In August 2019 ITRHD signed an MOU with Hindustan Gum & Chemicals Ltd. for two projects, one in Bhiwani (Haryana) and one in Barmer (Rajasthan). The Bhiwani project included two major components:

• Restoration and Adaptive Reuse of Heritage Structures
• Livelihood Enhancement

For the restoration and adaptive reuse of heritage structures, the ITRHD team conducted a survey of the most feasible initiatives. Bhiwani has a significant number of heritage structures; civic, religious, residential, commemorative, institutional, recreational and commercial. In addition, there is a traditional water harvesting system, featuring Jhoads (tanks) and wells. At one time Bhiwani had 21 Jhoads. These were not stand-alone bodies, they were comprised of one, two or more wells, usually with a tree and temple, and occasionally a sarai (travelers rest house). They were used for harvesting rain water, as well as for recharging the ground water. Over the years, the importance of these traditional water systems was lost, and today most of the Jhoads have dried and been converted into dumping grounds. The wells have also been blocked due to dumping of garbage and are in dilapidated state, and the temples have been renewed with modern materials and have lost their original character. We thus decided that restoration of jhoads and conversion of them for community use would be the most feasible first step. Two structures were selected, in the villages of Kaunt and Gujrani.

The Kaunt jhoad complex is in a beautiful setting at the edge of the village, and has a well, an active temple, tree, and sarai. The sarai is a small single-story structure, with a large central space, two adjoining rooms, an open staircase leading to the terrace above, and a lovely view of the water body. It is currently in very bad condition, but with restoration will be converted into a library, which the community has requested. The well is adorned with four minarets, arched niches and painted bands on the minarets. It is a beautiful structure, though now decayed and blocked with garbage. Our plan is to restore and revive the well for community usage.

The Gujrani jhoad is one of the largest in the area, with three historic wells. One well is still in working condition, but all are more or less in ruins, with sections destroyed by water erosion, plinths and staircases broken or missing, and in one case dumped with garbage. Our plan is to clean, disinfect, repair and restore all three wells, so that they once again become attractive and viable centres of community life, as well as sources of water.

Community Development

Side by side with the heritage conservation and restoration, we are establishing skill development programs for residents of the rural Bhiwani villages. See Skill Development For Rural Bhiwani for details.