Irrigation tank
Encyclopedia
For etymology, see Storage tank#Etymology.
In India
, an irrigation tank or tank is an artificial reservoir
of any size. (The word sagar refers to a large lake, usually man-made). It can also have a natural or man-made spring included as part of a structure. Tanks are part of an ancient tradition of harvesting and preserving the local rainfall and water from streams and rivers for later use, primarily for agriculture and drinking water, but also for sacred bathing and ritual. Often a tank was constructed across a slope so to collect and store water by taking advantage of local mounds and depressions. Tank use is especially critical in parts of South India
without perennial
rainfall where water supply replenishment is dependent on a cycle of dry seasons alternating with monsoon seasons.
Since ancient times, the design of water storage has been important in India'a architecture As early as 3000 BC sophisticated systems of drains, wells and tanks were built to conserve and utilise water. Tank building as an art form began with the Hindus and developed under Muslim rule.
An example of the art of tank design is the large, geometically spectacular Stepped Tank at the Royal Center at the ruins of Vijayanagara
, the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire
, surrounding the modern town of Hampi
. It is lined with green diorite
and has no drain. The tank was filled by aqueduct
.
In 1975 the village was drought
-stricken. The village tank could not hold water as the earthen embankment dam
wall leaked. Work began with the percolation
tank construction by the villagers who donated their labor to repair the embankment. Once this was fixed, the village's seven wells below the tank filled with water in the summer for the first time in memory. Now the village has a supply of water throughout the year.
Bathing in the sacred waters of a temple tank was believed to cure worshippers of afflictions such as leprosy and blindness. Many temple tanks are decaying and drying up today.
Stepwells, also called bawdi or baoli , are well
s in which the water can be reached by descending a set of steps. They are most common in the west of India.
Stepwells were often used for leisure, providing relief from daytime heat. This led to the building of some significant ornamental and architectural features, often associated with dwellings and in urban areas. It also ensured their survival as monuments.
has about 44,000 artificial wetlands locally constructed over many centuries. At least 328 are threatened today.
However, recently a tank regeneration movement initiated by communities and non-governmental organisations (NGO) has arisen. Today, there are approximately 120,000 small-scale tanks, irrigating about 41,200 km² in semi-arid areas of India. This constitutes about one third of the total irrigated land in South India.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, an irrigation tank or tank is an artificial reservoir
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
of any size. (The word sagar refers to a large lake, usually man-made). It can also have a natural or man-made spring included as part of a structure. Tanks are part of an ancient tradition of harvesting and preserving the local rainfall and water from streams and rivers for later use, primarily for agriculture and drinking water, but also for sacred bathing and ritual. Often a tank was constructed across a slope so to collect and store water by taking advantage of local mounds and depressions. Tank use is especially critical in parts of South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
without perennial
Perennial plant
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter lived annuals and biennials. The term is sometimes misused by commercial gardeners or horticulturalists to describe only herbaceous perennials...
rainfall where water supply replenishment is dependent on a cycle of dry seasons alternating with monsoon seasons.
Tank design
Water is considered a purifying and regenerative element in India, and is an essential element of prayer and ritual. Water is also revered because of its scarcity in western India where dry and monsoon seasons alternate and failure of the monsoon season means famine and death while plentiful water replacing irrigations sources is a time of rejoicing. This resulted in building water storage tanks that combined the practical and sacred.Since ancient times, the design of water storage has been important in India'a architecture As early as 3000 BC sophisticated systems of drains, wells and tanks were built to conserve and utilise water. Tank building as an art form began with the Hindus and developed under Muslim rule.
An example of the art of tank design is the large, geometically spectacular Stepped Tank at the Royal Center at the ruins of Vijayanagara
Vijayanagara
Vijayanagara is in Bellary District, northern Karnataka. It is the name of the now-ruined capital city "which was regarded as the second Rome" that surrounds modern-day Hampi, of the historic Vijayanagara empire which extended over the southern part of India....
, the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire
Vijayanagara Empire
The Vijayanagara Empire , referred as the Kingdom of Bisnaga by the Portuguese, was an empire based in South Indian in the Deccan Plateau region. It was established in 1336 by Harihara I and his brother Bukka Raya I of the Yadava lineage. The empire rose to prominence as a culmination of attempts...
, surrounding the modern town of Hampi
Hampi
Hampi is a village in northern Karnataka state, India. It is located within the ruins of Vijayanagara, the former capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. Predating the city of Vijayanagara, it continues to be an important religious centre, housing the Virupaksha Temple, as well as several other...
. It is lined with green diorite
Diorite
Diorite is a grey to dark grey intermediate intrusive igneous rock composed principally of plagioclase feldspar , biotite, hornblende, and/or pyroxene. It may contain small amounts of quartz, microcline and olivine. Zircon, apatite, sphene, magnetite, ilmenite and sulfides occur as accessory...
and has no drain. The tank was filled by aqueduct
Aqueduct
An aqueduct is a water supply or navigable channel constructed to convey water. In modern engineering, the term is used for any system of pipes, ditches, canals, tunnels, and other structures used for this purpose....
.
Village tanks
Ralegaon Siddhi is an example of a village that revitalised its ancient tank system.In 1975 the village was drought
Drought
A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region...
-stricken. The village tank could not hold water as the earthen embankment dam
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
wall leaked. Work began with the percolation
Percolation
In physics, chemistry and materials science, percolation concerns the movement and filtering of fluids through porous materials...
tank construction by the villagers who donated their labor to repair the embankment. Once this was fixed, the village's seven wells below the tank filled with water in the summer for the first time in memory. Now the village has a supply of water throughout the year.
Temple tanks
Tanks known as "Pushkarni" or "Kalyani" also known as "Kund" in Hindi are reservoirs with steps leading down to the water, generally found in South India, and sometimes constructed within the walls of a temple complex.Bathing in the sacred waters of a temple tank was believed to cure worshippers of afflictions such as leprosy and blindness. Many temple tanks are decaying and drying up today.
Stepwells
Water well
A water well is an excavation or structure created in the ground by digging, driving, boring or drilling to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The well water is drawn by an electric submersible pump, a trash pump, a vertical turbine pump, a handpump or a mechanical pump...
s in which the water can be reached by descending a set of steps. They are most common in the west of India.
Stepwells were often used for leisure, providing relief from daytime heat. This led to the building of some significant ornamental and architectural features, often associated with dwellings and in urban areas. It also ensured their survival as monuments.
Modern tank management
The development of large-scale water management methods and hydroelectric generation have replaced much of the local efforts and community management of water. For example, the state of KarnatakaKarnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
has about 44,000 artificial wetlands locally constructed over many centuries. At least 328 are threatened today.
However, recently a tank regeneration movement initiated by communities and non-governmental organisations (NGO) has arisen. Today, there are approximately 120,000 small-scale tanks, irrigating about 41,200 km² in semi-arid areas of India. This constitutes about one third of the total irrigated land in South India.
See also
- Noyyal RiverNoyyal RiverThe Noyyal River rises from the Vellingiri hills in the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu, southeastern India and drains into the Kaveri River. The river's basin is long and wide and covers a total area of . Cultivated land in the basin amounts to while the population density is 120 people per km² ...
- Tanks System - IrrigationIrrigationIrrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
- JohadJohadA johad is a rainwater storage tank principally used in the state of Rajasthan, India, that collects and store water throughout the year, to be used for the drinking purpose by humans and cattle. In many parts of the state the annual rainfall is very low and the water can be unpleasant to drink...
- bawdi or stepwellStepwellStepwells, also called bawdi or baoli , or vaav are wells or ponds in which the water can be reached by descending a set of steps. They may be covered and protected, and are often of architectural significance...
- Temple tankTemple tankTemple tanks are wells or reservoirs built as part of the temple complex in Indian temples. Bathing in the sacred waters of these tanks is thought to cure disease and maladies...
External links
- Photo of Rampura temple tank
- Photo of Kalkere temple tamk
- Photo of temple Stepped Tank at Vijayanagara
- Photo of temple tank at Ekambareshvara Temple
- Photo of Great Tank at Royal Center Temple, Vijayanagara
- Tank, east of Mukteshvara
- Tank Rehabilitation Program
- Indus River Valley Civilization
- Hindu Temples: tanks - tirtta (artificial sacred ponds)
- Channeling Nature: Hydraulics, Traditional Knowledge Systems, And Water Resource Management in India – A Historical Perspective
