Traditional Water Systems from the Past to the Future By Ar. Pornima Buddhivant
Traditional Water Systems from the Past to the Future
Santosh Puri Math Cave and connected water bodies, Jaisalmer (Ref: Monika, Sambhaav Trust)
From time immemorial, water has been a symbol of life, and without the principle of water, the existence of a forgotten life is impossible. The various stages of human development are closely interwoven with the availability of water resources in various forms. The stability of human life after the discovery of agriculture provided a solid foundation for its development. Along with agriculture, he made available water for his daily needs through rivers, streams, canals, and wells. When his curiosity noticed that water was stored in the earth, he dug a hole in the ground and reached it in the form of a well. History tells us that both floods and droughts were a regular occurrence in ancient India. Perhaps this is why every region in the country has its own traditional water harvesting techniques that reflect the geographical peculiarities and cultural uniqueness of that region. The basic concept underlying all these techniques is that rain should be harvested whenever and wherever it falls. The traditional water wisdom at all levels of society ensured the adequate availability of water for all, which in turn formed the basis for all-around development and prosperity. It was designed a thousand years ago and can still fulfil today’s water requirements. In the old days, water was sacred, and hence it was pure. Any traditional
well construction comes with parameters such as rock structure, water source, slope, ground table, etc. Temples, ritualistic things, and religion were used to stop the contamination of water. The events, activities, rituals, traditions, and festivals suddenly stop when the household is linked with water pipe connections, and since then they become redundant with deterioration. In this, we can learn from the past about how we can design the future as holistic thought. But there is another side to the coin, and today innumerable step-wells are dying in their beautiful form instead of celebrating our precious heritage.
One of the most beautiful of these various forms of Water Harvesting Technique (WHT) is step wells. Stepwells got many names on the borders of the provinces. Barav, Payavihir, Aad, Bawdi, Pokhar, Jhalara, Bewari, and Kund are some of them. Many of its variants can be seen on the scattered continents of the Indian year. Nanda, Bhadra, Jaya, and Vijaya are the major types. One-story, two-story, or five-story deep, it is a surprisingly compelling type. There is a complete science to making step-wells, and where there are springs of living water in the soil, step-wells are made. And once the stepwell is formed, the stepwell serves to keep its nearby wells and flowing rivers alive.
The tapped groundwater can easily be beneficial. In the 1972 drought, Pune city could drink water from groundwater and traditional water systems. This event showed the importance of any traditional water source as the centre for people. Common-well acted as a source for common people, and Stepwell acted as a source for upper-class people. In this, the village might have one or two step-wells but the common man has an individual well which was also a heritage.
The Queen of the Malwa Empire, Punyashlok Ahilyabai Holkar, built many temples, ghats, Dharamsala, and step-wells in many places of pilgrimage in India during her life. Ahilyabai is said to have built and restored over 30,000 step-wells in India. These step-wells not only gave impetus to village life but also witnessed the merging of different cultures along with the trade and major ancient routes. Over time, some step-wells have become extinct due to human error, while some are counting the last factors. Our ancient traditions include ancient temples, step
wells, and Gomukh, which are our ancient traditions. The technology they used to create what our ancestors created is still a mystery. Several endangered step-wells are undiscovered, where major repairs could be made in many places. In some places, these water sources could be revived. The question now is how to repair these step-wells? Stepwell construction and repair is a science and it is also different from recent construction science. Also, since these structures belong to the ancient heritage class, there will be some government rules and regulations regarding the work related to them.
Shivatirtha Stepwell, Verul, Maharashtra (Ref: Unheard Voices, May 2024)
Clean water is critical to survival, and its absence can impact the health, food security, and livelihoods of families across the world. Although our planet has sufficient fresh water to achieve a regular and clean water supply for all, bad economics and poor infrastructure can skew supply unfavourably. It is estimated that by 2050, more than half of the world’s population will live in water stressed regions. India, with over 1.43 billion population and housing one-sixth of the world's inhabitants, has a significant role to play in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). From the recent times, Bangalore man named Anand Malligavad who was disturbed by the increasing number of polluted lakes, quit his corporate job in 2019 to become a full-time lake conservationist and revive the pride of Bangalore i.e., the lakes.
But now there is a need to preserve the sanctity of these sacred objects. Even today, when there is no one, people drink alcohol and gamble near the water tanks. They have nothing to do with the events associated with this sacred object. A lot of garbage is dumped in the surrounding area. Most of these sludge and rubbish dumps require water, and if the local community decides to use them, the area around the step-wells will increase. We have to preserve the heritage they have given us. Against this backdrop, there is an urgent need for Stepwell's architectural experts to come forward. In many places, locals have volunteered their time to make this ancient cultural heritage as clean and beautiful as possible. What is needed now is for the people in this area to take the lead. Experts in the field of stepwell architecture are expected to pay a visit to the place where the conservation work is underway in their area and take the initiative in providing technical guidance for the repair of this stepwells. No one knows the cultural significance of this heritage better than we do. It should be our inner desire to preserve this heritage. Now, the ancient heritage needs us. No one else will be able to meet this requirement without people’s participation.
Water harvesting techniques (WHTs) improve the availability of water, which is essential for growing crops, especially in arid and semi-arid areas. The need of the hour is to find new and innovative ways of generating and promoting technological options that take into account the social and economic conditions of the people. This can be done by using bottom-up approaches, involving people in decision-making, applying vast indigenous knowledge, and adopting integrated system approaches in arriving at solutions for complex problems of the arid ecosystem. And various rainwater harvesting structures, traditional or modern, may prove to be a boon. Therefore, emphasis should be given to the holistic approach to maintaining the balance
between resources, quality, and productivity. It is necessary to refine the approach to research and technology transfer so that the objectives of a productive and sustainable system can be attained. This would require the identification of areas where efforts are necessary to develop acceptable, profitable, and sustainable technologies. Although the transfer of technology is essential to the modern development of arid and semi-arid regions, the present situation is far from satisfactory for several reasons.
Water management is the most critical process in arid & Semi-arid areas, as it impacts livelihoods, food security, land conservation, productivity, and society in general. The main gaps in knowledge, and its application, could either be filled in the short or medium-term or only in the long term. In any case, true development is not linked to research in a particular sector, but rather to an overall organization and mastery of the environment. In the short and medium-term, better use of scarce water resources, which are irregular in time and space, depends on a better understanding of the climate. More observations will allow maps to be revised and a more accurate measurement, at least in some areas, of the little-known water balances in the main types of soil. To keep this heritage intact, some measures have to be taken, such as awareness, erection of information boards, and not only hear but also taking legal action. Then only can the goal of passing on this legacy to the next generation be achieved.
Ar. Pornima Buddhivant
Assistant Professor, TSAP, Mumbai
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