CONTENTS
FOREWORD 7
INTRODUCTION 11
1 THE HIMALAYAS: LANDSCAPE OF THE MIND 13
Landscape as an Image
Image of the Himalayas
The Cultural Landscape of Myths and Rituals
Perception of Nature and Spatial Constructs
City and Nature in the Himalayas
The Landscape of Valleys
Discussion
2 CITIES OF THE HIMALAYAS:PATTERNS AND SETTINGS 43
Old Cities in the Himalayas
Geographical Zones
State of Urbanisation
Settlements in Valleys
Preferred Landscape Conditions
Types of Cities
Discussion
3 APPROPRIATING LANDSCAPE: NEW TYPOLOGIES 77
Civic Gestures
Spaces of Human Will: The City Centres
Temple-Castle Typology
Complex Organisations: Urban Housing
The Role of the Monastery
Urban Engineering
Modifying Landscape: British Colonial
Settlements Discussion
4 FOLLOWING LANDSCAPES: SPACES OF REVERENCE149
City Structure and Water Flows
Public Places: The Meeting of Human and
Natural Constructs Community Rest Houses
One Language: The Tibetan Buddhist Monastery
Houses as Response to Landscape
City and the Landscape Outside
END NOTES 202
Deciphering the Himalayan City
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 206
REFERENCES 208
ILLUSTRATION CREDITS 211
INDEX 214