Photographs, Then and Now, from Nepal’s Cultural Sites

Kathmandu-based photographer Kiran Man Chitrakar is part of a dynasty of royal court painters and photographers that goes back more than two centuries. His last name, “Chitrakar,” is a word derived from the Sanskrit chitra-kara which means literally “picture-maker.” Kiran continues his family’s long history of photography, having served as Nepal’s court photographer until 2008 and currently serving as the director of Nepal TV. His current photos, alongside those from his family archive, provide a glimpse into the history of Nepal’s cultural landmarks and a record of their current situation after the earthquakes that devastated the country earlier this year.