WATER HARVESTING HISTORY

Water harvesting has been a recurrent feature throughout Indian history. Right from the Indus Valley Civilization 5000 years ago, examples of water harvesting are found in numerous forms, depending on the area and topography. The Indus Valley Civilization had excellent water harvesting and drainage systems; and wells were one of its distinguishing features. Dholavira, an ancient Harappan city dating Third Millennium BC, was situated on a sloping terrain between two storm water channels from where the city used to draw its water.

In the Manusmriti, it is mentioned that causing damage to irrigation works was considered a crime. In the Arthashastra, men were asked to build irrigation systems with natural water sources or other available sources. If one did not participate in the joint building of an irrigation work, labourers and bullocks were used as compensation for ones absence. The ownership of the resultant fish, ducks and crops or vegetables went to the king.

The channelizing of the waters of the Kaveri River reflects the ingenuity of the people, and the level of development of irrigation techniques in the pre-British era. By the 8th century itself, people had begun to tame the river by building embankments. The Chola kings built mud embankments, which were at least 125metres long. These covered the entire river system. However, a regulatory system was required to control the entry of flood waters into the delta. The Vijaynagar empire which followed the Cholas saw the building of the Grand Anicut or the regulatory structure, between AD 1390-1450.The eagerness of early rulers to build dams is also reflected in the Kutagani plates which state that the Kadamba king Ravivarman ordered tank-bunds to be constructed in villages near Mysore city (4th and 6th centuries AD).Surajkund, or the Sun Tank, in Haryana was a stepped stone tank built by King Surajpal of the Tomar Dynasty to catch and store rainwater from the Aravalis. This was later restored by Feroz Shah Tughlaq of the Tughlaq Dynasty. He also renovated Hauz-e-Ala'I, which later came to be known as Hauz Khas and was used as a reservoir from which the city got its water supply. The Mughals used their engineering skills to satisfy both practical and aesthetic needs. Canals with fountains and waterfalls were dug through and around the palaces to irrigate fruit orchards and gardens and to keep the palace cool in summers. Some British documents report that irrigation in the Beas-Sutlej doab covering Jalandhar and Kapurthala districts was almost entirely done by wells and not canals. For the sinking of a well cultivators belonging to both Hindu and Muslim communities consulted their respective religious advisors to find an auspicious date and spot. When the auspicious hour arrived, the circumference of the hole was marked. This was called tappa lagana and it was followed by a celebration.