TRADITIONAL ACCOMMODATION IN PATAN ' DHAKHWA HOUSE'

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
The Dhakhwa House  is actually only a part of a larger house, which was divided a few decades ago. The house was originally built by Bekha Muni Dhakhwa approximately 95 years ago, when he moved from the main Dhakhwa Chowk nearby in Nagbahal, and used for residential purposes. It had a primary access from the Nagbahal and was connected to four courtyards. During the 1934 (1990 BS) earthquake, a portion of the house on the northeast corner, which was being used as the dhukuti (a vault), was lost.
The word ‘Dhakhwa’ basically means ‘experts on playing the dha:, a traditional musical instrument in the Newari culture. They are also known for their extensive trading with Lhasa.
Dhakhwa buildings were well known as one of the magnificent styles of Newari architecture in the past decades. However, due to the modern needs of accommodation, these buildings are left abandoned and its beauty is left to degrade over time. Adaptive reuse of these buildings can be a great solution for conserving and sustaining these precious buildings. Just by conserving the heritages inherited, we can follow the principle of sustainability, which is the need of today’s generation. An abandoned Dhakhwa building is proposed to be used as a fully functional guest house cum office space, incorporating every required modern amenity without destroying its architectural significance. After the completion of this project, the abandoned Dhakhwa House will not only serve as a source of income but also as the perfect Newari getaway for the tourists. The architectural significance of this building will be well preserved by proper repair and restoration of the lost architectural elements.