Once the main well is dug, naturally, search for the opposite bank where
the water is required has to be determined. The opposite bank of a river
is known as apaaram. The fathomless and impassable ocean is also known
as apaaram. The near bank of a river is avaaram. Aavaaram is the bank
from which the other bank with no water is determined. Aavaaram is
proximal shore and avaak is distal shore. Once the mother well at the
proximal shore is dug the next step is to reach the water to mazhar at
the distal shore. The earth between these two shores has to be
excavated. The awamir are particularly accomplished at excavating Qanat,
through a hard rock - a frightening task. The Sanskrit word avaaram
conveys the meaning for the word awamir. Removing the cover, opening is
apavaaram. Avaacheena is downward, headlong, being or situated below.
Avaanmukha is having the face turned downwards, looking down. Avaak is
downwards, headlong.
Maghsala
In case at the end of a larger Qanat the channel is bifurcated into two,
provisions for drinking, bathing, separate for men, women and children,
are built. The channel then passes through the forts, mosques and
reaches to the mughisla, a place for washing the dead. The room or space
in the front of a building is mukhasaala. Portico or façade is mukhapp.
The front porch of a temple or palace is mukhamantapam. Washing the face
is mukhakshaalanam. To fill the mouth with water is mukhapooranam.
Mukhaagni is the fire ignited at the time of cremation to burn the
corpse. The above words rhyme with maghsala, which is associated with
funeral function. Sala is water.
Badgir/ Farsi/ Barjeel
Vaatham is wind. Giri/ garanam is swallowing. Vaathagir (Badgir/
Windcatchers) are small windows. Houses built near these tunnels have
these wind catchers vaathagir, which serve as air conditioners.
Ambar
Continuous flow of water, especially during periods of low water use in
fall and winter is viewed wasteful. As such, it is controlled to a large
extent, using watertight gates that seal off the mazhar. In spring and
summer, night flow is stored and held in small reservoirs (ambar) at the
mouth of the Qanat, for daytime use. Such reservoirs are known as ambar.
Cornstack is known as ambar/ ambaar. It means multitude. Service of a
granary keeper is ambaravrthi. Ambarakesan is Lord Siva.
Ambaram in Sanskrit is sky, atmosphere, ether and water. Am means go.
Since water is moving, flowing, it came to be called as ambu. The
horizon is Ambaraantam. The heavenly Ganga is ambaraganga. Ambaramstali,
ambarathatini, ambaranadi, are the names for the heavenly Ganga as well
as for the river Ganges. Ambarasthali is the earth. Water emerging from
the sky is meeting the earth. As such ambaram can either be water or the
point where it meets the earth.
Lance is a long shaft with a spearhead, used as a thrusting weapon. To
pierce with lance, to cut or to open with a lancet is lancing. Kuntam,
tomaram is an iron club or iron crow bar. It is a lance or a javeline.
Kuntam, is cuntus. Kuntalam is a drinking cup. A country in south India
is known as Kuntalam.
A lancet arch is an acutely pointed Gothic arch, like a lance(t). Gothic
arch is a pointed arch, usually with a joint (instead of a keystone) at
the apex (lancet window). Lancet is a surgical knife with a pointed
double-edged blade, used for punctures and small incisions. Surgical
knife is a very sharp knife used in surgery. A surgeon’s two-edged
cutting or bloodletting instrument is a lancet. In architecture lancet
shaped or acutely pointed window is called lancet window, an acutely
pointed arch. In fact the Qanat is lanceted. The tunnel is lancet-
arched. The literal meaning attributed to Qanat as lance or conduit, is
becoming obvious here. Saktigraha holding a spear or lance, taking hold
of the force or meaning (of a word or sentence &c.), a spearman, lancer,
is name of Karttikeya and Siva. It has also meanings such as perception
or apprehension of the force or sense (of a word &c.). Who or what
causes to apprehend the force or signification (of a word or phrase),
determining or establishing the meaning of words (as a dictionary,
grammar &c.) is grahaka/ Saktigrahaka.14 One who uses a lancet is a
lancer. Lord Siva is known as Tomadharan/ Kamandhaludharan. He is also
known as Vyomakesan – one who has hair covering the expanse of the
skies. Devakulya is heavenly Ganga. If we look at the whole theme of the
Qanat, starting from the high place and reaching the earth by means of
underground conduits, we can imagine the river Ganges hiding in the
cliff of Lord Siva and emerging out to the land. Not only that, he is a
well-known lancer too. A reed at times can be a pipe as well as a canal.
It is a common scene in Indian forests, among tribals, to extract water
from an aquifer by piercing a reed, which will serve as a pipe allowing
fresh water to come out. This can be a prototype of a Qanat.
Ownership, Public Rights and
Distribution
Body of Customs and Law
Once the water is trapped, it becomes a public property; no individual
has a particular right in it. Use of water for domestic purposes and
watering needs of animals is free for all.
Shari’a
In fact Qanat is a mine and the water that flows out from a mined Qanat
is naturally ‘mineral’ water. The water scooped from the mother well,
situated at the highest peak is called sharia. This is the first
permitted place from where water can be used profusely by anyone, free
of cost. Saraasari, a loaned Persian word in Malayalam conveys this
position. It means, in toto, equally, without any disparity etc., in
northern Kerala kalameni is the word in use to describe average. Its
meaning is from end to end, medium between two extremes, become equal or
equipoise, equality, parity and so on.
A special distribution system was evolved over the centuries to
distribute the irrigation water; on it’s reaching the garden. Qanat, a
canal system, provides water for a community of farmers for domestic
and/or agricultural use. Distribution of the water from the Qanat,
around the irrigated land is based on a complex system but ensures a
fair and adequate water supply for all farming lands. The system is
known as Dawran cycle.
Dawran
A water pot is dhaarakam. A possessor or holder is dhaarakan. Continuous
flow or current of water is dhaara. A narrow stream of any liquid
flowing through a small hole constantly is dhaara. Dhaaram is rainwater.
A violent shower of incessant rain and rainwater is dharam. A house with
cooling systems using running water is dhaaraagrham. A bath with shower
bath is also called dhaaraagrham. A cloud is dhaaraadharam/ dhaaraadam.
Downward stream, shower, rain are dhaaraapadam. Air/ wind is
dhaaraavani. That which is incessant and continuous is dhaaraavaahi.
Dhaarana means agreement or understanding between two parties. Right of
possession on land is dharanaadhikaaram. Possession of land is
dhaaranam. According to dawran system, water is distributed to the field
based on a cycle and the cost of the water flown to an area of field is
determined on the time taken by it. Dhaarana means firmness, stability,
and state of being indebted. Another word in this regard is
dhaaranaapatram, which means memorandum of understanding, documents in
vogue on property, agreement on paper etc. Each piece of land or a farm
is allocated water for a certain period of time based on sun-clock in
the daytime and the stars in the night. The body of custom and law
(shari’a) relating to Qanats codified in the Kitab-i Qani (Book of
Qanats) in the ninth century strives to protect the investment of Qanat
owners in permanent agricultural settlement. The founders of the Qanat,
on the basis of their contribution in the making of the Qanat - their
share of money or labour, owned part of the water permanently. This
inherited right known as mulk, rarely changed hands. The remaining part
is rented out from regular auctions to those who have no share in the
Qanat or to those who need extra water than the allocated. A
well-constructed Qanat irrigates so long as its mother well has water.
Two or three Qanats can meet the irrigation requirements of a small
village. Muluk/ mulkk is a loaned word in Malayalam from Arabic. Its
meaning is a country/ government.
The water distribution is based on either time or volume, and it depends
on the size of the Qanat. The time-based type is more common. The income
from the water allotted on rent (by auction) is used for the repair and
maintenance of the Qanat. The date palm or trees along the channel,
irrigated by the Qanat are the properties that fetch additional revenue.
This system of water management helped the survival of Qanat, and had a
telling impact of the falaj system on the organization and community
development of the settlers for centuries. Qanats help to create
particular societal relationships and socio-economic conditions in the
villages they serve.
In Oman, the age-old rotational water supply system prevailed to
apportion falaj water and irrigated gardens for a certain time.
Religious authorities arbitrate disputes over water rights. This
time-share called an athar was based on sundial and stars. The use of
watch in modern times has fixed the period to be of 30 minutes. In Oman
the dawran is found divided into many subdivisions of time. After dawran
is worked out, water share is divided between falaj owners using unit of
share athar. Each full day is divided into one or two badda. Each day
should be equal to 48 athars, so if the day is one badda, badda will be
equal to 48 athars. If it is two badda then, each badda will be equal to
24 athars. The day is divided into the day badda and night badda.
Wilkinson (1977) reported a falaj, which has 34 badda in each day. In
this falaj, each badda has 16 athars so the full day is also equal to 48
athars.
“Athanayilae nalanadutha nanatalkkaaya” The word athana from
Ramacharitham is an old Malayalam word that means atra, athana, athanai
þTamil) mean of such size, or measure, so much, this much, so many.
Atracha means so much to each. Atrattolam means so much, to that extent.
Atramaatram means so much only. Atrolam means up to that time. Batha
(batt) means allowance and batta atramaatram means so much, so much
only, very much. Atrayum so much, wholly, entirely, fully atraykkatra
only a little. Atrolam upto that (place, time), so much, this far. Atra
of such size or measure, so much, this much, so many, very much,
sufficiently, properly. Bhitti is partition, dividing.
Those aflaj supplying one or two families are smaller systems that can
be manned by individuals. But there are aflaj-providing water for
several thousands of people and gardens. They are looked after by a
management committee comprising mostly elders and consist of (a) wakil,
(b) qabidh, (c) two arif and (d) workforce of bidars.
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