Acknowledgement of one's history is what makes a concept ever so beautiful. Hotel Shanker is a living, breathing example of such a thought. Before its establishment as a luxury hotel, the estate was known as Lazimpat Durbar and Agni Bhawan. You might wonder, how did the estate get its names?
Toponymy
As per local accounts, this lane was formerly known as "lodge path". The area got its title from the magnitude of lodges available during the 19th century. It is said that the title was used by British residents who came to reside in Nepal after the Sugauli Treaty in 1816. Over the years, the name was localized to Lazimpat. Another account of history (Chief Historical Palaces of the Rana Era by Purushottam Shamsher Jawara) states that the locale got its name from the very palace of Lazimpat.
From 1914, the palace complex was known as Agni Bhawan as the estate was handed over to Agni Shamsher JB Rana. Digging deep into history, the original structure that occupied this land was built by Kaji Bir Keshar Pande, cousin- uncle of Damodar Pande. Damodar Pande is an influential figure in Nepalese history. Historians argue that the first prime minister of Nepal was Damodar Pande and not Bhimsen Thapa. Damodar Pande was the youngest son of Kalu Pande, the chief Kaji of King Prithivi Narayan Shah.
Thapathali, originally Nwakhusicho in Newari, is known as the abode of Thapa (Thapa- thalo). Similarly, Lazimpat Durbar is known as the abode of the Pande families. Kaji Bir Keshar Pande was amongst the nobles massacred in 1846 during the Kot Parva (Kot Massacre). After his death, the palace complex came under the occupancy of Kaji Mama Col. Tribikram Singh Thapa. During the army revolution, the old complex took significant damage. The property was taken over by Prime Minister Bir Shumsher JB Rana, who demolished the old structure and erected a new palace designed by Jogbir Sthapit in neoclassical style. The complex was built for his brother General Jit Shumsher. As he (Jit Shumsher) had no heir. In 1913, the place was captured by Juddha Shumsher after Jit Shumsher died. He gave it to his son Agni Shumsher JB Rana.
After Agni Shumsher passed away. The estate was equally distributed amongst his children. Kendra Shumsher sold his share to Ram Shanker Shrestha. Mr Shrestha then converted the place complex into the historical palace hotel that we know of today.
Humble beginnings
Late Mr Ram Shanker Shrestha, a renowned industrialist, inaugurated the palace complex as a hotel in 1964 AD. In between those years, he remodelled the interior but maintained the exterior. Operations began with just 23 rooms and expanded to its current capacity. For his service to the king and country, he was posthumously awarded the Order of the Gorkha Dakshina Bhau (Order of knighthood of Nepal).
A Neoclassical Abode
When you enter the premises, the grandeur makes you rethink which side of the planet you're on. The exterior facade takes you back not just to 19th century Nepal. But also mid-18th century Europe, a time when neoclassical movement was born. But we missed something important here. We leaned much towards the neoclassical elements of Europe.
This hotel is a symbol of the splendour of Newar neoclassical architecture. Best defined by a quote from the study conducted by Katharina Maria Lucia Weiler of Heidelberg, "Their residences, built during the first half of the 20th century in the larger cities of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur, adapted and incorporated neoclassical elements. In fact, the Ranas and Newars were attracted by universal themes that were appropriated into indigenous Nepalese buildings. This architecture thus exhibits a unique Newar building style, the Newar neoclassical, or "Rana style", as it is often called by the Newars themselves. Besides neoclassical forms, certain elements originating from Mughal architecture in India were introduced into the Newar vernacular architecture."
This amalgam is exhibited at Hotel Shanker, with elements of both Newar and European traditions coming together to create perfect eye candy.
