Rani Pokhari

The pond is recharged by water flowing in through an underground channel, but there are also seven wells inside the pond.[1]

Temples and elephant statue

A temple dedicated to Matrikeshwor Mahadev, a form of the Hindu deity Shiva, stands at the center of the pond. There is an idol of Harishankari, which is said to be the only one idol of both Saraswoti and Laxmi. It is reached from the street by a causeway. A large stone statue of an elephant bearing the images of Pratap Malla and his two sons Chakravartendra Malla and Mahipatendra Malla is situated on the tank's southern embankment.^[1]

There are four smaller temples situated at the four corners of the pond:

During recent excavations, four dhunge dharas were found, one at each of the four corners of the pond.^[6]

During the construction of the Ratnapark Subway, starting in 1984, Nhera hiti was discovered. Some of the stone spouts are now in the National Museum of Nepal. An unnamed dhunge dhara is known to be buried on the premises of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA). Then there is Swora hiti or Tin Dhara at Durbar Marg. The fourth dhunge dhara is named Jhanga hiti. It is located in Jamal, on the north-western corner of Rani Pokhari. Of these four dhunge dharas, only Swora hiti is in working order.^[7]

Chhath

Rani Pokhari is fenced with iron bars and opened once a year during Bhai Tika, the fifth and final day of the Tihar, and Chhath festival. The world's largest Chhath festival takes place every year in RaniPokhari. Rani is also dedicated to (Nepalese Maithil) Women who go into the cold water and pray to the Sun God. ^[8]

Western references

Among the earliest references to Rani Pokhari is an account by Italian Jesuit

The British Indian Army officer William Kirkpatrick, who visited Kathmandu in 1793, wrote about a quadrangular reservoir of water situated near the northeastern part of the city. He also noted the existence of many temples on the sides of Rani Pokhari, some of which were of considerable height and size.^[10]

Controversial upgrade

Restoration work on Ranipokhari after the 2015 earthquake began in January 2016 and has been fraught with controversy. The original plans used concrete for the restoration, instead of the traditional brick and clay, and included fountains and a new lakeside café. After a series of local protests it was decided to restore the pond to the way it was in 1670.^[11][12][13] The reconstruction was completed in October 2020.^[14]

Famous structures

Rani Pokhari is surrounded by historical buildings and famous structures. The clock tower

On the western side of Rani Pokhari stands another historical building, Durbar High School, built in 1854 AD. It is the first school in Nepal providing education along modern lines. In the beginning, Durbar High School admitted only the children of the ruling classes. It was opened to the general public in 1902 AD.

Tundikhel, a parade ground and ceremonial grass field and a Kathmandu landmark, formerly extended from the southern side of Rani Pokhari. A section next to the pond was fenced off and converted into a public park and flower garden in the mid-1960s.

Historical gallery

• 
  Rani Pokhari and clock tower from the west before the 1934 earthquake
• 
  Statue of elephant and pavilion, circa 1930. The old brickwork can be seen here.
• 
  Bird's-eye view of Rani Pokhari and nearby areas in the 1950s
• 
  Former bus stand built in the early 1960s on the northwestern corner

Re-Construction & Modern Look

The damaged Rani Pokhari by the 2015 earthquake was reconstructed by preserving its style. The reconstruction was completed in 2020. The Pokhari can be seen filled with water and rebuilt colored temple.

The reconstruction following the devastating earthquake of 2015 saw a change in the colour scheme as well as the style of architecture used in the construction of the temple in the middle of the lake. It was in Dome style before the 2015 earthquake while the reconstructed temple of Matrikeshwor Mahadev is in the Stupa style of ancient architecture.

The change was because the Ranipokhari, established in 1725, was a similar temple during the construction period. The temple was rebuilt twice during the Rana period. The dome style of the temple we saw before the earthquake was a form of the same Rana period. The present renovation has restored the temple to its original form. The return of the temple to its original form is of historical significance.^[15]

References