Understanding the Water Laws in Ancient India: An Overview of Socio-Religious Ancient Texts

Throughout history, water has been the primary resource for all civilizations. Although there were no official rules governing the use of water in ancient India, there are numerous recorded codes, conventions, and religious writings that do. The Indus Valley civilization was renowned for its water management, despite the fact that we have not found any particular regulations for it. A strong concern for the exploitation and management of water resources is implied by well-planned cities with high standards for their sewage, water supply, drainage, and storage infrastructure. However, with the establishment of the Vedic social order—where Dharma served as the cornerstone—legal standards pertaining to the use of water started to take shape. Although there was a legal framework for water management in the past, it was impractical to gather all of the rules, laws, and customs of the time because small republics with independent, self-sufficient villages were in charge of maintaining the socioeconomic system. The issue becomes even more complicated due to the dearth of effective literature on agricultural topics, which makes it difficult to compile a single sociological corpus juris of water for any socioeconomic group in India during that time.

Keywords: Water Resources, Water Management, Exploitation, Dharma, Religious Text.