**4. Management through harnessing traditional water heritage**

The practice of water harvesting and management in India is incredibly old. Traditional systems are a characteristic hybrid of the ecology and culture of the region in which they develop. They have not only stood the test of time, but also met the local needs keeping in sync with the environment. Unlike modern systems that exploit the environment, these ancient systems emphasize on ecological conservation. Traditional systems have been benefiting from shared human experiences since time immemorial and this is their greatest strength. Traditional systems based on community also emphasize social harmony and self-reliance. In these, decisionmaking authority was often given to individuals, groups or local communities, who were working together. This increased economic independence and made full use of local resources at the lower level.

Historical and archeological evidences show that since the 400 BC, small communities in many areas of the country have been making effective arrangements for water harvesting and distribution. The Nanda rulers [363–321 BC] built canals and community-dependent irrigation systems. The Gaur rulers [600–1303 AD] of central India not only created better systems of irrigation and water supply, but also developed necessary social and administrative arrangements for their maintenance. It is noteworthy that all the traditional systems built by these rulers were not small. Large systems were also constructed to meet the needs of the cities but they were coordinated with smaller systems, as observed in the Chola period [848–1279 AD] and the medieval Vijayanagara period [1336–1646 AD]. These systems used contemptible but simple technology that the local people could easily maintain. These systems are also important because they have given life to communities even during long periods of drought or famine. Although, sometimes smaller systems would fail when there was no rain for years. This would have created the need for larger systems, but the balance between small and large systems was carefully maintained. This cannot happen unless both rural and urban communities participate in the

planning and implementation of systems. In this way, without glorifying antiquity, it can be said that traditional systems were more effective then and still are in terms of water supply and return on capital.
