What is a ‘Khadin’ in western Rajasthan?

✅Explanation: A Khadin is a traditional water harvesting structure found in western Rajasthan, particularly used in arid and semi-arid regions. It is designed to capture and store rainwater, which is critical in this region due to its water scarcity and low rainfall. The Khadin helps recharge groundwater and is often used for agricultural purposes in the area.

🔑Key Points:

• Khadin:
-A khadin, also called a dhora, is an ingenious construction designed to harvest surface runoff water for agriculture.
-Its main feature is a very long (100-300 m) earthen embankment built across the lower hill slopes lying below gravelly uplands. Sluices and spillways allow excess water to drain off.
-The khadin system is based on the principle of harvesting rainwater on farmland and subsequent use of this water-saturated land for crop production.
-First designed by the Paliwal Brahmins of Jaisalmer, western Rajasthan in the 15th century.
-Since 15th century, people of extremely dry Western Rajasthan around Jaisalmer region follows a traditional runoff farming, a typical land-use system widely prevalent in highly arid areas of Thar desert which is commonly known as khadin cultivation in which rainwater harvested in the lower reaches during Kharif is used for rabi crops cultivation.
-It helps in recharge of groundwater apart from enabling growing Kharif and rabi crops depending upon the amount of rainfall and consequent runoff.
-However, the crop productivity of khadin cultivation remains low due to edapho-climatic constraints including nutrients deficiency, salt encrustation, sodicity and waterlogging.