Know Your City: Ajwa Reservoir – Maharaja Sayajirao III Gaekwad’s gift to Vadodara city

The 1893-94 Volume of the compilation titled “Impounding Reservoirs in India”, an edited version of a chapter on the Baroda Waterworks, authored by Sadashiv states that the original catchment area of the Sayaji Sarovar was 36.2 square miles (95 kilometres). The chapter indicates that the Sarovar was built considering the average rainfall in the catchment areas for 17 previous years. It states, “The water-spread at top-water level is 4.72 square miles. The result of 17 years of rainfall observations at Baroda showed a mean rainfall of 39 inches, and a mean rainfall of 33 inches for three consecutive dry years… These figures were adopted as applicable to the neighbourhood of the proposed reservoir…”

There are 62 gates of three feet each, that allow the reservoir level to be regulated until 214 feet.

The chapter describes that the reservoir is “formed by an earthen embankment across the Surya River, 14,400 feet in length and 54 feet in maximum height… The embankment was constructed principally of earth excavated from the waste water course, which is situated at its northern extremity… The top of the embankment is 16 feet above the top-water level… Before commencing to build, the site throughout was completely cleared of vegetable mould, trees and shrubs and the sand and silt were removed from the area, forming the foundation in the bed of the Surya river and the Wagli nullah…”

From the valve house at the foot of the embankment, a cast iron main of 30 inches in diameter was laid parallel to the road from Ajwa to erstwhile Baroda – present-day walled city. Jeetendrasinh Gaekwad, great-grandnephew of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III, says that the friendship between Sayajirao III and Chamarajendra Wadiyar X – both aged 14 at that time – resulted in the construction of the Ajwa Reservoir in Vadodara as Baroda state benefited from the designing and planning finesse of Mysore state. Jeetendrasinh Gaekwad says, “It was at the age of 14, when our native village of Kavlana (in Nashik) faced a famine, that Maharaja Sayajirao decided to have a water supply project for Vadodara, which until that time solely depended on monsoon. He discussed with Sir T Madhavrao and the services of the Mysore state were taken for designing and planning; exchange of engineering ideas took place between Vadodara and Mysore and Jagannath Sadashiv was appointed as the chief engineer. The condition was that the water had to flow into Vadodara from Ajwa – about 20 kilometres away – by the use of gravity as there was no electricity at that time.”

Jeetendrasinh Gaekwad states that while Ajwa was the first reservoir envisioned and constructed by Sayajirao III, Baroda state eventually had 60 water reservoirs modelled on the concept of Ajwa with Chimnabai Sarovar of Kheralu in Mehsana district becoming the biggest reservoir of the erstwhile state.

Jeetendrasinh Gaekwad, great-grandnephew of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III, says that the friendship between Sayajirao III and Chamarajendra Wadiyar X – both aged 14 at that time – resulted in the construction of the Ajwa Reservoir in Vadodara.

Sadashiv’s Baroda Waterworks chapter also states that the need for having a reservoir to divert water from the Narmada River to Vadodara was felt in 1866 by then Maharaja Khanderao. However, as the project could not be practically designed, the funds were diverted to construct the Makarpura Palace in Vadodara. Jeetendrasinh Gaekwad states that when Sayajirao III planned the Ajwa Reservoir for a population of one million people, it was built from the Maharaja’s personal funds of Rs 34 lakh by mortgaging the jewellery of Maharani Chimnabai II, as Maharaja Sayajirao III did not wish to tax the subjects.

Jeetendrasinh Gaekwad says, “Maharani Chimnabai II pledged her jewellery for the construction of the Ajwa Reservoir. More than a lakh labourers built the dam by hand… Around Ajwa and Pratapsagar (Pratappura), the Maharaja built a forest of fruit trees – jamun, guava, mango, chikoo and tamarind – to make up for the land that went under water and arrest soil erosion. When it was complete, representatives of almost all countries visited the Ajwa reservoir to study how gravitational pull can take water to the city. It became a model for the 50 other reservoirs…”

M Visvesvaraya, the pioneering civil engineer of Mysore, who also went on to become the Dewan of Mysore state, had designed the gates that were later installed at Ajwa Reservoir – operated using drums that fill with water as the reservoir fills up during the monsoon. Dharmik Dave of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation, who looks after the operations of the Ajwa Reservoir, told this newspaper, “The level of the Ajwa embankment is fixed at 211 feet. Thereafter, there are 62 gates of three feet each, that allow the reservoir level to be regulated until 214 feet. Once the water reaches the level of 214, the gates are automatically opened as the water flows into a channel and creates pressure to lift the gates open. At each gate, the round pips, locally called tents, are connected to the chained valve system that can be operated with a tool until the level of 214 feet.”

On either side of the reservoir are gardens, also inspired by the famous Vrindavan gardens of Mysore, especially known for the spectacle of musical fountains.

Jeetendrasinh Gaekwad states that Ajwa lake was man-made and a pioneering experiment for the freshwater fishing industry during the era of the Baroda state in order to make villages self-sufficient. “After Ajwa reservoir, field water ponds (khet talavadi) were also created with surplus catchment waters to make farmers self-sufficient. Later, Pratappura was built by Maharaja Pratapsinhrao Gaekwad to feed Ajwa to ensure perennial water supply and make the catchment area water-prone,” he adds.

On either side of the reservoir are gardens, also inspired by the famous Vrindavan gardens of Mysore, especially known for the spectacle of musical fountains.

Sharing a lesser-known anecdote of locals “offering sacrifice” during the construction of the reservoir, Jeetendrasinh Gaekwad says, “While Ajwa Reservoir was being constructed, the bund broke multiple times due to the water flow. Thereafter, despite opposition from the Maharaja, a pregnant woman from among the workers appointed to construct the reservoir, was buried in the wall of the reservoir, as per the social custom of offering sacrifices. In order to honour her, the Ajwa step-well was created along with a temple to worship her – it continues to be there even today. The royal family had taken care of generations of her family.”