BHAKTAPUR: Restoration and beautification works are in full swing at the historic Siddha Pokhari in Bhaktapur as authorities push to preserve and enhance one of the city’s major heritage landmarks.

According to the Siddha Pokhari Reconstruction Users’ Committee, the project focuses on long-term conservation, structural repair, and aesthetic improvement of the centuries-old pond. Committee Chairman Krishna Bahadur Duguja said skilled artisans and technicians, including those involved in the restoration of Kathmandu’s Rani Pokhari, are leading the work.

He added that around 50 percent of the project has already been completed despite initial technical challenges, with the goal of finishing the remaining work by the mid-September ahead of the Indra Jatra period.

To facilitate construction, the pond was fully drained, with water safely diverted to nearby Bhaju Pokhari. Fish from Siddha Pokhari were also carefully relocated to preserve the aquatic ecosystem during restoration.

Built in the early 13th century during King Indradev’s reign, Siddha Pokhari remains one of Nepal’s largest and oldest man-made ponds, measuring about 171 meters in length and 73 meters in width.