SEISMIC STRENGTHENING AND RESTORATION OF LO GEKHAR
In 2020, the Norbusum Foundation was granted an award 285,000 USD by the U.S. Department of State through its Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) grant program, Federal Award Identification Number SNP40020GR0042, for the seismic strengthening and restoration of Lo Gekhar.
Given damages to the main structures sustained after the 2015 earthquakes and the severe climatic conditions, this project is designed to support the Upper Mustang community in charge of this monument to address urgent conservation and restoration needs as follows:
- Encourage a reflection on the future usage and maintenance of the monument in the light of the rapidly increasing accessibility of the site.
- Plan a comprehensive restoration of the monastic complex of Lo Gekhar and its environment with the goal to preserve their current characteristics.
- Undertake seismic strengthening and other architecture restoration work as required.
- Document, catalogue, conserve and restore artistic heritage as needed.
- Adapt the monuments’ interiors for future usage.
- Create information about the history and significance of the monument and its heritage.
- Establish and implement a long term preservation and maintenance plan for the site.
Planned Works
Roughly speaking, the first year is dedicated to planning, the second year to the architectural restoration of the temple, the third year to the interiors.
Year 1: Planning and Emergency Measures
Engagement
Engagement
Engagement
Year 1: Planning and Emergency Measures
Engagement
- Discussion with the community and other stakeholders about present needs and future usage of the complex. ● Establishment of a heritage committee for the restoration and maintenance of Lo Gekhar.
- Definition and designation of the sacred area around the complex, which also represents the outer perimeter within which project funds will be used.
- Documentation of the architecture in plan and photography.
- Documentation of all sacred and otherwise valuable content for an inventory.
- Documentation of all structures within the sacred area of the complex.
- Photographic and technical documentation of the wall paintings.
- Usage analysis of the complex (ritual calendar) to establish requirements.
- Survey of the architecture of the entire complex with a comprehensive structural and seismic analysis of all buildings.
- Drainage analysis of the complex and its environment to establish potential problems and suitable areas for sanitation facilities, including a septic tank.
- Risk assessment for fire and other possible hazards.
- Survey of the sacred area including all the surrounding chörten (stūpa) and natural environment.
- Adding temporary supports and other architectural emergency measures (cracks, roof) as required.
- Architectural restoration and maintenance plan for the main structures which includes sanitation, electricity and heating facilities.
- Planning the restoration of the sacred rooms in their interrelationship.
- Overall maintenance plan for the entire sacred area.
Engagement
- Establishment of procedures to make sure future work within the sacred area aligns with the overall conservation and maintenance plan.
- Discussion on optimizing accessibility and usage of the sacred spaces in particular with regard to the lighting of butter lamps and other potentially harming practices.
- Encouraging contributions to the work.
- Seismic retrofitting.
- Replacing weak supports and beams.
- Adding or securing frame structure in walls.
- Consolidating cracks.
- Redoing all temple roofs and their drainages with emphasis on making them considerably less heavy.
- Repairing mani and prayer-wheel structures along the outer walls of the temple.
- Improving drainage on the temple side.
- Wooden floor for second storey temple.
- Reinstall electricity and lighting.
- Documentation of the stone panels outside of their frames during refitting.
- Analysis of object restoration needs.
- Assessment of the mounting of the stone panels and possible ways to improve them.
- Final adaptations.
Engagement
- Encouraging contributions to the work.
- Consolidation of wall paintings as required.
- Conservation of sculptures as required.
- Conservation of stone panels and refitting as required.
- Final architectural work.
- Work in the interiors as required.
- Researching the history of the complex as apparent in its heritage.
- Researching for publications and brochures on the temple and its contents.
- Establishing procedures for the future maintenance of the complex.
- Discussing all planned promotion material.
- Redoing signage and information panels.
- Creating and printing a brochure with information about the monument and its restoration.