page_title: Dhunge dhara
section_title: The Royal Canals
hierarchical_section_title: Dhunge dhara / Sources of the water / The Royal Canals
caption_attribution_description: English: Nagarkot This is a photo of a natural site in Nepal identified by the ID NP-BHA-01
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: 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.
  King Jitamitra Malla constructed a state canal in 1678 to feed stone spouts located in Bhaktapur and Patan.
  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.
  Approximately half of the hitis of Bhaktapur and 51 hitis of Patan received their water from the royal canals.
caption: Mahadev Pokhari
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