More water tours

A friend of Swaraj’s developed a water tour of Udaipur City. He generally runs tours, but adapted this one to focus on water. Really I’m starting to think I should request water tours everywhere I go, it’s just so fascinating!

Udaipur is known as the city of lakes. Before the city was developed, which was done because it was a good defensive area, the lakes were created by building dams. So those dams have been in place for ~500 years! 

Udaipur has a good groundwater resources and pumps are located throughout the city for citizens’ use. These were implemented long before water was piped into homes. Water tanks for animals to drink from were placed next to wells, and citizens would fill up these tanks as they went to fill up their own water, which helped with maintaining the wandering city animals. 

Many housing compounds in the city were built for extended families, so several homes would overlook a courtyard, and the courtyard would have its own wells and water tanks. 

There are two sewer systems : wastewater and combined grey water and storm water. Such a water smart way of dividing wastewaters ! 

Our other water touristy adventures :

We visited the UNESCO world heritage step well – Rani Ki Vav. This is a huge underground structure which was used to obtain ground water. A queen commissioned it and she is said to have bathed there secretly. The structural ingenuity and artistry that went into it was just stunning. A temple in the ground, all for worshipping water. 

And we went to Mt Abu, a former British hill station and now a popular Indian family summer vacation. Nakki lake at the top of Mt Abu is just stunning. I climbed a hill on top of the lake and meditated near some bamboos also enjoying the sun and view.