SUNDARI CHOWK

Sundari Chowk is a single bayed with parallel load bearing building. The entrance leading to the
courtyard is through a gate on the axis of building, protected by two stone statues representing
Ganesh on the left and Narasingha on the right.

The courtyard is at a lower level than the street, with the exception of a walkway measuring
approximately one meter in width. Initially it had north entrance. It is built on the concept of
Vastupurusha Mandala. The floor of the open courtyard is paved with square slabs of stone. In the
centre lies the Tusa Hiti, the open air bathing place of the rulers. There is three dalans on the three
façade, except in south. At the frieze level, the courses in the ground floor are caved with Shivalingas
(570 nos.), which are so arranged that tells the main entrance at the north. At south, we can find
continuous carving of shivalingas with no dalans defining. During renovation in 2034 BS, there has
been removing and replacing of images. There is still one image of Indra untouched which is placed
according to the Vastupurush Mandala.
The rooms, kothas, and the open halls, dalans which surround having doors and windows overlooking
the chowk. These ground floor rooms were used as stables, arsenals, sanctuaries and for the place
guards. Upper floors where each of them giving access onto the long and narrow room which is of the
same length and width as one wing of the chowk. Communication between the rooms apparently was
not planned as there are no interconnecting doors or corridors. The four rooms remain separate and
constitute four distinct living quarters.

It is only on the second floor, which was probably added later, that a surrounding latticed balcony is
found, like a corridor linking the different room with one another. The four rooms on the first floor
appear to have been living and sleeping quarters whereas on the second floor served as kitchen and
eating halls. The space immediately below the roof was generally too small to be of any use.

The small screened windows, the rooms no higher than two meters. The narrow staircases and the
open-air bathroom lead the western observer to conclude that the living conditions of Nepali kings.
The interior furniture of the king’s rooms was similar to that of any ordinary citizen, except that it
may be supposed that cushions, mattresses, carpets, chests and like were more elaborate and of
richer quality. The single most important and most striking character in the respect of the planning
and building of a king’s chowk that is more closely resembles a Buddhist monastery (Bahal) than
ordinary everyday living quarters. Some details of this differentiation are that, in spite of an
impressive front façade, all rooms look mainly onto the inner courtyard. Also the rooms are built to
surround the courtyard and there are no central structural walls or partitions. Each corner staircase
leads to self-contained living quarters, and each chowk has its own sanctuary.

CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY
The construction technology is load bearing system. The construction materials of Sundari Chowk
consist of brick, timber, mud floor and tiling and Jhingati roof. Timber is used for joists, frame,
windows, doors, floor planks etc. The foundation would be made of brick. It is said that Sundari
Chowk has got no foundation and instead wall itself acts as the foundation. Roofs have ridge with the
center post raised in king post truss which are supported by struts. The corridors and balconies
walkway are supported by wooden struts. Windows and doors are not load bearing components,
there was lots of carving (Krishna) had been done. The window openings are normally slope narrow
out.