For instance, near the end of the BDPıs 12-year span, residents actually tore down many of the projectıs works because of rumors that the Germans were stealing gods from the temples or that they planned to rebuild the town for tourism or even intended to take it over entirely for themselves. People were upset at the expropriation of property. As a Rusesh Jangam, who lives in one of the reconstructed buildings, said to me, "The Germans wanted to turn our house into a museum. But if they turn our house into a museum, where would we live?" (personal interview, August 1995). As Omcharan Amatya wrote, "Self rule is a school of democracy. Compared to American, European, Indian and Chinese Muncipalities, we are only a scare crow" (2039[1982], 7). He goes on to add:

The Nagar Panchyat (municipality) is unable to work independently because of lack of rights, and rights should be provided so that work can go smoothly. Decentralization was promised, but has not been the course of action. According to the principles of democracy, people are the source of ultimate power, so that giving rights to the Nagar Panchyat would be a good exercise of democracy (Amatya 2039 [1982], 7)

     Paralleling the strife in Bhaktapur was a debate in Germany over the growing technocratic character of development projects (Reichenbach 2000). It was felt that the funds were being used chiefly to pay German experts and that there was no sustainability. Also, with the European economic downturn at the time, there was a concern about who would foot the future cost of maintaining the project. Furthermore, politicians in the German government began to question the orientation of the project: how was it helping women and other disadvantaged target groups? The architectural heritage conservation that had gained so much international attention was seen as a hindrance to developing the basic needs of the poor and needy.

     All of a sudden, neither the Germans nor the HMG (who suspected political agitation ) were interested in continuing the project. This was compounded by the Decentralization Act of 1982, an early attempt to soften the authoritarian hierarchy of the Panchayat partyless system. Ironically, however, once the BDP left the city, the people of Bhaktapur have consciously taken up the "developing tradition" and are reconstructing religious architecture as well as promoting the notion that Bhaktapur is a timeless medieval city.