The landscape department at MKSSS’s Dr Bhanuben Nanavati College of Architecture for Women (BNCA) recently published an e-book ‘Living Wisdom’ on sustainable water distribution to the riverine cultural landscape of wadis and fruit orchards around Asud village in Konkan through a traditional yet practical methods. The program was organised to mark World Landscape Architecture Month.
The e-book was released by Dr Anurag Kashyap, Principal BNCA. Dr Amita Sinha, Senior Cultural Landscape Architect, Dr SP Raut , Senior Professor of Konkan Agricultural University ( Retd) along with, editor of this e-book and head of landscape department at BNCA Dr Swati Sahasrabudhe, head of publication department at the institute Prof Smita Ogle, Prof Snehal Mijar, Prof Kshitija Kolhatkar, Prof Anupama Khatavkar, Prof Neha Adkar, as well as former postgraduate students of BNCA Radha Kinjwadekar and Tejal Hundekar, who participated in the project in 2022, were present on the occasion.
Dr Anurag Kashyap said that landscape architecture is an integral part of our lives as architects. The legacy of Konkan, which is famous for its diverse landscape, is always a subject of interest and study for researchers and more work can be done with the help of modern technology,
Dr Amita Sinha said that taking into consideration the development of human culture based on nature, we should adopt traditional knowledge for balanced use of natural resources available to us. In this period of global warming, we have to once again turn to the things that lead to the traditional nature of Konkan and find practical solutions,
Dr Swati Sahasrabudhe believes that this reference book will be very useful for researchers studying this amazing feat of consistency in water allocation following the same traditional knowledge for this landscape around Asud for the last 300 years.
Swati Sahasrabuddhe further said that while our traditional knowledge in the field of agriculture is being lost, We thought should study the distribution of water in Asud and document it. We plan to publish this e-book soon in the form of a printed format as well as in a brief version in Marathi.
Talking about sustainable agriculture in Asud, Dr Raut said that due to the prosperous nature, biodiversity, biodiversity in water resources and sufficient rainfall, this area has always prosperous.
Prof Amrita Barve described the book in poetic language and said prosperous Asud is a like cultural gathering of rich heritage, legacy,values,regional diversity, traditional systems and balance between nature and man’.
Devashree Degvekar was the compere for the programme while Prof Anupama Khatavkar proposed the vote of thanks.
