIII,I,1961 Page#3

The salient trait of the Newar character is the taste of society. The Newar never lives isolated; he loves to dwell a little like the Parisian, in house of several stores and swarming with people, rather than live in solitude in town as well as in the village. He knows how to derive delight from the pleasures nature give him; he sings, he talks, he laughs, he loves the country side, delights in picnic of gay company; in a shadow spot near a stream of a rivulet, in the shelter of an old sanctuary, facing a beautiful and panoramic view. Careful and keen cultivator he also excels in all the manual arts, even the most delicate; he is a painter of taste, well-informed trader without rapacity and born artist. He is talented goldsmith and ironsmith, fanciful carver, dyer and a gifted artist. He has changed the art of India, built temples and palaces which have served as models to the Tibetans and the Chinese. The Classical pagoda hells from Nepal. The reputation of the Nepalese craftsmen, consecrated by the centuries, is still established in the whole Central Asia. The Gurkhas who recent their entry in the army have given them the reputation of cowardice; but the memory of the assaults delivered at Kirtipur testify their bravery
-Sylvan Levi
La Nepal

"The Newars are best known to the world for their amazing artistic creativity and skilled craftsmanship producing a culture which a few centuries ago ranked among the highest in Asia. The Newars developed their own distinctive art style which is now thought of purely Nepalese. The heavily decorated many tired pagoda temple style peculiar to Newari builders and artisans is generally believed to have originated with them. Records show that Emperors of Tibet and China sent for Newari craftsmen to build temples in their lands, whence the style eventually spread to Japan "
-Mary A. Anderson

top 
   
bhaktapur
Bhaktapur Durbar Square : a splendid example of Newar Craftsmanship

handloom
Newar Craft : handloom weavings
Copyright © 2001-07 by newatech inc., all rights reserved. :: email us :: refer this site :: guest book ::