Conservation
Some prominent experts of Kathmandu Valley such as Gautama Bajaracharya and Mary Slusser have mentioned Yangal Hiti in their publications. The site is also included in the Protective Inventory prepared by the team lead by Carl Pruscha in 1975. Slusser mentions while referring to Vajracharya that “although the name Yangala must have endured till at least the mid-seventeenth century it has now been eclipsed”. The name of course still exists linked to the Hiti and even the neighbourhood. The etymology of the name Yangala is however unknown. The Protective Inventory mentions that the history goes back to the 7th century CE during the Licchavi period. It is mentioned that three inscriptions are found from this period though there is some confusion with the content and the location map is wrong. This should however not divert us from the fact that the Protective Inventory clearly found this water conduit facility to be of great importance. Dr Nina Mirnig specially sent me references to the three inscriptions. “In earlier publications, the latest of those being the edition of Dhanavajra Vajrachārya (Licchavikālakā Abhilekha) in 1996, three stone slab inscriptions were recorded in Yangal Hiti. Two of these were issued by the minister Jisnugupta und the Licchavi king Bhīmārjunadeva. One is dated to samvat 64 (i.e. 640 44 / SPACES OCTOBER 2017
CE), the other is of unknown date. The third inscription is by the Licchavi king Narendradeva dated samvat 67 (i.e. 643 CE)”. Dr Mirnig further comments that of the three, “one is lost and a black-and-white photograph is preserved in D. R. Regmi’s Inscriptions of Ancient Nepal (1983). A comparison of the preserved inscription text with that recorded in the edition of 1996 shows increasing damage and loss of letters”. In respect to the content Dr Mirnig explains that “all three inscriptions contain administrative edicts relating to the area of ‘aksinakolīgrāma’’, a toponym that appears to refer to this area in Southern Kathmandu and first features in a private donative inscription (samvat 452, i.e. 530 CE according to śaka reckoning) issued during the reign of the Licchavi king Vasantadeva who reigned approximately between 506 and 532 CE”. My own observations during the past four visits to Yangal Hiti show a totally neglected water conduit facility. There are three decorative stone spouts on the eastern side. Before the monsoon, the conduit basin only had a bit of water and it was possible to see the numerous stone artifacts scattered around. These included the stone Licchavi inscriptions but also small chaityas, a lingum, a bull and various statues including those of Lord Vishnu