Traditional Water Systems: Way Forward to Revive Natural Ponds in Gurgaon, Haryana

Water appeared to be fundamental to human settlement. Traditional water systems can be understood as a complex, diverse, and intricate regime of water structures that were designed to support the population as it grew. These structures are also called water architecture in India, constituting a broad category of natural as well as human-made infrastructure. With the passage of time in a fast-forward mode and with rapid urbanisation, the ponds—natural catchment areas which helped mitigate the seasonal flooding due to heavy rains in the past—have become either defunct or non-existent today in the urban areas, which is a current matter of concern. This paper attempts to revisit the traditional water systems and knowledge to bring out solutions to these problems by means of traditional wisdom, which is ever more relevant today, as we face the climate crisis. Solutions which are basic, simple and logical and which can be implemented without extensive use of technology may pave the way forward to revive the ponds in water-scarce yet flood-prone areas of Gurugram in Haryana. Historical and interpretative research techniques, such as literature analysis, comparative analysis, case investigations, reasonable significance, qualitative analysis, and location-specific building studies are used in relation to traditional water systems, especially in the case of Haryana. A relevant field study is undertaken to identify the issues and challenges faced in the context of the non-existence of the natural ponds, and their conditions in specific areas are analysed using secondary sources and primary observations wherever deemed necessary.