/regions/western-plains
Western Plains
FAQ - Stubble burning in India: Causes, effects, and solutions
Posted on 01 Apr, 2024 08:48 AMEvery winter, in the bustling city of Delhi and its neighbouring areas, a thick layer of smog settles and the air there is heavy with pollution - the consequence of a widespread agricultural practice known as stubble burning.
Beris – a neglected indigenous water harvesting system
Posted on 30 Aug, 2022 09:03 PMWorld Water Week is currently being observed across the world.
The doer from the Thar
Posted on 10 Jan, 2017 10:53 PM“Can you see the alternating bands of light and shadow in the sky?” Chattar Singh asks me. When I nod in affirmation, he continues, “This is Mogh. There are clouds where the sun is setting right now. If we get a favourable wind, these clouds will reach here and we may get rain by night. In desert, people live by such clues from nature.”
A book every city needs
Posted on 01 Jan, 2017 07:46 PMA scarcity of something makes it special. That’s the reason why Rajasthan has always sanctified water much more than any other place in India. Low rainfall and saline groundwater turned people into great conservers who not only built beautiful and durable structures but also developed sustainable practices around them.
The desert that blooms
Posted on 31 Aug, 2016 12:41 PMRain has just abated but the clouds are threatening to burst again. “Not a good time to visit, what with reducing light and imminent showers,” I tell myself. “Don’t worry, it would be a light drizzle, if at all,” the person at the ticket counter assures. My guide, Sachin, a young, stout man with a winning smile, arrives from a tea break armed with binoculars and a slim guide book.
Climate change: When past presents itself
Posted on 24 Jun, 2016 08:40 PMSummers get hotter, rains decline and crops fail. The conflict between people increase and migration in search of better lands and skies begin. Sounds familiar? We are not talking about Marathwada here. This is how the lives of our ancestors played out thousands of years ago.
Water guards of Rajasthan
Posted on 20 Sep, 2015 07:29 PMWe were driving down the long desert road that runs parallel to the Indo-Pakistan border in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. There was little else to see except the surrounding sand dunes and desert grass.
Rajasthan's micro saviours need macro plans
Posted on 28 Aug, 2015 09:49 PMAs we leave behind the smooth, straight drive of NH 89 and take a dirt path that whirls around a few miles of undulating desert grassland, we end at a large patch of emerald green which looks outlandish. “The reason for such a spectacle in these harsh conditions lies close to the ground,” says Ravinder Chhabra, my local guide in Bikaner.
The big, blue spot in India's 'Golden City'
Posted on 12 Apr, 2015 08:04 PMWestern Rajasthan is dotted by thousands of ponds, many of which are architectural wonders. Among these, Gadsisar (also called Gadisar) stands out. Besides its unparalleled expanse and architecture, the pond narrates tales of sacrifice, dedication and ingenuity but more importantly, it upholds water as being superior to any class and caste divide.
From wasteland to wonderland
Posted on 04 Jan, 2015 09:32 PMAs you drive from Jodhpur to Jaipur, the barren and desolate terrain underscores the harsh environment. The land is bleached due to high soil salinity, and there are no water sources in sight. This guarantees that there is no vegetation other than weeds like Israeli babool (akesia tortlis).