An ancient and rare stone spout has been discovered at Kimdol, Chhauni. The stone spout, found to be 900 years old by the Department of Archeology (DoA), was discovered by the locals three weeks ago.

After the locals came to know about the stone spout, where the building of Kimdol Janjagriti Khanepani Organization -- an organization which provides drinking water supply to the community -- stands, the Tole Sudhar Samiti (TSS) began excavation. 



"Thanks to the road expansion which helped us discover the ancient stone spout buried under earth," said Ashok Tuladhar, chairperson of TSS. "In the course of road expansion, the boundary wall of the building was demolished to construct footpath. Then an elderly woman told us that a stone spout existed there."

Tuladhar said they then requested the road expansion team and officials of Khanepani organization to excavate the place. "Initially, Khanepani officials refused to allow excavation ," said Tuladhar. "But they later agreed to allow us to excavate the place.

"We used to drink water from that spout some 40 years ago. The devotees coming to offer prayers at Swayambhunath used to take water from the spout," said 63-year-old Bishnu Devi Shahi, who told the locals about existence of the stone spout.

"As time passed, the stone spout disappeared. We forgot about it. But, when the compound wall of the Khanepani Sansthan was demolished, I remembered that a stone spout existed there," said Shahi.

Apparently, the DoA does not have any idea about what to do with the spout. Bhesh Narayan Dahal, director general at DoA, said that they do not have any plans for the spout, as of now. The Khanepani Sansthan does not want the spout at the same place. 

The DoA is at odds over whether to take it to museum or allow it to remain there. They say, the spout could have been built during the early midieval period (12th century). Such kinds of stone spout are found in western regions and is rarely found in the capital valley.

"The stone spout was built some 900 years ago. We do not have the exact date as there is no inscription on the spout," said Dahal.

Although, the stone spout has been discovered by the locals, they want the concerned authorities to preserve it. "Now, the concerned authority should take initiatives to protect it as the spout is ancient and historically important. We do not know how to preserve it," said Prakash Singh Kansakar, one of the locals at Kimdol. Such traditional stone spouts used to be a major source of water for residents of the Kathmandu Valley. But, they are on the verge of disappearing.

Source: http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=70328