There was once primordial woodland in the heart of Kathmandu Valley that was dark, dense and detached from the hustle and bustle of the town. A 17th century queen from the walled city of Kathmandu had capriciously turned it into a landscaped forest. It bored a name: Raniban, the Queen’s Forest.

A century later, the British were allowed to set up a mission in Kathmandu and they cleared a part of Raniban. Gradually, farmers took away more of the forest and terraced fields appeared. The British mission needed houses for its army contingent and they were built along a road called the Lodging Path. Over the years, the road became Nepalicised into Lazimpat.

Along Lazimpat’s quiet stretch, there was a Rana palace. Then came a few shops and some restaurants. When India gained independence in 1947, the British mission was divided into two: the Indian Embassy and the British Embassy. Laximpat turned into an embassy row with the Japanese, American, Finnish, French embassies all located here, And then, on 1 July 1979, Shangri-La Hotel opened its colourful doors in Lazimpat.

This is a story about Kathmandu’s legendary hotel, Shangri-La and the people who shaped it. They all shared something in common: a vision of what Shangri-la should be and the fortitude to make it happen. Nepalis or resident foreigners, they all had a deep love for Nepal and a respect for its traditions and way of life.