Prasamsa_Hiti_Preservation

Which indigenous knowledge do you plan to document if selected for this fellowship?
(Please elaborate what you know about this knowledge) (min 300 words)

I plan to document the use of traditional water spouts ( A.K.A Hiti) and their evolution with time
following the conservation of Aalok Hiti located in Lalitpur district. The history of Aalok Hiti dates
back to the 13th century according to locals. However, due to development of piped water
system and negligence of concerned authority and the community led hiti to be the
non-operational condition for many years until 2003 AD when the locals came up with an
innovative method to revive the traditional source of the hiti, to collect the surplus water from it
and then distribute it among the locals in a systematic way.

The locals used the water from Aalok Hiti during the daytime but it flows out in the nights
untapped. The committee built a mechanism to tap the surplus of water from traditional stone
spouts. The water was then tapped for six hours daily and collected in a 10,000 liter overhead
tank built on the top of a community building. This initiation was first started in 2003, it served
200 households which used to distribute 350 liters in the rainy season and 250 liters in the dry
season. It then was publicized for a few years but after that, it had no follow-up documentation
for the results. The key point of selecting this indigenous knowledge is that the community has
been conserving neglected water spouts for decades through a revitalization of traditional water
sources.

The hitis carry a major role in cultural and social aspects since it is a place for various festivals.
The place holds contemporary functions such as a place for bathing, a place for religious
functions, a place for ritual workshops, etc. These spouts are rooted in a specific context,
bearing to natural and cultural responsibilities. The place with the hiti usually forms a community
space that plays an important role as a social center. Hiti also possesses an important role for
natural methods of water filtration and distribution through the ecological cycle between rajkulo,
ponds, hiti, groundwater filtration, etc. besides the supporting factors like snakes, mongoose,
frogs that keeps the underground process naturally unclogged.

Narrowing down, I am planning to document two key things:

1. Documentation of indigenous Aalok hiti resources and how it has evolved with the
community needs with time.
2. Document how the hiti has been preserved by the community and its functional effect on
the lifestyle of people with sustainable practices.

What is the importance of the indigenous knowledge that you are documenting? How do
you think it can contribute to fighting climate change/green recovery/achieving
sustainability?
" Most of the ancient cities that were built were destroyed due to unmanaged water supplies in
the system". This saying has been throughout my mind in the process of researching about hiti.
First thing first, the documentation is important for the following factors:
1. Indigenous knowledge for water recharge
 Prasamsa_Hiti_Preservation

2. Indigenous knowledge for tangible and intangible heritage for sustainable

communities.
This research would help us to understand the use of indigenous knowledge concerning time
along with the importance of conservation. Hiti, if restored, can provide an affordable water
supply through locally sourced water. This indigenous knowledge of the hiti also seeks to
address the whole ancient water supply components like Rajkulo, Ponds, etc. These whole
components of the traditional water supply system could help us know the unique natural water
filtration and recharge process. The construction material of hiti is earthy and creates the sense
of their place with the increase in the importance of spaces around it and enhances community
engagement.
Despite the introduction of a modern piped water system, starting in the late 19th century, the
Nepali people of Kathmandu still rely on the old hitis. According to the department of statistics,
20% percent of households in the valley have no access to local water sources while two-thirds
live with inadequate supply. With the demand for water rising to 360 million liters per day in
recent years. In the present day, Hitis are still the only source of water for many, especially the
urban poor and farmers in peri-urban zones. This study area would set the example for
restoration for other endangered and neglected hiti around the nation where the conventional
piped water supply would not be sufficient to fulfill the requirements. To know the value of the
traditional water supply system and the impact of spaces around it in our daily life is the path for
achieving sustainability.

Location where the community/people possessing this knowledge live (e.g. Balami
Community, Okharpauwa, Nuwakot)

Aalok hiti and its surrounding, Lalitpur.

Why do you want to participate in this fellowship? (word limit: 150 words)

Hitis are an intricate part of Kathmandu valley's development since the 5th century. There is an
interconnection between culture, belief, social hierarchy, and the management and maintenance
of the water system in the historic Newar settlement. In recent years, I believe ‘we’ every
individual are responsible for how the city is today, with loss of cultural values, ancient traditions
of water supplies to all the techniques of traditional development which has now been
indigenous. I believe that going back to nature and traditional techniques is what will lead to
sustainable development. For instance, Some of these Hiti would not have been able to function
despite this unmanaged urban condition throughout the millennium. There might be some
techniques that had made the hiti system sustainable throughout all the era.

Being an architecture student, above that as a responsible youth of this country, I want to learn
and contribute my knowledge towards my community.