#amar foundation

[wearepeace]

“If you miss the train, those on the train will also miss something because every person has the potential to change the fate of every person they come across!” ― Mehmet Murat ildan

#manchester #photography #amar foundation #media #nature photography #nature #iraq #uk #naturelover #london #woodworking #woods #woodland #texture #sculpture #sculptor #woodwork #visual arts #artwork #art #artists on tumblr #illustration #digital art #uk photography #street photography #photographers on tumblr #fujifilm #bwphotography

[totallyhussein-blog]

5, 4, 3, 2, 1...Thunderbirds Are Go!

“I can't believe it's been 4 years, since I took part on Salford's Run Media City with my good friend Tracy.  It was also fabulous, to adorn our Thunderbirds costumes and promote the international rescue efforts of the AMAR International Charitable Foundation.

We're incredibly proud of what AMAR has achieved in Iraq and this includes the school for orphans, which the AMAR Foundation built in Basra back in 2016. Since opening its doors, the school has grown to become a sanctuary for kids who have lost parents to conflict or illness.

The school boasts modern facilities and provides a broad curriculum, so children get the best start in life. The teaching staff are also equipped to assist children's emotional development and this allows the young people to grow in a nurturing and supportive environment.

This picture was taken on our second Run Media City adventure for the AMAR Foundation and I've also done the Manchester 10K for AMAR's efforts in Iraq. If you're looking for a challenge and believe in welfare, healthcare and education, then why not run for AMAR? We'd love for you to join us!”

(pictured is Hussein Al-alak and Tracy Hollowood on the Run Media City 5K in Salford for the AMAR International Charitable Foundation. You can contribute to AMAR’s ongoing work here)

#hussein al-alak #amar foundation #salford #run media city #media city #iraq #iraqi #basra #thunderbirds are go #thunderbirds #international rescue #education #child welfare #manchester #Manchester Evening News

[cristinabcn]

SALUD MENTAL: EL AMOR Y SUS FORMAS DE AMAR

HOLA MUNDO..!! Definitivamente el amor, es un sentimiento profundo, complejo que se experimenta entre dos o más personas y se caracteriza por una mixtura de emociones, pensamientos, acciones y comportamientos afectuosos de cariño, deseo, compromiso y apoyo a la otra persona. Es una emoción extremadamente poderosa, lo cual se refleja en su impacto en la cultura a lo largo de la historia.…

View On WordPress

#CRISTINA BARCELONA CEO #Cristina Barcelona Columnista #EL AMOR VERDADERO #EL AMOR Y SUS FORMAS DE AMAR #EL COMPROMISO #EL CONTACTO VISUAL #FORMAS #FOUNDATION OF THE AMERICAS #HOLA MUNDO #la agencia mundial de prensa #LA IMPORTANCIA DEL PRESENTE ARTICULO #LA INTIMIDAD #LA PASION #lomasleido #lomasvisto #PSICOLOGIA #ROBERT STERNBERG #SALUD MENTAL #TEORIA TRINAGULAR DEL AMOR

[donation-fundraising]

#sos children village #best ngo in india #helpage india #ngo for women #apna ghar bharatpur #amar seva sangam #dignity foundation #ngo for child education #india charity organizations #sponsor child education india #cuddles foundation #smile foundation #isha education

[lyricsgoal]

Nasha Lyrics - Amar Jalal

#Nasha #AmarJalal

View On WordPress

#Amar Jalal #Anahad Foundation #Balla Jalal #Faridkot #IP Singh

[la-semillera]

HEDDA STERNE & PIEDAD BONNETT

EL SUEÑO DE LA INOCENCIA

La inocencia

es la virtud del sueño,

y el desdén por el tiempo su ganancia.

Como niños desnudos remontamos sus aguas

con los ojos abiertos. Y qué hallazgos.

El que murió nos abraza de nuevo

y volvemos a amar al olvidado.

Al cuerpo que dejamos en la orilla

regresamos distintos,

con un vacío a medias,

como quien ha alguna cosa

que no sabe qué es,

allá,

del otro lado.

-

Piedad Bonnett, de Explicaciones no pedidas, Visor Libros.

Portrait of Hedda Sterne by the Waintrob Brothers, c. 1960 from the Hedda Sterne Foundation website.

#piedad bonnett #hedda sterne

[dxwnfxll]

Um, hi. I was wondering if you could write about Dr Bright with an S/O who was formerly an assassin from the GOC who was tasked with killing Bright and bringing the amulet back to the GOC but instead fell in love with Bright and he eventually learns the truth because his S/O finally told him? It's fine if you don't want to, I just thought I'd ask since you're once of the only people who still writes about him. Thanks

Sure! And if i am correct from your other question you wanted to replace the GOC as the chaos insurgency soooo i'll do that!

N/n= Nickname/codename

Dr. Shaw with an ex assassin oc

-a few years back you had once worked for the Chaos insurgency, you were once a highly skilled assassin valued by the CI (short for chaos insurgency) you were usually one of the first few candidates they chose to send on more 'dangerous' missions.

-you remember the day they called you in, you were training with a friend at one of the training rooms. A new recruit had walked in as you practiced hand to hand combat on the punching bag in front of you. They walked over to you "Agent N/N" you stopped grabbing the bag and looking at them "yeah?"

-They straightened up as they spoke "mission for you, very urgent. Said for you to head out immediately." They handed you a folder, you nodded "understood."

-the mission had been simple, kill the host of 963, carefully retrieve the amulet and get your ass back to the base.

-When you were first brought in, another CI agent had talked their way into letting you in. The man undercover as a 'Dr. Amar' had shown you the ropes and what you needed to know. This was your first time inside an actual site, usually you were always outside of it with a sniper in hand.

-now you walked around in a lab coat bearing the name 'Dr. L/n' on a badge secured on a lanyard around your neck. You looked around for the doctor pretending to simply be following Dr. Amar until there they were.

-the ginger person stood not that far from you, their current body being that of a woman. Her hair was up in a bun as he looked over something on their phone leaning against the wall.

-you went to grab the knife by your side as Dr. Amar stopped you, he whispered "not yet." And let go of your arm. You knew from that what type of mission this was going to be..a long one.

-befriending the researcher was not easy, she always seemed to be busy. Always walking away just as you said hello, at least he'd usually apologize before walking away to some important matter.

-you two finally became friends though after you caught her in the break room, it had been 2 weeks total since you had been sent here undercover. You walked into the break room hearing them hum.

-they stopped before turning around just a bit to see you "oh hey there Dr uhhh" she squinted trying to read your tag "L/n. I haven't seen you around much, you new here?"

-You nodded and told the lie that had been drilled into your head by Dr. Amar "yeah and no, i transferred here from containment site 25-B." Dr. Shaw nodded "ah, well guess it's not that much of a change for ya huh? Except no fear of an ancient warrior breaking out anytime soon huh?" She joked

-you nodded "oh yeah, now i just have to worry about an overgrown lizard wanting a midnight snack" Dr. Shaw snickered at that "at least we can control when it's let out or not"

-you two began to grow close after that, weeks slowly began to turn into months as you still remained undercover. Your bosses checking on you every couple weeks or so to see how progress was, but now that you began to think fully about it..did you really want to take 963 back?

-you felt so..at ease around him, you wanted to protect the chaotic doctor and completing this mission would lead into only betraying them.

-as your boss called you that night you made up your mind, you didn't answer. You let it ring, you knew if you just didn't pick up they'd think you were dead. That the Foundation had found you, that you were probably rotting in some cell.

-and you were right, after that night they didn't call back..ever. You were most likely dead to the CI, and from now on you were Dr. L/n Dr. Shaws..friend

-the months blended together until three years had passed, within those years so much had happended. You made more friends, got promoted, and fell for Dr. Shaw.

-she had asked you out one warm summer night, as you sat on the roof of site-19 watching the stars. For once you were able to watch them without the worry of needing to shoot someone, you heard footsteps behind you and turned your head to see the ginger.

-you smiled at them "hey Ellie" she smiled back at you sitting down "hey Y/n" they watched the stars with you "y'know..i like moments like these, we should have more of them"

-you looked at him "oh?" You had a feeling you knew what they were asking, as Elias looked at you she nodded "yeah..wanna go out?" You snickered a bit at how blunt he was with the question "yeah..i'd love to"

-that had been a year ago, life was perfect for the next year or so. You two were partners and you'd do anything for her, he was the love of your life and you felt nothing could tear you apart

-until you remembered your past, why you even came here. You wanted to continue to lie to Elias and hope it would be enough, but eventually you'd get caught..you knew you would.

-you fought with yourself until ultimately deciding what you needed to do. You called Elias to your dorm, you both would talk about this..as much as you didn't want to you needed to.

-it didn't take very long for Elias to get to your dorm, but it felt like Elias had taken hours to get there. But that was just your nerves, you were nervous..not just about being possibly killed for once being a CI assassin, but also scared to lose the person you loved.

-Elias sat on your couch next to you, you fidgeted with your hands as you just blurted it out "i was once an assassin sent to kill you and take 963, i'm so sorry i'm no longer with them i-" she cut you off "i know."

-you felt your blood run cold as you looked at them "huh.." Elias's usual goofy looking face had been replaced with a serious and even..scary face. No smile, his eyes didn't shine, and a shadow seemed to cover his face just a bit somehow

-Elias spoke "i know what you were..i figured it out after you told me you were from containment site 25-B." You cocked an eyebrow "how?" He smiled, a smile that didn't seem genuine but..dark. "Everyone there was killed in an incident involving SCP 076-2."

-you scooted away from him a bit "i'm sorry Elias..i really am i never wanted to-" he spoke again interrupting you "stop apologizing. I know you left, you've already made it up." He got up

-as he cracked his fingers he looked back at you still sitting on the couch "you're one of us now, your past doesn't matter let's just forget it." He gave you a smile before walking to the door "see you after work."

-and so he left, he left as your mind filled with more questions. You didn't know to either be at ease..or scared."

Hope you enjoyed!

Requests always open!

#scp #scp foundation #scp fandom #scp fanfiction #scp x reader #dr bright #scp dr bright x reader #scp dr bright #elias shaw #scp dr ambrose x reader #scp dr ambrose #dr ambrose

[jordanianroyals]

Queen Noor Al Hussein of Jordan at the AMAR International Charitable Foundation Armani Charity Show in aid of child orphans in Iraq, at the Dorchester Hotel, London, in October 2008

#Queen Noor

[wearepeace]

“Wishing to be friends is quick work, but friendship is a slow ripening fruit.” ― Aristotle

#aristotle #manchester #media #photography #nature photography #nature #iraq #uk #iraqi #aristotle and dante discover the secrets of the universe #lavender #roses #flower #petals #lilac #green #uk nature #scotland #naturelover #amar foundation #mountains #trees #nature lovers #forest #landscape #we are peace #iraq solidarity news #malcolm x #vintage books #books and reading

[totallyhussein-blog]

Join AMAR on a journey to the Garden of Eden

In 1991, Saddam Hussain’s persecution of the Marsh Arabs in southern Iraq saw hundreds of thousands flee their homes. As Iraq’s historic marshes were drained and villages attacked, families had no choice but to move.

After a visit to the region, Baroness Emma Nicholson refused to ignore the situation and launched an appeal, ‘Assisting Marsh Arabs and Refugees’ - to send relief to those who had lost everything.

Today, the AMAR Foundation’s work has evolved and AMAR’s teams are working right the way across Iraq, Lebanon and Romania, ensuring that vulnerable families have access to healthcare, educational services and emergency aid.

They keep the name ‘AMAR’, which translates as ‘the builder’ in some Arabic dialects and this reminds people of their central mission - that AMAR are rebuilding lives!

By reading these two books, you can join Baroness Nicholson and the AMAR Foundation and travel to the Marshlands of Iraq, which are also said to be the biblical Garden of Eden.

'THE MARSH ARABS' BY WILFRED THESIGER

During the years he spent among the Marsh Arabs of southern Iraq, Wilfred Thesiger came to understand, admire and share a way of life that had endured for many centuries.

In 'The Marsh Arabs', Thesiger pays tribute to the hospitality, loyalty, courage and endurance of the people, describes their impressive reed houses, ancient waterways and lakes teeming with wildlife.

'RETURN TO THE MARSHES' BY GAVIN YOUNG

It was the legendary Wilfred Thesiger who first introduced Gavin Young to the Marshes of Iraq.

Young became entranced by both the beauty of the Marshes and by the Marsh Arabs who inhabit them, a people whose lifestyle was almost unchanged from that of their predecessors, the Ancient Sumerians.

'Return to the Marshes' was first published in 1977 and is at once a moving tribute to a unique way of life, as well as a love story to a place and its people.

#amar foundation #garden of eden #iraq #iraqi #baghdad #basra #manchester #mosul #liverpool #baroness emma nicholson #wilfred thesiger #gavin young #wales #history #book club #books #reading #english literature #books and literature

[professor-mystic]

Question. What to do when the Magearna you're pretty sure belongs to the Aether Foundation shows up at your door.

I have legit no idea what it's here for

I'd say keep it safe maybe got to @updates-from-po-town for aid? I don't trust Aether at all. I trust Team Skull, they're looking after Mr. Amar and his offspring. They've helped me with studies into different pokemon.

#yeah go to team skull #people call them “evil” #they're just anti-establishment #and considering where they are #they have every fuckin' right to be #professor mystic #pokemon #pokemon irl #pokeblogging #pokemon professor #pkmn irl #pokemon rp #pokemon headcanon #unreality

[eirian-houpe]

TMI Tuesday

Happy Tuesday - has it really been a month since I last posted on of these?

Life has been crazy and busy, and busy and crazy, and then I took a vacation. I did manage to write a chapter of Secret of the Seas while away (aboard a ship), but since I got back I haven’t had a chance to type it up or edit it.  Hopefully soon.  I also still have some chapters of Disparate Pathways, and Time’s Curse to edit and post - again, soon!

Anyway, go on and drop me an ask and let me know what you’d like to see updated next.  If you drop me an ask like that, I’ll give you a tidbit for the named fic.  How’s that for a fair exchange?

Otherwise, here are some other suggestions for you…

Ask suggestions

Ask something about any of my fics (full list is below the cut). If you want specifics from some fics that are already outlined, you can ask about:

Disparate Pathways, Chapters 48 through 56 All Our Past Mistakes, Chapters 11 through 44 Lover’s Leap Series, Stories 15 through 31 Time’s Curse, Chapters 4 through 10 Laer o Faen, Chapter 27 & 28 Stargate: Atlantis, Harms Way or any of the 20 fics in the series.

Ask something of any of my characters in general or you can get really specific if you like - for example you might want to ask Gold from Pawn Shop a question about a chapter, a thought, a feeling… (the world is your oyster really)

Ask about my process as a writer, what makes me tick,, or even ask about me personally. Almost nothing is off limits.

Also, if you want to see a specific character or fic featured in Three Things Thursday, or Saturday Secret, feel free to send in prompts, if no one does, then either the choice will be random or they just won’t happen at all. I made an analogy for why that might be in a different post about a car stuck in the mud with spinning wheels. Those wheels are still spinning!

Please remember: if you read a fic you enjoyed on AO3 or on Tumblr (not just mine), please take the time to comment and/or leave kudos, and to reach out on TMI Tuesday. It means a lot to the writers and artists.

You can find all my fics currently on AO3 here, and there is a full list under this cut.

Storybrooke’s Best Kept Secret - Rumbelle

Darkness In Hyperion Heights - Woven Beauty au

Seven Tastes - Rumbelle

Tuesday - Rushbelle AU

The Language of Flowers Series - Rumbelle

Disparate Pathways - Rumbelle AU

Scattered - Rumbelle AU

All Our Past Mistakes - Rumbelle AU

What the Actual Fuck! - Sutherelle

Breathe - Rushbelle

The Lover’s Leap Series - Rumbelle

Awakening - Rumbelle

War Is Coming To Storybrooke - Rumbelle

Given No Choice - Rush

Thoughts On A Happy Ending Series - Rumbelle

Darker Hearts Series - Wish!Rumbelle

Modern Wonders - a OUAT/Alice crossover

Time’s Curse - Rumbelle

The Pawn Shop On Main Street - Rumbelle

The Mansion On the Edge of Town - Rumbelle with a side of Jefferson

Cobra: In Your Prayers - Cobra/FatWS/UC:Undercover et al

To See Series - Rumbelle

Nobody Knew (Bingo) - Rumbelle

Secret of the Seas - Rumbelle AU

Butterfly and Phoenix - ST:DSC

Laer o Faen - Tolkien

Ship’s Rats - ST: DCS

I Amar Boe Men Heb - Tolkien

Coming Down - Halt and Catch Fire

Armor of Ice - Halt and Catch Fire

Duath i-Achas Eriol - Tolkien

Balance of Terror - Sleeper Cell

What To Believe - UC: Undercover

If: In The End - UC Undercover

Precious - The Mummy Series

Forbidden - The Mummy Series

Power Is - The Mummy Series

Angel of the Heart - The Mummy Series

Star of the Morning - The Mummy Series

Not Yours To Keep - Foundation (TV)

No Saving Throw - Stranger Things

Here are fics that haven’t yet been started, but are in the Muse’s bucket.

The Miner’s Day Festival - Rumbelle

Aftermath - Rumbelle (with a side of madness)

Saving The Dark One (WT) A twist on a twist of Rumplestiltskin.

Brought To You By The Color… (Red)

Calcul(us)

(In)consistent equation

The Boston Storybrooke Line

Breaking the Waves (Movie AU)

ILP (or IEP) for Rumple.

One Last Wish

In Service to My Son

Playground Games

Bright Eyed and Bushy Tailed

“Only Remembered For What We Have Done.”

Librarian: UC

Exquisite Harmonies

Resolutions - Rushbelle in the Deck the Halls universe.

#TMI Tuesday #asks #send asks #send me asks #ask me anything #ama #feel free to prompt me

[jbk405]

Episode two of Willow was a definite step up (No color errors in this video file), and provided we don’t have a quality drop later on I’ll say I’m in for the rest of the season.

Part of it was just getting Willow as a character again.  Particularly as he’s speaking to his village in the opening, making a big show of everything, and I remember how much of a showman he was in the original film.  He was performing actual sleight-of-hand magic long before he started to learn any real magic.  Seeing his daughter was beautiful with all the callbacks to the film, and I had my first real fear as the corrupted guards rode up to her because DON’T YOU DARE HURT HER.  I get why we needed to start with the other characters before he was introduced again, but just having him here made the show that much more fun.

Boorman was entertaining with his irreverent blather, and he walked that very fine line of being annoying that a lot of characters overstep.  Amar Chadha-Patel looks very familiar to me, but I checked his IMDB page and I haven’t seen any of his other listed credits so I don’t know what it is.  But he is SO familiar.

I also like how they didn’t draw out the corruption of the guard captain.  A savvy viewer could call it in episode one (I did) so if they’d tried to throw it in as a “twist” in episode five we would have just said “called it”.  By showing it so early they say that they weren’t trying to hide it at all, and we can move on to the next part of the story.

I could do without the obvious romance that they’re trying to stir up between Graydon and Brünhilde (I’m not going to call her “Elora” until she accepts the name).  It’s just so obvious and doesn’t have any foundation yet, because Graydon’s “You’re the only one who doesn’t see how special you are” speech comes when they literally have not even had a single one-on-one conversation before.  I think that would have been better coming from somebody who knew her as an infant and so has the memories of the Promise that was Elora Danan to spur action even if they don’t know each other very well now.

Princess Kit is unfortunately the weak spot of this episode.  She isn’t coming across as Headstrong and Impetuous, she instead seems Petty and Self-Centered and Aggressive.  I think -- I hope -- this comes from their rush to establish the characters and get the adventure rolling, and over the next few episodes they’ll get a better handle on her character and learn where

#Willow #The High Aldwin #TV

[officialyourdailyinspiration]

10 Pues, El que quiere amar la vida y ver días buenos, refrene su lengua del mal y sus labios no hablen engaño. 11 Apártese del mal y haga el bien; busque la paz y sígala.

(10 For the one who wants to love life and to see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit, 11 and let him turn away from evil and do what is good. Let him seek peace and pursue it,) — 1 Peter 3:10-11 | La Biblia de las Américas (LBLA) La Biblia de las Américas © 1986, an original work translated from the Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek directly into modern Spanish. The Lockman Foundation. All Rights Reserved. Cross References: Psalm 34:12-13 and 14; 1 Peter 3:12

#life #peace #love #speaking #deceit #evil #1 Peter 3:10-11 #The Epistle of First Peter #New Testament #LBLA #La Biblia de las Américas #The Lockman Foundation

[tengomilpalabrasparati]

Se afirma que el amor es un sentimiento universal que une a las personas, generando una sensación de bienestar y solidaridad. Una manera de demostrarlo es celebrar cada 1 de mayo el Día Mundial del Amor.

Esta fecha representa un día simbólico de amor incondicional que invita a todas las personas y naciones para que se unan en la sabiduría de la paz y el amor, generando una visión común para ayudar positivamente a la humanidad.

¿Cómo se originó la creación de este día mundial?

El Día Mundial del Amor o Global Love Day es una iniciativa impulsada por la organización Love Foundation.

El 1 de mayo de 2004 se anunció el primer Día Global del Amor, cuyo tema central fue "el amor comienza conmigo".

Con ello se pretende animar a las personas de todo el planeta a expresar amor de la manera que conocen, cambiando así la forma en que las personas ven el mundo y generar un efecto positivo en ellas.

Es reconocer de manera consciente que el amor siempre está presente, a pesar de las circunstancias y emociones que afectan a nuestras vidas como el dolor, el resentimiento, el miedo y el sufrimiento.

Love Foundation: una organización dedicada al amor

Es una organización mundial sin fines de lucro, cuyo objetivo fundamental es inspirar a las personas a amar incondicionalmente a los demás y a sí mismas. Fue fundada por Harold W. Becker en el año 2000, con la finalidad de impulsar una perspectiva positiva acerca de lo que está sucediendo en el mundo, divulgando a través de sus acciones un mensaje de amor hacia los demás.

Lleva a cabo los siguientes programas:

Educación:

Seminarios, talleres y presentaciones para compartir ideas y conceptos prácticos sobre este tema.

Investigación:

Estudios sobre las respuestas biofísicas al amor.

Investigaciones sobre la historia y el impacto del amor incondicional.

Apoyo a nuevos proyectos que beneficien a la humanidad.

Desarrollo de una base de datos y una biblioteca de información digital sobre el amor.

Acciones caritativas:

Desarrollo de programas comunitarios que fomenten acciones positivas.

Programas dirigidos a niños y jóvenes para mejorar la autoestima y la confianza.

Apoyo a grupos y organizaciones que promuevan el desarrollo humano y el crecimiento personal.

¿Cómo podemos celebrar el Día Mundial del Amor?

El Día Mundial del Amor debe celebrarse hoy y todos los días, mediante demostraciones de amor y afecto hacia las personas que nos rodean.

Puedes organizar una reunión, actividad o evento en tu comunidad, conectándote desde el amor con tu familia, amigos, vecinos y desconocidos.

Otras maneras de celebrar este día es visitar un orfanato o un centro de retiro para ancianos y disfrutar con ellos un momento especial, donar artículos a un refugio o ser voluntario en alguna organización humanitaria.

Anualmente se lleva a cabo la actividad denominada Invitacional de Arte, Ensayo y Poesía. Envía un arte, ensayo o poesía, basado en los principios, la visión y tema de este día mundial. Las directrices para participar se encuentran disponibles en el sitio web oficial de The Love Foundation.

Siempre habrá una forma de demostrar amor hacia los demás y hacia ti mismo: disfrutar de una buena película, compartir una deliciosa cena con alguien especial, salir a correr, ir a la playa o pasear en un parque ¡lo que prefieras hacer en este día!

Comparte información útil e interesante en las redes sociales acerca del Día Mundial del Amor, con el hashtag #GlobalLoveDay

OS QUIERO ❤

#1 de mayo el Día Mundial del Amor

[netzerobulletin]

The world’s first river-linking project: Lessons in water management from Udaipur

By: Mr. Raju Mansukhani Senior Journalist and Writer on Heritage

When the soft-spoken Dr Narpat Singh Rathore presents his paper on water conservation and management, audiences at major conferences are rarely prepared for the fascinating, unique stories he shares on river-linking from the historic city of Udaipur in south Rajasthan, India.

A former professor of geography, ML Sukhadia University in Udaipur, Dr Rathore spent decades researching and documenting watershed management, river diversion and river linkage in the region of Mewar since the last 700 years. Udaipur, he explains, is actually a network of eight man-made lakes which have given the heritage city its character and sustainability. Well, that is why Udaipur is known as the ‘city of lakes’. 

It is when an archival photograph of 1890 is seen that the drama begins: On August 13th, a delegation led by Prince Arthur, the Duke of Connaught and Strathearn was visiting Udaipur. Prince Arthur, the third son of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, was the Commander-in-Chief of the Bombay Army. To commemorate his visit Maharana Fateh Singh, the reigning ruler of State of Udaipur, requested the royal dignitary to lay the foundation stone of a dam at Devali near Udaipur. The Maharana, in honour of Prince Arthur, named the dam as ‘Connaught Dam’. Prince Arthur complimented a British engineer, Campbell Thompson working on the project.

A feeder canal called ‘Chikalwas feeder’ was constructed to divert the surplus rain water of Ahar river towards the Devali Talab now being renovated. The 200-year-old Devali Talab had seen disuse and destruction. Prince Arthur, in turn, requested the Maharana to rename the lake as ‘Fateh Sagar’ to cement their friendly ties. Today, 134 years after the historic event, the entire project is referred to as the world’s first river-linking project. 

“It’s a unique example of water conservation and management anywhere in the world,” explained Dr. Rathore. Decades later in 1933 the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) was founded in the US, as part of President Roosevelt’s New Deal. Campbell Thompson who worked on the Udaipur projects, migrated to the US and was employed by TVA. The microhistory of water resource management in Mewar is filled with fascinating dots which are waiting to be joined together. 

Dr Rathore’s paper on ‘Water Resource Management: A study of the world’s first man-made river links, river diversion and micro watershed of Udaipur basin’ lists the eight linkages: Goverdhan Sagar to Lake Pichola; Lake Pichola is linked to Doodh Talai, Amarkund and Kumharia Talab with channels; Kumharia Talab is linked to Rang Sagar; Rang Sagar, in turn, has link channels to Amar Kund and Swaroop Sagar; it is Swaroop Sagar that overflows into the Fateh Sagar through the eighth link channel. 

In the 14th century CE: The story begins with Maharana Lakha who was instrumental, in today’s terminology, in watershed area planning. Between 1382-1385, Lake Pichola was constructed across the Kotra or Sisarma river. It has a total water body area of almost 7 sq. km. “It is the creation of a natural asset,” said Dr Rathore, “the city of Udaipur gets defined by Lake Pichola and successive generations of Maharanas of Mewar provided more lakes, in fact more lifelines for the city from the 14th to 20th centuries.” 

The expertise demonstrated in the construction of Lake Pichola as a water body in the 14th CE is in sync with scientific and technological developments at the zinc mines of Zawar, as detailed in Dr Paul T Craddock’s report titled ‘The production of lead, silver and zinc in ancient India’.  A good working knowledge of hydrology, pneumatics, hydrostatics, geology and competence in mathematics would have been essential for these achievements, wrote Dr Craddock.  Following the example of Maharana Lakha, the network of lakes was constructed which can best be understood as micro watershed units. 

Geography has played an important role in these micro-historical feats in Udaipur and the region of Mewar. Udaipur basin is located on the ‘great India water divide line’ at the confluence of four rivers, i.e., Ahar, Morwani, Amarjok and Kotra (Sisarma) that flow through the well-defined Girwa region along eastern slopes of south-central Aravallis, one of the oldest mountain range of the world. 

Girwa means ‘girdle of hills’ and the Udaipur basin is saucer-shaped in the form of a valley, surrounded by Aravalli hill ranges. “Metamorphic rocks of the region ensure that there is no underground leakage or seepage of water from these lakes,” said Dr Rathore. 

Ahar is the only major river that flows through this region, originating from the hills of Gogunda, flowing for 30 kms and joining Udai Sagar lake in the east.  The construction of Connaught Dam in 1890 assumes significance when known how highly erratic and uncertain is the rainfall every year. 

“Erratic rainfall is only one of the challenges we face in the 21st century,” said Dr Rathore. “Explosive population growth, encroachment of lake-beds and rapid urbanization have compounded the problems that a heritage city like Udaipur faces, year after year,” he said. Measures to save lakes need to be taken through water conservation techniques and construction of new link channels. 

Said Dr Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar of Udaipur, trustee of the Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation, “Lessons from our past have to be learnt and shared with the world. We salute the Custodians of Mewar and leaders whose names are linked to water bodies that have sustained our cities, and positively impacted the lives and livelihoods for centuries. This is sustainability in action and we are always open to sharing our knowledge with the world, especially when water is becoming the most precious asset.” 

In the present, it is a delight to see the bounty of monsoons, the rains which will fill up the lakes of Udaipur, and the movement of the overflowing waters. Fateh Sagar, connected with Swaroop Sagar with a link channel and the Ahar river, makes headlines in the local media when it overflows! For residents-tourists to the heritage city, lakes filled to the brim are thrilling sights to remember. Rajasthan, though synonymous with the Thar desert, springs this surprise with the ‘city of lakes’ whose microhistory of water resource management is as significant as it is sustainable and life-giving.  

#sustainability #solar energy #net zero #breaking news