‘Sandras’ were water bodies, book recalls

The non-fiction work takes a look at the history of Bengaluru’s lakes and tanks

A new book seeks to examine water issues across India’s major cities. Co-authored by Harini Nagendra and Seema Mundoli, the book is titled ‘Shades of Blue: Connecting the Drops in India’s Cities’. It is expected to hit the stands in three weeks.

The duo, which teaches sustainability at Azim Premji University, has focused on cities and places like Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Lakshadweep. Their points are illustrated with anecdotes and scientific findings. A large portion of the text focuses on the history of these cities and their connection to water. Poetry and historical facts are also woven into the text. 

Bengaluru focus

The Bengaluru-based authors offer insights about the river Cauvery and take a close look at the water scarcity plaguing their home city. “While doing our research, we found that all cities had similar water problems, be it Bengaluru which is landlocked, or Lakshadweep, which is surrounded by water, or Chennai which is on the coast. So it really isn’t about how close the place is to the coast. It’s about how one utilises one’s resources,” says Harini. 

She notes that the issue of water is linked to justice and equity in India. “It’s always the poor who suffer, but no one pays attention to their problems,” she says and recalls the floods that affected an affluent area of Bengaluru last year. “That incident made it to the news only because the people affected by it were wealthy and influential,” she adds.  

In a chapter titled ‘Bengaluru: landlocked city of tanks and lakes’, we read about the city’s many ‘sandras’ — Dommasandra, Singasandra, Bhoopasandra and the list goes on. ‘Sandras’ were short for the Sanskrit word ‘samudra’ meaning gathering of water. “How did the landlocked city of Bengaluru have so many locations whose names indicate the presence of samudras which now lack all traces of water?” write the duo. 

Musical connection

The chapter goes on to trace the history of the city. It was once a group of ‘thriving villages’ that made a living from agriculture, an occupation that requires massive amounts of water.  It also talks about how the inhabitants carved out tanks, what we now know as lakes, to collect rainwater. 

While serious issues are highlighted, Harini and Seema also wanted readers to take away some positives from the book. To that end, they have included a chapter that takes a deep dive into the connection between music and water. One of the songs they cite is ‘Taaraka bindige,’ a composition by Purandara Dasa, the 15th century poet, composer and philosopher. The song speaks of the water of River Cauvery and likens it to ‘amruta’ or nectar.

Shades of Blue: Connecting the Drops in India’s Cities. Available online (for pre-order) at Rs 499.