Pokhara:

Our traditional gologhars (circular houses) have become a rare sight. In another few years we will perhaps not see such houses any more. However, a British national Adam Hill, has been running ‘Mayadevi Sano Gaun’, which is his gologhar restaurant.

This restaurant was previously owned by Pokhara’s tourism entrepreneur Ram Chandra Subedi, who had built these gologhars and started the operation of Mayadevi Sano Gaun guest house with a view to attract tourists.

He was quite taken in by the small circular houses with artistic windows and doors and a thatched roof. That’s the reason why he started the restaurant, said Hill, 35, who also played a role in introducing paragliding to Nepali sky.

He added that the Nepali people should not forget Nepali traditional art and culture in their mad rush after everything foreign.

The circular houses constructed with locally available resources have turned out to be a huge attraction for the tourists. They mostly come here to learn about the architecture of these houses and take pictures, Hill said, adding the restaurant is also doing very well.

“If these traditional gologhars could be developed into restaurants and lodges, then tourists will be able to enjoy traditional Nepali culture and it would be a very different experience for them,” he said.

One of the former proprietors of Sano Gaun restaurant, Keshav Subedi said the vision of starting the gust house in these traditional circular houses was initially started to introduce the tourists to Nepali custom and art. He added that though the construction cost of these traditional houses is less than modern buildings, it is hard to find the artistes to construct these houses and for repair works.

Gologhars are rapidly disappearing from Pokhara. One Durga Datta Neupane, 65, of Baidam, who still lives in such a gologhar said this type of houses are fast disappearing due to competition among locals to build modern concrete houses.

These traditional houses are quite beneficial for health as well, as it gets warm in winter and cool in summer. Japanese tourist Motoko Fujitani said tourists are attracted to Nepali art, culture and natural beauty and are interested in Nepali traditional artefacts and homes. He urged Nepalis to preserve traditional customs in order to boost tourism in Nepal.