Doaba’s outlandish Water Tank Art

The rural skyline in this part of Punjab is a little different. Since it is the NRIs who dominate the Doaba region, they have also made it a point that when they reach village, they should get a feeling that their home is around. With that sentiment in mind, the art of styling the rooftop of the house by erecting concrete-based water tanks of distinct shapes started here some 25 years back.

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Over the years, the shape of the water reservoirs has evolved from airplanes to ships, army tanks, trucks, birds like eagles and hawks, horses, kangaroos (marking relocation to Australia), bullock carts and of late more popular tractors, bhangra-performing Punjabi couple and sports figures. Since all the shapes desired cannot be used for water storage, some villagers also prefer to install them as artwork only.

More recently, people have also started preferring having iconic figures of their choice as larger than life statues. For instance, a house at Dhanoa village near Jalandhar has the statue of Rani Laxmibai riding a horse. Two houses in the ancestral village of Bhagat Singh at Khatkar Kalan in Nawanshahr have his statues atop an already constructed water tank. The idea of having statue of Dalit icon Dr BR Ambedkar is also a favourite among many.

Having a unique showpiece on the house has become such a matter of prestige for some families that they do not mind even if the local artisans or fabricators ask for hefty amount for the work. Their only demand is getting a finely chiseled piece with bright colours such that it makes their house stand apart.