Manifestations of Traditional Knowledge in Water Systems: the Cases of the Kuchaman Fort and Rathi Haveli, Rajasthan Manifestaci
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Research papers | Artículos de investigación | Artigos científicos Vikramaditya Singh Rathore, Jahnavi Kantamneni, Ajinkya Jamadar, Subham Anupam, Devanshi Kachchap Manifestations of traditional knowledge in water systems: The cases of the Kuchaman Fort and Rathi Haveli, Rajasthan Manifestaciones de conocimientos tradicionales en sistemas hídricos: Los casos del Fuerte y la Rathi Haveli de Kuchaman, Rajastán Manifestações do conhecimento tradicional em sistemas hídricos: Os casos do Forte e Rathi Haveli de Kuchaman, Rajasthan Keywords | Palabras clave | Palavras chave Resilience, Sustainability, Rajput architecture, Rainwater, Water tanks Adaptabilidad, Sostenibilidad, Arquitectura rajput, Agua de lluvia, Depósitos de agua Resiliência, Sustentabilidade, Arquitectura Rajput, Água da chuva, Tanques de água Abstract | Resumen | Resumo Water scarcity in the arid region of Rajasthan incentivized a sophisticated indigenous knowledge of water systems. This traditional knowledge, which was rooted in this geographical context, supported the prosperity of this region for centuries. The systemic degradation of this knowledge has increased the demand for external resources, leading to a constant need for expanding infrastructure. It is therefore time to look back to this traditional wisdom in search of sustainable alternatives. This study focuses on traditional water conservation systems in the purview of the spatial planning and the architectural elements in the Fort and the Rathi Haveli of Kuchaman, Rajasthan. These two traditional complexes have been studied for the interest and similarities found in the way they manage their water resources. This study highlights the timeless simplicity of the identified indigenous strategies and envisions possible manifestations of this knowledge for contemporary practice. La escasez de agua en la árida región de Rajastán incentivó el sofisticado conocimiento local sobre sistemas hídricos. Estos conocimientos tradicionales, arraigados en su contexto geográfico, fueron la base de la prosperidad de la zona durante siglos. El deterioro sistémico de estos conocimientos ha incrementado la demanda de recursos externos, con la necesidad constante de ampliar las infraestructuras. Es pues el momento de volver a los conocimientos tradicionales para buscar alternativas sostenibles. Este estudio se centra en los sistemas tradicionales de conservación del agua en el ámbito de la planificación espacial y los elementos arquitectónicos del Fuerte y el Rathi Haveli de Kuchaman, Rajastán. Estos dos complejos tradicionales se han estudiado por su interés y las semejanzas encontradas en su forma de gestionar - 421 - Journal of Traditional Building, Architecture and Urbanism - 1 - 2020 los recursos hídricos. Este estudio destaca la sencillez atemporal de las estrategias autóctonas identificadas e imagina posibles aplicaciones de estos conocimientos en las prácticas actuales. A escassez de água na região árida de Rajasthan incentivou um sofisticado conhecimento local dos sistemas hídricos. Este conhecimento tradicional, que estava enraizado neste contexto geográfico, sustentou a prosperidade desta região durante séculos. A degradação sistémica deste conhecimento levou a um aumento da procura de recursos externos, levando a uma necessidade constante de expansão de infra-estruturas. É, portanto, o momento de olhar para trás para esta sabedoria tradicional em busca de alternativas sustentáveis. Este estudo foca-se nos sistemas tradicionais de conservação da água no âmbito do planeamento espacial e dos elementos arquitectónicos no Forte e no Rathi Haveli de Kuchaman, Rajasthan. Estes dois complexos tradicionais foram estudados pelo interesse e semelhanças encontradas na forma como gerem os seus recursos hídricos. Este estudo destaca a simplicidade intemporal das estratégias indígenas identificadas, e prevê possíveis manifestações deste conhecimento na prática contemporânea. Introduction from natural catchments and replenish these aquifers (Narain & Agarwal, 1999). Saline groundwater and lack of Scorching sun, scanty rains, barren land, and water scarcity surface water led to the development of a traditional water make the arid state of Rajasthan a tough place to live. The system that helped a civilization flourish in the extreme harsh climate influences many aspects of life, including climatic conditions of Rajasthan. the hydrology of the region. In certain areas, even the groundwater is saline, leading to traditional settlements The essence of traditional settlements in Rajasthan primarily relying on sophisticated yet straightforward would be incomplete without the numerous man-made rainwater harvesting techniques. The ingenuity of these water bodies and structures dotted across its territory. systems and their constant experimentation and evolution Deprivation of conventional natural sources of water led put forward this multigenerational body of knowledge. The to the development of water systems that used an array of water structures found in these settlements can be viewed techniques to harvest rainwater and orchestrate an artificial as the manifestations of an ever-evolving knowledge of ecosystem. Their architecture revolves around the element water conservation and management. The embodiment of of water and is attuned to aspects like source (groundwater, this knowledge into local culture has given us the bespoke rainwater or runoff), taste, quality and quantity. Such a way of life that can be found in all traditional settlements of profound reverence toward water is rooted in a local culture Rajasthan. that even has more than 44 names for clouds, based on their shape, type, movement and character (Mishra 1995). A Traditional architecture as an embodiment of indigenous deep understanding of the land and its water has enabled knowledge systems a traditional knowledge system within the community that guided its development for ages. India is a very geographically diverse region. A resource as vital as water has been managed by the different settlements As opposed to the current paradigm of centralized within the purview of this diversity. In mountainous regions systems of water management, people traditionally relied of the north and northeast, water from streams was driven on decentralized systems, where each one had its own into a network of water channels that irrigated fields and technology which allowed for heterogeneous growth. provided water to settlements. In the south, canals drew “There were different systems ranging from water harvesting water from the perennial rivers and channeled it into a series and storage to distribution mechanisms. Each one of them of tanks - from which the water was provided to the towns. evolved in situ and underwent organic modifications and Shallow groundwater levels in the central region enabled a improvements” (Jacob 2011: 6). Despite the differences, water system that primarily relied on groundwater. Check their engineering mechanisms were based on elementary dams, nahar and qanat systems were used to capture runoff principles. From initial capture to storage, structures were - 422 - Research papers | Artículos de investigación | Artigos científicos engineered for passive cooling, large spans, public access in 2017, representing their college, the School of Planning and minimal exposure, drawing purely on their geometry. and Architecture of Bhopal. The use of local materials, natural gradients, local labor and passive techniques, coupled with socio-cultural layers, The study outlines learnings from traditional knowledge yielded a traditional ethos that reflected the values of self- systems and the attributes, associated value systems sufficiency and autonomy. and spatial strategies supporting them. In conclusion, it presents a set of principles that could develop a context- specific design of a rainwater harvesting system for larger Methodology settlements. This paper analyses two heritage structures from the context of Kuchaman city. As part of the study, published Water systems at the different thresholds in Rajasthan works on individual, communal and public water storage and distribution structures that constituted the traditional Water structures were broadly classified into three rainwater harvesting systems of Rajasthan were reviewed. categories: subterranean and enclosed, subterranean and Through the study of heritage structures in reference to the open and surface level structures (Fig. 1). Efforts to reduce traditional rainwater harvesting system, the paper aims to evaporation losses led to a majority of these water systems explore the potential of reviving traditional water systems. being subterranean enclosed structures that usually store Kuchaman Fort, which was the royal residence of the potable water. The remaining ones are open structures, Thakur, was designed with the system that employed the suitable for washing and watering domesticated animals. finest practices and resources of that time. Unfortunately, Some of these open structures are stepwells that allow for it is currently in a state of decay. Rathi Haveli, a common mass access and facilitate social congregations, intertwining man’s residence within the fortified city, is one of the few this basic need with social life. structures that has a functional water system, with its components evolving over time. The water systems are not a single homogeneous mechanism, but a conglomerate of decentralized water The water network of the fort was studied using measured structures. These were divided into different