The QR Story

A budding tech company in Nepal is promoting the country’s cultural and heritage sites by developing QR storyboards. By developing virtual reality, it aims to promote Nepali cultural and heritage sites in the international arena.

Authorities had just relaxed the second lockdown imposed to contain the spread of Covid-19 when Sachin Dangi, 24, decided to hike to Chisapani Gadhi of Makwanpur from Bhaisepati of Lalitpur to get refreshed. When he went there, he saw a temple inside the Gadhi or fort but it was closed. No one, not even priests were inside the temple premises. In the temple, he saw weapons that were used in the Anglo-Nepal war were safely stored inside the fort. More importantly, a Kal Bhairab statue presided over the fort. Pictures of two women hung on the temple wall but he later found out women weren’t allowed to enter the temple.

Having no idea whom to ask about the temple, Dangi approached a priest that he knew. The priest explained that images were of those women who tried to enter into the main temple, vomited blood and died there in the past. Since then, women were barred from entering the temple. Dangi, a tech student, realized that he wouldn’t be able to get information about that temple if the priest hadn’t explained it to him. “I could have missed that interesting story and details about the temple had I not met the priest,” said Dangi adding, “Since that day I visited several temple premises in Kathmandu to get credible information about our precious cultural heritages.” 

He thought of installing physical maps in temple premises. But the idea itself was traditional and providing all information in a single map was not possible. It could be easily vandalized if not properly protected. Then, he thought of developing a QR- storyboard with text and video contents highlighting the heritage sites. The board would be installed at a prime temple location so that interested people could get credible information free of cost. “We wanted to bring innovation in several languages,” says Dangi, chief executive officer of Saarang, an evolving tech company, adding, “So far, we have prepared QR-storyboards of 150 cultural heritage sites in multiple languages.” 

Initiating this digital literacy project for tourist destinations wasn’t easy. Impressed by cultural monuments in Patan, Dangi approached Lalitpur Metropolitan City and its ward chiefs. His request to develop a QR storyboard of those famous temples in Patan was simply rejected. Without losing hope the tech team approached Budhanilkantha Mayor Uddhab Kharel requesting to prepare a QR-storyboard of Budhanilkantha temple. The Mayor, Uddhav Kharel, quickly endorsed their idea. “That became a reference point. Shortly after that we installed QR digital boards in Thamel, then Lumbini and Pokhara,” Dangi shared his happy experience at a Babarmahal-based coffee shop. 

The way Lumbini Area Development Trust responded to them to install a QR-board was even interesting. Confused over whom to sell their idea to, an employee of Saarang had directly called the receptionist working for the Trust. A Trust official vowed to talk to them when he arrives in Kathmandu. He agreed to sign a contract to develop QR storyboards of 10 major Buddhist shrines in Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Budhha. “So far, I’m happy. Excited about this QR-storyboards getting launched in augmented reality, wherein an app displays cultural heritage sites as augment objects.’’

“This app will be useful for those who can’t visit Nepal physically despite their keen interests to visit. One can download the app paying $4.99,” said Dangi. So far five major destinations – Pashupatinath temple, Swyambhunath Stupa, Muktinath temple, Lumbini and Taal Barahi are featured in augmented reality. They introduce a new heritage every month. This project targets Nepali diasporas who want their future generations to learn about Nepali cultural heritages. 

The QR-storyboard

Aiming to provide credible information about cultural heritage sites, the team of young men create content in as many as 10 languages, produce videos and upload them on their website, saarang.com as well as the mobile app. This content can be shared via QR-storyboards. Visitors roaming around the cultural sites can get credible information free of cost by scanning these QR-storyboards. To develop the QR-storyboards for cultural and heritage sites, a five-member SAARANG team is working hard. Dangi handles IT, Sushant Gaire documents and deals with customers and three others work as researchers. The content is created only after the archeologists from the Department of Archeologists approve it.

“For us, telling the true story of a cultural and heritage site is important,” said Sushant Gaire, an administrator, “Just today, we installed three QR-storyboards. Local government and temple management committees are more interested in doing so as digitization is working everywhere.”  So far, the QR story boards have been installed in major tourist locations – Janakpur, Lumbini Pokhara (Bat Cave, Taal Barahi, Bindabasini, World Peace, Sarangkot), Muktinath temple in Mustang and Manakanama temple in Gorkha among others. Generally, they install A3 sized boards at the main location. At the request of local Varagung Muktichhetra Rural Municipality, they have installed a 10x8 QR storyboard in Muktinath Temple. 

“QR story boards are being installed all across Nepal. We seek approval from ward or local government before doing so,” said Dangi, “Once agreed, we form a committee, collect details, prepare a draft and verify those data from the archeological department. Then, we design the boards.”Their company charges 30 to 35 thousand rupees for each religious and cultural site. Visitors are also interested in getting accurate information about these sites. “In Lumbini, at least 600 visitors have scanned the QR storyboard in a month,” said Dangi adding, “We have also expanded to lesser visited sites like Tilaurakot and Kundan close to Lumbini for the QR codes.’’ Once installed in their areas the responsibility of physical protection lies up to locals and temple authority. 

Virtual Reality 

With their success in QR storyboards, Dangi’s team is working to develop Virtual Reality, a kind of digital equipment in which people can feel the real presence of religious sites once they wear it. “For example, if someone uses Lumbini VR, they can watch the visual story of Gautam Buddha,” said Dangi. Unlike traditional practices of government officials attending international tourism conferences with brochures, the SAARANG team is planning to attend with their products—augmatic visuals. “We are trying to take these products to travel marts. A few New Yorkers have approached us for this,” he said.