1st Session of the SAARC Talk Series 2023

SAARC Cultural Centre (SCC) successfully concluded the First SAARC Talk Series 2023 (Virtual Mode) scheduled on Tuesday, 30th May 2023. The First Speaker of the Talk Series was Dr. Monalisa Maharjan, Research Fellow, Social Science Baha (Heritage as Placemaking), Kathmandu, Nepal. She delivered a lecture on the topic “Water System of Kathmandu Valley: Hiti system in Past and Present”.


The session started with a welcome address by Ms. Renuka Ekanayake, Director SAARC Cultural Centre (SCC) highlighting the importance of academic discourse in the realm of culture among the SAARC countries.


Dr. Bina Gandhi Deori, Deputy Director-Research, SAARC Cultural Centre (SCC) introduced the Speaker to the audience and moderated the whole session.


Dr Maharjan delivered an interesting lecture on the traditional system of water supply “hiti” in Kathmandu Valley. Dr. Maharjan argued that hiti is more than just a source of a neighborhood’s clean drinking water, a hiti is a unit of architectural heritage that marks a significant nodal interaction between local newa culture, the natural environment, and the urban present.


The informative lecture was followed by Q & A session in which the participants actively took part and asked queries as well as gave their comments. The session was concluded after the vote of thanks delivered by Dr. Bina Gandhi Deori.