Karez system in Bidar should be protected, says Rajendra Singh

Water harvesting campaigner Rajendra Singh was impressed with the ‘karez’ or ‘surang bavi’ system, the medieval era underground aqueduct that was built to harvest rainwater and provide drinking water and irrigation in Bidar.

“It is an amazing example of Indian knowledge and indigenous wisdom,” he told presspersons after a visit to the structure on Monday.

Mr. Singh observed that the ‘karez’ used extremely sophisticated techniques to transfer ground water from the Manjra basin to the Karanja basin.

“It is based on the principle of water conservation, planned usage and management of water. It is extremely important for us to understand those principles and implement them in our lives,” he said.

“What is unbelievable is that the engineers of those days discovered the fault lines in the rocks below the ground and traced the aquifer, just by identifying the particular kind of trees that grow on the ground,” Mr. Singh said. The ‘karez’ gallery and tunnels carved 40 ft below the ground had been created entirely by hand. It was a great piece of art, he said. Mr. Singh described the ‘karez’ as a living textbook for water-related studies. “We could emulate the design whenever large water harvesting projects are undertaken,” he said.

According to Mr. Singh, the system of excavation in the laterite rock that had ensured that the ceiling had not fallen off or the walls had not crumbled for over 600 years was worthy of a detailed academic study.

He felt that scholars should also study the water management system devised by the medieval rulers who built the ‘karez’ system. “It should be protected,” he said.

Sri Basava Jaya Mrutyunjay Swami of Kudal Sangama, organic farmer Chandrashekar Kadadi, and Vinay Malge of the NGO Team YUVA were present.