Located at the entrance to the most sought tourist area of Nepal- Thamel, the Garden of Dreams stands as an exemplary piece of art
awaiting exploration and appreciation. This garden was neglected for decades but now it has transformed into a beautiful garden.
Kaiser Shumsher Jung Bhahadur Rana the man behind the Garden of Dreams had inherited the place from his father the then PM Chandra Shumsher J. B Rana. Keshar Mahal (the palace) was built in 1895 by the then Prime Minister Bir Shumsher J. B Rana, which was later inherited by his son for his son Kaiser Shumsher J. B Rana. Field marshal Kaiser Shumsher also had a personal library, named as Kaiser Library, which is still stocked with the best collection of old books about gardening, architecture and literature and is one of the best libraries in Nepal.
It is said that Kaiser loved to travel to European countries and was inspired by the European gardens. He had a dream to build a neo-classical garden. It is believed that during one Laxmi Puja he won a huge amount of money in gambling and with this money he set up his Garden of Dreams and named it so. In the garden he had created six impressive pavilions each dedicated to the six seasons of Nepal: Basanta (spring), Grishma (early summer), Barkha (summer monsoon), Sharad (early autumn), Hemanta (late autumn) and Shishir (winter). Field marshal Kaiser Shumsher created an exquisite ensemble of pavilions, fountains, garden furniture, and European-inspired pergolas, balustrades, urns, and statues. The Garden’s design is much similar to formal European gardens: paved perimeter paths, pavilions, various planting areas. A large pond at the centre of the garden is one of a piece as it holds like a big bowl above the ground.
This magnificent neo-classical garden is typical of the wide-ranging interests of the remarkable Rana aristocrat. A statesman, scholar, linguist, and connoisseur of horticulture, art, and literature, Kaiser Shumsher created a masterpiece which is all reflected in his dream project- The Garden of Dreams.
Kishor Narsingh, architect to Kaiser Shumsher’s father, was responsible for the detailed layout and execution of the Garden. Narsingh, together with his architect brother, had designed and supervised the construction in 1907 of Singha Darbar - one of Asia’s most ambitious palaces for Chandra Shumsher. Narsingh’s experience with the Darbar, combined with Kaiser Shumsher’s sophistication, may well explain the extraordinary refinement of the Garden of Dreams.
After the demise of Kaiser on 7th June 1964, his family donated the garden and a portion of the palace to the government to host the Kaiser Library. In 1975 the Singha Durbar caught fire and the Ministry of Education and Sports was shifted to Keshar Mahal and the Garden portion was left in isolation for years. The elegant garden paths overgrew and the weeds covered the rich variety of the subtropical flora disfiguring the dream of Kaiser Shumsher. The urban development resulted in the loss of the western part of the garden and three pavilions Sharad, Hemanta and Shishir. Thus began the long period of deterioration that lasted thirty years.
This deserted and isolated state was kept untouched until in the Visit Nepal ’98 different environmentalists, heritage conservationists and an international collaborative perceived the need of preserving this Garden. The preservation work finally took off when the Austrian government came forward to provide the necessary funding. This initiation was supported by the Ministry of Education and Sports and Eco Himal/Nepal. This national treasure has been well restored and has once again stood as a great landscape.
Gotz Hagmuller who took the charge of restoring the garden had first visited there 1969. Hagmuller took no stones unturned to restore this magnificent garden to its former glory. It took tough 6 years to restore the garden after extensive learning and renovation works. The Garden of Dreams at Kaiser Mahal was opened to the public on October 8, 2006.
To convert the garden into recreational venue for the general public, a number of elements have been added like the amphitheatre, which has been created for open-air cultural programmes, and two of the historical pavilions are converted to a garden cafe and a lounge bar.
The garden earns through the admission fees, rent from the Cafe and Bar, as well as through cultural events and private and corporate functions, in order to maintain high quality standards by its technical and gardening staff trained for this purpose.
Garden of Dreams receives 200-250 visitors each day. Hence, plans are underway to expand the garden.
The garden welcomes its visitors from the main entrance at the footpath of Thamel. The Grishma Pavilion stands as the ticket counter, Barkha Pavilion has a bar, Basanta Pavilion as the Kaiser cafe. Besides these attractions there is also a walk-in Himalayan aviary, a tourism information center and a parking area.
For a peace of mind and natural beautyGarden of Dreams can be the perfect place within the hustle and bustle of the busy Thamel area. The beautiful garden awaits much appreciation and promotion. The garden can become a great tourist attraction if it can be promoted well.
