World Water Day: Heritage Water Walks Dives Into Rajasthan's Water Conservationist Practices

The inspiration has always been my own past. I grew up wondering how did this barren dead place evolve into a thriving and beautiful culture. It is omnipresent and yet stays hidden in plain sight. For me, this was the cultural phenomenon that had to be discovered.

Water is critical for survival for every living being. However, when a group of people chooses or is forced to survive in a water desperate zone, water concern consumes their every living activity. This gives rise to a societal structure with water at its core. This precious elixir of life has also evolved into a sacred space in water-deprived societies.

Water architecture in Rajasthan is rich and varied. Different regions have developed different mechanisms and technology to conserve water. Topography plays an important role in this technological evolution. Some of these technologies or systems are paar, kuin, johad, nadi, jhalara, kuan, talaab, beri, khadin, baodi/bawadi, etc.

We celebrate water in every aspect of our lives, be it our beliefs and traditions, food, language, art, and architecture, music, or dance. In essence, water is our collective cultural repository.

Yes. All three are cultural and historical sites of importance and tell a different story of water. Amer Fort and Palace is a defence structure as well as a royal residence. It is the oldest of the three. Nahargarh Fort is a defence structure designed to house thousands of people, both military and civilians. Ramgarh Dam and Lake are the youngest structures dating back to late 19th century.

The purpose of the tours is to deliver a unique and fun experience. To this end, all our tours have a strong storytelling component with a logical beginning, middle and end. All the information and facts are shared within this loose structure. The format is conversational which makes it all enjoyable. The response has been good.