The city of Jodhpur in Rajasthan has eight jhalaras, the oldest being the Mahamandir Jhalara which dates back to 1660 AD.
These are essentially of three types, differentiated on the basis of size. A reservoir with an area less than five bighas is called a talai, a medium-sized lake is called a bandhi and bigger lakes are called sagar or samand.
The little rain that the region received would be diverted to these man-made tanks through canals built on the hilly outskirts of cities. This water would then percolate, raising the water table.
A well-known technique in the Thar region, it is an important element of water security and can save families from the everyday drudgery of fetching water from distant sources.
They are constructed in an area with naturally high elevation on three sides. A storage pit is made by excavating the area, and the excavated soil is used to create a wall on the fourth side.
A saviour during hot summer months, these special wells are traditionally four feet in diameter as well as depth.
This ingenious construction was first designed by the Paliwal Brahmins of Jaisalmer in the 15th century. The system is very similar to the irrigation methods of the people of ancient Ur (present Iraq).
Traditionally, these well-pits were covered in disinfectant lime and ash. However, many modern kunds have been constructed simply with cement. Raja Sur Singh is said to have built the earliest known kunds.