You are here
Read the extract given below and answer the questions:
In the semi-arid and arid regions of Rajasthan, particularly in Bikaner, Phalodi and Barmer, almost all the houses traditionally had underground tanks or tankas for storing drinking water. The tanks could be as large as a big room; one household in Phalodi had a tank that was 6.1 metres deep, 4.27 metres long and 2.44 metres wide. The tankas were part of the well-developed rooftop rainwater harvesting system and were built inside the main house or the courtyard. They were connected to the sloping roofs of the houses through a pipe. Rain falling on the rooftops would travel down the pipe and was stored in these underground 'tankas'. The first spell of rain was usually not collected as this would clean the roofs and the pipes. The rainwater from the subsequent showers was then collected. The rainwater can be stored the tankas till the next rainfall making it an extremely reliable source of drinking water when all other sources are dried up, particularly in the summers. Rainwater, or palar pain, as commonly referred to in these parts, is considered the purest form of natural water. Many houses constructed underground rooms adjoining the 'tanka' to beat the summer heat as it would keep the room cool.
Question (i)
Name a traditional rainwater harvesting technique, commonly practiced in Rajasthan, India.
Answer:
In the Thar desert region of Rajasthan , India , a tanka is a traditional method of collecting rainwater.
Question (ii)
In which part of Rajasthan are tankas commonly used?
The rest of the post is locked. Join Teachoo Black to see the full post.
