Kulhs in Himachal Pradesh

What is a kulh?

 Kulhs are water channels found in precipitous

mountain areas. These channels carry water
from glaciers to villages in the Spiti valley of
Himachal Pradesh. Where the terrain is
muddy, the kul is lined with rocks to keep it
from becoming clogged. In the Jammu region
too, similar irrigation systems called kuhls are
found
Additional facts about kulhs
 Parts of Himachal Pradesh had evolved a local system of canal irrigation
called kulhs over 4 hundred years ago. The water flowing in the streams
was diverted into man-made channels which took this water to
numerous villages down the hillside. The management of the water
flowing in these kulhs was by common agreement among all the villages.
During the planting season , water was first used by the village farthest
away from the source of the kulh and then by villages higher up. These
kulhs were managed by two or three people who were paid by the
villagers. In addition to irrigation, water from these kulhs also percolated
into the soil and fed springs at various points. After the kulhs were taken
over by the Irrigation Department , most of them became defunct and
there is no amicable sharing of water as before.
Construction of a kuhl
 In cold deserts of Himachal Pradesh kulhs (water channels) are built
along the hill gradient for maintaining proper gravity for irrigation
 In dry temperate zone, kulhs (wooden water channels) are generally
made by making notches at the natural water sources and the water is
diverted to the fields for irrigation to different terraces, using the natural
gravitational flow of water
 In west Himalayan cold deserts for the optimum harnessing of water for
irrigation, water channels are constructed along the natural gradients.
 In upper Kinnaur, the channels (kulhs) are simply dug in the ground to
regulate the flow of water.
Distribution of kuhl water in fields

 In the cold deserts of Himachal Pradesh, participatory management is employed

for distribution of water.
 In the West Himalayan cold deserts, all the irrigation channels (Kuhls) cannot be
run satisfactorily due to non-availability of sufficient water from Nallas/Khads
 In Spiti valley, the farmers have developed the irrigation water distribution
system on the basis of their land holdings, in which every field is irrigated timely.
 In Kinnaur and other regions, nallas passing through a village are harvested on
turn basis called pala. Temporary channels are dug by the farmers towards their
fields. The whole community is divided on the basis of number of farm families
and one family gets one full water day to irrigate their fields turnwise
 Use of kulh water for running water mills
 Kulhs are built along the hill gradient for maintaining proper gravity for
irrigation and running water mills. Wooden water channels are also used
for running water-flour mills. These wooden channels are generally made
by making notches at the natural water sources and the water is diverted
to the water mill, using the natural gravitational flow of water. Since the
topography of the area consists of very high slopes and rocky terrain's,
wooden water channels are used at many places as water passes from
one place to another.
 Granite stones are used for grinding food grains. Long wooden channel
placed at steep gradient is used for maintaining the high speed of the
water flow. This is necessary for maintaining the high speed of the water
mills wheel
Some pictures of kulhs
Thank You and Hope you
enjoyed my presentation!