Nepalaya published Padma Sunder Joshi Hiti Pranali, an extensive research work on the ancient Hiti system. The book was released jointly by Chiri Babu Maharjan, mayor of Lalitpur Metropolitan City and Sunil Babu Shrestha, Vice Chancellor of National Science and Technology Academy amidst an event at Patan. The event was hosted by the Lalitpur Metropolitan City.
The event saw the author engaging the audience in an explanatory session on the workings, history and importance of the Hiti system in Kathmandu Valley.
‘Hiti Pranali’ is an integrated water management system, unique to Kathmandu valley. The earliest recorded evidence of Hiti is dated back to the Lichhavi era, around 1700 years ago.
"In today time, when we design sustainable urban drinking water plans, we make plans for twenty years. Thirty, if it is too ambitious. Beyond that the modern hydrology and engineering doesn.
envision. But the Hiti system is a technological marvel because we have managed to channel water for almost two-thousand years. This posterity is inconceivable even to the most modern technology in the world, " says author Padma Sunder Joshi, an urban development expert.
When we talk about conserving Hiti, we generally think of conserving the stone monuments. But Hitiis an alive system and more than that it is a relevant system. Every year about 1500 new concretehouses is built in the Lalitpur area. This concretization of surface area hinders the natural
underground water recharge. In turn, it is estimated that there is a water shortage of about 25 millionliters of water every day in Lalitpur alone. If we can conserve and revive the Hiti system, it canaddress the issue of underground water-recharge, flood-management and supply of drinking water all
at once, says Joshi.
Joshi completed MSc. in Resources Engineering from the University of Karlshruhe, Germany andPost Graduate Diploma from IHE, the Netherlands. Joshi also served as an advisor to the mayor of Kathmandu (1997-2002) and was Member Secretary of the City Planning Commission of Kathmandu
Metropolitan City. He had also led the Municipal Infrastructure Improvement Project/KUDP (1997-1999) and Kathmandu Valley Mapping Program (1999-2002). His extensive research of decades hasculminated into this book.
Speaking about the book, Lalitpur Mayor Chiribabu Maharjan said, "I am the happiest to release the book because I've taken it upon myself to revive the Hitis around Lalitpur area. Even as Hiti revival remains a project of the manifold complexities, we will keep trying. It is my hope that this time around we will be more successful in our attempts”.
Maharjan also shared his plans for the various ponds and Hitis around Patan while commending Publication Nepa~laya for undertaking the publication of the book. Hiti Pranali is a unique urban water management system that harvests water from underground aquifers through Navimandal, the intake structure. Most of these aquifers are enhanced by upstream ponds collecting rain and flows from Rajkulos, the irrigation canals.
These intricately placed Navimandals are connected with the underground water conduits carved of timber or made of terracotta gutter called Hitidun. The Hitiduns finally manifest as water spouts or Hiti Manga. Most of us simply know them as Dhunge Dhara.
Hiti Pranali' is priced at Rs 1495 for the Nepalese Market and will be available in all leading bookstores of the country. The ebook copy can also be purchased from thuprai.com. It will be available worldwide on Amazon.
