The Bright SideIn Uttarakhand's prime fruit-growing region, a brightly clad woman carries a pitcher to a tiny temple amid apricot orchards.
This 400-year-old structure is one of hundreds of water temples, or naulas, protecting vital springs for local communities.
Step inside the naula—its doorway so small you must bend almost double.
Inside, the dark, damp space features shallow steps forming an inverted trapezoid-shaped pool brimming with clean water, an optical illusion of ancient geometry.
Nand Kishore Khabdwal, an apricot farmer, shares the pride of Satkhol in their naula.
With the summer tourist crush and water scarcity, having a permanent source is a blessing.
Locals maintain its sanctity, ensuring clean water from the springs.
Fast forward to today; water scarcity has worsened as construction and population pressures rise.
A 2017 survey showed many perennial springs in Garhwal have dried up or become seasonal.
Yet the naula continues to be a beacon of hope.
In 2006, a local NGO, CHIRAG, helped revive the naula.
The community formed a Water User Committee, rekindling lost knowledge of water sources and sustainable practices.
Together, they restored the naula's catchment and improved their water management skills.
Over 6,000 springs have been restored thanks to collective efforts across the state.
The revived naula in Satkhol has become the hub of community life, reconnecting locals with their heritage and each other.
"It feels good to see water in the naula," Khabdwal says.
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