Photo Credit: Surabhi Pudasaini
The Nepal National Archives in Kathmandu keeps much of it’s collection in such bundles. It is a method of organization and storage inherited from the historical Gorkhali state, which stored its folded and rolled documents in pokas, bundles, like this till the mid-20th century.
Whether you are an academic in search of sources, a student following a lesser-known thread, or a curious visitor drawn in by an image or a question, you are welcome here. For questions and collaborations, please contact us at either info@kammcenter.org or surabhi@kammcenter.org.
Photo Credit: Eva Kafle
Contemporary hand made lokta paper with pressed bougainvillea petals and ferns. Today, such lokta paper is used to make notebooks, envelopes, and greeting cards. For at least a few centuries till the mid-20th century, handmade lokta was essentially the only kind of paper available for writing. Administrative documents, ritual and scholarly manuscripts, and artisanal manuals were all handwritten on lokta.
