Media Coverage
Heritage Water Walks: Narratives of Sustainable Sacred Spaces
Jaipur-based Neeraj Doshi, who has spent a decade and a half working in the sustainability space, started Heritage Water Walks to showcase a cultural phenomenon of the desert state of Rajasthan.
Tourists discover India’s water technological marvels
The city of Jaipur in India’s northwestern state of Rajasthan has for years attracted millions of visitors to its famous heritage sites.
But now tourists can discover even more on walking tours to some of its ancient forts that feature centuries-old water architecture that turned the barren land into a center of culture.
When rainwater quenched thirst
When there were no pipelines, rainwater harvesting helped quench heritage city’s thirst.
At Nahargarh and Jaigarh forts, rainwater harvesting structures dates back to the 18th century.
An elaborate network of channels and aquaducts were built by Sawai Jai Singh, the founder of of modern Jaipur.
Heritage Water Walk
There is a pithy saying that takes stock of rainfall in one hundred years: “Saat Kaal, Sattais Zamana, Tirsath Kudiya Kacha, Teen Saal aisa vela, ma poot miley na pacha”
7 Years of Drought, 27 Years of Good Harvest, 63 Years of Average Rainfall and 3 Years of Extreme Famine in which either the mother or son will survive.
Uncovering ancient methods of water collection at Nahargarh
It is dry as dust these days, but the channels that spread over six kilometres on the hills surrounding Nahargarh Fort were carefully planned to prevent rainwater from flowing downhill.
An elaborate network of water channels – open to the sky outside the fort but covered within its premises – connect to the large tank with steps on the side made famous by that leaping image in 2006 Bollywood movie ‘Rang de Basanti’.