"And the wildest dreams of Kew are the facts of Khatmandu." (Rudyard Kipling)

Kathmandu, capital of the Kingdom of Nepal, was for centuries the great trading city between India and Tibet. Yesterday a distant Shangri-La at the foothills of the Himalayas, it's now a one-hour flight from Delhi.

The Kathmandu Valley has a culture and a style of architecture to be found nowhere else in the world. Today there are changed priorities, and a real danger that this unique architecture will disappear forever. The Nepalese Government, with the help of UNESCO, are making an eloquent plea for its protection and preservation. Like Venice, they say, the Valley of Kathmandu is part of the world's cultural heritage and the world must protect it.

But should other nations help, if the Nepalese themselves are losing interest? And how can help be given without creating a dependency requiring a constant. crutch to sustain it?