Cultural Heritage of Water Spaces in Semi-Arid Regions of India: Oral Histories and Water Management Practices in Dholera, Gujarat

It is well known that water is indispensable for all the people around the world. However, its significance is magnified particularly in the semi-arid areas where water scarcity poses a substantial obstacle to living. Therefore, most communities in these regions face daily challenges in fulfilling fundamental needs due to arid climatic conditions. In this situation, the traditional water spaces become invaluable and there are many communities whose very existence rests on the availability of such spaces. In this context, this research examines how the traditional water management practices have evolved and how occupation-based water dependencies continue to shape the vernacular settlements in India. It focuses on Dholera, Gujarat which is a settlement that has been hardly studied in terms of its traditional water spaces. This research employs a qualitative case study approach, integrating spatial documentation and ethnographic fieldwork to examine traditional water management practices. It used on-site observations to document the household layouts, water storage systems and daily wateruse patterns. Unstructured, spontaneous discussions were employed to generate insights, revealing generations-old knowledge, adaptive strategies and socio-cultural influences on water utilization. Oral histories were collected through these discussions capturing the past narratives while also revealing the current water practices and daily routines of the communities. The findings demonstrate the importance and correlation of socio-economic practices with water spaces, and illustrate their influence on daily life, built environments, and cultural traditions. The study concludes that the traditional water spaces continue to be relevant and invaluable in the contemporary contexts. It offers documentations of these spaces and an analysis of the evolution of the traditional water management practices in Dholera, Gujarat, India.