Abstract:
The importance of water has increased multifold recently. The main reason for it is alarmingly increasing population and catering its need for various purposes. In addition to it rapid expansions in urbanization and industrial revolution have also added the problem of scarcity of water. In present era, water has become a point of discussion, attention and an agenda of global multilateral deliberations owing to the fact that availability of safe and adequate water has become a menace for the society. Therefore, it is quite imperative that water is becoming a scarce commodity. On the other hand over the centuries, it become the sacred commodity of the society and commended utmost reverence which is evident from vedic scriptures.
The water management traditions in India have developed over centuries in an ecologically sound manner. These were decentralized system, where the urban and rural communities played an active role in water management. Rain was considered as the main source of water. The different prevailing traditional water harvesting systems in our country are viz. Khadin, Kund, tanka, nadi & Baori in Rajasthan, Bandhara and Tal in Maharastra, Bandi in U.P. and M.P., Aahar and Pine in Bihar, Kuhal in Himachal, Erri in Tamil Nadu, Surgham in Kerala, Polchar in J & K and Katta in Karnataka. In fact the traditional water harvesting systems are eco-cultural friendly system and still are in use in most of the states, whereas the recent system exploit the environment. In the present communication the traditional water harvesting systems of Rajasthan will be comprehensively discussed.
