- Temple tank
Temple tanks are wells or
reservoir s built as part of the temple complex in Indian temples. Bathing in the sacred waters of these tanks is thought to cure disease and maladies. [cite web
url=http://www.indiantemples.com/suntemple.html
title=Sun Temples in India
publisher=
accessdate=2007-02-24 ]Tank design
Since ancient times, the design of water storage has been important in India's temple architecture, especially in western India where dry and monsoon seasons alternate. Temple tank design became an art form in itself. [cite web
url=http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/Culture/Archit/Stepw.html
title=Architecture - Stepwells
publisher=
accessdate=2007-01-09] An example of the art of tank design is the large, geometically spectacular Stepped Tank at the Royal Center at the ruins ofVijayanagara , the capital of the theVijayanagara Empire , surrounding the modern town ofHampi . It is lined with greendiorite and has no drain. It was filled byaqueduct . [cite web
url=http://www.art-and-archaeology.com/india/hampi/lt01.html
title=Great Tank
publisher=art-and-archaeology
accessdate=2007-01-13]Additionally an Indian Hindu temple usually has a tank known as a "kund" built within the temple compound and used for ritual cleansing and during rites of consecration. The water in the tank is deemed to be sacred water from the
Ganga River . [cite book
first= Binda
last= Thapar
year= 2004
title= Introduction to Indian Architecture
edition=
publisher= Periplus Editions
location=Singapore
pages= p 43
id= ISBN 0794600115]tepwell
In India, a
stepwell is a deep masonry well with steps going down to the water level in the well. It is called a "vav" in west India and a "baoli" in north India. Some were built by kings and were richly ornamented. [cite web
url=http://www.indoarch.org/arch_glossary.php
title=Architecture of the Indian Subcontinent - glossary
publisher=
accessdate=2006-12-18 ] They often were built by nobility, some being for secular use from which anyone could obtain water. [cite web
url=http://www.rainwaterharvesting.org/Rural/Traditional2.htm#Kere
title= Vav / vavdi / Baoli / Bavadi - Traditional stepwells
publisher=
accessdate=2006-12-19 ]ee also
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Irrigation tank Notes
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