The project aims to work towards revitalising and repurposing the heritage canal – the Purnaiah Nala in Mysuru, and contribute to a sustainable future for the city. Through a series of studies, outreach activities and citizen engagement, we intend to mobilise public support for conserving the remaining parts of this natural blue-green network that runs through Mysuru city.
Over a century ago an ingenious 25 km long canal (Purnaiah Nala), was constructed to divert surplus runoff from Yelwala ridge, the second highest point in Mysuru to Kukkarahalli Kere to provide water for the growing town. The ridge has a significant watershed that was a grassland traditionally used for grazing and rainfed agriculture. Change in land-use made groundwater position precarious over the years. With Urbanisation, the city outgrew the traditional system and piped water supply from River Cauvery became the norm. Earlier systems were forgotten, ignored and neglected. The City Master Plan shows this area is poised for big urban growth.
Opportunistic developments over the years have led to Urban sprawl, partial decimation of the canal by authorities, encroachments by institutions and individuals, loss of habitats and biodiversity in the region, destruction of ecological functions and values of streams, and water bodies converting them into concrete drains and receptacles of urban wastewater runoff.
Public and focus group pressure since the late 90s has helped prevent the conversion of the canal to housing and roads. This inspired a collaboration between Mysore School of Architecture, Water Forum Mysuru and Aranya Outreach Trust in 2023 to focus on Urban ecology, specifically the ecological layer – “Water”. Water Forum, conceptualised as an interactive platform, flexible in its composition, provides a platform to understand developmental forces and engage with the city’s natural heritage in a restorative & sustainable manner.
Bringing water to habitation and safe discharge of rainwater continues to be a critical function to augment developmental needs. In the changing climatic scenario, particularly with reference to water security, it is but inevitable that we plan for better ecosystem services and alternative approaches.
Our efforts are directed towards understanding the city’s changing relationship with its water bodies. The group currently comprises practising architects, engineers, ecologists, educators, researchers, media professionals, academicians & students. The process is shaped by an urge for action through collaborative efforts of volunteers with diverse skill sets keeping in mind the following critical objectives:
- Information to Knowledge
- Engaging through Conversations
- Advocacy to Action
By Team Water Forum Mysuru, Aranya Outreach Trust and Mysuru School of Architecture
Project Start Date: October 2024
Project Contact info:
- mysuruwaterforum@gmail.com
- Instagram : Water Forum Mysuru
In the Press:
- Prajavani, 23 March 2025
- Prajavani, 23 March 2025
- The Hindu, 25 March 2025
- Mysooru News, 28 March 2025
Status Report & Updates
The major aspects of the project addressed till March 2025 include:
Hydrological studies and analysis of Kukkarahalli kere & its feeder canal (Purnaiah nala) were taken up during the project period. The study was under taken through field visits, analysing maps and other data relevant to the study.
Outreach through community engagement events : Public awareness and engagement was created through a number of well visualised educational and participatory events to foster a sense of ownership among citizens. Weekend Nala walks were one such mode of engagement. It was envisaged and executed as an immersive experience which embarked people on a journey of history and sustainability through a guided walk and talk. 14 different walks were conducted with different stakeholder groups. Over 120 citizens were engaged in the process.
Madhagalli lake clean-up was organized to mark the significance of the World Wetland Day on 2nd February 2025. Many enthusiastic citizens showed up for the clean-up event. The event was successful in helping clear accumulated waste from the wetland and also in forging partnerships with the local Pattanpanchayat office which enabled safe disposal of the waste collected and also with nearby resident welfare societies.
The Mahalingeshwara Temple, K. Hemanahalli, situated in the near proximity of the Madhagalli temple has a rich cultural and historical significance dating to over 800years ago. The temple tends to get a huge number of devotees for the Shivaratri festival. This opportunity was capitalized this year on the occasion of Shivaratri, 26th February 2025. In association with the temple committee, informative posters in Kannada about Madhagalli lake environs, its historical significance, ecological status and present condition were displayed within the temple environs. More than 20,000 largely local visitors attended this event.
Urbanisation Study: The objectives of the urbanisation study was to generate detailed base maps of the complete stretch of the nala along with its buffer zones. The process involved field visit and interpretation of data from relevant maps sourced from government websites. A landuse map and a stakeholder map were important outcomes of this study.
Biodiversity Assessment: These baseline surveys are envisaged to capture and monitor seasonal changes in flora and fauna at regular intervals throughout the year. As part of the preliminary study the entire stretch of the nala was walked on foot and transects were marked for the purpose of understating the biodiversity of the nala. These transects were also verified with maps on the Dishank App.
Line transects and random sampling were both utilized for the purpose of capturing data. Avifauna, mammals, reptiles, were some of the species observed and documented in the form of relevant checklists. Photographs and other video evidences have also been documented. Some of the species documented so far include 127 species of avifauna, 12 species of mammals and 5 species of reptiles.
Competition Brief: Planning and Discussions so far As of now a team from Mysore School of Architecture has been formed for the purpose of the design competition. The team including the faculty visited the entire length of the canal. Following this, discussions were held with the team. The process of visualizing and organizing the event is presently underway.
Resources Developed: A number of resources have been developed to meet the different project objectives. Some of those developed so far are:
- Information pamphlet – Purnaiah Nala, nala walk
- Posters
- Maps – landuse and stakeholders, hydrological study
- Checklist (Avifauna, Mammals, Reptiles)
Kukkkaralli Lake_a beloved lake and also along the Purnaiah Nala
Madagalli Doddakere_also a lake connected by the Purnaiah Nala
Naala walk 2_at a potential pilot site_where the canal runs through
Nala Walk_At the Madagalli lake – where the canal begins
