https://reasonstobecheerful.world/ancient-himalayan-water-temples/
"In Uttarakhand’s prime fruit-growing region, a brightly clad woman carries a
pitcher to what looks like a tiny temple set amid apricot orchards. This
400-year-old structure is one of the hundreds of water temples, locally called
naulas, that dot the steep Himalayan slopes of Uttarakhand, a state in
Northern India. Naulas were historically built over freshwater springs, which
formed wherever groundwater managed to find its way to the surface. They
protected the springs, crucial sources of drinking water for local communities,
from fallen leaves and other contaminants.
The woman lights a little earthenware lamp inside and emerges with the pitcher,
now filled with fresh water. After she leaves, I venture inside the naula. Its
doorway is so small that one has to bend almost double to enter. Dark and damp
inside, it has a series of shallow steps in the form of an inverted
trapezoid-shaped pool brimming with clean water. In the flickering light of the
lamp the woman has left behind, the ancient geometry looks like an optical
illusion. But its modern day utility is undeniable."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
