A dhunge dhara (Nepali: ढुङ्गे धारा Listenⓘ) or hiti (Newari: 𑐴𑐶𑐟𑐶‎) is a traditional stone drinking fountain found in Nepal. It is an intricately carved stone waterway through which water flows uninterrupted from underground sources. Dhunge dharas are part of a comprehensive drinking water supply system, commissioned by various rulers of Ancient and Medieval Nepal. The system is supported by numerous ponds and canals that form an elaborate network of water bodies, created as a water resource during the dry season and to help alleviate the water pressure caused by the monsoon rains. After the introduction of modern, piped water systems, starting in the late 19th century, this old system has fallen into disrepair and some parts of it are lost forever. Nevertheless, many people of Nepal still rely on the old dhunge dharas on a daily basis.

Manga Hiti in Patan is the oldest dhunge dhara still working

History

The history of dhunge dharas began during the Licchavi Kingdom (c. 400–750 AD). The earliest record of a dhunge dhara names king Brisasdev (c. 400–425 AD) as the creator of the water system.[1]

The first known hiti was built in Kathmandu at Hadi Gaun by a grandson of Lichhavi King Mandev I in 550 AD, but there is evidence that a similar structure was built earlier than that.[2] One Nepalese legend (see below) would indicate the existence of a working dhunge dhara in approximately 464 AD.

16th-century manuscript about hiti design[3]

Manga Hiti at Mangal Bazar in Patan is considered to be the oldest working dhunge dhara on record. It was built in 570 AD. In the case of the Hadi Gaun hiti and Manga Hiti, the dates were engraved on a stone within the hiti. Gradually more hitis started to appear elsewhere in Kathmandu Valley.[4][5][6]

During the Malla period (c. 1201–1779 AD) many more hiti systems were built. Jitamitra Malla of Bhaktapur, Pratap Malla of Kathmandu and Siddhinarshinha Malla of Patan are famous for the water systems in these cities. The hiti built in 1829 by Queen Lalit Tripura Sundari Devi and Bhimsen Thapa at Sundhara village (now Kathmandu) is generally believed to be the last one built.[7][4][8][9]

In 2008, the dhunge dharas of Kathmandu Valley produced 2.95 million litres of water per day.[10] In 2019 the amount of water produced by the dhunge dharas in Kathmandu was estimated at 382,399 litres per day.[11]

Of the 389 stone spouts found in Kathmandu Valley in 2010, 233 were still in use, serving about 10% of Kathmandu's population. 68 had gone dry and 45 dhunge dharas were lost entirely. Forty-three were connected to the municipal water supply instead of their original source.[12]

Narayan Hiti in Patan with storage tanks

Over the years a number of working dhunge dharas have been modified to better suit the needs of the users. In most cases such modifications included adding one or more large water tanks to store the excess water from the spouts for later use or distribution among the surrounding households. Sundhara in Patan, for instance was augmented with a 25,000 litre underground tank.[13] Narayan Hiti in Patan is one of the hitis supplied with overhead tanks. And several modern elements have been added to Alko Hiti, like a water tower, underground pipes, rainwater recharge pits and ponds.[13]

In Iku Hiti of Patan, water from the spouts is collected in an 80,000 litres storage tank. From there it is distributed to the surrounding communities by Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL), the company dedicated to supplying drinking water in the Kathmandu Valley, in the same way water from regular sources is distributed.[14]

In 2019, a survey by the Kathmandu Valley Water Supply Management Board (KVWSMB) found a total of 573 dhunge dharas on record in the ten municipalities of the Kathmandu Valley. Four hundred seventy-nine of these were recovered, 52 turned out to be destroyed and 42 could not be found. More than half of the dhunge dharas were dry.[15]

In March 2021, a start was made by the Department of Mines and Geology with using Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) to track down lost dhunge dharas.[16]

In March 2022, the dhunge dharas of Kathmandu valley were placed on the 2022 World Monuments Watch by the World Monuments Fund (WMF), an organisation dedicated to raising awareness of culturally important places in the world and supporting the people who care for them.[17][18]

The spouts

Dhunge dhara literally means stone spout, but some dhunge dharas are made from other materials like brass, copper, gold and wood.[4][19]

Most of the spouts have the shape of the mythical makara (also called hitimanga). This is a creature with the snout of a crocodile, the trunk of an elephant, tusks and ears of a wild boar and the tail of a peacock.[19][20] Hitimangas are ubiquitous in Nepal, not only on hitis, but also on vajras (ritual weapons), toranas (traditional door and window ornaments) and other architectural elements.[20][21][22]

Basic architecture of a dhunge dhara

The Chaitya at Manga Hiti is suspected to be on top of the hiti's filter system[2]
Ancient Nepalese drawing of a hiti, with emphasis on the filter system

Although the names dhunge dhara and hiti refer to the actual spouts, they are also used for the stone structures immediately surrounding the spouts.[4]

Main spout of Sundhara, Kathmandu, with Garuda shrine above and Bhagiratha sculpture underneath[8]

In the Nepalese countryside a hiti may be no more than a stone or brick wall with a spout protruding from it, with some paving beneath the spout.[4] In the cities, due to the natural flow of water (see below), the spouts are located in a basin below street level (hitigah), with the depth depending on need. This basin is built with a combination of stone and brick, where the floor is usually covered with stone slabs. The sides and bottom of the basin are made waterproof by coating them with a layer of kalo mato (a special type of black mud). This prevents water from the surrounding soil from seeping in.[5] Similarly a low wall around the basin helps to keep surface runoff out and prevents debris from being carried in by the wind. Depending on the depth and overall size of the basin it can have terraces on several levels. The hiti can be accessed via one or more stone stairs.[4]

There is typically just one spout in the basin, but there are hitis with two, three, five, nine or more spouts, even up to a hundred and eight (the Muktidhara in Mustang District).[4][6]

Above the spout there is usually a shrine honoring a specific deity. The space below the spout is (almost without exception) adorned with a sculpture of Bhagiratha.[4][19] Depending on the available space, there can be any number of other votive sculptures, like chaityas and lingas, in the basin.[22]

Before the water enters the spout, it passes a filter system, using gravel, sand, charcoal and sometimes lapsi (Nepali hog plum).[23]

In front of the spout there is a small pool to catch the water flowing from it. The surplus of water eventually disappears into a drain, and is guided towards another hiti, agricultural land or a pond (to be used for irrigation and other purposes).[24] Sometimes the water is first directed towards several other hitis. In the case of Washa Hiti in Patan, for example, the water is first flowing towards Amrit Hiti, then to Dathu Hiti, then to Buincha Hiti.[5][25]

In some hitis the water from the spout drains into a pond inside the hiti basin itself. Nag Pokhari hiti in Bhaktapur is an example of this. Just as there are hitis with a pond inside them, there are also ponds with spouts integrated into their walls. Bhandarkhal Pokhari in Patan and Salan Ganesh Pokhari in Bhaktapur are some examples.[4]

Several hitis have an integrated stone drinking water reservoir (jahru) built into their walls and some have a well (tun) dug into their basin floor as an alternative means to obtain the available water (see below).[4][26]

Many hitis are also closely associated with one or more dharmashalas (shelters or public resthouses). There are several types of these, for instance a pati, a mandapa or a satah. Such a shelter is either a separate building close by or connected to one of the walls of the hiti. Manga Hiti in Patan has two on either side of the stairs, for example and the main entrance of Bhimsen Hiti in Bhaktapur is through the shelter.[4][7][27][28]

Sources of the water

The early hitis use water from their own springs or from nearby aquifers, which they sometimes share with other hitis.[10] Later, hitis were connected to a system of canals and ponds, which brought fresh water from the foothills of Kathmandu Valley to the cities.

The spouts of one hiti can have different sources for their water. In one case, Alko Hiti in Patan, three sources were confirmed during restoration, but in others the users have merely noticed a difference in taste or colour of the water between the spouts. For many hitis, the precise location of the source is still unknown.[4][9][10]

Ponds

During the Kirata Kingdom (c. 900 BC-300 AD) ponds (named pukhu or pokhari) were constructed as a source of water in the old cities of the Kathmandu Valley. The ponds got their water from rainfall.[24] During the Lichhavi regime, these ponds were linked to stone spouts and dug wells to supply water to the cities.

Some ponds were built higher in the settlements to feed the shallow aquifers; water seeps away from the ponds into the ground and eventually emerges from the spouts. These higher ponds are relatively large in size. Lainchaur Pokhari, Rani Pokhari and Ikha Pukhu in Kathmandu, Siddha Pokhari, Kamal Binayak Pukhu and Nā Pukhu in Bhaktapur and Nhu Pukhu, Paleswan Pukhu and Jyawalkhyo Pukhu in Patan are examples of such ponds. Some had their own springs, like Siddha Pokahri, Rani Pokhari and Jyawalakhyo Pukhu.[2][29][30] The ponds inside the settlements are smaller. They help to increase the local groundwater levels. They are used for washing, cleaning, duck farming, bathing animals and fighting fires. In Kathmandu these ponds have disappeared completely. Tekha Pukhu is an example of such ponds in Bhaktapur. In Patan, Pimbahal Pokhari is one example. Chyasa Pukhu, Guita Pukhu and Tyagah Pukhu in Patan are some of the downstream ponds. Water from stone spouts and surface drains flows into these ponds. During the dry season, most of them become dry.[24][30][9]

Some of the ponds are interconnected; when one is filled completely, the overflow is directed towards another pond and so forth. La Pokhari, Palesvan Pukhu, Podepukhu and Pimbahal Pokhari are an example of such a chain of ponds in Patan.[2] In this way, an elaborate network of water bodies is created as a water resource during the dry season and to help alleviate the water pressure caused by the monsoon rains.[31][32]

At one point in time there was a total of 90 ponds in the large cities of Kathmandu Valley: 30 in Bhaktapur, 39 in Patan and 21 in Kathmandu.[33] The 2019 survey by the KVWSMB found a total of 233 ponds on record in the ten municipalities of the Kathmandu Valley.[15]

The Royal Canals

Mahadev Pokhari

See also: Rajkulo

The aquifers of the stone spouts are recharged not only by rainfall but also by state canals (also called royal canals or raj kulo). State canals were built to bring water from a stream (like Lele River), spring (like Mahadev Pokhari in Nagarkot) or pond from the foothills to artificial ponds close to stone spouts to augment the aquifers.[34]

King Jitamitra Malla constructed a state canal in 1678 to feed stone spouts located in Bhaktapur and Patan.[24][35]

Eventually water was brought down into the valley's cities through three canals: Budhikanta Canal for Kathmandu, Bageswori Canal for Bhaktapur and Tikabhairav Canal for Patan. They fed 31 of the ponds in these cities, while also supplying water for irrigation along the way.[33][36][37]

Approximately half of the hitis of Bhaktapur and 51 hitis of Patan received their water from the royal canals.[4][2]

Tantric power

Many spouts in the Bhaktapur municipality, like Bhimsen Hiti, Indrayani Hiti and Golmadhi Hiti, are believed to receive water through tantric power.[4][8][24]

According to the report "A Comparative Evaluation of Stone Spout Management Systems in Heritage and non-Heritage Areas of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal" by Mira Tripathi (2016), some of the people interviewed told her that:

When they dug out the water network they found flaming small earthen pots covered by another earthen pot as a lid... with nuts and coins above the spout. When the lid of the pot was removed the flames subsided and the water flow in the spout also stopped. ... when the lid was put back the water started to flow again. Because there were no other apparent sources for the water to enter the spouts, the Tantric or divine theories took root.

In the same report an expert from Bhaktapur is quoted as saying: "Personally, I believe tantric practice because I have seen many evidence of it..."[24]

Uses for the water

Man brushing his teeth at Kontihiti Kumbheswar, Patan

The water from the hitis is used for ordinary household purposes, for work as well as for religious and cultural activities.

People of Nepal can be seen drinking and washing themselves or their laundry in a hiti, or taking the water home for washing, drinking and cooking.

Baisdhara Festival

Special wooden hitis belonging to the Dhobi cast are used for the professional washing of laundry (or at least they were in 1996).[8]

Washa Hiti

Medicine

A number of hitis are believed to possess healing qualities. Water from Sundhara in Kathmandu, for example, is believed to be good against arthritis and water from Golmadhi Hiti in Bhaktapur against goitre.[8] The water from Washa Hiti in Patan is famous for its medicinal properties; the Nepal Bhasa word washa means 'medicine'.[13][38][39]

Religious and cultural uses

The water is also used for the purification of images of deities.[8]

Some hitis have a role in festivals, like Bhimdhyo Hiti in Bhaktapur, Manga Hiti in Patan and Sundhara in Kathmandu.[8]

Every twelve years the Godawari Mela is celebrated for one month at the sacred pond of Godawari Kunda in Lalitpur District.[40] The 22 stone spouts in Balaju Water Garden in Kathmandu are the focal point during the yearly Balaju Baise Dhara festival. Hundreds of visitors take a ritual shower on this day to enjoy the purifying and healing effects of the water.[41] The twelve stone spouts at Matatirtha are witness to the yearly mother's day celebration.[4][42]

Water from Bhimdhyo Hiti is being used for religious worship in the Bhimsen temple and the nearby Dattatreya temple in Bhaktapur. Devotees take a bath or make ablutions before entering the temples. Water of Nag Pokhari (also known as Thanthu Darbar Hiti) in Bhaktapur is used to worship the Goddess Taleju.[34] Water from Manga Hiti in Patan is used daily as holy water for Krishna Mandir and it is used to perform puja in Kartik month. Other hitis are also used for worship at nearby temples.[10]

Substitute for far away waterbodies

Pilgrim bathing in Gosainkunda

Gosaikunda is a sacred lake for both Hindus and Buddhists. Taking a bath in this lake in Langtang National Park is something to be done at least once in a lifetime. According to legend the spring that feeds the pond in the Kumbheshwar temple complex in Patan is connected to Gosaikunda. Therefore, those who cannot make the long journey to the lake, as thousands of pilgrims do during Janai Purnima or Gangadasahara, can visit Kumbeshwar Pokhari instead.[22][4][43][44][45][2]

In a similar way there is believed to be a connection between Godawari Kunda and Kva Hiti in Kathmandu and between Kathmandu's Maru Hiti and Yankidaha near Thankot village in Chandragiri.[4]

Disaster response

Hitis with a large enough flow (litres per minute) can be vital in case of a fire, especially in densely built parts of the city where a firetruck would not be able to go. Kontihiti in Patan qualified for this in 2012.[2]

After the 2015 earthquake, dhunge dharas were the only source of water for many people of Kathmandu, due to the disruption of the regular drinking water services.[46]

Hospitality

Along important routes for traders or pilgrims, sometimes a succession of hitis (with dharmasala) was built to alleviate the thirst of the travelers.[4][21] The road from Sankhu up to the Bajrayogini Temple, for example, is such a route.[7] Art historian Percy Brown describes a series of drinking fountains, built "every few miles" on the road from the Terai to Kathmandu, in his book Picturesque Nepal (1912).[21]

Washing laundry, as seen here in a Kathamandu hiti, was not allowed everywhere

Restrictions

Not all dhunge dharas were open to be used by everyone in every way possible.

In the past some people were banned from some of the hitis, like people from lower castes, menstruating women and people wearing shoes. In Saraswati Hiti in Patan, for example, people from lower castes were not allowed entry, while everyone was welcome in nearby Narayan Hiti. There were also restrictions for the behaviour inside some of the hitis. For instance washing laundry or utensils, washing your legs and shoes or using soap was forbidden. Texts describing these restrictions can sometimes be found in old inscriptions on the premises. Some of them are still being observed.[19][4][8][47]

Observing restrictions regarding the behaviour inside a dhunge dhara may very well contribute to maintaining their water quality. If one hiti receives water drained from another (see above), for example, one can imagine wanting to make sure its filter will be able to effectively deal with the water it receives from the source.

Management

Traditionally the daily maintenance of the hitis was in the hands of guthis (local community groups dedicated to certain tasks). Living near the hiti and maybe paying regular visits to it as users, they were best placed to discover problems, like damage to the masonry, pollution with debris or clogging of the drain, and perform repairs. The guthis were receiving payment for their work. On a different level procedures were in place to maintain the royal canals.[9]

Kumbeshwar Mela in Patan

Even in the past the maintenance of the entire water system has been problematic. King Jitamitra Malla (1663-1696) of Bhaktapur had to issue a law to ensure the maintenance would be done.[7]

Each year Sithi Nakha, a day dedicated to Kumar Kartikeya, one of the two sons of Hindu deity Shiva, is used to clean water sources like wells, ponds and hitis.[9] People all over Kathmandu Valley converge to perform their cleaning activities before the beginning of the monsoon rains.[48]

Other festivals contribute to the upkeep of hitis and ponds as well, because they require them to be in good working order before the festival can take place. The Bunga Dyah Jatra in Patan is one example; all the ponds that are involved in the festival need to be filled with water, before the construction of the chariot at Pulchok can begin. And all the stops of the procession are next to one of the water bodies of Patan.[49][37] During the festival Janai Purnima the otherwise dry Kumbeshwar Pokhari in Patan must be filled for the Kumbeshwar Mela.[50][51][45][52] Similarly Kathmandu's Gahana Pokhari is vital in the Gahana Khojne festival, just as the city's Nag Pokhari is for Naga Panchami. Siddha Pokhari in Bhaktapur is central in the Dashain festival.[53][54][55]

Sometimes the reverse happens: the decline of the water bodies causes a tradition to be discontinued. This is what happened with the yearly "Nine conduit procession" (gupu hiti sikegu) in Bhaktapur.[4][23]

Decline

The reduced Paleswan Pukhu in Patan[9]
Neglected hiti in Bhaktapur
A dried Ekha Pukhu in Kathmandu next to Kanya Mandir School[9]
Water tank truck in Bhaktapur
Lagankhel Bus Station in Patan used to be a pond

In late 1891, under Rana rule (1846-1951 AD), a piped water system (Bir Dhara[56]) was introduced in Kathmandu Valley. At that time it was only available to the elite. After the country had opened itself up to the world in 1951, the western water management system was expanded to Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur and the rest of the country. Unfortunately, this led to the neglect of the hiti infrastructure.[9][57]

The earthquake of 1934 damaged part of the royal canals, causing many hitis to dry up.[58]

With the absence of any regulation, hitis and ponds were encroached upon.

A municipal building was built on the site of Paleswan Pukhu in Patan, greatly reducing its size, and one pond became a bus station. Schools were built in ponds in Patan and Kathmandu. Kathmandu's large Lainchaur Pokhari had to make room for the Nepal Scouts building.[33][53] Bhaktapur also saw ponds turned into a school and a bus station. The pond areas have become prime real estate in Katmandu Valley.

Of the 39 ponds counted in Patan in 1993, 9 were reduced in size and 14 were completely gone in 2007.[9][59][34][30] Of the 233 ponds found in the 2019 survey by the KVWSMB 40 were destroyed completely.[15]

Hitis underwent a similar fate. Either their source was damaged or their connection to it was interrupted by the construction of houses or underground pipes. There are three documented cases in Bhaktapur, for example, were the construction of a building interrupted the water flow of a dhunge dhara from its source: Wochu Hiti, Dekwocha Hiti and Hakufo Hiti.[60] Some hiti's were built over entirely with offices or roads. Jhanga Hiti in Kathmandu, for example, a dhungedhara just north west of Rani Pokhari, was built over with a clubhouse for a local football club. In other cases the water level in the aquifer has dropped due to the digging of private wells by individual houseowners or industries.[2][61]

The government policy to centralise management of the guthi system under Nepal Guthi Corporation had a detrimental effect.[9] Hitis were not looked after properly any more and were allowed to be polluted. Necessary repairs were not forthcoming. In one case the roots of a peepal tree, that had been kept in check by the hiti users, were allowed to grow unchecked, causing leakage of the pipes, which in turn caused the hiti to dry up.[24]

The water is also increasingly contaminated with chemicals and bacteria. This affects other sources of water as well, like the dug wells, water tank trucks, tap water and bottled water. Part of the contamination is caused by the leakage of septic tanks.[9][62][63][64][65][66][67][10]

The water shortage is further compounded by an industry that has developed to alleviate it. Deep wells are dug outside the municipal areas by private enterprises. In 2019 about 150 private water companies were active in Kathmandu Valley.[68] This has further lowered the groundwater level, affecting the flow of the hitis. It has also affected farmers in the area who now have to compete for water that has traditionally always been theirs. Water tank trucks from government organisations and commercial water enterprises are a familiar sight in the cities these days.[24][10][69][70][71]

Revival

Waiting in line at Manga Hiti, Patan

Over the past decades there is an increasing interest in reviving the dhunge dharas of the country, not merely because they belong to the cultural heritage of Nepal.[9][2]

Growing water shortage

In spite of efforts of the Nepalese government to supply safe drinking water to all citizens of Nepal, most recently through the much-plagued Melamchi Water Supply Project, started in 1988, many people still have to turn to hitis for their daily water needs.[9][72][73] Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL) managed to supply 110 million litres of water per day in 2016 (about 144 mld in the wet season and 86 mld in the dry season), while the daily demand for water in the valley was around 370 million liters.[74][75] According to Sanjeev Bickram Rana, executive director of the KVWSMB, the discrepancy between supply and demand has risen since then: at the beginning of the year 2020 he reported a demand of 400 mld, while the supply varied from 150 to 90 mld.[76]

This continued water shortage has led to several initiatives to investigate the possibilities of reviving the old systems in the Kathmandu Valley, some of them recommending that the Declaration of the National Convention on Stone Spouts of 2007 (DNCSS 2007) be implemented. The reports all stress the necessity of working hitis to supplement the drinking water supply, although they differ in their assessment of how difficult achieving this would be.[24][60][47][58][77]

Ga Hiti in Thamel

Work on dhunge dharas

In the meantime, a number of individual hitis has been renovated. In Patan, for example, local citizens have revived Alko Hiti, Iku Hiti and Hiku Hiti. In some cases, like with Nagbahal Hiti, the revival has been short-lived.[78][9][25]

In 2020 the Lalitpur Metropolitan City started a campaign to revive several hiti's, beginning with Sundhara and two other spouts. Eight other hiti's are to follow. The water is to come from a new rainwater harvesting site in Sinchahiti.[79]

Until April 2015 Ga Hiti in Thamel (Kathmandu) provided about 12,000 households with access to water. During the earthquake part of the neighboring hotel collapsed into the hiti, killing several people in the hotel as well as in the hiti basin. Ga Hiti was further damaged by the search and rescue operation that ensued. Thanks to the efforts of the local community, members of the Ga Hiti Youth Club and many volunteers, and with the help of the Kathmandu Metropolitan Office, Ga Hiti was restored by the beginning of 2017.[80][23][81]

Jyawalakhyo Pukhu in Patan still has the traditional brickwork[2]

New life for ponds

In the large cities of Kathmandu Valley several ponds are in the process of being restored, like Rani Pokhari in Kathmandu, Bhajya Pukhu in Bhaktapur and Nhu Pokhari in Patan. In other areas of the country ponds are being restored or even created as well.

Some ponds have been restored using concrete for the walls and the bed instead of the traditional brick and kalo mato (black mud). This has turned them into impenetrable tanks and so deprives them of their original role in the water management of their city. Examples of ponds changed in this way are Khapinchhen Pukhu, Kuti Sauga Pukhu and Kanibahal Pukhu (Bhailagaa Pukhu).[30]

Rani Pokhari in March 2020. The concrete is being replaced by bricks

Kathmandu

The work on Rani Pokhari, which was damaged in the 2015 earthquake, began in January 2016 and has been fraught with controversy. The original plans used concrete for the restoration and included fountains and a new lakeside café. After a series of local protests the city of Katmandu was ordered in January 2018 to restore the pond to the way it was in 1670.[82][83] Sixty traditional builders, more than 40 of them women, were brought in from Bhaktapur to take up the task.[84][85][86][87] The reconstruction was completed in October 2020.[88] The crew that reconstructed Rani Pokhari has now been hired to work on Sundhara in Kathmandu.[89] In July 2019 a start was made with the reconstruction of Kamal Pokhari. The design choices for this pond have led to protests as well.[90][91][92][93] There is also a proposal for the restoration of what is left of Ekha Pukhu.[94]

Bhajya Pukhu before restoration

Bhaktapur

Bhaju Pukhu, a pond that has recently been established as being much older than Rani Pokhari but is in many ways very similar, incurred serious damage in a 1681 earthquake and had since never been restored. In October 2017 a project was started that included restoration of Bhaju Pukhu, using the traditional methods and materials. The work is expected to be completed in 2019. The city of Bhaktapur is currently working on the restoration of six ponds, five wells, and five hitis.[95][96][97][98]

Patan

Thapa Hiti in Patan

The work on Nhu Pokhari has started in 2019. The plan is to use traditional materials here as well. Pimbahal Pokhari in Patan has already been restored and the city of Lalitpur has plans for Purna Chandi and Saptapatal Pokhari. The Supreme Court of Nepal had to intervene on behalf of Saptapatal Pokhari to stop the building that was planned there.[59][99][100][31][101] Prayag Pokhari in Patan could not be saved. Apart from a small concrete courtyard that was kept for religious purposes, it was all built up. With the help of the government of the Czech Republic and a Czech company a new way was found to harvest the rainwater in the area and provide water for Tagal Hiti and Thapa Hiti.[102]

Other locations

In Sankhu two ponds: Pala Pukhu and Kalash Pokhari, have been restored and provided with fire hydrants.[32][103] Kirtipur and Bungamati are also working on their ponds.[59][104][105]

Between 2013 and 2016 the villagers of Tinpiple and Dapcha Chhatrebangh, both in Kavre District, with the help of the ICIMOD and the Nepal Water Conservation Foundation (NWCF), dug six ponds in the hillsides of the villages to replenish the groundwater and revive their village springs and spouts.[106][107][108]

In the Manthali Municipality and the Ramechhap Municipality a project was started to revive 50 old ponds in two years time, with the help of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. So far 21 ponds have been restored, for example Thulo Pokhari in Sunarpani.[109]

The restoration of Dui Pokhari in Madhyapur Thimi is already bearing fruit. Starting in 2018, the pond was restored using two six inch layers of kalo mato, a three-inch layer of pango mato (clay) and four inches of bricks. This would contain the water, while at the same time allowing seepage into the ground. A few months after the work was finished, the water in the surrounding wells began to return.[110]

Rajkulo repairs

The state canals have received attention as well. Because the canal of Patan was found to be in the best condition, compared to the canals of Bhaktapur and Kathmandu, in 2005 a project was started to bring it back to life.[35] When the canal is completely restored, an estimated 40 hitis will start working again. At this time the canal has reached Thecho, about five kilometers from Patan Durbar Square. The project was halted for some years, due to a lack of funds,[111] but will be resumed in 2020. The water will be directed towards Saptapatal Pokhari.[79]

In 2016 a rajkulo used for irrigation in Bidur Municipality, Nuwakot, that had been damaged in 2015, was repaired and improved by the Community For Business Development and Promotion Society (COBDEPS).[112]

Exceptional dhunge dharas

Sundhara in Patan, now slightly below street level

Some hitis stand out because they deviate in a significant way from the expected architecture.

Dhunge dhara above street level

All dhunge dharas in the Kathmandu Valley are built in a depression of some kind to allow the water to flow naturally. Sundhara (or Nuga Hiti, with gold plated spouts) in Patan is an exception. It was originally built above street level. (Due to the development of the surrounding area one now has to go a few steps down.)

According to legend Sundhara was built by a man who attended the opening of Sauga Hiti in Patan. This man joked about the depth of the hiti, saying that anyone who would descend the steps to drink, would have to bring some food with them to build up their strength to climb back up again. He vowed to build a hiti on an elevation and so created Sundhara.[113][9]

Keeping the water flowing in Sundhara is an ongoing struggle. The sources of the water are continually seized upon by nearby industries' and households' private wells.[9] In 2020 another start was made to bring back the water, this time with a new rainwater harvesting initiative.[79]

Two spouts of Narayan Hiti in Kathmandu. The left one has a recoiled snout. The right spout is a Malla era replacement of the original.[4]

Recoiled spouts

Narayan Hiti in Kathmandu, the dhunge dhara near the palace, has three spouts, one is goldplated and two are made of stone. The stone spouts look very different from what one would expect. The 'elephants' trunks of the hitimangas are bent backwards instead of forwards.

According to legend this is caused by an event that must have occurred around 464 AD, at the beginning of the reign of king Mānadeva.

Narayan Hiti had stopped working and King Dharmadeva consulted his astrologers to find a solution. The astrologers told him a human sacrifice would be needed to bring back the water. The person to be sacrificed would have to be someone possessing thirty two virtues. Since only the king and his son would qualify, the king decided to trick his son Mānadeva into sacrificing him. He told his son he should kill the first man he would find sleeping at Narayan Hiti that night. He then went to the hiti himself and lay down there with his face covered so he could not be recognised. Prince Mānadeva slayed the man with his sword and only afterwards he discovered he had killed his own father. The hiti started working again but the spouts had recoiled in horror.[113][19][4][114]

There are other, slightly different, versions of this legend. In one an earlier king and prince are involved [113][114] and in another Narayan Hiti is a newly built hiti instead of an existing one that stopped working.[115]

Only one other spout with a recoiled trunk has so far been found, but this spout was not part of a hiti. It was being used as a paving stone in a courtyard in Deopatan (Kathmandu).[22]

Dhunge dharas in popular culture

Saraswati Hiti
Tusha Hiti

The early 19th-century Nepalese song Rajamati names three dhunge dharas of Kathmandu: Thahiti, Kwahiti and Maruhiti. The protagonist of the song trips and falls in Maruhiti.[116] Some scenes of the 1995 film based on the song are also filmed at Maruhiti.[117]

In 1974, Pier Paolo Pasolini used Tusha Hiti, Narayan Hiti and Saraswati Hiti in Patan, along with other places in Nepal, as locations for his film Il fiore delle Mille e una notte (Arabian Nights).[118][119]

The inner workings of the dhunge dhara system in Kathmandu are an essential part of the plot in the story The Case of Hodgson's Ghost from the 2003 detective novel The Oriental Casebook of Sherlock Holmes by Ted Riccardi.[120]

The song Surkhetma Bulbule Taal from the 2004 film Bandhaki was partly filmed at the stone spouts of Bulbule Lake.[121][122][123]

Garuda Kunda in Bhaktapur
Photo exhibit in Saugah Hiti in 2016

Garuda Kunda in Bhaktapur was used to film a clip of the Newari song Basanta Ya Phe.[124][125]

In 2015, around the time of the earthquakes, a community arts project was organised, centered around the hitis of Patan. Women living in the area told stories and created works of visual art about their relationships with water and health during the Sacred Water project.[126][127]

In 2016 Manga Hiti featured in a romantic music video.[128]

The opening credits of the 2016 Newari film Chandraman were filmed at Chhaybaha Hiti in Patan.[129][130]

In June 2020, a short horror film titled Dhunge Dhara was posted on YouTube. It is reminiscent of the 2002 film The Ring and takes place in a dhunge dhara.[131]

Part of the music video for the Nepal Bhasa song Lhwo Hiti La Ka Wala was filmed at a dhunge dhara.[132]

Eros Ink Tattoo studio in Kathmandu showcases a tattoo of Nag Pokhari hiti in Bhaktapur on its website.[133]

Dhunge Dhara is the title of a Dohori Teej song published online on 30 June 2022. Part of the clip is filmed at a dhunge dhara.[134]

Events space

The international photography festival Photo Kathmandu has used the spaces of dhunge dharas in Patan more than once. Manga Hiti was the location of a photo slideshow in 2015 and 2016.[135][136] Chyasal Dhungedhara and Saugah Hiti hosted a photo exhibit during the festival in 2015 and 2016 respectively.[137][138]

In June 2019 Manga Hiti was the location of the 2019 finale of the international Dopper Changemaker competition.[139]

The terraced space of Nagbahal Hiti has been used as a music venue on several occasions.[140][141][142][143]

Similar structures outside Nepal

Kumara Pokuna in Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka, with stone spouts on both sides of the stairs

Although dhunge dharas can be viewed as typical Nepalese buildings, a number of similar structures can be found in other countries.[144] One example can be seen in India. It is the kunda of Sule Basti in Humcha, Karnataka, known as the source of the Kumudvathi River.[145][144] Two other examples are in Sri Lanka: Kuttam Pokuna in Anuradhapura and Kumara Pokuna in Polonnaruwa. The structures in Sri Lanka differ from the dhunge dharas of Nepal in that the basins themselves are designed to hold the water for a longer period of time instead of draining it away immediately.[144]

Tun and tutedhara

The construction of water conduits like hitis, dug wells and jahrus is considered a pious act in Nepal.[9]

Circular dug wells can be found in most cities and villages of Nepal. They are called inara (Nepali) or tun (Newari). They are lined with bricks and have a brick parapet with stone on top. In case there are any decorations, these are usually water related, like lotus flowers, makaras and snakes. Many of them date from the Licchavi era.[146] It is estimated that more than a 1000 old dug wells can be found in Kathmandu Valley. Many of them are still being used.[9]

Some dhunge dharas have such a well built into their basin. Kva Hiti in Kathmandu[4] is an example and so is Golmadhi Hiti in Bhaktapur.

Another structure is the tutedhara or jahru (jarun, jaladroni), a (usually) covered drinking water reservoir built out of stone with a tap that can be opened and closed. These structures are either free-standing or integrated into the wall of a hiti or other building. They depend on either a tun or a hiti to be filled. In a hiti this reservoir is used to store the excess water that flows into the dhunge dhara.[4][26]

Many jahrus, especially the ones not part of a hiti, are no longer in use.[4][26]

See also

Mandala-shaped Sundhara in Kathmandu, built in 1829[4]

References

  1. ^ Joshi's Hiti Pranali launched by Himalayan News Service, 7 July 2022
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Disaster Risk Management for the Historic City of Patan, Nepal Archived 2021-01-11 at the Wayback Machine by Rits-DMUCH, Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto, Japan and Institute of Engineering, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal, 2012, retrieved 16 September 2019
  3. ^ Vastu Shastra Hiti Dayeka, Nepal. Retrieved 10 August 2021
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z Water Conduits in the Kathmandu Valley (2 vols.) by Raimund O.A. Becker-Ritterspach, ISBN 9788121506908, Published by Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, India, 1995
  5. ^ a b c The Pit Conduit Water Supply System of Kathmandu Archived 2021-03-22 at the Wayback Machine by Sudarshan Raj Tiwari, 2016 (unpublished), retrieved 11 September 2019
  6. ^ a b Dhungedhara: A Nepali Technology to Supply Water Archived 2021-03-22 at the Wayback Machine by Sanyukta Shrestha, DREAMS Magazine, August 2015, retrieved 1 March 2020
  7. ^ a b c d Dhunge-Dharas in the Kathmandu Valley - An Outline of their Architectural Development Archived 2021-03-22 at the Wayback Machine by Raimund O.A. Becker-Ritterspach, Ancient Nepal 116-118, 1990, retrieved 28 October 2019
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h Dhunge-Dharas in the Kathmandu Valley. Continuity and Development of Architectural Design by Raimund O.A. Becker-Ritterspach, Change and Continuity, 1996
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r UN-HABITAT, 2007. Water Movement in Patan with reference to Traditional Stone Spouts Archived 2021-03-22 at the Wayback Machine, ISBN 9789937203913
  10. ^ a b c d e f Kathmandu Valley Groundwater Outlook Archived 2021-03-22 at the Wayback Machine. Shrestha S., Pradhananga D., Pandey V.P. (Eds.), 2012, Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), The Small Earth Nepal (SEN), Center of Research for Environment Energy and Water (CREEW), International Research Center for River Basin Environment-University of Yamanashi (ICRE-UY), Kathmandu, Nepal
  11. ^ KMC, campaigners team up to revive stone spouts in capital by Binu Shrestha, The Rising Nepal, 3 July 2020
  12. ^ Traditional stonespouts Archived 2022-07-06 at the Wayback Machine, Posted by Administrator of NGOforum.net, 28 September 2010. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  13. ^ a b c Traditional Infrastructure, Modern Flows: Cultural Politics of Modernization in the Kathmandu Valley Archived 2021-03-22 at the Wayback Machine by Olivia Molden, Thesis presented to the Department of Geography and the Graduate School of the University of Oregon, June 2015
  14. ^ Solution to Kathmandu's water crisis by Ranjan Prakash Shrestha and David Seddon, Nepali Times, 31 August 2020, retrieved 24 April 2011
  15. ^ a b c Kathmandu water spouts, lost and found cases Archived 2019-12-06 at the Wayback Machine by Purushottam P. Khatri, The Rising Nepal, 1 June 2019, retrieved 6 December 2019
  16. ^ GPR technology being used to trace lost stone spouts by Shaurya Kshatri, The Rising Nepal, 2 March 2021, retrieved 18 July 2022
  17. ^ Saving Nepal's hiti heritage, Nepali Times, 7 March 2022, retrieved 30 March 2022
  18. ^ Hitis (Water Fountains) of the Kathmandu Valley, 2022 World Monuments Watch, World Monuments Fund, retrieved 30 March 2022
  19. ^ a b c d e Dhunge Dhara: A Case Study of the Three Cities of Kathmandu Valley Archived 2021-03-22 at the Wayback Machine by Riddhi Pranhan, Ancient Nepal 116-118, 1990
  20. ^ a b Robert Beer (10 September 2003). The handbook of Tibetan Buddhist symbols. Serindia Publications, Inc. pp. 77–. ISBN 978-1-932476-03-3. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  21. ^ a b c Picturesque Nepal by Percy Brown, London A. and C. Black, 1912, retrieved 28 September 2019
  22. ^ a b c d Nepal Mandala: A Cultural Study of the Kathmandu Valley, Text. 1 by Mary Shepherd Slusser, Princeton University Press, 1982, retrieved 1 March 2020
  23. ^ a b c Off the deep end Archived 2021-03-22 at the Wayback Machine by Astha Joshi, Kathmandu Post, 11 February 2017, retrieved 8 September 2019
  24. ^ a b c d e f g h i Tripathi, Mira (2016). A Comparative Evaluation of Stone Spout Management Systems in Heritage and non-Heritage Areas of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal (Ph.D Thesis). New Zealand: Lincoln University. hdl:10182/7629.
  25. ^ a b Shortage in the Mountains of Plenty: Water Supply in Mountain and Hill Cities throughout the Hindu-Kush Himalayan Region Archived 2021-03-22 at the Wayback Machine by Abigail Snyder, 2014 Borlaug-Ruan International Internship, ICIMOD, Lalitpur, Nepal and The World Food Prize Foundation, Des Moines, Iowa, retrieved 30 September 2019
  26. ^ a b c Jarunhiti Archived 2021-03-22 at the Wayback Machine by Akira Furukawa (ed.), Sukra Sagar Shrestha, Amrit Bajracharya and Kanako Ogasawara, Vajra Books, Nepal, 2010, ISBN 9789937506533
  27. ^ Phalchas Much More Than Just Resting Places Archived 2021-03-22 at the Wayback Machine by Swosti Rajbhandari Kayastha, ECS Nepal, Issue 181, December 2016, retrieved 30 October 2019
  28. ^ Study of Architecture Style and Construction Technologies of Public Rest House - Pati with Discussion of Case – Mataya Phalcha Archived 2021-03-22 at the Wayback Machine by Saurav Koirala, Department of Architecture, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, February 2018, retrieved 30 October 2019
  29. ^ A city that remembers Archived 2021-03-22 at the Wayback Machine by Sanjit Bhakta Pradhananga, The Kathmandu Post, 24 December 2017, retrieved 30 March 2020
  30. ^ a b c d Traditional Ponds – The Water Urban-ism of Newar Civilization Archived 2021-03-22 at the Wayback Machine by Padma Sunder Joshi, Spaces Nepal, April 2018, retrieved 11 October 2019
  31. ^ a b The women of Bhajya Pukhu Archived 2021-03-22 at the Wayback Machine by Siddhanta Phuyal, The Kathmandu Post, June 30, 2018, retrieved 14 September 2019
  32. ^ a b Fire and water by Astha Joshi, The Kathmandu Post, August 11, 2018, retrieved 17 September 2019
  33. ^ a b c Devotional Art of Hitis, Part Two Archived 2021-03-22 at the Wayback Machine, HareKrsna.com, 5 Augustus, 2013, retrieved 21 September 2019
  34. ^ a b c Traditional Water Management Practices. A Case Study Of Bhaktapur City by Ganesh Khaniya, 2005
  35. ^ a b Reviving Patan's royal canal Archived 2021-03-22 at the Wayback Machine by Mallika Aryal, Nepali Times, November 2005, retrieved 10 September 2019
  36. ^ Exploring the rhythms of public life through public water structures within Kathmandu valley, submitted by Ashim Kumar Manna, 2015-2016
  37. ^ a b Traditional Water management and Machhendranath Festival, Unhabitat.org, 15 July 2019, retrieved 30 September 2019
  38. ^ English - Newari Dictionary Archived 2021-03-22 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved 18 December 2020
  39. ^ Wasa hiti #10 Archived 2021-03-22 at the Wayback Machine by Handicraft goods of all kinds metal, 8 November 2020, retrieved 23 December 2020
  40. ^ Godavari Mela every 12 years Archived 2021-03-22 at the Wayback Machine by Stéphane Huët, Nepali Times, 21–27 August 2015, retrieved 10 September 2019
  41. ^ Balaju Baisdhara festival by Skanda Gautam, The Himalayan Times, March 31, 2018, retrieved 14 September 2019
  42. ^ Nepali Hindus' Mother's Day celebrations, Dawn.com, 6 May 2016, retrieved 21 January 2020
  43. ^ Seeking holy water in Nepal's Himalayas by Nabin Baral, thethirdpole.net, 12 September 2018, retrieved 2 March 2020
  44. ^ Gosaikunda: A fair mix of adventure and spiritualism by Balaram Ghimire, The Kathmandu Post, 14 September 2019, retrieved 2 March 2020
  45. ^ a b Kumbheshwar Festival 2019 by Keshab Poudel, NEW SPOTLIGHT ONLINE, 15 August 2019, retrieved 19 January 2020
  46. ^ Eyewitness: Kathmandu after the quake by Ramesh Bhushal, thethirdpole.net, 6 May 2015, retrieved 15 November 2020
  47. ^ a b Restoration of traditional stone spouts in Sourcebook of Alternative Technologies for Freshwater Augmentation in some Asian Countries (UNEP-IETC, 1998), retrieved 11 September 2019
  48. ^ Sithi Nakha, Traditional way of Celebrating Environment Day Archived 2019-01-06 at the Wayback Machine by Monalisa Maharjan, ICHCAP, 4 July 2018, retrieved 10 September 2019
  49. ^ The Hities - the traditional water system of Kathmandu by Sahaj Man Shrestha, June 2009, retrieved 23 October 2019
  50. ^ Kumbheshwor Temple, Kathmandu - Patan by billyhelga, Radha.name, 27 November 2006, retrieved 19 January 2020
  51. ^ Janai Purnima, Welcomenepal.com, retrieved 19 January 2020
  52. ^ Festival of Purity & Security by Brittany Wait, 19 August 2016, retrieved 19 January 2020
  53. ^ a b Kathmandu Valley and Its Historical Ponds Archived 2021-03-11 at the Wayback Machine by Amar B. Shrestha, ECS Nepal, Issue 100, July 2010, retrieved 27 October 2019
  54. ^ Pokhari by Anil Chitrakar, ECS Nepal, Issue 77, July 2010, retrieved 2 November 2019
  55. ^ The Lost Jewels of Handigaun by Sanjit Pradhananga, Shuvechchhya Pradhan and Evangeline Neve, ECS Nepal Issue 161, April 2015, retrieved 21 November 2019
  56. ^ Ministry of Water Supply, retrieved 3 April 2023
  57. ^ Water Nepal: A Historical Perspective, GWP Nepal / Jalsrot Vikas Sanstha, September 2018, retrieved 11 September 2019
  58. ^ a b Indigenous water management system in Nepal: cultural dimensions of water distribution, cascaded reuse and harvesting in Bhaktapur City by Dipendra Gautam, Bhesh Raj Thapa and Raghu N. Prajapati, Environment, Development and Sustainability, August 2018, Volume 20, Issue 4, retrieved 11 September 2019
  59. ^ a b c Nepal must keep water on its land by Anil Chitrakar, Nepali Times, July 23, 2019, retrieved 18 September 2019
  60. ^ a b Traditional Water Resource Use and Adaptation Efforts in Nepal by Ranjan Prakash Shrestha and Keshav Lall Maharjan, Journal of International Development and Cooperation, Vol.22, No.1 & No.2, 2016, pp. 47-58, retrieved 11 September 2019
  61. ^ Water of the ages by Alok Siddhi Tuladhar, Nepali Times, 22 March 2018, retrieved 11 September 2019
  62. ^ Going underground. Kathmandu's groundwater is contaminated and getting worse by Naresh Newar, Nepali Times #205, July 2004, retrieved 12 September 2019
  63. ^ Drinking water quality in Nepal's Kathmandu Valley: A survey and assessment of selected controlling site characteristics by Nathaniel R Warner, Jonathan Levy, Karen S. Harpp and Frank T. Farruggia, Hydrogeology Journal 16(2):321-334, 2008, retrieved 13 September 2019
  64. ^ Bacteriological Analysis of Water of Kathmandu Valley Archived 2021-04-30 at the Wayback Machine by Gyanendra Ghimire1, Binita Adhikari1 and Manoj Pradhan, Medical Journal of Shree Birendra Hospital, 2013, Vol 12, Issue 2, retrieved 13 September 2019
  65. ^ The Newari Vernacular Revi(s/v)ed[permanent dead link] by Sophie Van Hulle, Evelien Roelands, Yanne Gillekens and Katrien Valcke, June 2017, retrieved 13 September 2019
  66. ^ Study reveals city potable water rife with bacteria, The Kathmandu Post, 16 May 16, 2018, retrieved 15 October 2019
  67. ^ Drinking Water: From Stone Spouts to Bottles by Keshab Poudel, ECS Nepal, Issue 23, August 2010, retrieved 2 November 2019
  68. ^ Water Scarcity: Nepal country snapshot[permanent dead link] by Dipak Gyawali, Binod Sharma and Govinda Sharma Pokharel, Nepal Water Conservation Foundation (NWCF), May 2019, retrieved 4 October 2019
  69. ^ Flows of change: dynamic water rights and water access in peri-urban Kathmandu by Anushiya Shrestha, Dik Roth and Deepa Joshi, Ecology and Society 23, 2018
  70. ^ The Fluid Mosaic[permanent dead link] by Marcus Moench, Ajaya Dixit, S. Janakarajan, M.S. Rathore and Srinivas Mudrakartha, Nepal Water Conservation Foundation, Kathmandu, Nepal and the Institute for Social and Environmental Transition, Boulder, Colorado, USA, March 2003
  71. ^ The Paradox of Social Resilience: Explaining Delays in Water Infrastructure Provision in Kathmandu by Leong Ching, Water Alternatives 11(1): 61-85, 2018, retrieved 15 October 2019
  72. ^ Not enough for everyone by Sonia Awale, Nepali Times, 25–31 August 2017, retrieved 10 September 2019
  73. ^ Melamchi delayed by government extortion by Bikash Thapa, Nepali Times, 28 December 2018, retrieved 10 September 2019
  74. ^ Despite rains, water crisis remains in Valley by Pramod Kumar Tandan, The Himalayan Times, 26 June 2016, retrieved 21 September 2019
  75. ^ Institutional Capacity Assessment of KUKL, February 2016 by Ministry of Urban Development (MOUD) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), retrieved 9 February 2020
  76. ^ The Merchants of Thirst by Peter Schwartzstein, The New York Times, 11 January 2020, retrieved 25 February 2020
  77. ^ Preserving the Hiti, Ancient Water Spout System of Nepal by Jharna Joshi, Proceedings of Fabric, The Threads of Conservation, Australia ICOMOS Conference, 2015, retrieved 12 September 2019
  78. ^ So much depends on it by Pragati Shahi on guthi.net, June 2006, retrieved 6 September 2019
  79. ^ a b c Lalitpur launches drive to revive ancient spouts by Anup Ojha, The Kathmandu Post, 29 June 2020, retrieved 13 November 2020
  80. ^ Thamel's Ga Hiti stone spout to be rebuilt, The Kathmandu Post, 13 March 2016, retrieved 18 February 2020
  81. ^ Thamel gets back to business by Nischhal Pradhan, Raila Rai and Prasong Rupacha, Nepali Times, 20 April 20, 2018, retrieved 18 February 2020
  82. ^ KMC told to restore Rani Pokhari to its original Malla-era design, The Himalayan Times, January 22, 2018, retrieved 18 September 2019
  83. ^ Rani Pokhari blunder, The Kathmandu Post, September 28, 2018, retrieved 14 September 2019
  84. ^ Reconstruction work of Rani Pokhari resumes by Anup Ojha, The Kathmandu Post, March 6, 2019, retrieved 14 September 2019
  85. ^ Dry Rani Pokhari begins filling up with monsoon rain water, The Himalayan Times, 15 July 2019, retrieved 10 October 2019
  86. ^ Feature: Female construction workers in Nepal making their mark in male dominated industry by Shristi Kafle, Xinhua, 26 June 2019, retrieved 15 January 2020
  87. ^ Female workers involved in reconstruction of Ranipokhari pond in Nepal, Xinhua, 26 June 2019, retrieved 15 January 2020
  88. ^ Nepal completes reconstruction of historical 'Rani Pokhari', The Times of India, 22 October 2020, retrieved 12 August 2021
  89. ^ Bhaktapur workers hired to renovate Sundhara, The Rising Nepal, 27 June 2021, retrieved 5 October 2021
  90. ^ Conservationists are not so keen about Kamal Pokhari restoration project by Srizu Bajracharya, The Kathmandu Post, 28 December 2020, retrieved 15 May 2022
  91. ^ "Heritage conservationists carry out symbolic protest for conservation of Kamal Pokhari". The Kathmandu Post. 15 January 2021. Archived from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  92. ^ KMC expresses readiness to handover Kamal Pokhari management to locals by Rastriya Samachar Samiti, The Himalayan Times, 4 December 2018, retrieved 12 October 2019
  93. ^ Kamal Pokhari reconstruction work launched, The Himalayan Times, 5 July 2019, retrieved 8 October 2019
  94. ^ Conservation Plan IKHA POKHARI, Chhetrapati, Kailashkut.com, 2016, retrieved 11 October 2019
  95. ^ Bhajya Pukhu, 500 years older than Rani Pokhari Archived 2021-03-22 at the Wayback Machine by Rastriya Samachar Samiti, The Himalayan Times, March 12, 2019, retrieved 14 September 2019
  96. ^ Nepali town turns to the past for solutions to current water crisis Archived 2021-03-22 at the Wayback Machine by Abhaya Raj Joshi, September 18, 2018, thethirdpole.net, retrieved 14 September 2019
  97. ^ Restoring lost glory Archived 2021-03-22 at the Wayback Machine, The Kathmandu Post, May 23, 2019, retrieved 14 September 2019
  98. ^ Bhaktapur Municipality expedites heritage sites restroration [sic] by Krishna Kisi, myRepublica, 11 June 2019. retrieved 24 October 2019
  99. ^ Lalitpur Metropolis halts school building construction near Saptapatal pond by Rabindra Ghimire, Onlinekhabar, 21 May 2018, retrieved 18 September 2019
  100. ^ Bhaktapur sets an example for local-led heritage reconstruction, while Kathmandu and Patan fall short by Timothy Aryal, The Kathmandu Post, April 25, 2019, retrieved 14 September 2019
  101. ^ Lalitpur city is taking local initiatives to restore Malla-era Nhu Pokhari by Anup Ojha, The Kathmandu Post, August 11, 2019, retrieved 16 September 2019
  102. ^ Thirst of Patan, VODNÍ ZDROJE, a.s., 2015, retrieved 26 September 2019
  103. ^ From Ponds restoration to Community Fire Hydrants Installation for Fire Preparedness[permanent dead link] by Ishwar Rauniyar, DanChurchAid, retrieved 4 October 2019
  104. ^ Revitalisation of Open Spaces in Kirtipur by Cecilia Andersson, 23 May 2016, retrieved 19 October 2019
  105. ^ Some historical ponds of Kirtipur are getting new lives, Our Kirtipur, 7 January 2019, retrieved 23 October 2019
  106. ^ Reviving Drying springs , ICIMOD, 2016, retrieved 4 October 2019
  107. ^ Kavre villages revive dry springs, The Himalayan Times, 19 December 2016, retrieved 4 October 2019
  108. ^ Springs, Storage Towers, and Water Conservation in the Midhills of Nepal by Binod Sharma, Santosh Nepal, Dipak Gyawali, Govinda Sharma Pokharel, Shahriar Wahid, Aditi Mukherji, Sushma Acharya, and Arun Bhakta Shrestha, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, Kathmandu, June 2016, retrieved 5 October 2019
  109. ^ Environment conservation project restores ancient ponds in Ramechhap by Tika Prasad Bhatta, The Kathmandu Post, 12 March 2020, retrieved 26 March 2020
  110. ^ Pond restoration is not only reviving Thimi's water heritage but also its groundwater reserves by Shashwat Pant, The Kathmandu Post, 6 February 2020, retrieved 12 October 2020
  111. ^ Renovating Kathmandu's ancient canals by Kapil Bisht, ESC NEPAL, Issue 117, July 2011, retrieved 14 October 2019
  112. ^ Rehabilitation of Irrigation Canal (Raj-kulo) Archived 2019-09-29 at the Wayback Machine, COBDEPS, June 2016, retrieved 29 September 2019
  113. ^ a b c History of Nepal by Shew Shunker Sing, Pandit Shri Gunanand, Daniel Wright (ed.), Cambridge University Press, 1877, retrieved 7 October 2020
  114. ^ a b Death of Dharmadev by T.R. Vaidya, Contributions to Nepali Studies, Volume 8, Number 2, June 1981 (pp. 35-42), retrieved 6 December 2020
  115. ^ The golden plated stone-spout (dhungedhara) at Narayanhiti, Kathmandu, Nepal by Rahul Pradhan, Hindu Cosmos, 3 August 2019, retrieved 21 November 2020
  116. ^ Kathmandu's ancient water spouts still functioning by Alok Siddhi Tuladhar, 15 March 2022, retrieved 17 March 2022
  117. ^ Rajamati kumati Original video song with Lyrics, retrieved 17 March 2022
  118. ^ Arabian Nights (Il Fiore Delle Mille E Una Notte) at Movie-locations.com, 1974, retrieved 8 September 2019
  119. ^ IMDb, retrieved 4 January 2021
  120. ^ The Oriental Casebook of Sherlock Holmes by Ted Riccardi, Pegasus Crime New York, ISBN 9781605981864, p 45-119
  121. ^ Here are five places you should visit in Surkhet by Jyotee Katuwal, The Kathmandu Post, 24 August 2019, retrieved 21 March 2022
  122. ^ Bandhaki, Lensnepal.com, retrieved 21 March 2022
  123. ^ Surkhet ma Bulbule Taal | Nepali Movie Bandhaki Song | Bandhaki | Biren Shrestha Geeta Shahi, retrieved 21 March 2022
  124. ^ Locals Clean up Garuda Kunda by Republica, 23 August 2017, retrieved 23 March 2022
  125. ^ Newari song (Basanta Ya Phe), retrieved 23 March 2022
  126. ^ Sacred Water, retrieved 14 April 2022
  127. ^ Sacred water exhibition, 6 July 2017, retrieved 14 April 2022
  128. ^ New Newari Song 2016 | Manga Hiti - Rajendra Maharjan | Ft. Ashishma & Suraj Benjankar, 2016, retrieved 8 September 2019
  129. ^ New Newari Full Movie CHANDRAMAN 2016/2073, Highlights Newar, retrieved 7 June 2022
  130. ^ Abandoning ancient stone spouts in a quest for modernity by Keshav Thapa, The Kathmandu Post, 22 May 2019, retrieved 7 June 2022
  131. ^ Short Horror Movie ´´DHUNGE DHARA`` by Sujan Shrestha and Melina Shrestha, 7 June 2020, retrieved 31 August 2021
  132. ^ Lhwo Hiti La Ka Wala | Kailash Maharjan Ft. (Surendra/Rojisha) Maharjan | New Nepal Bhasha Song 2078, Highlights Newar, retrieved 7 June 2022
  133. ^ Eros Ink Tattoo studio, retrieved 9 September 2019
  134. ^ Dhunge Dhara || ढुङगे धारा - Surya Khadka & Rachana Rimal - New Nepali Jhyaure Teej Song 2079/2022, retrieved 6 July 2022
  135. ^ Slideshow: 4th November Night, Mangahiti, Patan Durbar Square, 2015, retrieved 13 April 2022
  136. ^ Slideshow: Moving Asia, Mangahiti, Patan Durbar Square, 2016, retrieved 13 April 2022
  137. ^ Time and space by Pranaya SJB Rana, The Kathmandu Post, 7 November 2015, retrieved 18 April 2022
  138. ^ The Vanishing: Altered Landscapes and Displaced Lives on the Yangtze River by Ian Teh, 2016, retrieved 13 April 2022
  139. ^ Anisha wins the title of Dopper Changemaker 2019 by Republica, 16 June 2019, retrieved 26 May 2022
  140. ^ Mohani Dhun performed in Nagbahal 2072/5/19, with Kaushal Shakya, retrieved 11 April 2022
  141. ^ Dhaa baja at Samyek 2016, retrieved 11 April 2022
  142. ^ International art project comes to Patan by Timothy Aryal, The Kathmandu Post, 21 November 2018, retrieved 11 April 2022
  143. ^ MG Live Kathmandu, Micro Galleries, retrieved 11 April 2022
  144. ^ a b c Diversity and Development in South Asian Kuṇḍa Architecture by Julia A. B. Hegewald, South Asian Archaeology 1997, Vol. III, Maurizio Taddei & Giuseppe De Marco (eds.), Serie Orientale Roma Vol. XC, 3, Istituto Italiano per l’Africa e l’Oriente, Rome, 2000, p. 1455-1469
  145. ^ Birth of A River - Kumudvathi Theertha, Hosanagar Shimoga at Teamgsquare.com, retrieved 7 December 2021
  146. ^ Living Traditions: Aquatic Architecture and Imagery in the Kathmandu Valley by Julia A. B. Hegewald, in: Deepak Shimkhada (ed.), Nepal: Nostalgia and Modernity. Mārg Publications, Mumbai, 2011, p. 37-45, ISBN 9380581084

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dhunge dharas.
Categories