By restoring ancient Mandir ponds and traditional water bodies, India’s ‘Waterman’ Rajendra Singh has shown that environmental conservation and spiritual heritage can go hand in hand.
Across India, thousands of Mandirs were once built around ponds, tanks, stepwells, and sacred lakes that served both religious and ecological purposes. For centuries, these traditional water bodies provided drinking water, recharged groundwater, supported agriculture, and became centres of community life. However, rapid urbanisation, neglect, and encroachments have left many of these sacred water systems polluted or dry.
Few people have worked as tirelessly to revive this forgotten heritage as Rajendra Singh, popularly known as the “Waterman of India.” While he is globally recognised for rejuvenating rivers in Rajasthan, his work has also highlighted the importance of restoring temple ponds and traditional water structures that have sustained Indian civilisation for centuries.
Restoring India’s Ancient Water Wisdom
Rajendra Singh, through his organisation Tarun Bharat Sangh, has spent over four decades reviving traditional rainwater harvesting systems such as johads, ponds, tanks, and check dams across Rajasthan. Many of these water bodies were historically linked to temples and sacred sites. Villagers once considered them holy, ensuring regular maintenance and protection. Singh believes that restoring these traditional systems not only solves water scarcity but also revives cultural traditions that respected nature as sacred. His philosophy is simple: India’s ancestors understood that worshipping nature meant protecting it.
Mandir Ponds: More Than Religious Structures
Mandir ponds, known by different names across India, Pushkarini in the South, Kund in North India, Sarovar, Talab, or Pokhar elsewhere, were designed with remarkable ecological understanding. These ponds collected rainwater, replenished underground aquifers, reduced flooding, and supplied water during droughts. They also supported fish, birds, and biodiversity while maintaining local microclimates.
Today, many Mandir tanks have become dumping grounds or remain dry due to blocked natural drainage channels. Rajendra Singh argues that reviving these traditional water bodies can become one of India’s most effective climate adaptation strategies.
His campaigns encourage villagers, Mandir committees, local administrations, and volunteers to work together in cleaning ponds, removing encroachments, restoring catchment areas, and ensuring rainwater naturally flows into these tanks. By involving religious institutions, water conservation becomes a people’s movement rather than just an environmental project. According to Singh, when communities consider water bodies sacred, they protect them naturally for generations.
Climate Change Makes Traditional Systems Relevant Again
India is witnessing more frequent droughts, erratic monsoons, declining groundwater levels, and extreme heat. Experts increasingly recognise that traditional water harvesting systems can complement modern infrastructure.
Mandir ponds require minimal energy, use locally available materials, and naturally recharge groundwater. Restoring them can reduce dependence on borewells while improving water security for nearby communities. Singh has repeatedly stressed that India’s future water security lies not only in large dams but also in reviving millions of small traditional water bodies that once dotted the landscape.
Recognition for a Lifetime of Service
Rajendra Singh’s contribution has earned national and international recognition. He received the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2001 for community leadership and the Stockholm Water Prize in 2015, often described as the “Nobel Prize for Water.” Yet, Singh continues to work closely with rural communities, advocating sustainable water management rooted in India’s traditional knowledge.
As India undertakes large-scale initiatives to restore rivers and promote water conservation, Rajendra Singh’s work offers a powerful lesson: protecting heritage and protecting nature are not separate goals. Reviving temple ponds preserves history, strengthens faith, restores biodiversity, recharges groundwater, and builds resilience against climate change, all at the same time.
