![Multi-storey Stepwell](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cb/Multi-storey_Stepwell.jpg)
Stepwells (also known as vavs or baori) are
well
A well is an excavation or structure created in the ground by digging, driving, or drilling to access liquid resources, usually water. The oldest and most common kind of well is a water well, to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The ...
s or ponds with a long corridor of steps that descend to the water level. Stepwells played a significant role in defining subterranean architecture in western India from 7th to 19th century. Some stepwells are multi-storeyed and can be accessed by a
Persian wheel which is pulled by a
bull
A bull is an intact (i.e., not castrated) adult male of the species ''Bos taurus'' (cattle). More muscular and aggressive than the females of the same species (i.e., cows), bulls have long been an important symbol in many religions,
includin ...
to bring water to the first or second floor. They are most common in western
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
and are also found in the other more arid regions of the
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent is a list of the physiographic regions of the world, physiographical region in United Nations geoscheme for Asia#Southern Asia, Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian O ...
, extending into
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
. The construction of stepwells is mainly
utilitarian
In ethical philosophy, utilitarianism is a family of normative ethical theories that prescribe actions that maximize happiness and well-being for all affected individuals.
Although different varieties of utilitarianism admit different charac ...
, though they may include embellishments of architectural significance, and be
temple tank
Temple tanks are wells or reservoirs built as part of the temple complex near Indian temples. They are called pushkarini, kalyani, kunda, sarovara, tirtha, talab, pukhuri, ambalakkuḷam, etc. in different languages and regions of India. Some t ...
s.
Stepwells are examples of the many types of storage and
irrigation tank
In Sri Lanka and India an irrigation tank or tank is an artificial reservoir of any size. They are part of a historic tradition of harvesting and preserving rainwater in the region. Often an embankment such as a mud bank was constructed across a sl ...
s that were developed in India, mainly to cope with seasonal fluctuations in water availability. A basic difference between stepwells on the one hand, and tanks and wells on the other, is that stepwells make it easier for people to reach the groundwater and to maintain and manage the well.
The builders dug deep trenches into the earth for dependable, year-round groundwater. They lined the walls of these trenches with blocks of stone, without
mortar, and created stairs leading down to the water.
The majority of surviving stepwells originally served a leisure purpose as well as providing water. This was because the base of the well provided relief from the daytime heat, and this was increased if the well was covered. Stepwells also served as a place for social gatherings and religious ceremonies. Usually, women were more associated with these wells because they were the ones who collected the water. Also, it was they who prayed and offered gifts to the goddess of the well for her blessings.
This led to the building of some significant ornamental and architectural features, often associated with dwellings and in urban areas. It also ensured their survival as monuments.
A stepwell structure comprises of two sections: a vertical shaft from which water is drawn and the surrounding inclined subterranean passageways and the chambers and steps which provide access to the well. The galleries and chambers surrounding these wells were often carved profusely with elaborate detail and became cool, quiet retreats during the hot summers.
Names
A number of distinct names, sometimes local, exist for stepwells. In
Hindi
Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been de ...
-speaking regions, they include names based on ''baudi'' (including ''bawdi ( raj, बावड़ी)'', ''bawri'', ''bawari'', ''baori'', ''baoli'', ''bavadi'' and ''bavdi''). In
Gujarati
Gujarati may refer to:
* something of, from, or related to Gujarat, a state of India
* Gujarati people, the major ethnic group of Gujarat
* Gujarati language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by them
* Gujarati languages, the Western Indo-Aryan sub- ...
and
Marwari language
Marwari (मारवाड़ी, IAST: Mārwāṛī; also rendered as ''Marwadi'' or ''Marvadi'') is a Rajasthani language spoken in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Marwari is also found in the neighbouring states of Gujarat and Haryana, som ...
, they are usually called ''vav, vavri'' or ''vaav'' ( gu, વાવ). Other names include ''kalyani or pushkarani'' (
Kannada
Kannada (; ಕನ್ನಡ, ), originally romanised Canarese, is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by the people of Karnataka in southwestern India, with minorities in all neighbouring states. It has around 47 million native s ...
), ''baoli'' ( hi, बावली) and ''barav'' ( mr, बारव).
History
![Agrasen Ki Baoli in New Delhi](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/Agrasen_Ki_Baoli_in_New_Delhi.jpg)
The stepwell may have originated during periods of drought to ensure enough access to the water. The earliest archaeological evidence of stepwells is found at
Dholavira
Dholavira ( gu, ધોળાવીરા) is an archaeological site at Khadirbet in Bhachau Taluka of Kutch District, in the state of Gujarat in western India, which has taken its name from a modern-day village south of it. This village is f ...
where the site also has water tanks or reservoirs with flights of steps. Mohenjo Daro's great bath is also provided with steps on opposite directions.
Ashokan inscriptions mention construction of step wells along major Indian roads at a distance of every 8
kos
Kos or Cos (; el, Κως ) is a Greek island, part of the Dodecanese island chain in the southeastern Aegean Sea. Kos is the third largest island of the Dodecanese by area, after Rhodes and Karpathos; it has a population of 36,986 (2021 census), ...
for the convenience of travellers, but Ashoka states that it was a well established practice which predated him and was done by former kings as well.
The first rock-cut stepwells in India date from 200–400 AD.
The earliest example of a bath-like pond reached by steps is found at
Uperkot caves in
Junagadh
Junagadh () is the headquarters of Junagadh district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Located at the foot of the Girnar hills, southwest of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar (the state capital), it is the seventh largest city in the state.
Literally t ...
. These caves are dated to the 4th century. Navghan Kuvo, a well with the circular staircase in the vicinity, is another example. It was possibly built in
Western Satrap
The Western Satraps, or Western Kshatrapas (Brahmi:, ''Mahakṣatrapa'', "Great Satraps") were Indo-Scythian (Saka) rulers of the western and central part of India (Saurashtra (region), Saurashtra and Malwa: modern Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajastha ...
(200–400 AD) or
Maitraka
The Maitraka dynasty ruled western India (now Gujarat) from approximately 475 to approximately 776 CE from their capital at Vallabhi. With the sole exception of Dharapaṭṭa (the fifth king in the dynasty), who followed the Mithraic mysteries, ...
(600–700 AD) period, though some place it as late as the 11th century. The nearby
Adi Kadi Vav
Adi Kadi Vav or Adi Chadi Vav is a stepwell in Uparkot Fort, Junagadh, Gujarat, India. The date of its construction is uncertain.
History
According to Junagadh district administration website, the stepwell was constructed in 15th century. Other s ...
was constructed either in the second half of the 10th century or the 15th century.
The stepwells at
Dhank
Dhank ( ar, ضنك) is a wilayah (province) of Ad Dhahirah Governorate in Oman. It borders the provinces of Al Buraimi on the northwest, Ibri on the southwest and Yanqul on the east. It has many valleys
A valley is an elongated low area ...
in
Rajkot district
Rajkot district is one of the 33 districts of the Indian state of Gujarat. Located in Saurashtra peninsula, Rajkot city is the administrative headquarters of the district. It is the third-most advanced district in Gujarat and the fourth most po ...
are dated to 550–625 AD. The stepped ponds at
Bhinmal
Bhinmal (previously Shrimal Nagar) is an ancient town in the Jalore District of Rajasthan, India. It is south of Jalore. Bhinmal was the capital of the Bhil king, then the capital of Gurjaradesa, comprising modern-day southern Rajasthan and nor ...
(850–950 AD) are followed by it.
[Livingston & Beach, page xxiii] The stepwells were constructed in the southwestern region of Gujarat around 600 AD; from there they spread north to Rajasthan and subsequently to the north and west India. Initially used as an art form by Hindus, the construction of these stepwells hit its peak during Muslim rule from the 11th to 16th century.
One of the earliest existing examples of stepwells was built in the 11th century in Gujarat, the
Mata Bhavani's Stepwell
Mata Bhavani's Stepwell or Mata Bhavani ni Vav is a stepwell in Asarwa area of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.
History and architecture
Mata Bhavani's stepwell was built in the 11th century during Chaulukya dynasty rule in Gujarat. It is one of the e ...
. A long flight of steps leads to the water below a sequence of multi-story open pavilions positioned along the east/west axis. The elaborate ornamentation of the columns, brackets and beams are a prime example of how stepwells were used as a form of art.
The
Mughal emperors
The Mughal emperors ( fa, , Pādishāhān) were the supreme heads of state of the Mughal Empire on the Indian subcontinent, mainly corresponding to the modern countries of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The Mughal rulers styled t ...
did not disrupt the culture that was practiced in these stepwells and encouraged the building of stepwells. The authorities during the
British Raj
The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent;
*
* it is also called Crown rule in India,
*
*
*
*
or Direct rule in India,
* Quote: "Mill, who was himsel ...
found the hygiene of the stepwells less than desirable and installed pipe and pump systems to replace their purpose.
Location of a stepwell
A stepwell is generally located in three types of places - as an extension or part of a temple, in or at an edge of a village, and/or the outskirts of a village.
When a stepwell is associated with a temple or a shrine, it is either at the opposite wall of it or in front of the temple. Sindhvai Mata stepwell in Patan, Mata Bhavani stepwell in Ahmedabad, and the Ankol Mata stepwell in Davad serve as a great example of the stepwells that houses shrines.
Function and use
The stepwell ensures the availability of water during periods of drought. The stepwells had social, cultural and religious significance.
These stepwells were proven to be well-built sturdy structures, after withstanding
earthquakes
An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the shaking of the surface of the Earth resulting from a sudden release of energy in the Earth's lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, from ...
.
Most places in India where there is abundant fresh water only during the
monsoon
A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal oscil ...
season, stepwell and wells play a critical role in serving as a direct means to fresh water filtered through the earth. While the rivers,
rivulets
Rivulets is the stage name of minimalist singer-songwriter Nathan Amundson.
Biography
Rivulets was the first artist signed to Low's Chairkickers Union record label in 2001. He then released his first, self-titled album in 2002 and DEBRIDEMENT ...
, creeks, and other natural water bodies dry up in this climate zone, stepwell and wells remain at a depth where there is less exposure to sun and heat.
Details
Many stepwells have ornamentation and details as elaborate as those of Hindu temples. Proportions in relationship to the human body were used in their design, as they were in many other structures in Indian architecture.
Stepped ponds
![Shravanabelagola2007_-_05](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/Shravanabelagola2007_-_05.jpg)
Stepped ponds are very similar to stepwells in terms of purpose. Generally, stepped ponds accompany nearby temples while stepwells are more isolated. Stepwells are dark and barely visible from the surface, while stepped ponds are illuminated by the light from the sun. Stepwells are quite linear in design compared to the rectangular shape of stepped ponds.
In India
A number of surviving stepwells can be found across India, including in
Rajasthan
Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern si ...
,
Gujarat
Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...
,
Delhi
Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...
,
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh (, ; meaning 'central province') is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal, and the largest city is Indore, with Jabalpur, Ujjain, Gwalior, Sagar, and Rewa being the other major cities. Madhya Pradesh is the seco ...
,
Maharashtra
Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...
, and
North Karnataka
North Karnataka is a geographical region in Deccan plateau from elevation that constitutes the region of the Karnataka state in India and the region consists of 13 districts. It is drained by the Krishna River and its tributaries the Bhi ...
(
Karnataka
Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...
). In 2016 a
collaborative mapping
Collaborative mapping, also known as citizen mapping, is the aggregation of Web mapping and user-generated content, from a group of individuals or entities, and can take several distinct forms. With the growth of technology for storing and sharing ...
project, Stepwell Atlas, started to map
GPS coordinates
The World Geodetic System (WGS) is a standard used in cartography, geodesy, and satellite navigation including GPS. The current version, WGS 84, defines an Earth-centered, Earth-fixed coordinate system and a geodetic datum, and also descri ...
and collate information on stepwells, mapping over 2800 stepwells in India. Another project mapped the location of over 1700 stepwells in Maharashtra.
In his book ''Delhi Heritage: Top 10 Baolis'',
Vikramjit Singh Rooprai mentions that Delhi alone has 32 stepwells. Out of these, 16 are lost, but their locations can be traced. Of the remaining 16, only 14 are accessible to public and the water level in these keeps varying, while two are now permanently dry.
Significant stepwells include:
*
Agrasen ki Baoli,
New Delhi
New Delhi (, , ''Naī Dillī'') is the capital of India and a part of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House ...
*
Rajon ki baoli
The Baolis of Mehrauli are three stepwells approached through single stage or three stage steps, located in Mehrauli in Delhi, India, in the Mehrauli Archaeological Park mainlined by the Archaeological Survey of India. These are the Anangtal Baol ...
, New Delhi
*
Chand Baori
Chand Baori is a stepwell situated in the village of Abhaneri in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It extends approximately 30m (100ft) into the ground, making it one of the deepest and largest stepwells in India.
History
Chand Baori is said to ...
in
Abhaneri
Abhaneri, also spelled Abaneri, is a village in the Dausa district of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Abhaneri is popular for the Chand Baori step well and Harshat Mata Temple.
History
The village was originally named Abha Nagari, ("City of ...
near
Jaipur
Jaipur (; Hindi Language, Hindi: ''Jayapura''), formerly Jeypore, is the List of state and union territory capitals in India, capital and largest city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Rajasthan. , the city had a pop ...
,
Rajasthan
Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern si ...
*
Rani ki vav at
Patan, Gujarat
Patan () is the administrative seat of Patan District in the Indian state of Gujarat and is an administered municipality. It was the capital of Gujarat's Chavda and Chaulukya dynasties in medieval times, and is also known as Anhilpur-Patan ...
*
Adalaj ni Vav at
Adalaj
Adalaj is a census town in Gandhinagar district in the Indian state of Gujarat, promoted in 2001 from village status.
Geography
Adalaj is located at . It has an average elevation of .
Climate
Adalaj has substantially similar climate to A ...
,
Gandhinagar
Gandhinagar (, ) is the capital of the state of Gujarat in India. Gandhinagar is located approximately 23 km north of Ahmedabad, on the west central point of the Industrial corridor between Delhi, the political capital of India, and Mu ...
,
Gujarat
Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...
*
Dada Harir Stepwell
Bai Harir Sultani Stepwell is a stepwell in Asarwa area 15 km off Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.
History
The stepwell was built in 1485 by ''Dhai'' Harir, a household lady of Mahmud Begada according to the Persian inscription in the stepwel ...
, Ahmedbad
*
Navghan Kuvo
Navghan Kuvo is a stepwell in Uparkot Fort, Junagadh, Gujarat, India.
History
Navghan Kuvo is named after the Chudasama king Ra Navaghana. The forecourt to reach the well was probably built during his reign in 11th century. It is believed to have ...
and Adi Kadi vav,
Uparkot Fort, Junagadh
*
Toor Ji Ka Jhalra Baori,
Jodhpur
Jodhpur (; ) is the second-largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan and officially the second metropolitan city of the state. It was formerly the seat of the princely state of Jodhpur State. Jodhpur was historically the capital of the Ki ...
*
Birkha Bawari, Jodhpur
*
Shahi Baoli
Shahi may refer to:
Dynasties
*Adil Shahi dynasty
*Barid Shahi dynasty, which ruled the Bidar Sultanate
*Hussain Shahi dynasty
*Ilyas Shahi dynasty
The Ilyas Shahi dynasty ( bn, ইলিয়াস শাহী খান্দান, fa, ...
,
Lucknow
Lucknow (, ) is the capital and the largest city of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and it is also the second largest urban agglomeration in Uttar Pradesh. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of the eponymous district and division ...
*
Raniji ki Baori in
Bundi
Bundi is a city in the Hadoti region of Rajasthan state in northwest India and capital of the former princely state of Rajputana agency. District of Bundi is named after the former princely state.
Demographics
According to the 2011 Indian cens ...
,
Rajasthan
Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern si ...
; Bundi has over 60 baolis in and around the town.
*
Panna Meena ka Kund,
Amer, India
Amber or Amer, is a city near Jaipur city in Jaipur district in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is now a part of the Jaipur Municipal Corporation.
The picturesque situation of Amber at the mouth of a rocky mountain gorge, in which nestles ...
*
Udoji ki Baori
Udoji ki Baori is a stepwell situated in the village of Mandholi in the Indian state of Rajasthan
Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is th ...
,
Mandholi
Mandholi is a small town of about 1500 people in eastern Rajasthan. It is 5 km from Neem ka thana township and about 90 km from Jaipur. It is famous for Battle of Maonda and Mandholi
History
Mandholi was part of Virat Janpad, and w ...
,
Rajasthan
Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern si ...
* Kalyani, Hulikere
* Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple, Karnataka
*
Sree Peralassery Temple,
Kerala
Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
* Charthana Stepwell, Parbhani, Maharashtra
* Pingli Stepwell, Parbhani, Maharashtra
* Arvi Stepwell, Parbhani, Maharashtra
In Pakistan
![Baoli at Rohtas Fort](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/ff/Baoli_at_Rohtas_Fort.jpg)
Stepwells from
Mughal periods still exist in
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
. Some are in preserved conditions while others are not.
*
Rohtas Fort
Rohtas Fort or Rotas Ghur ( Punjabi, ur, ; ''Qila Rohtas'') is a 16th-century fortress located near the city of Dina in Jhelum district of the Punjab province of Pakistan. An Afghan warlord turned Padishah, Sher Shah Suri built the fort, w ...
, near
Jhelum
Jhelum ( Punjabi and ur, ) is a city on the east bank of the Jhelum River, which is located in the district of Jhelum in the north of Punjab province, Pakistan. It is the 44th largest city of Pakistan by population. Jhelum is known for p ...
*
Wan Bhachran, near
Mianwali
Mianwali ( Punjabi/ ur, ) is the capital city of Mianwali District in Punjab, Pakistan. The 81st largest city of Pakistan, it is known for its diverse population of, Punjabi and Pashtun ethnicities.
History
Mianwali District was an agricu ...
*
Losar Baoli
Losar Baoli (the Losar Stepwell) is a stepwell in the Margalla Hills of the Islamabad Capital Territory, Pakistan. Near the town of Shah Allah Ditta in the Potohar Plateau, the area was a passageway for caravans and armies moving along the east ...
, near
Islamabad
Islamabad (; ur, , ) is the capital city of Pakistan. It is the country's ninth-most populous city, with a population of over 1.2 million people, and is federally administered by the Pakistani government as part of the Islamabad Capital T ...
*
Makli
Makli Necropolis ( ur, ; sd, مڪلي جو مقام) is one of the largest funerary sites in the world, spread over an area of 10 kilometres near the city of Thatta, in the Pakistani province of Sindh. The site houses approximately 500,000 to ...
Baoli, near
Thatta
Thatta ( sd, ٺٽو; ) is a city in the Pakistani province of Sindh. Thatta was the medieval capital of Sindh, and served as the seat of power for three successive dynasties. Thatta's historic significance has yielded several monuments in and ...
Influence
![Candi Tikus](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/Candi_Tikus.jpg)
Stepwells influenced many other structures in Indian architecture, especially those that incorporate water into their design.
For example, the
Aram Bagh in
Agra
Agra (, ) is a city on the banks of the Yamuna river in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, about south-east of the national capital New Delhi and 330 km west of the state capital Lucknow. With a population of roughly 1.6 million, Agra is ...
was the first
Mughal garden
Mughal gardens are a type of garden built by the Mughals. This style was influenced by the Persian gardens particularly the Charbagh structure, which is intended to create a representation of an earthly utopia in which humans co-exist in perfe ...
in India.
It was designed by the Mughal emperor
Babur
Babur ( fa, , lit= tiger, translit= Bābur; ; 14 February 148326 December 1530), born Mīrzā Zahīr ud-Dīn Muhammad, was the founder of the Mughal Empire in the Indian subcontinent. He was a descendant of Timur and Genghis Khan through his ...
and reflected his notion of paradise not only through water and landscaping but also through symmetry by including a reflecting pool in the design. He was inspired by stepwells and felt that one would complement the garden of his palace. Many other Mughal gardens include reflecting pools to enhance the landscape or serving as an elegant entrance. Other notable gardens in India which incorporate water into their design include:
*
Humayun's Tomb
Humayun's tomb (Persian language, Persian: ''Maqbara-i Humayun'') is the tomb of the Mughal Emperor Humayun in Delhi, India. The tomb was commissioned by Humayun's first wife and chief consort, Empress Bega Begum under her patronage in 1558, an ...
,
Nizamuddin East
Nizamuddin East is an affluent residential colony in South East Delhi, India. It is located on Mathura Road and is home to Humayun's Tomb, as well as that of Abdul Rahim Khan-I-Khana. There are several other monuments in the area. The colony has ...
,
Delhi
Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...
*
Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal (; ) is an Islamic ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna in the Indian city of Agra. It was commissioned in 1631 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan () to house the tomb of his favourite wife, Mu ...
,
Agra
Agra (, ) is a city on the banks of the Yamuna river in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, about south-east of the national capital New Delhi and 330 km west of the state capital Lucknow. With a population of roughly 1.6 million, Agra is ...
*
Mehtab Bagh
Mehtab Bagh () is a charbagh complex in Agra, North India. It lies north of the Taj Mahal complex and the Agra Fort on the opposite side of the Yamuna River, in the flood plains. The garden complex, square in shape, measures about and is perfec ...
, Agra
*
Safdarjung's Tomb
Safdarjung's tomb is a sandstone and marble mausoleum in Delhi, India. It was built in 1754 in the late Mughal Empire style for Nawab Safdarjung. The monument has an ambience of spaciousness and an imposing presence with its domed and arched r ...
*
Shalimar Bagh (Srinagar)
Shalimar Bagh is a Mughal garden in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India, linked through a channel to the northeast of Dal Lake. It is also known as Shalimar Gardens, Farah Baksh, and Faiz Baksh. The other famous shoreline garden in the vicini ...
,
Jammu and Kashmir Jammu and Kashmir may refer to:
* Kashmir, the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent
* Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), a region administered by India as a union territory
* Jammu and Kashmir (state), a region administered ...
*
Nishat Gardens
Nishat Bagh () is a terraced Mughal garden built on the eastern side of the Dal Lake, close to Srinagar in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is the second largest Mughal garden in the Kashmir Valley. Nishat Bagh, is also lo ...
, Jammu and Kashmir
*
Yadvindra Gardens,
Pinjore
Pinjore is a town in Panchkula district in the Indian state of Haryana. This residential 'township', located close to Panchkula, Chandigarh, is set over 1,800 feet above the sea level in a valley, overlooking the Sivalik Hills. Pinjore is known ...
*
Khusro Bagh
Khusro Bagh is a large walled garden and burial complex located in ''muhalla'' Khuldabad, close to the Allahabad Junction railway station, in Prayagraj, India. It is roughly 6 km from the Akbar fort built-in (r. 1556–1605). It is situated over ...
,
Allahabad
Allahabad (), officially known as Prayagraj, also known as Ilahabad, is a metropolis in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.The other five cities were: Agra, Kanpur (Cawnpore), Lucknow, Meerut, and Varanasi (Benares). It is the administrat ...
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Roshanara Bagh
Roshanara Garden is a Mughal-era garden built by Roshanara Begum, the second daughter of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. It is situated in Shakti Nagar near Kamla Nagar Clock Tower and North Campus of University of Delhi. It is one of the b ...
Gallery
File:Amazing Huge Stepwell.jpg, Large stepwell at Nagnath Mandir in Hatnoor Village, Parbhani District in Maharashtra
File:Bawdi.jpg, View of a stepwell at Fatehpur, Shekhawati
Fatehpur is a city in the Sikar district of Indian state Rajasthan. It is part of the Shekhawati region. It is midway between Sikar, Sikar city and Bikaner on National Highway 52 (India), National Highway 52.
It is also the land to Havelis buil ...
File:Baoli Ghaus Ali Shah, Farrukhnagar.jpg, The 18th-century Baoli Ghaus Ali Shah, in Farrukhnagar
Farrukhnagar is a town and municipality in Gurugram district of Haryana, India. It is one of the four administrative blocks of Gurugram district situated from Gurugram and shares its border with Jhajjar district. It is part of the Ahirwal regi ...
, Haryana
File:Birkha Bawari2, Jodhpur.jpg, ''Birkha Bawari'', a stepwell at Jodhpur
Jodhpur (; ) is the second-largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan and officially the second metropolitan city of the state. It was formerly the seat of the princely state of Jodhpur State. Jodhpur was historically the capital of the Ki ...
File:Rudabai Stepwell.jpg, Rudabai stepwell or Adalaj ni Vav at Adalaj
Adalaj is a census town in Gandhinagar district in the Indian state of Gujarat, promoted in 2001 from village status.
Geography
Adalaj is located at . It has an average elevation of .
Climate
Adalaj has substantially similar climate to A ...
, Gandhinagar
Gandhinagar (, ) is the capital of the state of Gujarat in India. Gandhinagar is located approximately 23 km north of Ahmedabad, on the west central point of the Industrial corridor between Delhi, the political capital of India, and Mu ...
, Gujarat
Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...
File:Toorji Ka Jhalra Toorji's Step Well Jodhpur DSCN0671 (1) 11.jpg, Toor Ji Ka Jhalra, stepped well, Jodhpur
Jodhpur (; ) is the second-largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan and officially the second metropolitan city of the state. It was formerly the seat of the princely state of Jodhpur State. Jodhpur was historically the capital of the Ki ...
File:Hampi aug09 243.jpg, Stepped well, Hampi
Hampi or Hampe, also referred to as the Group of Monuments at Hampi, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Hampi (town), Hampi town, Vijayanagara district, east-central Karnataka, India.
Hampi was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire i ...
File:Jachchakibaori.jpg, Jachcha Ki Baori in Hindaun, Rajasthan
See also
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Check dam
A steel check dam
A check dam is a small, sometimes temporary, dam constructed across a swale, drainage ditch, or waterway to counteract erosion by reducing water flow velocity. Check dams themselves are not a type of new technology; rather, the ...
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Dhunge dhara
A dhunge dhara ( ) or hiti ( Newari: ) is a traditional stone drinking fountain found in Nepal. It is an intricately carved stone waterway through which water flows uninterrupted from underground sources. Dhunge dharas are part of a comprehensive d ...
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Ghat
Ghat, a term used in the Indian subcontinent, depending on the context could refer either to a range of stepped hills with valleys (ghati in Hindi), such as the Eastern Ghats and Western Ghats; or the series of steps leading down to a body of ...
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History of stepwells in Gujarat Stepwells are wells in which the water is reached by steps. They are most commonly found in western India especially Gujarat where over 120 such wells are reported. The origin of the stepwell may be traced to reservoirs of the cities of the Indus Va ...
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Johad
A johad, also known as a pokhar or a percolation pond, is a community-owned traditional harvested rainwater storage wetland principally used for effectively harnessing water resources in the states of Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, and weste ...
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Liman
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Subak (irrigation)
Subak is the water management (irrigation) system for the paddy fields on Bali island, Indonesia. It was developed in the 9th century. For the Balinese, irrigation is not simply providing water for the plant's roots, but water is used to co ...
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Taanka
A taanka, also known as a tanka or kund, is a traditional rainwater harvesting technique, common to the Thar desert region of Rajasthan, India. It is meant to provide drinking water and water security for a family or a small group of families. A ...
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Tube well
A tube well is a type of water well in which a long, -wide, stainless steel tube or pipe is bored underground. The lower end is fitted with a strainer, and a pump lifts water for irrigation. The required depth of the well depends on the dep ...
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Water well
A well is an excavation or structure created in the ground by digging, driving, or drilling to access liquid resources, usually water. The oldest and most common kind of well is a water well, to access groundwater in underground aquifers. Th ...
Notes
References
Rima Hooja: "Channeling Nature: Hydraulics, Traditional Knowledge Systems, And Water Resource Management in India – A Historical Perspective" At infinityfoundation.com
* Livingston, Morna & Beach, Milo (2002). ''Steps to Water: The Ancient Stepwells of India''.
Princeton Architectural Press
Princeton Architectural Press is a small press publisher, specializing in books on architecture, design, photography, landscape, and visual culture, with over 1,000 titles on its backlist. In 2013, it added a line of stationery products, including ...
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Vikramjit Singh Rooprai. ''Delhi Heritage: Top 10 Baolis'' (2019). Niyogi Books. .
*Jutta Jain Neubauer ''The Stepwells of Gujarat: An art-historical Perspective'' (2001)
*Philip Davies, The Penguin guide to the monuments of India, Vol II (London: Viking, 1989)
*Christopher Tadgell, The History of Architecture in India (London: Phaidon Press, 1990)
*Abhilash Shekhawat, "Stepwells of Gujarat." India's Invitation. 2010. Web. 29 March 2012.
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External links
Stepwell AtlasStepwells of IndiaAgrasen ki BaoliStepwell architectureStepwell on Oxfort Art OnlineIndia's Forgotten Stepwellsat ArchDaily
{{Man-made and man-related Subterranea
Irrigation
Rajasthani architecture
Water wells
Buildings and structures in Gujarat
Architecture in India
Architecture in Pakistan
Ponds
Subterranean buildings and structures