Ahar-Pyne: An Indigenous Path to Water Sustainability

Abstract

Traditional irrigation systems are the shadow of Man-environment interaction since ancient times. In South Bihar region, the ‘Ahar-Pyne’ system has helped farmers for centuries by establishing water storage system from the monsoon floodwater and re-distributing it through locally managed channels (Pant, 1998; Koul et al., 2012). In this paper an attempt has been made to understand how this system works, how it has evolved, and why it remains relevant in the contemporary time.  The study is based on existing academic and field-based literature.  It examines the hydraulic design of ahars and pynes, the community institutions that govern them, and the ecological functions they perform (Guha, 2006; Cox et al., 2010). The study also focusses on recent trends with respect to revival efforts in South Bihar. The paper does not treat Ahar-Pyne as a remnant of the past, rather observes it as a living practice moulded by local knowledge. The study also points out that traditional irrigation systems like Ahar-Pyne offer practical insights for addressing water stress in regions which are facing uncertainty of climatic conditions.