Rajkulo

{{Short description|Type of canal in Nepal}}{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}} [[File:Water stream - Muktinath, Nepal - panoramio.jpg|thumb|A canal in Muktinath similar to a rajkulo.]] A '''rajkulo''' ({{literal translation|royal canal}}) is a type of canal found in Nepal. It provides water for Irrigation, dhunge dharas, and ponds, and it can be dated back to the Lichhavi era (c450-c750 CE).<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Renovating Kathmandu's ancient canals|url=http://ecs.com.np/features/renovating-kathmandus-ancient-canals|access-date=22 March 2021|website=ECS NEPAL|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Nepali town turns to the past for solutions to current water crisis|url=https://english.onlinekhabar.com/nepali-town-turns-to-the-past-for-solutions-to-current-water-crisis.html|access-date=22 March 2021|website=OnlineKhabar|language=en-GB}}</ref>

== Early royal canals == The earliest known canals were built during the Licchavi era. At the time they were referred to as ''tilamaka'' and their primary purpose was irrigation. All of these canals have now disappeared.<ref>Nepal Mandala: A Cultural Study of the Kathmandu Valley by Mary Shepherd Slusser, Princeton University Press, 1982, p 168, 176</ref>

== Notable rajkulos == During the 17th century the kings of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur commissioned long-distance canals to bring water from the foothills of the Kathmandu valley to their cities.<ref name=Raimund1995>Water Conduits in the Kathmandu Valley (2 vols.) by Raimund O.A. Becker-Ritterspach, {{ISBN|9788121506908}}, Published by Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, India, 1995</ref>

===Tikabhairav Canal=== The Tikabhairav Canal transported water from Lele and Naldu rivers to the Patan Durbar Square complex.<ref name=UNHABITAT2007>[http://un.info.np/Net/NeoDocs/View/6229 UN-HABITAT, 2007. Water Movement in Patan with reference to Traditional Stone Spouts] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210322165449/https://un.info.np/Net/NeoDocs/View/6229 |date=2021-03-22 }}, {{ISBN|9789937203913}}</ref><ref name=Reviving>{{Cite web|title=Reviving Patan's royal canal|url=http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=9129|access-date=22 March 2021|website=Nepali Times}}</ref><ref name=manna2015>[https://www.academia.edu/30813771/Exploring_the_rhythms_of_public_life_through_public_water_structures_within_Kathmandu_valley Exploring the rhythms of public life through public water structures within Kathmandu valley], submitted by Ashim Kumar Manna, 2015-2016</ref>

===Bageswori Canal=== The Bageswori Canal brought water from the spring of Mahadev Pokhari to Bhaktapur.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=manna2015 /><ref name=Gautam>Indigenous water management system in Nepal: cultural dimensions of water distribution, cascaded reuse and harvesting in Bhaktapur City by Dipendra Gautam, Bhesh Raj Thapa and Raghu N. Prajapati, Environment Development and Sustainability, August 2018</ref>

In 1678 King Jitamitra Malla built a rajkulo to bring water to Bhaktapur.<ref name=Tripathi2016>{{cite thesis|last1=Tripathi|first1=Mira|title=A Comparative Evaluation of Stone Spout Management Systems in Heritage and non-Heritage Areas of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, p 77-78|type=Ph.D Thesis|publisher=Lincoln University|location=New Zealand|date=2016|hdl=10182/7629}}</ref> Although the primary objective of the canal was to have water for worship in the Taleju temple, it was also used for irrigation, for watermills and for fishing along the way.<ref name=Khaniya2005>[https://jvs-nwp.org.np/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Number-28.pdf Traditional Water Management Practices. A Case Study Of Bhaktapur City] by Ganesh Khaniya, Farmer Managed Irrigation Systems Promotion Trust, Kathmandu, Nepal, February 2005, retrieved 13 March 2025</ref><ref name=Raimund1996>Dhunge-Dharas in the Kathmandu Valley. Continuity and Development of Architectural Design by Raimund O.A. Becker-Ritterspach, Change and Continuity, 1996</ref> About half of the dhunge dharas of Bhaktapur received their water from the canal.<ref name=Raimund1995 />

===Budhikanta Canal=== The Budhikanta Canal brought water to Kathmandu.<ref name=manna2015 /> King Pratap Malla also needed the water for religious reasons.<ref name=Raimund1995 /> The canal is no longer operational.<ref name=Aryal2005>[http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=9129 Reviving Patan's royal canal] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210322165457/https://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js |date=2021-03-22 }} by Mallika Aryal, Nepali Times, November 2005, retrieved 10 September 2019</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teYVUdOtink A neglected rajkulo of Lalitpur]

Category:Architecture in Nepal Category:Water supply and sanitation in Nepal Category:Water supply infrastructure in Nepal Category:Culture of Nepal Category:Canals in Nepal