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Water revealing the Layer of Lost Landscape

Venkata Lakshmi .V
Dec 6, 2015
2 min read

Essence: Water revealing the layer of a lost landscape -where the need for water exceeds over a community’s thrives for social existence. This excerpt is based on history and elucidates the role of Water in transforming the landscapes, as it revives a region by evacuating another one.

Description: The idea of this excerpt is to exhibit the role of water in transforming the rural landscape of Tamil Nadu along the Vaigai river.The regional landscapes of Tamil Nadu are remembered by and named after its terrain, flora and water conditions. This shows the strong relationship of man with landscape.The regions along the river spines had access to the water in form of yeris and ooranis which were traditional water systems which thrived on ground water which was constantly recharged by the river. These lands are very fit for agriculture and were called Nansei Kaadu- (land which gives good yields).

The dry southern plains which were lowest rain fed areas of the state is referred by the local term Karisal Kaadu – (means land of black wilderness), which is a land of predominant Black soil with sparse water. This region completely depended on rainfall for recharge of yeris or tanks. When rains failed, agriculture and living was intensely affected and severe scarcity for drinking water struck the region.

These two types of landscapes coexist in this region across history. After independence, severe water crisis in the interior villages of Vaigai river basin pushed the government to implement a proposal to construct a dam. For which, they had to evacuate around 14 villages for the water spread area. Aiming to transform rain fed agro landscapes to irrigational agro landscapes; it was also conceived as a solution for the prevailing regional water scarcity. Touching upon the fact that it faced opposition from the villages which were evacuated, this project was efficient in reviving the agriculture-driven communities in the region through the efficient irrigation canals.

However, through layers of time one can see the landscapes which were part of the life of people being wiped out on persuasion. Many folk lore talk about these lost landscapes and how they were one of the strong social dimensions of the life of communities dwelling in the region.