Bijapur Water Works with Special Reference to Taj Baudi

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Dr. Geeta. S. Patil, Professor, Department of Botany and Environmental Studies at B.L.D.E. Association's S. B. Arts and K.C.P. Science College, Bijapur, is a well known research scholar and scientist in the field of Environmental and Hydraulic Studies. She has her contribution, extensively in the field of Biodiversity. Research of Bijapur water works with the environmental status of the historical importance has made her an unique scientist in exploring the scientific approach of the Adil Shahis in the past history. The interdisciplinary research of history, scientific and architectural work stand for her contribution in ..e hydraulics of Adil Shahi works at Bijapur. The biodiversity during the period of Adil Shahis, existing till today is also one of her works. Research contribution of the oldest plant Adansonia digitata - Baobab, a living legend from the times of the Adil Shahis at Bijapur, is also for her credit. The wells and tanks of the Adil Shahis, rivers of Bijapur, etc. are extensively worked by her to study the environmental aspect.

The greater impact of her works has been to conserve, preserve and protect the Monumental Heritage of Bijapur with the Natural Heritage that is WATER. She has to her contribution extraordinary number of presentations in national and international conferences and publications of research articles in international journals. To her explorations, some of the unique research results are observed in Taj Baudi, for which she is the recipient of PARISARA PREMI Award from the Government of Karnataka. As an environmental scientist with historical approach, she has been interviewed by the press media of state and national levels.

Dr. Abdul Gani Imaratwale, Professor and Head, Department of History and Archeology at the Anjuman Islam's Degree College, Bijapur is a renowned scholar in the History and Sufism of Bijapur. He has amassed collection of copies of rare manuscripts and published works relating to the subject. He transcribed and translated many unpublished Farmans, Sanads and other rare Documents. He authored 5 books, and 40 articles in Urdu and English, which have been published in a wide range of academic journals. The greater impact of his works, however, has undoubtedly been to broaden the interest in and concern for the history and heritage of Bijapur. He has given an extraordinary number of presentations on various titles at numerous national and international conferences and seminars. Now and then the indigenous and foreign scholars consulted his expertise. To his credit there are few explorations of Archeological sites in and around Bijapur. As a local historian, he understood the minute details of Bijapur History; hence, he enjoys prime status in the field of research. Some of the state and national TV channels interviewed him on the subjects concerned.

On the virtue of being a citizen of Bijapur for about six decades I got an opportunity to closely observe almost monuments of Bijapur and chanced to study them intensively. So far my knowledge goes, the most important books of Bijapur history and architecture written in the colonial period are of Meadows Taylor's 'Architecture at Beejapoor' and Henry Cousen's 'Bijapur and its Architectural Remains. Even to this day these books serve as first hand primary sources ever published. In addition, they are some part renderings by the colonial and the Indian writers, who picked up very important titles and subject matters from the history, culture and heritage of Bijapur, by studying them one could get glimpse of Bijapur's overall history. These works also make the research scholars to develop a proper understanding and insight in studies of medieval Bijapur, minus them they cannot move forward in realization of their academic pursuits.

The present work 'Bijapur water works with special reference to Taj Baudi' is of equal grade and importance as of the above mentioned works. It is believed that this work too will help to understand Bijapur's erstwhile great past. The novelty of the work is the amalgamation of scientific knowledge with history. The approach of the authors to the research problem is commendable and highly applausive.

The authors Dr. Geeta Patil and Dr. Abdul Gani Imararwale deserve to be congratulated for this marvelous piece of academic work that will remain and continue to enjoy as the foremost scientific work of hydraulic remains of the Adil Shahis of Bijapur. On behest of the fanciful admirer and lovers of Bijapur history and heritage 1 anticipate such further works from their pen in forthcoming days.

It is an excitement to me to write up the Foreword to this book penned by Dr. Geeta Patil and Dr. Abdul Gani Imaratwale, who are well known environmental scientist and Deccan historian respectively. They took a lot of efforts to rewrite the history of Bijapur especially the water works with correct facts and figures based on authentic source materials available in Bijapur, Hyderabad, Maharashtra, etc.

The history of Bijapur is a unique chapter in the history of India. The capital city of Bijapur acclaimed an international status during the medieval times. It was the onetime capital of the Adil Shahi Sultans wherein dotted the mosques, mausoleums, graceful minarets, palaces, forts, watch towers, gateways, water tanks and its unique culture steeped in the history of Deccan. That is why it is rightly said that, if you throw a stone into Bijapur, it can only land on a historical monument'.

Under the 200 years of Adil Shahis' rule Bijapur had tremendously grown, and it became a great center of culture, trade and commerce, and art and architecture. As it flourished in all the walks of life, many scholars, poets, painters, dancers, calligraphers, musicians, Sufi saints and other men of art and letters flocked into Bijapur. It also advanced very much in the field of ecclesiastical matters, education and learning, therefore it was considered to be the 'Second Baghdad' in the Islamic World.

Remarkably this city even to this day retained greater part of its monuments which included the forts, mosques, shrines of the Sufi saints, mausoleums of the kings, water system, etc. that are most attractive in artistic sense in general, but a few of them to say the water systems are utilitarian in nature rather than attractive. This work titled 'Bijapur Water Works with Special Reference to Taj Baudi' by Dr. Geeta Patil and Dr. Abdul Gani Imaratwale is a unique attempt to explore the presence of science and technology and their application during the Adil Shahi regime.

The book throws light on the engineering work existed during 16th & 17th century AD. and narrates that in the city of Bijapur, presently known for scarcity of water, how every nook and corner were supplied with the plentiful of water. To meet the water requirements of the public in and around the city the Adil Shahi government exhibited an extraordinary engineering work and constructed as many as Baudis at various places. Among them, the notable construction is "Taj Baudi' a water tank that commemorates Taj Sultana, who was the favourite queen of Ibrahim Adil Shah II.

The authors say that the Taj Baudi never went dry so far, if its water is cleaned through chemical and biological process, then it can be useable and it is enough to meet the water requirements of the whole city of Bijapur today. The work also revealed the pathetic condition of the age old monument and its tangible heritage and utilitarian value. I hope this work will open the eyes of the authorities concerned, and it is their duty to bring back Taj Baudi's original beauty and utility.

With an intention to make justice to the contribution of the authors I would like to respectively single out them;

Dr. Geeta Patil, an eminent environmental scientist and a writer, has conducted specific researches on the Bijapur water works, most particular of the major Baudis with the environmental status of the historical importance of Bijapur. This contribution has made her an unique scientist in exploring the scientific knowledge of the Adil Shahis' past. Her renderings like the interdisciplinary research, application of science and technology to the art and architecture and creation of scientific hypothesis made her scientific scholar. The exploration of the knowledge of the biodiversity during the period of the Adil Shahis is her greatest contribution.

Dr. Abdul Gani Imaratwale, a specialist in medieval history of Bijapur, has already enriched the history lovers by his books, articles, speeches and presentations in the subject of the Sultanate's period. As a result many Indian and foreign scholars referred his name in their works that have been published in indigenous and foreign journals and magazines; and that exposed him internationally as a treasury of living source for writing up the medieval history of Bijapur. He has written many books and articles in English and Urdu which illuminate the dark areas of the history of the Adil Shahis, and he terminated many doubts that germinated in our minds about Bijapur's past. In this context his writings are important contribution to the history of Deccan in general and the Adil Shahis in particular.

I wish all the best to the authors, and expect more from them that in future, other than the Bijapur historical issues they will also undertake research tasks from the histories of the Deccan.