5. Water Management System Under the Bahmanis and Barid Shahis– a Study of the Karez System and the Bagh-E-Hammam of Bidar
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ISSN: XXXX-XXXX Volume 1, Issue 1; June 2021 International Journal of Research and Analysis in Humanities Web: https://www.iarj.in/index.php/ijrah 5. Water Management System under the Bahmanis and Barid Shahis– A Study of the Karez System and the Bagh-E-Hammam of Bidar Omkar Kallappa Ph.D Researcher, Department of History, Gulbarga University, Gulbarga. Karnataka. Dr. Vijaykumar Salimani Research Guide, and Principal, GFGC Chittapur, Kalaburagi, Karnataka. ABSTRACT Human civilization across the world stands as a testimony that water is one of the major necessities from points of nature. The confrontations with nature especially in drier areas revolve around ground water, whether harnessing, transporting, usage or management and many inventive ideas were born, for the purpose in the drier parts of the globe. Hence, several methods of water extraction, collection and management are invented throughout the globe, some of which are associated with efficient, sustained use of surface water, ground water and rain water. Karez is one such inventive method of collection, transportation, storage and distribution of ground water. The most unique features of Bidar is this historic water supply system, called Karez, (also known as qanat). KEYWORDS Water, Water Management, Water Management System, Bahmanis and Barid Shahis, Karez System, Bagh-E-Hammam. Introduction: Muslim dynasties with ruling class descending from Persia or having influential Karez is an inventive method of collection, connections with Islamic world and inviting transportation, storage and distribution of expert engineers from there. Karez strongly ground water. Most of the Karez systems in influenced the village socio-economic India were developed during reign of organisations due to multitude of uses they were brought into. These were masterpieces 64 Water Management System under the Bahmanis and Barid Shahis– A Study of the Karez….. of engineering structures to collect significant role in social reformation based groundwater and direct it, through a on socio-religious and gender equality. The subsurface gallery with a gradual slope, to revolution by Shivasharanas in the 12th surface canals and tunnels that provide century, encompassing the social, literary water to habitats and agricultural fields. (vachana sahithya) and religious fields emerged on this land.2 This inventive technology-karez was a result of need for harnessing groundwater in The Delhi Muslim rulers first Allauddin arid and famine hit areas like Bidar, Bijapur, Khilji and later Muhammed-bin-Tughluq Gulbarga and Hyderabad. Bidar, capital of took control of entire Deccan including erstwhile Bahmani sultanate with a history Bidar. During the middle of the 14th of more than 700 years or more is one of the Century the Officers of Sultan Allauddin heritage cities of present Karnataka State. Khilji stationed in Deccan rebelled and established of Bahamani Sultanate in 1347 Geographical Location and History of C.E. at Gulbarga (present Kalaburagi) Bidar. which witnessed frequent warfare with the Vijaynagar Kingdom.3 Bidar district is the northernmost part of the Karnataka bounded by most parts of Earliest recorded history of its existence as Telangana, Maharashtra. It is bounded by a small and strong fort is also traced to Nizamabad and Medak districts of Prince Ulugh Khan in 1322, where after it Telangana state in the east, Latur and came under the reign of the Tughlaq Osmanabad districts of Maharashtra state in dynasty. The credit of enrichment of the the west, Nanded district of Maharashtra present fort at Bidar goes to Sultan Ahmad state on the north and Gulbarga district of Shah-I, the first sultan of the Bahmani Karnataka in south. Bidar district constitutes dynasty to rule from Bidar when he shifted five talukas viz. Aurad, Basavakalyan, his capital from Gulbarga to Bidar in 1422 Bhalki, Bidar and Humnabad with Bidar AD as it had better climatic conditions and being the headquarters of the district. was also a fertile and safe land (from 4 Traditional tales refer this region as Vijayanagara Kingdom). Viduranagara of Mahabharata times.1 With the establishment Bidar as of the Historically, the district had a glorious past. second capital of Bahmani dynasty by It formed a region under Mauryas, Ahmad Shah-I (1422-1486 AD), of Satavahanas, Chalukyas of Badami, Bahmani Kingdom, the old Fort was rebuilt Rashtrakutas, Chalukyas of Kalyana, the and enriched with beautiful gardens, Kalachuris, Kakatiyas, Khiljis, Capital of palaces, madrasas and mosques. Mahmud Bahamanis, Baridshahis, province of Gawan who became the Prime Minister in Mughals and the Nizam of Hyderabad. The 1466 AD was a notable figure in the history treasure of culture, art and architecture of Bidar. It remained under the Barid Shahi nurtured by successive rulers have dynasty until inroads of Aurangzeb into contributed well to its richness. As such, Bidar after his father and Emperor Shah there are good number of Hindus and Jahan appointed him the Prince of Deccan. Muslims in Bidar district with their rich He annexed the Bidar Fort from the Adil culture and Art and Architecture. Similarly, Shahis in 1656 AD after warring for 21 social and religious reformers such as days. With this, Bidar became a part of the 5 Basaveshwara and Guru Nanak also played Mughal dynasty for the second time. 65 International Journal of Research and Analysis in Humanities Bidar was again annexed by the Bijapur in Persia. Muslim rulers, who were fond of Sultanate but the Mughal viceroy of gardens and buildings, built many water Aurangzeb retook it in 1657 AD and thus systems, gardens for spending their leisure Bidar again became a part the Mughal times. Karez network tunnels and canals Empire in 1686 AD.6 In 1724, Bidar became were built in 15th Century by the Bahmani a part of the Kingdom of the Nizams of kings in Bidar, Gulbarga and Adil Shahis in Hyderabad. Third son of Asaf Jah-l (Nizam- Bijapur in Karnataka and also in Burhanpur l) Mir Sa'id Muhammad Khan, Salabat Jang in Madhya Pradesh. Kariz is the network of held from Bidar fort during 1751 to 1762, underground canals, built to underground till his Brother Mir Nizam Ali Khan Asaf water streams which are meant to provide Jah-III Imprisoned him in this fort, and was drinking water to civilian habitats and killed in Bidar fort on 16th September 1763. garrison inside the Bidar fort. It consists basically of a network underground canals, Mohammedabad old name of Bidar is also connected by vertical shafts to the surface, in his name. After independence of India in The karez spout into the ground water Bidar became part of Mysore (now sources (or natural springs) and transports it Karnataka) state in 1956 AD.7. through the underground tunnel to the settlement, ending in a surface canal and/or Origin of Kharez System.8 pools in the village for various uses like drinking, washing, ablution, watering Originally the Persian term Karez meant livestock, and also further used for irrigating Kariz and the rest of the world has yielded fields, orchards and gardens. many names for this system; like “Fugara”in North Africa, “Falaj” in Arabia, “Qanat This system of water facility was necessary Romani” in Jordan and Syria, “Galerias” in in a city like Bidar where the soil was rocky Spain “Kettharra” in Morocco, “Kanjering” and drilling wells to accommodate drinking in China and “Kariz” in Afghanistan and water was difficult. It is believed that the Pakistan. At present Karez is found in Thirty Muslim rulers of Bidar, under the expert eight countries throughout the world and advice of Persian engineers followed Karez most of these are concentrated in the Middle system by laying subterranean canals in the East region. Persia is known for the earliest heart of the rock by widening the natural rift. known and documented Karez system. The Muslim dynasties with ruling class The Naubad Karez is estimated to have been descending from Persia or having influential constructed during the Bahmani Period connections with Persian kings may have (1347-1518 AD). The Karez was probably invited expert engineers from Persia to directed towards developing infrastructure develop this Karez canal system in India. for a village at Naubad. The system in Bidar The silk route may have been the has 21 vertical shafts cut at suitable points information highway to transfer the cultural to conserve ground water and extends for and traditional knowledge. about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi). A few karez shafts have been closed by builders and The Kharez System in Bidar.9 developers, leaving only 17 visible today. Such under canals can be seen at Papnash, Gurudwara, Navadgeri and Narsinmha The historic water supply system, called Jharani and several such water canals can be Karez (also known as qanat) is one of the brought to light if systematic excavations most unique features of Bidar, which is a are done around the Bidar City. water harnessing technology that originated 66 Water Management System under the Bahmanis and Barid Shahis– A Study of the Karez….. The Kharez tunnel being conserved at The picnic spot of Bagh-e-Hamam at Naubad, Bidar. Aliabad The Bagh-e-Hamam’ of the Barid Conclusions. Shahis. Thus Human civilizations across the world Bagh-e-Hamam (garden bath) as residents stand testimony to water being one of the of Aliabad village (where it is located) call major confrontation points with nature. it, comprises of some buildings, a bath, and Many methods of water extraction, a small pond, where the waters from an collection and management are found underground stream are emptied. throughout the world, some of which are associated with efficient, sustained use of The garden is now part of the Aliabad forest surface water, ground water and rain water. area, and is hidden among tall trees. The Karez is one such inventive method of garden is at the foot of a cliff and does not collection, transportation, storage and have an approach road, and one has to climb distribution of ground water.