Tekha Pokhari

Tekha Pokhari (Tekha Pukhu in Newari, also recorded in local speech as Khancha Pukhu) is a small but historically significant pond in the eastern residential quarter of Bhaktapur, sitting immediately beside Muni Bihar, a working Buddhist monastery. Less grand than the city's famous Siddha Pokhari but arguably more intimate, it offers visitors a window into the everyday relationship between Newar communities and their ancient water infrastructure.

Built during the Malla period as part of Bhaktapur's extensive network of rajkulo (royal canals) and pukhu (ponds), the pond served the dual purpose of water storage and ritual space. Stone steps descend to the water on all four sides, small shrines dot the embankment, and a dharaa (stone-spout stream) feeds the tank from the eastern side; rows of traditional Newar houses line the northern and southern edges, so the water is visually enclosed by red-brick façades.

The pond's quiet claim to fame is an optical trick: under the right light, the still surface catches a reflection of the five-tiered Nyatapola temple that towers above Taumadhi Square a few hundred metres away. Photographers who know where to stand come at sunrise on clear autumn or winter mornings for the chance of the shot.

Tekha Pokhari is particularly lively during Sithi Nakha, the annual festival of water-source worship, when residents clean and decorate the pond and make offerings to the naga deities believed to dwell within. Reach it on a five-minute walk from the Peacock Window or Dattatreya Square; no entry fee, no formal hours. Combine with Dattatreya Square and Potters' Square for a full eastern Bhaktapur itinerary.