Shiddhapokhari; the biggest manmade pond of Bhaktapur

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Shiddhapokhari, the biggest pond of Bhaktapur

Shiddhapokhari is one of the busiest ponds of Bhaktapur. Mostly, teenagers and college students walk in and around this pond. However, the old aged people also live their infancy over here particularly, by playing a unique kind of traditional games like ‘Baghchal’ and ‘Kasi Mala Pya’. They gather around this place and relive their younger days with their fellows.

Shiddhapokhari, on the other hand, is also called Ta pukhu which literally means the bigger pond. The term Ta and Pukhu are the newari words which mean big and pond respectively. This waterhole has a length of 171 m, 73m of width, and 3m of depth.

The reason behind calling it Indra Daha

The shreds of evidence say that this glorious, as well as chronicle man-made pond, was fabricated by King Indrajit. That is why it is also called Indra Daha. However, there is another quest too, regarding the name of this pond being called Indra Daha.

Every year, during the Yenya Punhi (Indra jatra), the idol of Indrayani is brought over here and is left bare for a whole night. Likewise, that day the pond is decorated with oil lamps. It looks like there is no such place in Bhaktapur more beautiful than the Shiddhapokhari during that night.

People used to take bathe in Shiddhapokhari before worshipping the idol of Indrayani. Consequently, all of these rituals are related to the god of gods, Indra. It shows some sort of relation of Shiddhapokhari to the name Indra Daha.


Also, you can easily locate this place. It is right behind the Bhaktapur hospital, Dudhpati. If you take the bus from Bagbazaar, then you would reach over there within an hour. The conductor of the bus would drop you off right in front of the Shiddhapokhari if you ask them to stop there.

Or, you could also follow up the map link shown on the right side of this page.

Shiddhapokhari, a religious site?

Shiddhapokhari indeed is a religious site. Most of the locals of Bhaktapur pay a visit over there to celebrate their Diwali or Dugu Puja. It is a ritual of worshipping the linage god of the clan a person belongs to. Thus, it is considered a highly important ritual and the place, profoundly pure.

Besides that, there are a lot of images of different god and goddess including Baraha, Buddha, Vishnu, Indra, Surya and many more. Those images seem quite antiquated yet are still worshipped. As already mentioned, there is a great significance of Shiddhapokhari during Indra Jatra too.

Well, being this much old pond, it still seems in very good condition. Nevertheless, you can also enjoy boating over there.


It is situated at Dudhpati, Bhaktapur.

You can reach there via a local bus or by private vehicle. If you choose to ride a bus then, you can find a direct bus from Ratna park of Kathmandu that directly goes to Shiddhapokhari.

You can do boating, a walk, and a beautiful observation of the pond and surroundings over there.

Shiddhapokhari is famous because of its ancient artifactual structure and history.

Yes, it opens every day but not 24 hours. It is closed from 7 o’clock in the evening till the morning.

You can roam there around anytime you like but I must say the sunset really suits this place.

No, you don’t. But if you want to do boating over there, then you are charged a little the amount.


No, actually. You can’t do fishing there.

While being in Bhaktapur, you must mind few things like taking out of your shoes while entering the temple and other religious sites. Likewise, you might not be allowed to click pictures of some specific events or places. You should consider these things.



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