Garden of Dreams
Encyclopedia
The Garden of Dreams (Nepali
:स्वप्न बगैंचा), a neo classical historical garden, is situated in the midst of Kathmandu city, Nepal
. The Garden was famous as the garden of Six Seasons which was created by late Field Marshal Kaiser Sumsher Rana (1892–1964) in early 1920. After the completion of this Garden, it was considered as one of the most sophisticated private gardens of that time. However, it was a private garden of Kaiser Sumsher, it was beautifully designed inspired by the famous Edwardian style. Kishore Narshingh, a prominent architect who designed and constructed Singha Durbar in 1907, designed and supervised the construction of the Garden of Dreams. Within the Garden walls, Kaiser Sumsher created an exquisite ensemble of pavilions, fountains, decorative garden furnitures and European inspired features such as varandas, pergolas, blustrades, urns and birdhouses. He erected six impressive pavilions, each dedicated to one of the six seasons of Nepal. These pavilions provided the Garden's architectural framework and lent a cosmopolitan flavor to the formal arrangement of flowers, shrubs and trees. Today, only half of the original garden is in existence.
After the demise of Kaiser Sumsher, the garden was handed over to the Government of Nepal. However it was not properly managed for decades. A seven years of extensive renovation has revived the garden as per the original concept with added modern facilities. It has now become an oasis of peace and tranquility in the urban bustle of Kathmandu city. The size of the Garden is 6,895 sq. meter including three pavilions, amphitheater, central ponds, pergolas, urns and combination of small gardens to larger ones.
The Garden of Dreams renovation project was financed by Austrian Government, the project was implemented by Eco Himal. This model project has become a sustainable historic site which lie dormant and could be similarly restored and developed to great benefits. The Garden of Dreams has also contributed to improve the quality of life for both the citizens and tourists in the central Kathmandu.
Now, Garden of Dreams is considered as one of most attractive tranquil oasis, tourism landmark which also houses a natural library where visitors can take advantage of natural beauty inter related with historical and architectural flavour. Garden of Dreams welcomes private and corporate functions, receptions, cultural programs, and classical concerts too.
Located just across the street from the former Royal Palace at the entrance to the Thamel tourist area, the Garden was neglected for decades. Its neo-classical pavilions paying homage to Nepal’s six seasons were crumbling. The stately garden paths were overgrown, and the rich variety of subtropical flora was disappearing beneath a jumble of weeds. Now, with the support of Austrian Development Aid and in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Government of Nepal, this national treasure has been restored and can once again assume its rightful place among the great landscape monuments of South Asia.
The Garden is now open for all who wish to experience and enjoy Kaiser Shumsher's extraordinary legacy to Nepal.
This magnificent neo-classical garden is typical of the wide-ranging interests of the remarkable Rana aristocrat. A statesman, scholar, linguist, and connoisseur of horticulture, art, and literature, Kaiser Shumsher created a masterpiece that, in its design and literary allusions, is inextricably linked to the collections of books about gardening, architecture, and literature in his impressive library.
While a dozen European-style gardens of similar caliber can be found in India, Kaiser Shumsher's extreme refinement and his personal adaptations of the landscape and architecture, together with the Garden's connection to a historically significant figure, make this one of the great and unique landscaping monuments of South Asia.
The Garden of Dreams is adjacent to the former Royal Palace (now a museum) built in 1895. The then Prime Minister Chandra Shumsher obtained the palace for his son Kaiser. Within the Garden walls Kaiser Shumsher created an exquisite ensemble of pavilions, fountains, decorative garden furniture, and European-inspired pergolas, balustrades, urns, and statues. He erected six impressive freestanding pavilions, each dedicated to one of the six seasons of Nepal. These pavilions provided the Garden's architectural framework and lent a cosmopolitan flavor to the formal arrangements of flowers, shrubs, and trees.
The Garden's design has much in common with formal European gardens: paved perimeter paths, punctuated by pavilions, trellises, and various planting areas, surrounded by a sunken flower garden with a large pond at its center. It is an architectural landscape that encourages the visitor to stroll around and discover the Garden's treasures from many different vantage points.
In a typically Edwardian manner, the formal and axial arrangement of the Garden's architectural features stands in contrast to its more informal and natural planting - a juxtaposition consistent with that of the gardens created in England during the reign of Edward VII.
In fact, the Garden was remarkably up to date for its time, comparable to the latest garden designs in the first quarter of the 20th century. Considering Kaiser Shumsher's impressive book collection this is not surprising. Unfortunately, many of the original volumes in the library have been lost over time, making an analysis of printed sources difficult. However, the architectural sophistication of the individual pavilions suggests that they were inspired by pattern books, with minor local adaptations.
Kishore Narsingh, an architect to Kaiser Shumsher's father, the Maharaja, was responsible for the detailed layout and execution of the Garden, following the instructions of his distinguished client. Narsingh, together with his architect brother, had designed and supervised the construction in 1907 of Singha Darbar - one of Asia's most ambitious palaces - for Maharaja Chandra Shumsher. Narsingh's experience with the Darbar, combined with Kaiser Shumsher's sophistication, may well explain the extraordinary refinement of the Garden of Dreams.
Nepali language
Nepali or Nepalese is a language in the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family.It is the official language and de facto lingua franca of Nepal and is also spoken in Bhutan, parts of India and parts of Myanmar...
:स्वप्न बगैंचा), a neo classical historical garden, is situated in the midst of Kathmandu city, Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
. The Garden was famous as the garden of Six Seasons which was created by late Field Marshal Kaiser Sumsher Rana (1892–1964) in early 1920. After the completion of this Garden, it was considered as one of the most sophisticated private gardens of that time. However, it was a private garden of Kaiser Sumsher, it was beautifully designed inspired by the famous Edwardian style. Kishore Narshingh, a prominent architect who designed and constructed Singha Durbar in 1907, designed and supervised the construction of the Garden of Dreams. Within the Garden walls, Kaiser Sumsher created an exquisite ensemble of pavilions, fountains, decorative garden furnitures and European inspired features such as varandas, pergolas, blustrades, urns and birdhouses. He erected six impressive pavilions, each dedicated to one of the six seasons of Nepal. These pavilions provided the Garden's architectural framework and lent a cosmopolitan flavor to the formal arrangement of flowers, shrubs and trees. Today, only half of the original garden is in existence.
After the demise of Kaiser Sumsher, the garden was handed over to the Government of Nepal. However it was not properly managed for decades. A seven years of extensive renovation has revived the garden as per the original concept with added modern facilities. It has now become an oasis of peace and tranquility in the urban bustle of Kathmandu city. The size of the Garden is 6,895 sq. meter including three pavilions, amphitheater, central ponds, pergolas, urns and combination of small gardens to larger ones.
The Garden of Dreams renovation project was financed by Austrian Government, the project was implemented by Eco Himal. This model project has become a sustainable historic site which lie dormant and could be similarly restored and developed to great benefits. The Garden of Dreams has also contributed to improve the quality of life for both the citizens and tourists in the central Kathmandu.
Now, Garden of Dreams is considered as one of most attractive tranquil oasis, tourism landmark which also houses a natural library where visitors can take advantage of natural beauty inter related with historical and architectural flavour. Garden of Dreams welcomes private and corporate functions, receptions, cultural programs, and classical concerts too.
History of Garden of Dreams
In the midst of downtown Kathmandu’s urban bustle, the tranquil oasis of the Kaiser Mahal Garden stands as an enduring legacy of the extraordinary vision and talent of one man – Late Field Marshall Kaiser Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana (1892–1964).Located just across the street from the former Royal Palace at the entrance to the Thamel tourist area, the Garden was neglected for decades. Its neo-classical pavilions paying homage to Nepal’s six seasons were crumbling. The stately garden paths were overgrown, and the rich variety of subtropical flora was disappearing beneath a jumble of weeds. Now, with the support of Austrian Development Aid and in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Government of Nepal, this national treasure has been restored and can once again assume its rightful place among the great landscape monuments of South Asia.
The Garden is now open for all who wish to experience and enjoy Kaiser Shumsher's extraordinary legacy to Nepal.
This magnificent neo-classical garden is typical of the wide-ranging interests of the remarkable Rana aristocrat. A statesman, scholar, linguist, and connoisseur of horticulture, art, and literature, Kaiser Shumsher created a masterpiece that, in its design and literary allusions, is inextricably linked to the collections of books about gardening, architecture, and literature in his impressive library.
While a dozen European-style gardens of similar caliber can be found in India, Kaiser Shumsher's extreme refinement and his personal adaptations of the landscape and architecture, together with the Garden's connection to a historically significant figure, make this one of the great and unique landscaping monuments of South Asia.
The Garden of Dreams is adjacent to the former Royal Palace (now a museum) built in 1895. The then Prime Minister Chandra Shumsher obtained the palace for his son Kaiser. Within the Garden walls Kaiser Shumsher created an exquisite ensemble of pavilions, fountains, decorative garden furniture, and European-inspired pergolas, balustrades, urns, and statues. He erected six impressive freestanding pavilions, each dedicated to one of the six seasons of Nepal. These pavilions provided the Garden's architectural framework and lent a cosmopolitan flavor to the formal arrangements of flowers, shrubs, and trees.
The Garden's design has much in common with formal European gardens: paved perimeter paths, punctuated by pavilions, trellises, and various planting areas, surrounded by a sunken flower garden with a large pond at its center. It is an architectural landscape that encourages the visitor to stroll around and discover the Garden's treasures from many different vantage points.
In a typically Edwardian manner, the formal and axial arrangement of the Garden's architectural features stands in contrast to its more informal and natural planting - a juxtaposition consistent with that of the gardens created in England during the reign of Edward VII.
In fact, the Garden was remarkably up to date for its time, comparable to the latest garden designs in the first quarter of the 20th century. Considering Kaiser Shumsher's impressive book collection this is not surprising. Unfortunately, many of the original volumes in the library have been lost over time, making an analysis of printed sources difficult. However, the architectural sophistication of the individual pavilions suggests that they were inspired by pattern books, with minor local adaptations.
Kishore Narsingh, an architect to Kaiser Shumsher's father, the Maharaja, was responsible for the detailed layout and execution of the Garden, following the instructions of his distinguished client. Narsingh, together with his architect brother, had designed and supervised the construction in 1907 of Singha Darbar - one of Asia's most ambitious palaces - for Maharaja Chandra Shumsher. Narsingh's experience with the Darbar, combined with Kaiser Shumsher's sophistication, may well explain the extraordinary refinement of the Garden of Dreams.