Editing Hydromanagement in Ancient India (section)

=== '''Harappan Wasserluxus: Epitome of Proto-Historic Hydromanagement''' ===
Harappan people utilized a well-defined set of ideas regarding human life and culture to distinguish themselves from other people. Physical and symbolic aspects of water were an integral part of Indus philosophy, which can be identified as "Harappan Wasserluxus." Derived from the German word, the Harappan Water Splendor was reflected in architecture (via various water management and sanitation systems) and religion approximately 4000 years ago (Posehll, 2002)<sup>23</sup>. As seen at Dholavira (underground water reservoirs) and Mohenjo-daro (the Great Bath), where there were numerous wells, elaborate drainage systems, and bathing facilities in every home, water management was essential to Harappan cities. Each dwelling's bathing facilities represent the significance of washing and cleanliness (physically as well as symbolically). Numerous wells provided the pure water necessary for effective sanitation. The drainage system, on the other hand, moved effluent away from houses and out of harm's way through a brick channel that prevented contamination of the ground and city. The great bath of Mohenjo-Daro, which was elevated and suggested cleanliness, demonstrates that bathing was accorded an opulent position. Mohenjodaro was an ideological hub that reflected Indus nihilism, urban wasserluxus, and diversity. The disappearance of wasserluxus coincided with the decline of the mature phase of the Harappans, suggesting a connection between the two. The connection between wasserluxus and cities is also evident in Dholavira and Lothal, where a sophisticated year-round water harvesting system and dockyard, respectively, were given priority. From a pragmatic perspective, Water sustains human, plant, and animal life. Symbolically, it was associated with concepts of purity and pollution, as clean and fresh water was provided by wells while dirty, polluted water was discharged through drains. Even the grand bath may be a unique location for the ablutions of elites. The symbolic aspect can be better comprehended by analyzing the significance of water in Harappan religion. According to John Marshall, the Harappan religion possessed an abstract sanctity for water. As the practice of religion and the demand for rituals led to universal arrangements for bathing and drainage, water became revered and of great importance in daily life. The Harappan philosophy of wasserluxus was also reflected in its architecture. The construction of brick-lined wells was a prominent feature of Harappan cities. Mohenjo-daro contained more than 700 wells, while Lothal, Harappa, and Chanhuodro also contained a sizeable number. The baked bricks supported the soil, prevented erosion and cave-ins, and supplied clean, sweet water with minimal sediment and contaminants. When the original platforms of cities like Mohenjo-daro were constructed, they were meticulously maintained, resulting in continuity of well location over stratigraphic accumulation. The area served by wells was nearly equidistant, providing citizens with equitable access to water, particularly in lower town. Initially, wells were privately owned, but as the population grew, public wells became a necessity. In the Harappan home, a carefully paved room was discovered with a deep depression and grooves on the well's inside coping, as well as an occasional low brick platform for seating, indicating the room's communal nature. Similar to the wells, the drainage system was particularly remarkable in Mohenjo-daro, Harappa, Kalibangan, Nausharo, Chanuhudaro, Allahidino, Dholivira, and Lothal. There were provisions for water management within dwellings, including intra-mud drains, vertical drain pipes in walls, chutes through walls to streets, and drains from bathing platforms to streets. Throughout the transitional period, drains appeared (early 3rd millennium BCE). In Allahdino, there are drains made of stone as well as those made of baked bricks. Some drains had a gypsum and lime plaster base with baked bricks on the sides. Specially shaped bricks were used to create the rounded corners of drains, while mud mortar was used to ensure the structural integrity of the drain. Given that drains were typically located on the sides of streets, the majority of drains had brick or stone covers. Normal baked bricks were laid horizontally, while wider drains were covered with limestone blocks quarried frequently from Rohri Hills (in the case of Mohenjodaro). With an average depth of 46 to 60 centimeters and regular settling pools and traps, coarse sediments and other materials were allowed to settle out of the flow, which was periodically collected. Extra-long bricks were used to cover larger drains or culverts. Also, one of the earliest examples of a corbelled arch used for culverts, the largest of which can be seen at Great Bath, has been discovered. The water in the street was collected by brick-lined cesspits and clay jars placed along the street. As the water was polluted and filthy, it was expelled from the home, establishing a close relationship with the wasserluxus philosophy of Harappa. The bathing facilities demonstrated an additional level of sophistication in water management. There were special bathing platforms (approximately 1.5 m square and rectilinear in shape), paved with bricks that had been meticulously prepared and set at right angles with a smoothed surface. In addition, elevated rims with brick courses surrounded the platforms. The surface of the bathroom platforms was slightly slanted toward a corner so that water could escape the bathing area via the drain. They were slopped with very smooth ground down to form a seamless surface, with lime plaster and brick dust often used for polishing. We discovered interesting artifacts at Lothal and Kalibangan in addition to Mohenjodaro. In Lothal, thirteen bathroom platforms were discovered in a high mound that was most likely a public facility, whereas in Kalibangan, the earliest examples of terracotta bathroom tiles with geometrical designs were discovered. In the course of a recent investigation, flushing mechanisms were frequently discovered in privies.

Thus, it is clear from the excavations that the Harappans were masters of water management; however, to get a deeper insight, we can have an overview of three monumental water management structures that might require the utilization of state resources.