Prestige Sort with Water Tanks

Water tanks as works of art 

More or less in every urban settlement we see water tanks dotting rooftops. They are an essential part of the urbanites’ day-to-day needs. They provide drinking and bathing water to residential buildings and are an integral part of our sanitation efforts. If such an ordinary day to day use object inspires some creative alternative use I would find nothing wrong in it. So then what if a water tank becomes a platform to express creativity?

I recently read somewhere that in a typical New York fashion, the interiors of a water tank atop a skyscraper was converted into an exclusive, speakeasy style cocktail lounge. Such an artistic opportunity for an individual would be rare indeed. Today the water tanks are often made of hideous looking moulded plastic. Plus if you are living in an apartment block, you do not even have a chance to be creative with its exterior features.

Fortunately, in the Indian state of Punjab things are different. First of all it is a state with many millionaire house owners who can play with their creativity literally on their rooftop and shout from there in eloquent silence! From army tanks to aeroplanes to football and eagle, creativity stands tall for all to see and appreciate. Long time ago, the great poet William Blake offered the world the most extraordinary of possibilities:

“To see a world in a grain of sand

And a heaven in a wild flower,

Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,

And eternity in an hour.”

So there you are, the indomitable Punjabis have emotional values attached to their water tanks, nay sculptures. They see the world, the heaven on their works of art. Infinity is on their roof top and eternity is forever. The huge, chiselled shapes, born out of creativity running riot also serve their basic purpose of storing water, for drinking, bathing and even harvesting. 

These designer reservoirs also make a prestige statement for the house owner.

They are dead serious about them. Those who get them built, spend a fortune. I suspect that these are the objects the house owners loved and now want to cherish.  There is nothing hilarious about them.