Step(Well) into the Past – Chand Baori

A couple of months ago,  I visited a stunning architectural wonder, Chand Baori, an ancient step well from the 9th century. This is situated in Abhaneri village in Alwar District of Rajasthan, India, about 100 kilometers from Jaipur.

This is what Wikipedia has to say about it –

Chand Baori is one of the oldest and most attractive landmarks in Rajasthan. It was built by King Chanda of the Nikumbha Dynasty between 800 and 900 AD and was dedicated to Hashat Mata, Goddess of Joy and Happiness upon completion.

The state of Rajasthan is extremely arid, and the design and final structure of Chand Baori was intended to conserve as much water as possible. At the bottom of the well, the air remains 5-6 degrees cooler than at the surface, and Chand Baori was used as a community gathering place for locals during periods of intense heat. One side of the well has a pavilion and resting room for the royals.

 

Glowing in the evening sun…


The royal pavillions

 

The water collected during the monsoons became accessible, however low the level, because of the steps.

 

There are 13 storeys of steps. the gallery on the top ( ground) level is being developed into a museum to store all the sculptures from the nearby Harshat Mata temple, which is falling into ruins.

 

 

Such construction projects were usually taken up as drought relief measures, to provide employment to the farmer subjects when the crops failed.

 

I took a lot of pictures of the gorgeous sculptures in the nearby Harshat Mata temple too. Watch out for the post!

Author: Mads

In alphabetical order: daughter, mother, painter, philosopher, poet, quilter, seeker, wife...

One thought on “Step(Well) into the Past – Chand Baori”

  1. Magnificent! Thank you for sharing. I know so little of Indian history and will have to do some reading. Look forward to more pictures of your travels.

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