Pim Bahal Pokhari

Pim Bahal Pokhari is a historic rectangular pond nestled within the Pim Bahal (Pimbaha) Buddhist monastery neighbourhood of Patan. Dating to the medieval Malla period, the pond was integral to the bahal's ritual and community life — its water used for religious ceremonies, fire suppression, and the daily needs of the monastery's resident families.

The pond is framed by traditional three- and four-storey Newar brick houses with intricately carved wooden windows, many of which are still occupied by members of the bahal's Shakya and Vajracharya Buddhist clans. A small shrine sits at the pond's edge, and carved stone nagas guard the water. Unlike Patan's heavily visited Durbar Square just a few minutes' walk to the south, Pim Bahal Pokhari sees very few tourists, making it one of the most authentic glimpses into traditional Newar urban life in the valley.

Visitors can walk freely around the pond and through the surrounding bahal courtyards. The neighbourhood is located between the Golden Temple (Kwa Bahal) and Durbar Square — an easy detour on any Patan walking tour. No entry fee is charged. Early mornings are best, when elderly residents perform morning pujas at the shrine and children gather at the pond's edge before school.