A simple act of kindness: Aravatiges in Karnataka

Under the summer sun in Vijayapura’s Sindagi town, where temperatures recently touched 39°C, access to a glass of drinking water can make a difference.

For Chandrashekhar Tavarageri, a daily-wage labourer on his way to the government hospital to attend to his ailing father, relief came in time. With little money to spare and the heat building, he stopped at an Aravatige, a temporary water kiosk that offers free drinking water.

Aravatiges are a familiar sight across parts of Karnataka during the summer months. Set up as a community service by individuals and not-for-profit organisations, these kiosks provide clean, often cooled drinking water to passersby. “Aravatige is derived from two words — aravattu and ige. Aravattu traditionally refers to a hut where passersby are offered water, buttermilk or other non-alcoholic drinks, while ige refers to the place where these are kept. They were also known as Ambali Aravattige or Tanniru Chatra,” explains Veeranna Rajur, a writer and researcher.

An Aravatige set up on the APMC premises in Hosapete. Photo: Special arrangement

In towns like Sindagi, Aravatiges are usually set up near busy public spaces such as hospitals, bus stands and markets, where demand is constant.

One such initiative in Sindagi is led by the Akhila Bharat Manaveeyate Sandesha Vedike. The group has installed four Aravatiges across the town this season. Each day, about 25 cans of drinking water are distributed through these kiosks.

According to Maulana Dawood Nadvi, president of the Vijayapura unit of the Vedike, the initiative has been running for about a decade. “We usually operate from March to May, when the heat is at its peak,” he says. The water is sourced from local drinking water plants, while costs are covered through donations from philanthropists. Each kiosk is managed by an attendant, who is also paid from these pooled funds.

In a similar effort in Hosapete, Umapathi Kasatti, president of the association of pure drinking water units in the town, has been providing free drinking water in public places for over 25 years through the Karnataka Nagarika Hitharakshana Seva Trust.

This year, the Trust has set up Aravatiges near the town’s APMC yard, a mosque, and other busy locations, where an estimated 500 to 600 people stop by each day. “We usually store water in earthen pots and cooling boxes,” he says. Beyond summer, the initiative extends to public events such as the Hampi Utsav, when demand for drinking water rises. While Kasatti supplies water from his plant for free, local shopkeepers and volunteers often help manage kiosks set up near their establishments.

In Kalaburagi, the initiative takes a more individual form. B Renukacharya, a 48-year-old teacher-turned-social leader, has set up an Aravatige at Thimmapur Circle under the banner of B Renukacharya Geleyara Balaga. He began offering free drinking water nearly a decade ago and continues to meet the expenses from his own pocket. “Beyond providing water, Aravatige promotes communal harmony and shared access, where people from different communities come together and drink without distinction,” Renukacharya adds. 

Renukacharya also uses the space to speak about avoiding water wastage, linking the service to a broader message of conservation. 

In the pilgrim centre of Huligi in Koppal district, businessman Anil Eligar sets up multiple Aravatiges around the temple and nearby areas during the month-long fair held in May. “I started this nearly 15 years ago. At the time, many people mocked the idea. Today, banks and other institutions also set up water kiosks during the fair,” he says. 

Traditional practice

While water at Aravatiges is now commonly stored in earthen pots or coolers in small makeshift kiosks, the practice has a long history in Karnataka where water was either stored in small sheds or special structures. 

“Aravatige finds mention in a Badami Chalukyan inscription dated to the seventh century. It reads: ‘Daariya badiyalli aravattige madisidavange swargaloka’, suggesting that those who provide water to the thirsty attain heaven. A Hoysala inscription from 1220 AD refers to a donation of land to set up an Aravatige. Even during the Vijayanagara period, such kiosks were common during fairs,” explains Rajur.

References to Aravatiges also appear in Kannada literary works such as Pampa Bharatha by Pampa, Gadayuddha by Ranna, the Ragales of Harihara, and the Vachanas of Basavanna, Akkamahadevi, Allamaprabhu and Chennabasavanna.