Engineering Principles of Water Reservoirs and Stepwells in Br. hat Sahita¯: A Technical Interpretation for Sustainable Hydraulic Design
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Engineering Principles of Water Reservoirs and Stepwells in Br. hat Sahita¯: A Technical Interpretation for Sustainable Hydraulic Design
Dr. Sourabha S.H1, Ansh2, Asmit Kashyap3, Kotte Anirudh4, Kumar Gaurav5
Department of Mechanical Engineering RV College of Engineering
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India – 560059
Abstract—Ancient Indian scientific literature reflects a high degree of systematic observation in the fields of hydrology, water conservation, and civil engineering. Among these works, the Br. hat Sahita¯, composed by Vara¯hamihira in the sixth century CE,
offers detailed guidance on reservoir construction, site selection, identification of groundwater sources, and the design of stepwells. Rather than being purely descriptive, these guidelines reveal a structured understanding of natural processes governing water movement and storage. Key concepts such as soil stratification, groundwater recharge mechanisms, slope stability, evaporation reduction, and passive thermal regulation are critically examined and correlated with contemporary engineering principles. This study demonstrates that the traditional water systems described
in the Br. hat Sahita¯ are grounded in sound engineering logic and retain practical relevance for addressing modern water scarcity challenges.
Index Terms—Indian Knowledge Systems, Stepwells, Water Reservoirs, Sustainable Engineering, Ancient Hydrology, Br. hat Sahita¯
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