19/08/2026
Also known as patis, falchas were communal spaces where people could sit and rest. “‘Fa’ means an open space and ‘lcha’ means to rest; in Nepalbhasa, the term refers to a temporary resting place,” says historian and cultural researcher Purushottam Lochan Shrestha, who specialises in Newa culture and Bhaktapur.
Traditional falchas were built using wood, brick, timber and stone, often with raised plinths and intricate wooden carvings. They came in different forms—some were two-storeyed, while others were open on all four sides, the most common design.
“The main purpose of building a falcha was to serve travellers and locals,” Shrestha adds. In ancient Kathmandu, where parks, cafés, and hotels were not easily accessible, falchas served as everyday gathering spaces where people gossiped, played cards, shared news and took part in religious activities, including devotional singing. Children often used them as play areas, while travellers and passers-by rested there during long journeys.
