Jaigarh Fort's water system relied on a network of catchment areas in the Aravalli hills surrounding the fort. Istock
INDIA's driest state is also home to the country's biggest and deepest stepwell -- Chand Baori at Abhaneri in Dausa district. Built in the ninth century, it has 3,500 symmetrical steps over 13 storeys, descending to about 100 feet. Conversations centred around such compelling water structures -- 'The living wells of Rajasthan' -- were among the highlights of the second edition of the annual Jaigarh Heritage Festival.
The two-day event celebrated Rajasthan's living heritage and gave visitors a glimpse of its iconic music, food and handicrafts. Providing value to Jaigarh Fort, located about 10 km from Jaipur, through art is one of the major objectives of the festival, according to the organiser, Sanjoy K Roy.
Built by Sawai Jai Singh II in 1726, Jaigarh Fort served as a frontier defence for Amer Fort. It features thick red sandstone walls and subterranean passages and is also home to the world's largest cannon, Jaivana. Its spectacular water system, though, became the talking point at the festival, especially in the context of India's grave water crisis.
Home to 18 per cent of the world's inhabitants, India has access to only 4 per cent of the planet's fresh water. It is estimated that 16.3 crore Indians lack access to safe drinking water, while 500 children under the age of five die from diarrhoea every day.
Besides innovation and environmental interventions, answers to confront the crisis may lie in the traditional water conservation systems such as in Rajasthan.
According to noted expert Prof Rajendra Singh Khangarot, Jaigarh Fort's water system relied on an interconnected network of catchment areas in the Aravalli hills surrounding the fort. The collected water would then flow through three loops that would help in segregating the initial dirty water and soil. The water would eventually flow into the three underground tankas (reservoirs) inside the fort. The largest had a storage capacity of 6 million gallons, sufficient to cater to 5,000 soldiers for up to two years.
Architect Anu Mridul, known for his water-positive designs, underscored how Jaigarh's reservoir systems utilised rainwater. "Up to 20 per cent of rainwater can suffice for the entire population if used judiciously," he said.
He recalled working on the Umaid Heritage Housing Township in Jodhpur. "The region faced a severe scarcity of water, yet a large amount of rainwater was being wasted. When we examined water conservation systems in the state, we found that all historic stepwells still had water. Drawing lessons from traditional structures, we built Birkha Bawari, a 21st century stepwell that can conserve over 17.5 million litres of rainwater."
These water conservation structures, the experts pointed out, also acted as community spaces. With the passage of time, as people got the facility of tap water, they got disconnected with these traditional systems.
"We must collect folklore around these water bodies and even create new poems and songs as stories help build connection," said renowned photographer Amit Pasricha, stressing that people tend to take care of monuments and public spaces when they get a sense of familiarity.
There were also suggestions for mandating construction of aquaparks in every neighbourhood and supplying the collected water to households to encourage cleanliness, upkeep and community involvement.
"I like to think of a stepwell as an inverted form of a temple," said Mridul. "These water structures are our answer to the Colosseum," quipped another expert, reflecting on the architectural genius of the water systems.
Rani ki Vav (Queen's Stepwell) in Gujarat, built in the 11th century during the reign of the Solanki dynasty, has even been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Debashish Chakrabarty, head of NGO Patrika Education, said religion and rituals played an important role in building a connect between water sources and community. A participant, however, felt that "as we move towards a more pluralistic society, connecting water resources with a particular religion might have its own downside".
"We must understand that if a temple is sacred, so should be water," said Chakrabarty, highlighting the need to teach students about sustainable development goals regarding access to water and cleanliness. "These reservoirs should be made a part of children's intrinsic living system," he asserted.
Expert after expert stressed the way forward -- taking a step back and integrating traditional water wisdom into modern households. And, of course, soaking in the heritage that the Jaigarh festival celebrates.