Sacred Waters: A Preservation Strategy for Temple Tanks of Ekamra Kshetra | Anisha Swain | Hardcover

Discover the sacred water heritage of Bhubaneswar through Sacred Waters: A Preservation Strategy for Temple Tanks of Ekamra Kshetra by Anisha Swain. This hardcover book explores temple tanks as places where spirituality, community life and ecological stewardship meet, and considers the importance of preserving them for future generations.

Explore the temple tanks of Ekamra Kshetra

More than architectural features, temple tanks have long served both sacred and practical purposes. Revered as part of the cultural landscape, these water bodies also help replenish groundwater and support community water supplies. The book brings attention to this relationship between water, heritage and everyday life in Bhubaneswar’s historic Old Town.

Against a backdrop of urbanisation and neglected maintenance, Sacred Waters examines the need to protect and restore these heritage water bodies. It invites readers to see temple tanks not simply as remnants of the past, but as an enduring connection between people, place and nature.

Why read this book?

• Discover Odisha’s water heritage: Explore the cultural, spiritual and ecological significance of the temple tanks of Ekamra Kshetra.
• Understand the preservation challenge: Consider how urban growth and neglect affect historic water bodies.
• Connect heritage with sustainability: Reflect on the role of traditional water systems in supporting communities and their environment.

A thoughtful addition to the bookshelf of architects, conservation students, heritage researchers and readers interested in Odisha’s history and traditional water systems.

Book details

• Title: Sacred Waters: A Preservation Strategy for Temple Tanks of Ekamra Kshetra
• Author: Anisha Swain
• Publisher: The Other Odisha Books
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 101
• ISBN: 9789381794777

About the author

Anisha Swain is an architect specialising in historic preservation and conservation. She holds a Master of Science in Historic Preservation from Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, and a Bachelor of Architecture from NMIMS, Mumbai. Her work brings together sustainable practices, preservation planning and community engagement to safeguard cultural heritage.

Her experience includes preservation and community-development work with FIDR’s Goa Livelihoods Forum and leading INTACH Bhubaneswar Chapter’s Temple Tank Project, focused on conserving the stories and significance of these sacred water bodies.