Kathmandu, June 6 -- Heritage interpreter Rishi Amatya begins his heritage walks through Patan by asking students to close their eyes and concentrate on what they hear-perhaps the echoes of windchimes or the bells of Patan's temples-making them consciously aware of the sounds that are often overlooked.

For Amatya, these heritage and cultural experiences are something to be heard and felt, combining a full spectrum of sensory experiences. "Visions generally guide our senses," says Amatya. "We tend to assume what a sound is, or what an experience means, based on what we see. With this, there are many things that people miss-be it the laughter of Mangalbazar's children or the sound of water trickling from hitis."

Amatya has been organising...