a water harvesting culture - ministry of environment ... ravi chopra.pdf · jal sanskriti. a water...

Jal SanskritiA Water

Harvesting Culture

People’s Science Institute, Dehra Doon

Dr. Ravi Chopra

India receives all its

precipitation in a few

months. In ancient

times, people grasped

the nature of the

annual water cycle

and husbanded the

rainwater in a variety

of structures, to be

used for the rest of the

year.


Traditional Water Harvesting Traditional Water Harvesting Structures In the CentralStructures In the Central‐‐WesternWestern

HimalayasHimalayas

ChaalChaal, , KhaalKhaal -- For Livestock For Livestock

NaulaNaula, , BaoriBaori -- Domestic WaterDomestic Water

DharaDhara, , MangraMangra -- Drinking Water, Drinking Water, Irrigation Irrigation

GoolGool, , HauzHauz -- IrrigationIrrigation

GharatGharat -- Milling Grains Milling Grains


This historic naula witnessed the establishment of the Katyuri dynasty in Kumaun in the 7th century AD. Located in Gadser village (Bageshwar district), it is always full of water.

BadrinathjiBadrinathji--KaKa--NaulaNaula


PanthyurhPanthyurh NaulaNaula

Reputedly over 1000 years old, it has beautifully sculpted Reputedly over 1000 years old, it has beautifully sculpted walls adorned with images of gods and their worshippers. In walls adorned with images of gods and their worshippers. In SyunrakotSyunrakot, , AlmoraAlmora district.district.


Panthyurh NaulaPeople’s Science Institute, Dehra Doon

JahnviJahnvi NaulaNaula c.1263c.1263

Built by Raja Ramchandra Dev in Gangolihat, Pithoragarh district in the precincts of the Kali Mandir, local residents use it everyday.


BaleshwarBaleshwar NaulaNaula c.1272c.1272

Raja Thor Chand got this naula built in 1272 in Baleshwar, Champawat district. It is an excellent example of Uttarakhand’s architecture. It has an idol with the likeness of Buddha.


EkEk HathiaHathia NaulaNaula

Many legends surround the origins of this naula in Dhaknaa village, Champawat district. It is sculpted with figures from top to bottom. People’s Science Institute, Dehra Doon


Ranidhara

Naula

Almora, the seat of the Chand

dynasty, is

known as the city of naulas.


Almora’s

Tularameshwar

naula

Bah Kund

Narayankoti

village, Rudrapryag

district


NavagrahaNavagraha

MandirMandir

DharasDharas

Narayankoti

village, Rudraprayag

district


Guptakashi, Rudraprayag

district

GangaGanga‐‐YamunaYamuna

DharasDharas


PhaltiyaniPhaltiyani

NaulaNaula

Shailgaon, Almora


PaharpaniPaharpani NaulaNaula


Naini

Tal

district

Mandi

Ka Naun

Mandi, H.P.People’s Science Institute, Dehra Doon


Shiv

Baori

Mandi, H.P.

Baidu

Baori

Bumbum

village, Bilaspur

district, H.P.


BhagsunagBhagsunag

Dharamshala, H.P.


Masroor

Talaab

Masroor, Kangra

district, H.P.


People's Science Institute 22

Rajasthan’s Culture of Water

Harvesting


Jodhpur’s Tradition

Jodhpur’s rulers systematically developed its water potential.

pic source: flickr.com


Surface Water ‐

Gadi Sagar,

Jaisalmer

Royal interest guaranteed the construction of such lakes


Baori

Baoris or bers are massive community wells, used mainly for domestic water. They gather underground seepages. In the 1987-88 drought, several baoris in Jodhpur were revived


Jhalara

Jhalaras are tanks meant for community use and religious rites. They are usually rectangular and have steps on three or four sides.

http://designflute.files.wordpress.com/2007/09/stepweelrajasthanunlimited1.gif


Naadis

–

The Commons Tradition

Communities also conserved their water bodies. They had their usage rules.


How did this tradition survive

for so long?

Lateba Baori, Kulu district

The Bases of TraditionThe Bases of Tradition

• Sanskar

(Religious Precepts)

• Sanskriti

(Customary Practices)

• Niti

(Laws & Administration)



All water was

considered

sacred.

It was not

surprising then

that natural and

people‐built

water harvesting

structures were

regarded as

sacred.

SanskarSanskar

Pushkar

Lake, Rajasthan

&& JhenJhen~~ ÒkxorÒkxor~~

SanskarSanskar


&& egkÒkjregkÒkjr

SanskarSanskar


&& euqLeeuqLe`̀frfr

SanskarSanskar


&& vfXu iqjkvfXu iqjkÆÆ

Bacchretu NaunBacchretu Naun, , H.P.


SanskritiSanskriti


Parashar

Lake, H.P.

Local cultural

practices evolved out

of the scriptural

precepts. Temples

were constructed near

water bodies to

symbolize their

sanctity.

Sanskriti


SanskritiSanskriti

Molthi Mangra, Pauri district


Rituals of worship: Even today a new

Kumaoni

bride on first reaching her

husbands home offers a ritual

prayer at the village naula

Burhiya NaulaBurhiya Naula, , DwarahatDwarahat

SanskritiSanskriti


Construction of public water

facilities like naulas

was done

as acts of piety to earn merit, as

homage to the departed and as

community service.


SanskritiSanskriti

Planting trees like

peepal

and

banyan both of which are

considered sacred, at the

edge of a water body.

•Rituals and festivals sustained the spirit of reverence

•Water was used for ritual purification in religious ceremonies and ritual bathing on festivals.

•The Baisakhi

festival in Himachal Pradesh

is an occasion when communities clean their local baoris, in

time for the hot summer months.

•Ecological principles as guidelines for water resources development, enunciated in ancient texts, were followed in practice.

SanskritiSanskriti


Mansarovar Taal

Kashyapa’s

Principles

Kashyapa’s

Principles


Giri Ganga, H.P.

NitiNiti


Decline of Tradition

Pungeshwar Naula


India’s colonial and post

colonial governments dis‐

mantled the legal and

administrative framework

that had sustained the

traditions of water

resources management. It

alienated the communities

and eroded sanskar

and

sanskriti.

Revival


Meldungri naula

Gauri KundGauri Kund


Revival

Gauri Kund, Pauri district


Jal Sanskriti


Bhairav Naula, Dumkot village, Pauri Garhwal district

Jal Sanskriti Fellowship Program


AlmoraAlmora’’s Naula Sudhar Samitis Naula Sudhar Samiti

Dooba naula, Almora


Thank YouThank YouPeople’s Science Institute

252, Vasant Vihar – I, Dehra Dun, UttarakhandEmail : [email protected]

Web: peoplesscienceinstitute.com

mailto:[email protected]


KashyapKashyap’’ss PrinciplesPrinciples


Parashar Lake, H.P

KashyapKashyap’’ss PrinciplesPrinciples

a water harvesting culture - ministry of environment ... ravi chopra.pdf · jal sanskriti. a water...

Documents