The Golden Age Of Nepalese Sculpture

Nepalese sculpture reached its zenith in the Lichchhavi period; stone, copper and bronze images from this period show round faces with slanted eyes. While attention was also given to details, the main feature of this period is presentation of simplicity. The use of clothes and ornaments was quite restrained: many Hindu deities, for example are shownwearing only a Dhoti (skirt-like lower garment). Buddhist deities were carved to show them wearing long Sanghatis (a long saffron-colored robe that the Buddhists wear hanging from the shoulders). Lichchhavi period sculptors mostly used basalt for their work, first chiseling and then smoothing and varnishing, perhaps with iron dust. The limbs of Lichchhavi period idols were so beautifully executed that it is not possible to find one specimen with a chiseled mark. Some of the best examples of Lichchhavi art are the images of Sleeping Vishnu in Budhanilkantha, located 8 Kilometres north of Kathmandu; and the Vishnu Vikranta or Dwarf Incarnation found near Lazimpat in Kathmandu. In addition, there are some remarkable sculptures from Lichchhavi period (5th-8th century) at Changu Narayan. The sculptural arts of 6th-14th century and from early Malla period (11th-14th century) comprise equally important art treasures of Nepal.

Cultural Heritage

A country's cultural heritage includes all traces of human activity in the physical environment. These are irreplaceable sources of information on people's lives and activities, and on the historical development of crafts, techniques and art. Because monuments and sites and cultural environments are non-renewable resources, their management must be based on a long-term perspective. Cultural monuments and sites are a source of emotional and aesthetic experiences for many people, and modern society can benefit from the preservation and active use of its cultural heritage.

The Directorate for Cultural Heritage is responsible for the management of all archaeological and architectural monuments and sites and cultural environments in accordance with the applicable legislation. The Directorate is under the auspices of the Ministry of the Environment and plays a central role in public environmental management.

Each county has a service responsible for cultural conservation in connection with the general administration of cultural affairs. The tasks of this service are to advise the county administration on cultural heritage management issues and to ensure that protected monuments and sites and cultural environments are taken into account in planning processes at the county and the municipal level. In the Sami areas, the Sámediggi (Sami Parliament) has the same tasks as the county cultural heritage service.

The Archaeological Museums administer excavations and investigations of archaeological monuments and sites.The Maritime Museums are responsible for monuments at the bottom of the sea.In accordance with the cultural heritage regulations for Svalbard, the Governor’s Office administers cultural conservation on Svalbard.

The purpose of cultural heritage management is described in the Cultural Heritage Act, which stipulates that it is a national responsibility to safeguard archaeological and architectural monuments and sites and cultural environments “as part of our cultural heritage and identity and as an element in the overall environment and resource management.” Under the provisions of the Act, the Directorate for Cultural Heritage may impose a protection order on buildings, groups of buildings and cultural landscapes. The Cultural Heritage Act also regulates the relations between the authorities and the owners of protected monuments and sites. However, only a fraction of Norway’s cultural heritage is protected in this way. There are a large number of buildings and other monuments and sites considered worthy of protection because of their qualities and their importance to the surrounding environment. Other acts of legislation, for instance the Building and Planning Act, may be invoked to protect these monuments and sites. However, the best method of conservation is to encourage the owners of monuments and sites to maintain these unique properties whether or not they are legally protected.

Narrative Journalism

Narrative journalism is a form of journalism. Unlike straight news stories -- which offer readers the basic who, what, where, when and why of a story -- narrative news pieces are longer and allow the writer to employ more elements of prose writing.

Stories that are considered narrative journalism often appear in magazines and allow a reporter to approach a subject in different ways. The famed journalist Tom Wolfe is among those credited with pioneering the use of narrative journalism.

Generations ago, narrative journalism was the rule in reporting and not the exception. Stories (sometimes rather subjectively reported and quite long by today's standards) in magazines and newspapers led the reader through a gripping tale told entirely from the view and experiences of the author. However, times have definitely changed.

Today, narrative journalism is not commonly used by most mainstream media outlets. In fact, many journalists stick with very basic formulas or utilize the "inverted pyramid" style of reporting in an effort to keep their writing concise and easy to edit. Some may even be unfamiliar with the technique, having never learned it throughout their careers as "beat" reporters.

Yet there is still room for narrative journalism in today's global marketplace where the Internet is available 24-hours a day, and authors eager to test their competence using a new technique may truly enjoy writing a news report that reads much more like a story than a series of objectively written paragraphs.

The narrative journalism style requires that the author put him - or herself into the article; thus, the piece may be written from a first-person perspective. However, it may also be told from a third-person viewpoint but with subjective nuances in the text.

Of course, it's tricky to write a true narrative if you're accustomed to sticking to "just the facts" and not adding any extraneous adjectives or adverbs to the mix, let alone personal opinions. You really have to let yourself "loose"; in fact, you may want to seek out some articles in the narrative journalism style to give you hints. (The New Yorker magazine is an excellent resource for narrative journalism examples.)

Some Narrative Journalism Concerns

One of the biggest worries editors and publishers have about narrative journalism is that because it's a blend of facts and feelings, problems can occur. Recently, many authors have been nabbed for stating mistruths in their pieces. Though some of the journalists accused of making up details were in fact guilty, others claimed to have simply misinterpreted situations. Because narrative journalism makes fact-checking challenging, it is still considered taboo in most news rooms.

Thus, if you're planning on trying out narrative journalism, talk to your editor first (if applicable.) Find out if he or she has any concerns regarding the technique, and try to hash out a plan so you'll both be comfortable with the outcome. That way, you won't be nailed when you turn in an assignment that isn't acceptable to your editor or his or her publication.

Gearing up to be a Narrative Journalist

Again, this art form hasn't been lost; it's simply been "on holiday" for a while. If you want to be one of the few journalists known for writing exceptional stories in a narrative journalism style, you'll need to practice.

A good way is to take an existing story from a newspaper and re-write it from a narrative viewpoint. At first, this exercise might feel awkward, especially if you're accustomed to working with "inverted pyramids". However, after some time, you'll begin to understand how to put together a narrative piece that is provocative and, above all else, truthful.

A second method of learning more about narrative journalism is to actively seek out stories written using the technique. Contrast them with other nonfiction articles you've read (or written).

Enjoy yourself as you learn this craft; after all, educating yourself in the various methods of writing will only make you a stronger, more well-rounded journalist.