page_title: Dhunge dhara
section_title: Decline
hierarchical_section_title: Dhunge dhara / Decline
caption_attribution_description: English: Indrayani Dhunge Dhara, Bhaktapur.
context_page_description: A dhunge dhara or hiti 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 hitis on a daily basis.
context_section_description: In late 1891, under Rana rule (1846-1951 AD), a piped water system was introduced in Kathmandu Valley. It was then 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.
  The earthquake of 1934 damaged part of the royal canals, causing many hitis to dry up.
  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.
  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. Of the 233 ponds found in the 2019 survey by the KVWSMB 40 were destroyed completely.
  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. Some were built over entirely with offices or roads. In other cases the water level in the aquifer has dropped due to the digging of private wells by individual houseowners or industries.
  The government policy to centralise management of the guthi system under Nepal Guthi Corporation had a detrimental effect. 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.
  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.
  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. 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.
caption: Neglected hiti in Bhaktapur
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