Water: An Elixir of Life - A Socio-Economic and Political Exploration in Rajasthan

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ABSTRACT The paper aims to explore the significance of water in the lives of people in Rajasthan with particular focus on c. 600 to 1300 CE. Due to Rajasthan’s hot and dry climate, with limited rainfall, man-made ponds, stepwells, and tanks were the primary sources of water. Attempts have also been made to investigate and understand the significance of excavating different water sources, made possible through the combined efforts of both the royal family and the merchant class, in the context of Rajasthan. The paper aims to particularly look into the importance of step-wells, which became more popular in the ninth to tenth centuries, as a hub for drinking, washing, bathing, socialising, as well as for celebrating festivals and performing sacred rituals. Excavating various water sources was not only economically relevant, but also socially, politically, and religiously relevant in the climate of Rajasthan. The study relies heavily on epigraphical and literary sources for its primary data.