LEST WE FORGET



Peshwa

map showing the aqueduct line and network from Katraj Lake to the Peth areas; MAP GRAPHIC: PALLAVEE GOKHALE

Nanasaheb Peshwa

Ghashiram Kotwal

By the 1740s the Maratha Empire was the paramount Indian power, and Pune its de facto capital. As Pune’s population grew, it needed more water. Although the residents nearer the river could draw water, those far away faced many problems. The rivers dried up in summers. Pune also had many gardens and farms in its vicinity, often owned by influential citizens. In summers, the gardens drew water from the river, depriving the citizens of drinking water.Matters came to a head in the summer of 1745. Nanasaheb Peshwa was in Satara and his grandmother, Radhabai, lived in Pune. Seeing the water crisis, she ordered that no water be drawn from the river for the gardens. However, her order was challenged and a letter of complaint was written to the Peshwa in Satara. In turn, Radhabai wrote in a stern letter to her grandson, “Saving the garden and starving the city of water will not do. If trees wither for a month or two, they will not die. I envisage fights for water in the days to come. Then, I will not be able to see the misery of the people.”is widely considered the architect of Pune city. To resolve the annual water crisis, he began the construction of a lake at Katraj in 1749. Water from this lake flowed into a second lower lake that stored an even larger amount of water. The upper lake had an eight-feet-thick and 600-feet-long wall, while the lower lake’s wall was nearly 1,000 feet long, 40 feet high and 15 feet thick. Openings in the wall, which could allow the water to flow out, were plugged, There were separate gates to clean the residue that settled at the bottom of the lakes.From these two lakes, an underground tunnel built with brick and mortar, about two to three feet wide and seven to nine feet high, took the water into the city. At intervals of about 100 feet, there was a dipping well, which helped in cleaning the wells. The dipping well helped to separate the sediment before the clear supernatant water continued its journey to the city. The underground water tunnels wended their way to the east of present-day Sarasbaug and reached the core of the city. From here, it branched off to several public tanks as well as private households, until it finally ended in the Shaniwarwada. The entire project cost Rs 2 lakhs and took eight years to complete. Nearly 134 outlets were built over a distance of 20 kilometres.The water in the tunnels flowed by gravity, as the Katraj Lake was at a height of 723 metres, and it reached the low of about 540 metres above sea level at Shaniwarwada.However, when the canal was brought to the Shaniwarwada, the construction of its wall was complete and it appeared the water could not be brought within. At this time, an experienced mason, who had on his own initiative left space for such a facility, pointed it out to the Peshwa, who awarded him a revenue village for his livelihood.The Katraj water supply scheme was operational until the early 20th century and many houses in the core city used these public tanks. Some of these tanks exist to this day, although they are not so well maintained. Kala Howd, Budhwar Howd, Phadke Howd, Badami Howd are some of them. Nanasaheb Peshwa also built a dam on the Ambil canal that flowed into the Mutha River to the west of Shaniwarwada, and diverted its stream to the river beyond the Lakdi Bridge. He excavated a large tank at the foot of Parvati Hill, covering an area of 25 acres. The lake was also used for recreation, with steps leading to the water from the Hirabaug Palace.In the 1790s, three more water supply schemes were implemented. Nana Phadnis built a separate water line from Narhe Ambegaon that reached the howd in Sadashiv Peth; Sardar Raste and Rupram Chaudhari built another from a lake at Kondhwa. Besides these,also built a water line to his house, which is in present-day Pune Cantonment. After Vishrambaugwada was built by the last Peshwa, Bajirao II, water supply to the Pushkarni Howd was obtained from the Sadashiv Peth Howd.Under our feet then, tunnels still carry the clean water from Katraj Lake. Someday, perhaps, the tunnels might be opened up to the future generations to appreciate.