Inspired by Nepalese, UK architect rebuilds ancient temple

Three people died and 100 homes were damaged in Changu village－a 30-minute drive from downtown Kathmandu－during the earthquake. Like families in the city 20 kilometers away, the Changu community grieved, cried and cleaned up rubble.

But in the hilltop village, the community did something else: With rags and water, little picks and brushes, they cleaned the ancient and exotic carved brackets and facades, cleaning and repairing, bit by bit, so they could resume their worship.

Now Sanday says their dedication is his inspiration. He will not allow their culture to disappear with the damaged building.

Conserving an ancient building means solving a series of incredibly complicated puzzles. Rotted or mice-chewed timbers must be replaced. An unstable and overstretched government bureaucracy must remain in charge. And there's $300,000 to raise.

For starters, with $30,000 of German support, he helped the community rebuild one of Changu's shrines, the size of a little guardhouse. Now he's looking at the larger temple a few yards away.

"This is a place we can save, no doubt," says Sanday.

"The people here will make sure of that."