Role of Water Structures in the Evolution and Adaptation of Sociocultural Activities in Chittorgarh Fort

Abstract

Over the last few hundred years, the public perception of water has undergone a drastic change which was accentuated by the emergence of industrialization and rapid urbanization. The design of our built environments with relation to water in today’s context may be aptly understood through the design sequence- architects make space, engineers add water. This approach has led to the development of the centralized water management system which has not only caused widespread global water crises due to over exploitation of natural water sources, but also impacted social and cultural life in our cities with respect to water. Before the advancement of technology created the centralized system, water was recognised as a shared resource among a community which was to be nurtured and taken care of by the people themselves instead of relying on the state. This ensured a sensitivity towards the value of water in the society, and more importantly enabled a sense of responsibility towards water. Additionally, the various typologies of the water structures became spaces for different kinds of social and cultural activities, be it religious ceremonies, public gatherings or day to day interactions. Now, over time these water structures have witnessed an evolution and adaptation in the socio-cultural activities around them because of the changed perception of water. The relationship between human and water has evolved into a consumer-product relationship, which has proved to be detrimental to the natural water sources of the world. This paper attempts to study the role of water structures in the adaptation of socio-cultural activities in Chittorgarh Fort in Rajasthan, India in order to understand the changing dynamic between humans and water and the potential of water structures as spaces for various socio-cultural activities.