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Traditional Ponds of Patan and Conservation Issues

Er. Padma Sunder Joshi


Associate Professor, IOE, TU
Ponds are important and integral part of traditional
water systems of Kathmandu Valley. Their
destruction is one of the major causes of the drying
out of traditional hities1 and wells. In the
urbanisation process, Kathmandu has already lost
most of its ponds while Patan and Bhaktapur still
leave some hope, though belated. This article will
try to introduce the traditional ponds within the
historic water networks and explore the issues and
challenges in its conservation.
Pukhu (in Newari) and Pokhari (in Nepali), the
ponds have multiple functions in the traditional
settlements. Most of these unlined ponds are not
natural but built with purpose. They were built to
feed the sub-surface aquifers of most of the stone
spouts and wells. In the process of time many rituals
and festivals were linked with these ponds. They
have become an integral part of landscape of the
Newar settlements, beautifying the neighbourhood
and providing open space to the clustered setting.
As per their location and thus the use, they may be
categorised into ponds outside the settlements and
ponds within the settlements. External ponds,
especially those located in the higher elevation to
the settlements are meant for recharging the aquifer
as well as serving as a buffer during heavy
downpour and reservoir for feeding irrigation
canals. Lainchaur Pokhari, Rani Pokhari (or Nhu
Pukhu in Newari) or Ikha Pukhu2 in Kathmandu;
Siddhi Pukhu, Bhaju Pukhu, and N Pukhu in
Bhaktapur; and Lagankhel Pukhu, Paleswan Pukhu
in Patan are few examples of external ponds in the
valley. Most of them were linked with state level
canal known as deidh3 (or rajkulo) and some also
have artesian wells to feed the ponds (like in Siddhi
Pukhu). These canals help to charge the aquifers
during dry season as well. There are some external
ponds constructed as a buffer reservoir like

Eulakhyo Pukhu or Jyawalakhyo Pukhu4, storing


excess water for future irrigation in the fields.
The ponds inside the settlements are relatively
smaller in size. Washing and cleaning are the visible
functions they serve, but support the settlements by
providing buffer to the down pours during rainy
season; and more importantly, helps to recharge the
ground water particularly to local aquifers. Duck
farming, animal bathing and grey water treatment
are some of the auxiliary functions they serve to the
neighbourhoods. Khecha Pukhu, Pako Pukhu5 in
Kathmandu and Tekha Pukhu and Khancha Pukhu
are the examples for such ponds in Bhaktapur. In
Lalitpur Pimbahal Pukhu is one of the best
conserved ponds at present time. There are some
ponds that receive drainage water from stone spouts
and surface drains. Chyasa Pukhu, Chau Pukhu or
Kwachhen Pukhu in Patan6 are some of the
examples. These ponds helps to recess the storm
water during down pour but provide water for dirty
cleaning like animal bathing, animal feeding, etc. If
one locates the old community defecation areas
called khikhamug of earlier time, ponds were
located next to this area for cleaning purpose or for
natural treatment of the waste washed to the pond.
During dry season most of these ponds may be
completely dried.
Shallow aquifers the major sources of traditional
water conduits:
Traditional hities and wells are charged through
shallow aquifers. The sources of the hities are
underground aquifers, some hities are located next
to the aquifer and others have a long channelled
path to bring the water to that hiti location. Superb
knowledge and wisdom was adopted recharging
these aquifers by rajkuloes through ponds. Three
major aquifers found in Patan are Naricha,
Nayekhyo, and Khwyebahi. There are other smaller
aquifers in Patan core area near Guita, Ikhachhen
Iullakhyo Pukhu is the dry pond next to Thadodhunga
near Jhamsikhyo and Jyawalakhyo Pukhu is the pond
inside the zoo at present.
5 Khecha Pukhu, now a days known as Khichapokhari is a
raised platform at present. Similarly, the Pako Pukhu was
reclaimed to construct Nepal Bank Limited head office
next to Bhugol Park.
6 Chyasa Pukhu still exists but Kwachhen Pukhu next to
Balkumari is lost and Chau Pukhu is occupied by a school.
4

Hiti is the common word for water spout in Newari. Gaa


Hiti and Lohn Hiti are the stone spouts in depression.
2 Ikhapukhu use to be outside the historic settlement is
reduced in size and is inside the compound of Kanya Mandir
School;
3
In Newari dei meaning state or city, dh maning drainage..
In Nepali it is called rajkulo.
1

(Joshi, P. R. 1993) and Kiri Keba. These aquifers


must be the outcome of the special geological
formation where the northern slope of the
topography helped to punch confinements and made
possible to store water in the sand reservoir.
Naricha, next to Lagankhel is the largest such
aquifer. Naricha alone serves 8 hities, some are
more than a kilometre away from the aquifer
including Tus Hiti inside the Patan Durbar Square.
It is estimated that all the hities in Patan produce
around 5.26 MLD and 3.40 MLD water during wet
and dry seasons respectively.
The ponds of Patan in the traditional water
networks:
It may be hard to believe for many that Patan use to
be a canalled city in the previous time where major
areas of the city were served with deidh, or the
flowing water canal, like that is still prevalent in
Sankhu. This canalisation was possible only
because of the ponds in the upstream. The three
large water works of historic time in Kathmandu
Valley were the canals from Budhanilkantha to
downtown Kathnandu, the Bageswori canal feeding
Bhaktapur water system and the Tikabhairav canal
feeding the ponds of Patan. The massive water
works of Patan was established at various periods of
Lichchhavi Rule (Tiwari, S. R. 2002) and extended
during Mall period. Although there is absence of
written references of the installations of the water
works, the cultural activities, festivals and pujas
started during the rein of Lichchhivis logically prove
that the system was already there to have the rituals.
Lichchhavi rulers Amsuverma (Tiwari, S. R. 2002),
Balachandra Dev7, Narendra Dev (Tiwari, S. R.
2002), Dhruva Dev8 are some of the names referred
to the water works of Patan out of many. Lunkhusi
and Hakha Khusi are still in the memories of older
generation of present time that use to pass through
the main town of Patan9. It can be suggested that
Lichchhavi ruler who established Saptapatal Pukhu and
started Meen Nath Jatra before Matsyendranath Jatra by
King Narendra Dev. Based on communication with Purna
Sthapit, Chairperson, Lagankhel Envrionment Improvement
Organisation.
8 Communication with Senior Scholar of Culture Mr. Satya
Mohan Joshi. His reference was the stone inscription next to
the Ganesh Temple at the start of Momadu Galli heading
towards the back of famous Krishna Temple of Patan
Durbar Square. Based of the location of the inscription with
carving of fish symbolising perennial flow of water, there
must be a canal flowing water along present lane linking
Mahapal with Kwalakhu of Patan.
9 Lunkhusi is the canal starting from Lagankhel Pukhu
flowing towards east to Kanibahal and follows to Lunkhusi
Tole and ends at Lunkhusi Pukhu, the pond at present is
conserved by paving stone and fenced. Hakha Khusi is the
7

this massive system was obviously not constructed


during the rule of a single king, but was gradually
added and improved during the time of
Lichchhavies and their successor Mallas. The canals
and ponds were also improved (and altered) by
Ranas as well. Several of these open drains were
covered by Ranas with brick arch canals.
The city of Patan is settled on the northern sloppy
terrain of the southern hills of Phulchowki. Two
drainage lines Nakkhu and Kodku borders the
watershed where the city of Patan is on the northern
most edge of the watershed. The northern border is
Bagmati River. The historic water works of Patan
includes rajkulo linked to pukhu, the ponds and then
to water conduits.
A multipurpose canal was built from upstream of
Tikabhairav some 16 km south of Lagankhel
channelling water from Lele and Naldu rivers. This
earthen canal while irrigating the fields and serving
the settlements on the way, is brought to the cascade
of ponds at Lagankhel. After charging several of the
ponds of Lagankhel, the overflow is channelled to
Paleswan Pukhu at Pulchowk10. When this pond is
also filled including the neighbouring pond called
Pode Pukhu (or Naag Gah Pukhu), the overflow
runs to Pimbaha Pukhu. A sub-channel is linked to
Purnachandi Pukhu as well. Once the Pimbaha
Pukhu is filled, the excess water is drained through a
canal called Nhyandha (meaning drain with fish)
along present Ashok Party Palace and ultimately
discharge into Bagmati River after irrigating the
surrounding fields.
Next canal starting from (or continues from)
Lagankhel Pukhu passes Prayag Pukhu and follows
to Bhandarkhal Pukhu in an open drain.
Topography shows that this is the ridge line which
can serve on both sides of the slope. After
Bhandarkhal inside the palace complex, the drain is
made underground and flows to Chyasal and
ultimately into Bagmati. Dhruvadev, the
canal flowing from Lagankhel along Naudwon, passing
Chakrabahil road into present narrow lane and again follows
the road from Saug to Mangal Bazaar and turns to
Bhandarkhal Pukhu. Matsyendranath chariot when reaches
this place changes his Dhoti resembling the crossing of the
water canal as explained by Mr. John K. Locke in his book
Karunamaya (1980), Sahayogi Prakashan, Kathmandu.
10 Literatures contradict on whether Paleswan Pukhu draws
water after Lagankhel or there was bifurcation of the main
canal at Tikhedewal area to bring water to Pulchowk
separately. The later might be the case after the improvement
of the system in later period. Refer Thiophile & Joshi (1992)
and Joshi P R (1993).

administrator of Lichchhivi time has installed an


stone inscription next to the Ganesh Temple at the
end of Mwo Madugu Galli is the only inscription
with a sketch of a large fish. There should be canal
in historic time which describes the perennial flow
of water11. This may conclude that there were
several canals flowing through the city which serves
water for washing, cleaning and similar purposes.
It is important to note that the canal water is not
directly used for household purposes, particularly
for drinking and cooking. For this purpose they
fetch water from hities and wells, which are charged
by networks of these canals and ponds. From the
recharging viewpoint, three major groups of ponds
were very important in Patan. The cascade of ponds
at Lagankhel use to charge Naricha and Nayekhyo
aquifers, while the Khowyabaha aquifer was
recharged by Paleswan Pukhu, Pode Pukhu and
perhaps the Purnachandi Pukhu. Other ponds were
more of recharging local water table and provide
buffer functions.
The faith of historic ponds in Patan:
Introduction of piped water system must be the start
of the negligence to traditional water works. This
became more prominent as the urbanising forces
started grabbing the ponds due to ignorance if not
greed. Mr. Prayag Joshi has listed 39 historic ponds
in his report of Rajkuloes of Patan (Joshi, P. R.
1993). Almost all of these ponds were part of the
water management system. Out of the 39 reported
ponds, 16 are relatively in good condition from
shape and size, 9 are encroached for other uses
reducing the size drastically, 14 are completely lost
for public or private purposes.
Out of the 23 encroached or lost ponds, 8 were
encroached or reclaimed for public schools; 3 for
government office buildings and others were for
public utilities like public toilets, bus parks, etc. T
Pukhu (meaning large pond in Newari) next to
Kumaripati was roughly 16 ropanies is reduced to
hardly 1 ropani of area at present. This can be seen
as one of the devious act that is prevalent in the land
management offices of the government.
Moreover, if Lagankhel case is observed, the 600
ropanies of land including historic ponds, is now
encroached for all the public buildings, whether
military camp or electricity office, district court or
11 From the conversation with Mr. Satya Mohan Joshi,
Senior Scholar of Newari Culture. There is a possibility that
the Hakha Khusi could have passed through this lane in
earlier time or a separate drain flowing from Mahapal area.

Plate 1. Prayag Pukhu, one of the important ponds on the


flow path of traditional rajkuloe and hities is now encroached
to house a school and sports complex. Remaining surface is
sealed with concrete base.

Plate 2. Saptapatal Pukhu next to Ashok Thur at Lagankhel


in the 70s.

Plate 3. Saptapatal Pukhu at present after encroachment by


the school

land revenue office, Sajha office or mental hospital,


school or bus park, market centre or road network.
The recent encroacher was Namuna Matsyendra
Bording School, building its commercial complex in
Saptapatal Pukhu next to the Asoka Sthur. Although
few years ago Supreme Court made a decision in
favour of conserving the historic pond, but due to
political and commercial interests it has not yet been

Status of Historic Ponds in Patan


SN

Name of Pond

1
2
3
4

La Pukhu
Paleswan Pukhu
Pode Pukhu
Pukhu behind M School

Existing
Size reduced
Lost
Lost

5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24

Chhabaha Pukhu
Nag Pukhu
Ligan Pukhu
Pimbaha Pukhu
Purnachandi Pukhu
Kumbheswor Pukhu
Bhandarkhal Pukhu
Kuti Saugah Pukhu
Khapichhen Pukhu
Cyasal Pukhu (A)
Cyasal Pukhu (B)
Capah Pukhu
Bhinchhebaha Pukhu
Guita Pukhu
Balkumari Pukhu (west)
Balkumari Pukhu (north)
Balkumari Pukhu (east)
Tyagal Pukhu
Podekasi Pukhu
Chau Pukhu

Lost
Lost
Lost
Existing
Size reduced
Existing
Existing
Existing
Existing
Lost
Existing
Existing
Lost
Existing
Size reduced
Lost
Lost
Existing
Lost
Lost

25

Lakhe Pukhu

26

Kanibahal Pukhu (Bhailagaa)

27
28
29
30

Luksi Pukhu
Prayag (Pya) Pukhu
Lagan Pukhu
Saptapatal Pukhu

Lost
Size reduced

31

Lagankhel Pukhu 1

Existing

32
33

Lagankhel Pukhu 2
Lagankhel Pukhu 3

Existing
Existing

34
35
36
37
38

Nhu Pukhu
Ta Pukhu
Itungaha Pukhu
Pukhu next to Chabaha
Jywalakhel Pukhu

Existing
Size reduced
Existing
Lost
Existing

39

Eulakhyo Pukhu

Existing

Status

Use

Remarks

Office
Office
School

The Municipality office


Trade Promotion Centre Office
Madan Memorial School

Public facility
School
Public facility
Public facility

Community Dev. Div. of LSMC


Shree Shanti Vidyashram P S
Public toilet at Patan Dhoka
Conserved
Public garden

School

Maintenance initiated
Shramik Shanti School

Private
Public facility
Public facility
Private

Converted to garden
Solid Waste Transfer station

Public facility
School

Public open space


Prabhat School

Lost

School

Shramajeet Kishore School

Size reduced, surface sealed


Size reduced, surface sealed

Public facility

Size reduced, surface sealed

Public facility
School
Office
School

Saptapatal Pukhu

Market
Private

Sides encroached for market

School

Baal Mandir
No water

Source: Joshi, P R (1993) and updated by the author in 2007

implemented. With the continuous lobbying and


activism, recently City of Lalitpur has supported to
reconstruct part of the pond. In conclusion, the
encroachment is still continuing. The Table below
provides the present status of ponds in Patan.

Most of the ponds that are intact in size and shape


are the ponds which are inside the settlement. Here
ponds have their functions as a part of urban
infrastructures. However, in recent time, when
people are shifting to other professions from
farming, the direct uses of ponds are limited. This

might be the reasons of filling the pond to create


gardens, as in the case of Purnachandi Pukhu or at
Balkumari. Ignorance, coupled with greed may have
destroyed some of the historical ponds. Sealing the
surface is another misapprehension as these will
cease the recharging of the water bodies. Prayag
Pukhu near Lagankhel (Plate 1), Lunkhusi Pukhu,
Bhilagaa Pukhu and the small water pool inside the
municipal complex are the other erroneous deeds.
Lalitpur Municipal building is not only built on
Paleswan Pukhu, they are planning to build Lalitpur
City Hall in the remaining part of the pond.
One more changes are observed in ponds. Newars
had unique waste management system. Private toilet
was not the practice of Newars, but they go to
designated areas called khikhamug or mal some
distance outside the settlement. Preventing ground
water pollution; this practice have link to resource
recycling in the then agrarian society. But in recent
days, toilets are constructed at home and the waste
water is either discharged into in-house pits or
linked to sewerage network. The effluents are
leaking (or some times directly connected) to ponds.
Because of eutrification, pond ecosystem is
destroyed and they are filled by the debris of the
excess growth of the vegetation.

significant agenda, utilisation of local sources


complementing the municipal water system is a
demand of the time, both ecologically and
economically. While rain water harvesting and
source conservation is gaining significance
worldwide, it is the time to look into the system that
the Newars mastered in the previous millennium.
Reviving rajkuloes would be the best alternative to
charge the ponds. However, it is equally challenging
and difficult to achieve as there is a change in land
use and in some cases the encroachments are
legalised. Alternatively, collecting the rainwater
from the roofs of surrounding areas would be a
viable alternative for the revival. This will help to
reduce the storm water flow, reduce the size of drain
and provide emergency sources of water for fire
fighting and other disasters.
Even with the destruction of ponds to this state, one
can harvest more than 5 MLD water in Patan alone.
The revival of the ponds, their maintenance and
management will certainly increase the discharge in
traditional hities and wells which can be efficiently
utilised to quench thirst of Patan. The major works
in pond maintenance includes maintaining the area
of pond specifically for pond purpose, not allowing
bed and side sealing thereby allowing percolation,
avoiding eutrification of ponds, and carefully
bringing rain water or storm water into the pond.
Since present urbanisation has brought imbalance of
ground water intrusion by surface sealing, we can
consider these ponds as sources of recharge at least
to some extent.

Building of Lalitpur Municipality

Plate 4. The municipal building and so called childrens


Park built over Paleswan Pukhu

Thus the ponds which recharge water to the


aquifers, are lost because of ignorance, change is
habits and economy, and greed of the people. This is
one of the main reasons of the reduction of
discharge or drying of some of the wells and hities
in Patan.
Conservation and management issues:
Conservation of historic ponds is the question of
conserving heritage, indigenous knowledge and
wisdom that emerged and served for more than a
millennium. Moreover, it has its significance in
present day water uses. While water conservation,
management and water right have become

These technical interventions demand awareness


building and strong management leadership.
Recently, people of Patan are becoming aware of
the importance of the hities and ponds. They have
organised themselves in an organisation called
Historic Stone-spouts and Source Conservation
Association. The technical arena should support
such initiatives and help them to bring to
meaningful achievements through research, know
how and qualitative advocacy.

References:
1. Joshi, P. R. (1993) Feasibility Study of Rajkulo:
Rehabilitation of Patans Traditional Water Supply Network;
Final Report; Patan Conservation and Development
Programme, UDLE/GTZ, (unpublished report).
2. Theophile, E. And Joshi, P. R. (1992) Historical Hiti
and Pokhari: Traditional Solutions to Water Scarcity in
Patan; Patan Conservation and Development
Programme, UDLE/GTZ, (unpublished report).

3. Tiwari, S. R. (2002) The Brick and the Bull: An account


of Handigaun, the ancient capital of Nepal; Himal Books,
Lalitpur.
4. Tiwari, S R, (2002) Transforming Patans Cultural
Heritage into Sustainable Future: Case Studies of the Past
and the Present, (unpublished).

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