A piece of Nepal in museum of Japan

The Kathmandu post Of Nepal

(Sunday,February 9,2003)

Eight woodcarvers of Bungmati are behind the creation of this unique door. They had worked together for one whole month to create this artifact. And the workers have agreed not to make a replica of this door for anyone else since it is a gift to Japan. In no other Japanese museum can one find an object de’ art like this and the makers of this door want it to be one of a kind gift.

A beautifully carved wooden door, six feet tall, three and half feet wide greets the onlookers in Ochyano Sato museum in Japan. This door is a fine specimen of craftsmanship of woodcarvers from Bungmati village. It is also a symbol of friendship between the Khanaya city and Bungmati village of Nepal.
Nepali idols of Buddha and various gods and goddesses are no uncommon sight in museum in foreign countries. But the presence of a six feet tall, three and half feet wide door in a Japanese museum may surprise any onlooker. And this door is not an ordinary door. It’s decorated with highly artistic images of deities like Shiva, Parvati, Ganesha and special vessel like kalasha. This door depicts the fine craftsmanship of Nepali woodcarvers of Bungmati village. The door stands proudly in Ochyano Sato museum situated in Khanaya city of Japan.

Eight woodcarvers of Bungmati are behind the creation of this unique door. They had worked together for one whole month to create this artifact. And the workers have agreed not to make a replica of this door for anyone else since it is a gift to Japan. In no other Japanese museum can one find an object de’ art like this and the makers of this door want it to be one of a kind gift.

The man who made it possible for this door to find a place in Japanese museum is Anoj Shakya. Shakya says that he chose woodcraft among so many other art mediums to represent Nepali workmanship because people of Bungmati village are renowned for woodcarving. So famous are these craftsmen that they had the opportunity to take part in restoration activities of the historic Gorkha Durbar few years back.
Regarding how this door made its way to Ochyano Sato museum, Shakya says that the authorities of the museum were in search of a Nepali national to decorate a room in the museum for ‘Nepal Day’ and he got the opportunity to do this work. Meanwhile it struck Shakya that the museum didn’t even have a single Nepali item on display. He then declined the remuneration he received for the decoration and instead requested the authorities to give woodcraft created in his village, Bungmati, a place in the museum. When he got the permission, he returned to Bungmati and asked the woodcraftsmen there to create a unique gift for Japan.
On October 9, 2002 he handed the door to the mayor,Mr.Oishi yoshiaki of Khanaya city. Today, this door greets the museum goers as a symbol of friendship between Bungmati and Kanaya.
Shakya says it is his intention that the mayor of Kanaya city,Mr.Oishi Yoshiaki and the curator of Ochyanosato ,Mr.Kodomari Shigehiro are to be invited to visit Bungmati & are to be appreciated them by His Majesty The King Of Nepal in the near future.