Kalyani at Bhoganandishwara temple, Nandi hills, Bengaluru (Image: FES)
Across the arid and semi-arid regions of Karnataka and broader Southern India, traditional community stepwells, locally known as kalyanis, have sustained local ecosystems and social life for centuries. Ranging from ancient 6th-century masonry tanks bearing pillar inscriptions and wall carvings to younger structures under 200 years old, these human-made water bodies represent far more than physical infrastructure. Wrapped in folklore, religious beliefs, and historical accounts, kalyanis have long functioned as vital gathering spaces where traditions were celebrated, relationships flourished, and shared water management brought communities together.
Today, these historical water commons face quiet extinction. Rapid urbanisation, decades of neglect, and the expansion of modern piped water schemes have left many stepwells abandoned, their weathered steps holding algae-covered waters or reflecting open skies. Yet, as contemporary groundwater crises escalate, these centuries-old structures offer renewed relevance.
A recently launched statewide campaign and open access digital initiative are turning the spotlight back onto Karnataka stepwells to document, celebrate, and revive them. By pairing public action and digital mapping, this movement is integrating traditional kalyanis directly into local governance plans, giving these vital water lifelines a second life as living community assets.
It is these historic stepwells that the Kalyanis of Karnataka: Commoning Our Commons, a state-wide campaign launched last month, aims to document, celebrate, and revive. The campaign was officially launched in Bengaluru on July 23 with the release of a coffee table book that documents 50 stepwells across the state, from the picturesque 11th-century Japada located at Bhavi Dambal village in Mundaragi taluka of the Gadag district to the hexagon-shaped Chittapura-Dandoti Kalyani of Dandoti Village in Chittapura taluka of the Kalaburagi district, which dates back to the Kalyachuri dynasty and is still used by villagers for drinking water.
Historic stepwells across Karnataka, such as the hexagon shaped Chittapura Dandoti Kalyani in Kalaburagi district, continue to serve as critical drinking water sources and ecological buffers when maintained by local communities. (Image: FES)
“The coffee table book is a small part of the endeavour to document the relevance of stepwells, and how each kalyani embodies the enduring heritage of water stewardship, reflecting the ingenuity and resilience that sustained people through changing seasons and generations. Such efforts are especially relevant when community assets like stepwells are steadily diminishing across the country,” says J Tulasi Devi, Senior Program Manager, Foundation for Ecological Security (FES), the organisation behind the initiative.
Multi-tiered landings, arched niches, and precision stone masonry—a testament to how deeply water harvesting was integrated into the spatial planning of the past. (Image: FES)
Data, mapping, and the power of citizen science
The book is a part of a larger campaign that aims to collect and consolidate geospatial and field data on stepwells, making it openly accessible for integration into Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs) and enabling convergence with relevant government programmes and schemes for their restoration and long-term management.
As part of the efforts to deepen the narrative around these water commons, a citizen science initiative has also been built through a digital platform to not only showcase this data but also give open access to every stakeholder to add to the database. What started with a target of 150 stepwells has grown four-fold in a span of four months since its launch on March 22 on the occasion of World Water Day. By generating knowledge and fostering collaboration, the initiative aims to support informed community action and policy dialogue, enabling governments, institutions, and citizens to collectively protect and manage these collective water systems.
[1] “The campaign is aimed atcollectively changing the narrative from neglect to ownership. Collective governance fosters a sense of ownership, ensures equitable access, and strengthens the social fabric that once sustained these water systems,” says SB Lokesh, General Manager, FES.
The exercise of mapping the stepped water tanks involved joint efforts at multiple levels, including local stewardship, gram panchayats, convergence with different departments like rural development and panchayat raj, watershed development, and archaeology, as well as NGOs.
Centuries of geometry and stone, carved directly into the earth to hold what matters most. Stepwells like this kalyani aren't just historical storage—they were community lifeblood, engineering marvels, and sacred spaces rolled into one. (Image: FES)
From neglect to ownership: Policy integration and long-term revival
The campaign comes at a time when changes in water-use practices, gaps in governance, and declining community engagement have led to neglect and disuse of stepwells that served as lifelines for water for generations. Transformative initiatives such as Har Ghar Nal Se Jal, part of the Jal Jeevan Mission, expanded access to piped drinking water for millions, reducing people’s dependence on community resources. Encroachments have blocked feeder channels and catchment areas, and climate variability has further affected their functionality.
However, stepwells continue to be relevant, and not just for their historical, cultural and architectural significance. They play a key role in drinking water security, groundwater recharge, and rainwater harvesting.
[1] “The kalyani at our place was traditionally used during religious functions. As its condition worsened over time, the community collectively passed a resolution to restore it. After restoration, the kalyani has improved significantly and now benefits us all,” says A. Jemanna, a resident of Sridharagadda village in Ballari district.
The open-access citizen science portal will continue to grow as a collaborative platform for documenting, mapping, and monitoring stepped water tanks across the state, enabling citizens, communities, researchers, and institutions to contribute to a shared knowledge base. By making information on these dispersed water structures widely accessible, the initiative seeks to help bring the often invisible story of groundwater into public view and support informed planning and decision-making.
Stepping into layers of history. Shadow, stone, and arched chambers silent with the memory of water. (Image: FES)
“Safeguarding restored structures will require sustained action to prevent encroachment, sewage inflow, and solid-waste dumping, alongside efforts to revive traditional knowledge systems and strengthen community-led water governance,” says Shashidhar, district coordinator, Chikkaballapura, FES. According to him, future efforts should adopt an integrated approach to kalyani rejuvenation by combining feeder-channel restoration, groundwater recharge, and afforestation to strengthen the ecological health of these water systems. “Restoration plans should leverage convergence with VB-G RAM G, Finance Commission grants, and other government schemes, supported by district-wise, time-bound action plans with clearly defined roles and responsibilities,” he further says.
Along with the physical restoration of these water assets, building the capacities of Gram Panchayats and Water User Groups will be essential for effective governance, long-term monitoring, and community stewardship,” says V Venkatesh, a former member of Agara gram panchayat in Chamarajanagar district of the state. “The revival of many kalyanis has been made possible through public programmes such as MGNREGA, demonstrating the power of coordinated action.”
Ultimately, the success of the initiative lies in fostering a sense of ownership among local communities and recognising that stepwells are not relics of a bygone era but living community assets with the potential to play a transformative role in strengthening water security for present and future generations.