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Kathmandu Thursday January 24, 2002 Magh 11, 2058.
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Tultule Dhara awaits
conservation
Post Report
KATHMANDU, Jan 23 The Nepal Heritage Society
(NHS), conservationists and local representatives are joining their hands together to
uncover around 140 years old stone spout that has remained hidden in the pile of garbage
for the last two decades.
A meeting was organised here today by the NHS to
discuss the present situation of a historic water source at the heart of the capital.
The stone spout situated at Kamalpokhari area,
was locally named Turture Dhara or Tultule Dhara, was built by Colonel Dilli Shamsher
Thapa around 140 years ago but it has now remained under over 8-feet deep debris for the
last twenty years, the locals say.
An octogenarian local Ganga Bahadur Basnet said
that he had been drinking the clear water from the spout since the time as early as 1933
daily till it eventually disappeared under the piles of garbage due to the lack of
conservation from the local authorities.
"A set of three stone spouts with many
idols, the place was very beautiful. We loved to stay there whenever we could get free
time," he said.
Another local, Surendra Raj Dwibedi, the former
editor of Gorkhapatra, said the stone spout as well as the temple of Panchakumari, also
called Jhiljhil Kumari were the contributions of the Thapa families who had influential
relations with the rulers at the end of the19th century.
"The families of the makers later sold out
the territory into pieces to others, who had no respect for the historic places," he
added.
He further said the spout stopped functioning
after Sushila Thapa, the former minister during the Panchayati days constructed the house
above the spout. "Probably, it disturbed the underground water source of the
spout."
Writer and social worker of the area Ghanashyam
Rajkarnikar said he used to walk by the 12 feet long and 6 feet broad water spout area
with idols every Monday with his mother.
According to Prof. Mukund Raj Aryal, a cultural
expert, the Turture Dhara had three water sources that did not flow voluminous water but
used to give small but continuous flow of water for centuries.
"Not only the locals but also pedestrians
and horses and elephants also were benefited by the spouts. There were big stone buckets
on both sides of the spouts where the water was collected by day and by night," he
said.
Ganesh Bahadur Khadgi, ward No. 3 chairman, said
the local authority protected the site from the clutches of neighbouring encroachers but
it could not be conserved due to the lack of budget in the ward office.
NHS vice-chairman Pratima Pande said that the
Society is ready to find resources for conservation provided the local authority
strategically supports the campaign for conservation of the Turture Dhara.
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