Paper for Issue

Traditional Water Management in Forts of Maharashtra: Study of two systems for application in contemporary use

Abstract

The water management of Hilltop forts is unique and has contributed immensely to the development of the political, social, ecological, and economical landscapes in which they are located. To address the unique nature of such systems, localize and limit the study, forts situated in the Northwestern Sahyadri, and one fort situated on the Deccan plateau in Maharashtra, have been selected. The selection is based on Typology (Hill fort and Land Fort), This paper will study the prevalent water management systems of these forts and discuss the reuse of these systems for settlements on hills and the foothills, and application of the same for similar hilltop villages. The Methodology used is review of literary sources and documentation on the capacity of water retention on the hilltop fort and in the reservoirs of land fort, and suggestions on the use of these as a secondary source of water supply.