Tutedhara

A tutedhara (Nepali) or jahru (Newari) is a traditional drinking fountain found in Nepal.

The Nepali word tutedhara refers to the main feature of the drinking fountain: the tap that can be opened and closed.

All the Newari names appear to be derived from the Sanskrit word jaladroni, meaning water bucket:[1] jarun, jahru, jadhun, jaldroni, jaladhenu, jalancha.

[2][3][4] The construction of water conduits like hitis, dug wells and jahrus is considered a pious act in Nepal.

[8] Below the spouts, there is almost always a relief depicting Bhagiratha, the mythical sage whose efforts helped bring the waters of the Ganges to earth.

[4] Maintenance would be done during special days, like Naga Panchami, Newar New Year and Sithi Nakha.

Sithi Nakha is the day still used to clean water sources like wells, ponds, hitis and tutedharas.

[3][4] The best known jahru is the one that was built into the white wall of the old royal palace on Kathmandu Durbar Square at Sundari Chowk.

Father Giuseppe, an Italian Capuchin missionary, Prefect of the Roman Mission, described the jahru in 1799 in his "Account of the Kingdom of Nepal":[13] In a wall of the royal palace of Cat'hmandu, which is built upon the court before the palace, there is a great stone of a single piece, which is about fifteen feet long, and four or five feet thick: on the top of this great stone there are four square holes at equal distances from each other.

King Pratap Malla (1624-1674 AD), renowned for his linguistic abilities, set up this inscription in 1654.

Although most jahrus may have lost their function, leaving only the stone remnants to posterity, new structures are taking their place: plastic water dispensers of different sizes, to be used by passersby.

In Tripureswar, Kathmandu there is at least one case where not only the function but also the spirit of the jahru has been revived: the water is being given away for free.

From this machine, people can buy small quantities (200 ml or 1 litre) of safe drinking water.