Water–energy–food nexus: toward exploring the connection between ancient and modern science in the Indian context

Abstract

In ancient India, air, water, and solar radiation were represented as gods and key components of water availability, food production, and energy generation. However, the linkage between modern science and ancient wisdom has not been well explored. In this study, we estimate the water–food–energy potential using various openly available data products and perform statistical analysis to establish the scientific basis behind the geographical alignment of eight prominent Shiva temples along the 79° meridian east to the north, known as the Shiva Shakti Aksh Rekha (SSAR). Results indicate a strong correlation between the SSAR belt and water–energy–food productivity potential, where 18.5% of the area can produce 44 × 10⁶ tons of rice annually. With an estimated renewable energy generation potential of 596.6 GW, the SSAR belt could significantly contribute to India’s target of 500 GW of renewable energy production by 2030. This study highlights the potential role of traditional geographical alignments in supporting future water, energy, and food security in highly populated countries such as India.