Much before Delhi had a sprawling
city layout, concrete reservoirs and modern water supply networks, the
Aravallis had taught people how to capture, conserve and live with water.
Hidden in plain sight near Faridabad is an ancient reservoir, known as Surajkund
that carries within its stones a story of engineering, ecology and
civilization.
The name Surajkund
means the “Sun Reservoir”. The word kund refers to a stepped or enclosed
water body, while Suraj is connecting it with the Sun. Built by Tomar dynasty
king Suraj Pal, the reservoir, approximately 130 m. in diameter was constructed around 10th century and designed in the form of Rising Sun, making it one of the region’s significant medieval
water-harvesting structures.
What makes
Surajkund remarkable is not its antiquity, but the intelligence behind its
location. Built against the natural contours of the Aravalli hills, the
reservoir was designed to capture and retain rainwater flowing through the
surrounding terrain. Its semicircular embankment and stone construction provide
access to fetch the water along with excellent understanding of topography,
drainage and seasonal water flows that remains relevant even today.
Without
modern pipelines or pumping systems, communities depended on such carefully
designed structures to collect and store precious monsoon water.
Today,
Surajkund is widely known for the annual Surajkund International Crafts Mela,
but the ancient reservoir remains in the background. Standing with weathered
stones the reservoir offers a glimpse into a time when water infrastructure was
inseparable from natural environment, means of survival and identity of a
settlement. Ready for a virtual tour -
Ruins found at this site also indicate presence of a Sun temple in the past. Surajkund is
much more than just an archaeological site. It is an ancient lesson in water
resilience, written into the landscape of the Aravallis. Centuries before
sustainability became a buzzword, Surajkund was already practicing it. There are many such reservoirs or stepwells in various parts of India emphasizing importance of water conservation and relevance of such sites has never been greater than it is today.
Keep exploring folks...