SLUG: GLOBAL RECOGNITION
Ahmedabad: The historic water systems in Bhuj, primarily associated with Hamirsar Lake, are among the 25 sites selected globally by the World Monuments Fund‘s (WMF’s) World Monuments Watch.
Some of the sites selected this year include Gaza’s Historic Urban Fabric in Palestine; Ukraine’s Teacher’s House in Kyiv; the Historic Lighthouses of Maine in the US; Africa’s Swahili Coast; the Old City of Antakya, Turkey; and the Chapel of the Sorbonne in France, to name a few. For the first time, the Watch has also included the Moon.
The nomination of Bhuj Historic Water Systems for the World Monuments Watch 2025 was submitted by the Center for Heritage Conservation (CHC) of CRDF at CEPT University. The nomination was led by Prof Jigna Desai, head of CHC, with Jayashree Bardhan, program lead for assessment and training at CHC, serving as the co-nominator. The 2025 open call resulted in over 200 nominations that underwent extensive internal and external review before final selection, said officials.
Bardhan told TOI that the Hamirsar Lake was designed to sustain Bhuj’s earliest development. “Over the next three centuries, a network of stepwells, tanks, wells, and canals grew around the lake, directing water from nearby watersheds to support the city’s growth in an otherwise harsh climate. Over time, however, urban planning increasingly centralised Bhuj’s water management, and its traditional systems were overshadowed by modern infrastructure,” she said. “The inclusion will bring the ancient water management system into focus again. It was included also because it was planned and operated in an arid region for water security.”
Revitalising these historic systems represents an opportunity to blend traditional knowledge with contemporary strategies, ensuring a sustainable water future for Bhuj.
“The site nominated not only ensures heritage preservation but conserving it helps in securing water that is still serving the city,” said Desai.