Why Tilaurakot could not Become a ‘World Heritage’: Reflections on the Politics of Heritage

Name: Why Tilaurakot could not Become a ‘World Heritage’: Reflections on the Politics of Heritage
Start: 2025-08-31T15:00:00+05:45
End: 2025-08-31T16:30:00+05:45
Location: Post Box 13470, 27 Jeet Jung Marg Thapathali, Kathmandu, Nepal 44600

Schedule

Sun Aug 31 2025 at 03:00 pm to 04:30 pm

UTC+05:45

Location

Post Box 13470, 27 Jeet Jung Marg Thapathali, Kathmandu, Nepal 44600 | Kathmandu, BA

Research Seminar Series
Title:
Why Tilaurakot could not Become a ‘World Heritage’: Reflections on the Politics of Heritage
Speaker:
Neel Kamal Chapagain
Professor of Architecture, Kathmandu University
Date, Time and Venue:
31 August 2025/१५ भदौ २०८२ (आइतबार, दिउँसो ३ बजे)
Martin Chautari Seminar Hall, Thapathali, Kathmandu
LIVE:
www.fb.com/martinchautari.f
www.youtube.com/mchautari
Abstract:
Using the recent outcome of the World Heritage Committee meeting in Paris, that did not approve Nepal’s bid to inscribe the archaeological site of Tilaurakot – the childhood home of Siddhartha Gautam – as the prop for discussing larger politics of heritage, this conversation will delve into broader critical aspects of the discourses and practices of heritage.
About the Speaker:
Neel Kamal Chapagain has just joined Kathmandu University as a professor of Architecture, after serving as a professor and earlier director of Centre for Heritage Management, Ahmedabad University. At Ahmedabad, he was instrumental in setting up a graduate program in heritage management and a Journal of Heritage Management. Prior to Ahmedabad, he was a faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (USA). His most recent global engagements (in 2025) have been in Mongolia – as an international facilitator for the pilot phase of Mongolia Heritage Program, Philippines – as a tutor of a short course and a seminar speaker, South Korea – as a lecturer in a workshop, and Japan – as a mentor to early career researchers. He has a few published works and many unfinished works that he hopes to complete in the coming months. He is looking forward to a few meaningful collaborations with researchers, journalists or media houses and students from a range of disciplines to engage with critical issues related to heritage in Nepal – particularly in the Himalayan region.