Baber Mahal Revisited, Labor of Love

An Illustrious Lineage

During the period 1901 to 1929, Chandra S.J.B. Rana built nine neo-classical palaces in the valley including the 1000 room Singha Durbar. For his five sons, he built Keshar Mahal, Shital Niwas, Singha Mahal, Laxmi Niwas, and Baber Mahal. Gautam S.J.B. Rana is his descendant (five times removed) and in the period 1998 to 2002, Gautam restored the cowsheds and guard quarters of Baber Mahal, naming it Baber Mahal Revisted.

Not much of a comparison one could say, but then one must remember that Chandra S.J.B. Rana, Maharaja of Kaski and Lamjung, was the longest reigning Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief in Nepal's history. Gautam, on the other hand, came into the picture much after King Mahendra had already nationalized the 250 roomed Baber Mahal in 1966. Besides a paltry sum of Rs.11 lakhs, also as compensation, Major General Aditya S.J.B. Rana, Gautam's father and Aide-de-Camp to the Late King Birendra, was permitted to buy back the cowsheds and guard quarters that today is the renowned Baber Mahal Revisited.

Creating His Own History

Baber Mahal was the palace of Chandra S.J.B. Rana's second son, General Sir Baber S.J.B. Rana, Legion of Merit, G.C.V.O, G.B.E, R.C.S.I, K.C.S.E, who incidentally was the first Rana to be knighted by the Emperor King George V of England. One can see that a lot of illustrious blood flows through Gautam's veins and no doubt, Gautam himself has made history as well. His creation, Baber Mahal Revisited, has been featured in most national magazines as well as in many international ones.

Gautam's 'Labor of Love', as he likes to call it, was 31st in the '100 most great trips for the 21st century' listed by 'Travel and Leisure' in the year 2000. 'Times' featured him and his 'architectural museum' in their September 2002 issue.  Baber Mahal Revisited had also been nominated for the UNESCO Asia Pacific Heritage Award in the year 2000. Talking about his achievements, the youthful and self-effacing man says, “Maybe it's in the genes.”

The Royal Entrepreneur

While his elder brother, Gaurav S.J.B. Rana, is a Brigadier General in the army, Gautam himself has always been of an entrepreneurial bent. Thus, after finishing his studies in Business Management from Germany, Gautam started a business in making bronze statues using the lost wax method. He named it Bhavna Arts and Crafts after his wife, who herself is a Princess of the erstwhile royal family of Orcha in Madhya Pradesh, India. The company still makes statues, but only on exclusive orders.

“Bhavna's great-great grandmother built the Ram Mandir in Janakpur,” Gautam reveals. “An exact replica was also built in Orcha.” The royal entrepreneur and his wife have two sons, Virat, who is working in finance, and Varun. “He's studying architecture in Washington State University,” informs Gautam proudly. “After he finishes his studies in a year or so, I am looking forward to working with him on the second phase of my plans.” The 'second phase' happens to be sixteen luxury apartments to be built on approximately one thousand square metres of land adjoining the Baber Mahal Revisited complex. “The architecture will be based both on the European style introduced during Jung Bahadur's era as well as the Malla period architecture,” explains Gautam.

Gautam also once ran one of the first garment factories in the country, Varun Apparels. It was closed down four years ago but during the initial years, “did booming business.” “Actually, these businesses gave me plenty of opportunities to travel the globe,” says Gautam. “And I gathered a lot of ideas while abroad.” According to him, the idea of a complex that would be aesthetically beautiful as well as economically viable, germinated after his visit to the Quincy Market in Boston and the famous Covent Gardens in London.

KVPT and Baber Mahal Revisited

In 1993, Gautam came into contact with Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust (KVPT), and was highly impressed with their works on preservation of ancient monuments. In fact, so impressed was Gautam that he organized a fundraiser at the Soaltee Hotel, titled, '19th Century Nepal'. It raised half a million rupees which he donated to KVPT.  Soon enough, he was invited to be a board member of the prestigious body. “Since the last two years I am the Program Director for Nepal,” he informs. “Actually all the members are philanthropists and nobody gets paid.”

In 1995, after discussions with architects Eric Theophile and Dr. Rohit Ranjitkar of KVPT, work started on the restoration and conversion of the stables, cowsheds and out-buildings of the palace, Baber Mahal. It represented the first large scale undertaking in cultural heritage preservation in the private sector. With a dedicated team and expert supervision, the project was completed in 18 months, i.e. in 1997. “There were no scaled nor elevation drawings,” recalls Gautam. “We started the project anyway and improvised as we went along. In fact, the drawings followed as we started building.”

The project was not without hassles either. As Gautam says, “There were no proper government bye laws for restoration work and we had a difficult time convincing the authorities to get permission to build on the site. You see, it was not a hotel nor a supermarket but at the same time we needed proper infrastructure like septic tanks, toilets, telephones, etc… just like for those establishments.”  Besides, since it was (in the humble Rana's words) 'a labor of love', everything had to be perfect. So it was not surprising that when about seventy percent of the work had been finished, Gautam ran out of money. He approached many banks, but most of them, used to calculating commercial returns by rent per square feet, were not enthusiastic. After many sleepless nights, Gautam finally managed to get some financial backing from the Himalayan Bank. “That too with many conditions,” he remembers.

Courtyards and More

Gautam has coined his own term for his creation. “An architectural museum, that's what it is,” he affirms. According to the book he has written about the complex, ' …the neo-classical architecture of the Ranas, that rich mix of Nepalese, European and Indian influences, is revived as a monument worthy of study in a fitting tribute to the Rana legacy of excellence, grandeur and opulence.'

The design revolves around five courtyards that flow into one another and house twenty-two shops and four restaurants in between. The corner that marks the original tree lined entry into the palace grounds leads to the first courtyard, around which one can see the first 'imported' architectural designs - that of the plastered Mughal style of Lucknow - as used by Jung Bahadur in his garden palace at Thapathali. The second courtyard, known as Hanuman Chowk, has an idol of the monkey God, Hanuman, to whom a shrine was dedicated during construction. The third courtyard has what is described as a 'Newar Hybrid' architecture that includes typical shop fronts and windows found in Patan whose 'classical columns, louvered grills and diminutive size are a blend of European and Asian sensibilities'. Following a 'galli' or lane, lined on both sides by shops, one comes across the fourth courtyard, the Mulchowk. Around this can be seen 'new architecture incorporating classical details borrowed from the original Baber Mahal façade.' The fifth courtyard, in which, 'cows once munched' in their cowsheds, has today an Al Fresco restaurant that has been termed by guests to be 'one of the most relaxing spots in Kathmandu'.

Hard Earned Pride

Gautam can justifiably be proud of what he has achieved. Baber Mahal Revisited not only went on to become an economically sound proposition, but has also become one of the more beautiful spots in the Capital. “You know, at first, even after completion, there were many who were of the opinion that it would be a financial failure," Gautam recalls. “But I must tell you, there were two big hotels under construction at the same time Baber Mahal Revisited was being built. While I could pay back all the loans in two years time, I don't think they have been able to as yet!” He hastily adds, “Touch wood,” and then, with a satisfied smile, “Small is beautiful.”

Although born a Taurean, Gautam is not as sturdily built as its sign, the bull. Nevertheless, one can infer that his humility as well as great sense of self-deprecating humour must have something to do with his ever-lasting youth. And his great sense of humour is aptly symbolized by a cushion in his office that has embroidered on it - 'It's hard to be humble when you are a Rana'.