Kathmandu, June 16(Narayan Dhungana) : In the middle of shrubs and under tall trees sits an old boat. The boat seems to be waiting for passengers, not the ones to cross a river but those to come, sit and read books along with a sip of tea. The boat has had an experience of floating in the big rivers like Narayani, Rapti, and Koshi, and ponds in the Kathmandu Valley. But now it seems it has switched to a new role after retiring from ferrying passengers in the water.
Artist Rabindra Kumar Shrestha, a product of the Nepal Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), has come up with a novel idea to provide a platform for people to savour the taste of music and literature along with a sip of tea at the same place. Located in Naxal in Kathmandu, ‘Dunga Chiya Ghar’ is a teahouse where people can get a taste of music and literature alongside a cuppa by staying inside the boat.
Books of various genres including an autobiography of centenarian Satya Mohan Joshi, ‘Prayogshala’ by journalist Sudheer Sharma, art books and literatures are available while Shrestha plays a guitar to entice customers and visitors.At one end of the boat is a cauldron to prepare tea. Tea is prepared traditionally. He uses pure cow milk supplied from Dhulikhel to prepare tea that tastes local. Along with a cup of tea, he serves a donut, once a famous dish of cake in old Kathmandu, making customers remember old Kathmandu. ‘Take a cup of tea,’ he asks a customer and leaves after putting the cup of tea on the table inside the boat. ‘Milk is pure, not mixed with water. Tell me if sugar needs to be added,’ he says to the customer.
The setting, taste of tea and donut make customers feel their villages white some of them are made to remember tripod in the Tarai villages where tea is prepared in a kettle. Customers wait for their turn outside, sitting in chairs, reading books when seats in the boat are fully occupied. Not only ordinary people, noted ones have also visited the teahouse. One of them is senior litterateur Abhi Subedi, who according to Shrestha keenly observed and tested tea served by him. Besides, in some cases, Subedi gave interview to media persons, he recalled.
Recently, film artist Rabindra Singh Baniya along with his family reached the teahouse. Similarly, Ghimire Yubaraj of Shilpi Theater also made it to the shop. Of late, the teahouse has been the centre of attraction for many people ranging from students to litterateurs, film artists, journalists, and lawyers. The boat has its history. The boat operated in Nag Daha (pond) in Lalitpur district some 15 years ago. It was left unused after it had developed a hole. The boat could have been used as firewood had Shrestha not used it in the form of an art. He bought it with the aim of reusing it.
‘I like boats a lot. I do not know why. I found one while searching for an old boat in Kathmandu,’ he recalled, adding that he bought the boat at Rs 17,000. ‘Old materials are the base for new ones. I brought the boat with me with the view of saving it.’ He has a plan on the table to open ‘dunga’ restaurants in various parts of cities of the country. Besides its main purpose to serve food to people, such restaurants will connect with arts, music and literature, he said. ‘I am collecting old boats from Pokhara and Chitwan for that purpose. I am aiming to make such dunga teahouse or restaurants as a platform where books, and literary works can be launched and artists and litterateurs come here for discussion on their work or other things,’ he said.
The NAFA Vice Chancellor Lal Kaji Lama likes the concept of Shrestha to connect business with art, music and literature. ‘We artists are always on the lookout for new things. The boat has tried to breathe this new thing. In fact, the boat is old. But, its impression may be new and original for both new and old generations,’ he said. The boat can accommodate only four persons at a go. The customers do different things in it. Some of them enjoy a cup of tea while others listen to music. Others read books, and others take a selfie and film a video.
Shrestha has placed in the boat a biography of the Centenarian Joshi bearing his signature alongside his artistic image with his thumb impression. This highlights the Centenarian culture expert’s living existence. ‘Dunga chiya ghar’ was a part of the national art exhibition organised the NAFA. The chiya ghar also serves as a place for people to make a stop for refreshment after browsing through arts put up in the exhibition.
The installation art as described by Shrestha has actually given visitors and customers an impression and refreshment. ‘This is actually a model exhibition. This has not only portrayed the society in a realistic way. It has also shown the way of income generation by selling tea,’ said Anil Sharma, who visited the shop.
Artist Shrestha describes the chiya ghar as an installation art.’This is a public art. This type of art is not popular here. This is called an installation art. This is a mobile art. Arts can be presented as per the location,’ he said. Art should link with meaning, and his creation is linked with language, literature, art and meaning, observed visitors.
The NAFA organised the art exhibition at two different places on the occasion of the Republic Day. The expo showcased folk and traditional art at the Nepal Art Council in Babarmahal, and sculptures and other arts were exhibited in the NAFA premises in Naksal. Around 700 arts were on display in the art exhibition, highest in the number in the 12 year’s history of the NAFA. The expo attracted high ranking government officials, diplomats, politicians, and artists including former President Bidya Devi Bhandari.
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