Traditional water sources disappear in Myagdi’s Jyamrukkot amid rising development

MYAGDI: In the last 30 years, over two dozen wells and natural water springs in the historic Jyamrukkot area of Myagdi have vanished, sparking fears of water shortages and the loss of cultural heritage.

Locals say that four ancient wells and several other historical structures built by King Bardibham Malla in the 17th century have disappeared from Jyamrukkot, once a powerful settlement under the Parbat kingdom.

Eighty-five-year-old resident Bed Prasad Upadhyay shared that more than 20 traditional water sources—wells, ponds, and springs—constructed by the community have been destroyed due to road expansion and other infrastructure developments.

“By 2050 BS, the wells and ponds in areas like Gaushwara, Tamane, Sanalekh, Bhakunde, Phaparkhet, Rohote, Khabara, and Bagarphant had vanished. The few that remain are slowly getting filled in,” he said. “Water scarcity is rising, yet these centuries-old sources are being neglected. If preserved, they could have provided clean, cool water.”

Jyamrukkot, situated in Beni Municipality-2, is rich in natural beauty, biodiversity, and historic sites. But social worker Bhim Bahadur Poudel noted that heritage features like wells and ponds are fading away due to unregulated construction of roads and tourism infrastructure.

For more than three decades, locals have stopped depending on well water. Most of the remaining wells are in poor condition. Teacher Tika Bahadur Karki stressed the importance of protecting such traditional resources in the face of growing water shortages.

Chandra Bahadur Karki of Khabara, Beni-2, emphasized that all development work must include environmental assessments and measures to protect natural and cultural heritage.

He voiced concern over the vanishing of not just water sources but also traditional village features such as temples, statues, courtyards, water mills, ghats, spinning houses, and stone irrigation channels.