The history of stepwells in India goes back 3500 years, all the way to the Indus valley civilization. A large number of stepwells have been found in the archeological sites of Mahenjodaro, Harappa and Dholavira. It proves that construction of stepwells was a practice among the Kings of the first Kingdoms in India, even before the common era. And the practice continued till about 17th or 18th century. These are unique architectural features of medieval India; you will hardly see them elsewhere in the world. If Baths were a Greek invention, Stepwells were India’s contribution to the world architecture.
When I first came across a stepwell in Ahmedabad (Adalaj) in 2007, I was amazed at the architecture of the building meant to be a well only! As I see more stepwells of India in course of time, my bewilderment and fascination keeps growing only.
Tradition of stepwells in India
It sounds commonsensical that in medieval India, the primary purpose of the stepwells was storing water for drinking or domestic uses. It becomes all the more clear when you see their geographical distribution- over the arid and semi-arid western regions of the country (Gujarat, Rajasthan, parts of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh).
People called them by different names in different states, viz. vav, baoli, baori, bawdi, etc. In these states, precipitation is low, so these stepwells served as great sources of water in the summer or drought periods. According to estimates, there are about 2000 stepwells in India today, only a fraction what used to be there in those days.
Well...these stepwells were not wells only!
However, it becomes intriguing to think why the builders would make them so lavish, ornate and costly affairs, unlike other sources of water (wells, ponds and tanks) in those times. The factor that differentiates stepwells from wells is that water is more accessible to the users. One can climb down to the level of water to draw water by hand without ropes or any such tools. The rulers of the era built these stepwells mostly for the benefit of local people as well as travelers who often stopped over at these places during night.
I wonder what made the rulers spend huge amount of money on building the stepwells like they would build palaces! Maybe they used these stepwells as places of public gathering for celebrating festivals and communicating important messages. Further, maybe the stepwells were very much part of the cultural milieu of the society.
In some cases like the Rani Ki Vav in Patan, the queen built it in the memory of her husband. So, it was ought to be a lavish affair. Whatever are the reasons, long after they served their principal purposes, they still are very much important from heritage point of view. Today they are huge tourist attractions, and earn a lot of revenues for the local governments.
11 stepwells of India one must visit
Among the large number of stepwells of India that still exist, some are absolutely spectacular and worth visiting. The sculpture and architectural grandeur of some of them have made them UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Here is a list of 11 of the most wonderful stepwells of India one must visit. Though I love them all, I have tried to make the list in a descending order of how I would rank them from an architectural/ aesthetic point of view.
1. Rani ki vav, Patan, Gujarat
This one would perhaps be the universal choice for the best, the Queen among all the stepwells of India, and certainly my favorite. Built in the 11th century by Queen Udayamati in memory of her husband King Bhima-I of the Chaulukya dynasty, Rani Ki Vav is a masterpiece in architecture.
The sheer size, intricate sculptures and magnificent structure are absolutely awe-inspiring! There are more than 1500 sculptures depicting religious, mythological stories and other themes like portraying everyday life of people. Can you imagine a building measuring 65 meters long, 20 meters wide and 28 meters deep, beneath the ground with such astonishing design and sculptures, and that too built with minimal tools and equipment!
It was built on the bank of Saraswati river. In course of time, due to severe floods, the step well was buried under the earth. In 1890s, two English officers rediscovered the monument. Excavation was done in 1940s which led to a massive restoration from 1981 to 1987. Post restoration, it has risen up to its glory with UNESCO according it the status of a World Heritage Site in 2014.
Stepwells of India are generally underrated as tourist destinations, and so is Rani ki vav. In fact, I lived in Ahmedabad (just a few hours drive from Patan) for 10 years- from 2005 to 2015; but hadn’t visited this wonderful site! However, some six years after I left Ahmedabad, I planned to visit it with some friends. I must say that it was much beyond my expectation; far better than other stepwells in Gujarat that I had seen.
For more such underrated monuments, check out: Gagron fort | Maheshwar
2. Chand Baori, Abhaneri, Rajasthan
One of the deepest and largest stepwells in India, Chand Baori was built in the 9th century by King Chand of the Pratihara dynasty, though no definitive evidence is available. It’s a 13-floor structure with 3500 steps descending 30 meters to the water level. The architecture has a perfect geometrical plan and a temple at the backside of the building.
It takes about 2 hours to reach this place from Jaipur (95 kms) by road. The nearest train station is Bandikui (6 kms). There is an old church in Bandikui to explore; so, one can do this as a day-trip from Jaipur.
3. Adalaj ni vav, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Situated on the Ahmedabad- Gandhinagar border (18 kms from city center), this is one of the finest step wells in western India, a tradition carried from the Indus valley civilization.
Queen Rudadevi constructed this stepwell in 1498 in memory of her husband Rana Veer Singh of the Vaghela dynasty. The building is massive (five storeys) and its architecture magnificent. It’s worth spending a few hours here. Legend has it that when Mahmud Begda killed her husband in the war, he proposed her to marry. In turn, the queen put a condition that she would first complete the stepwell, to which Begda agreed. And later when she completed the stepwell, she actually gave away her life in the same well!
During my Ahmedabad days, I visited this site tens of times. In fact, it was the first stepwell I ever visited, and the first sight of it was quite intriguing. When I reached the spot, there hardly anything visible from the top. But when I entered the stepwells campus, it slowly revealed as a masterpiece in front of my eyes.
4. Shahi Baori, Lucknow, U.P.
His penchant for commissioning marvelous buildings made Nawab Asif Ud-Din Daula convert a water reservoir into a magnificent stepwell in the form of a guest house. It was so impressive that prominent guests of the State used to stay there and admire its architecture. An architect named Kifayat Ullah built it between 1784 and 1795 in Indo-Islamic architectural style. It stands at five storeys and has brilliantly carved archways and doorways. Walking inside the building makes one feel like a palace in ruins rather than just a stepwell.
It lies within the campus of Bada Imambara. Though Bada Imambara is popular destination in Lucknow, tourists often overlook the stepwell. Please ensure that you find it out.
5. Dada Harir Stepwell, Ahmedabad
Built in 1499 by Dhai Harir, this five-story deep stepwell is one of the best in Gujarat. This 190-feet long and 40- feet wide stepwell has its walls intricately designed in sandstone for visual pleasure. At one end of the stepwell is a mosque and a tomb of Dhai Harir.
In course of time, ‘Dhai’ became ‘Dada’ and people now call it Dada Harir vav (stepwell).
I visited this stepwell only recently on a trip to Ahmedabad. If you are visiting Ahmedabad, do make it a point to have a look. It’s just on the outskirts of the old city; won’t take much time to reach there.
6. Panna Meena ka kund, Jaipur, Rajasthan
This lovely stepwell is situated very close to the famous Amber fort of Amer near Jaipur. Though its history is not so clear, it’s certain that a Meena chieftain built this in the 11th century before Rajputs came to control Amer. As the place was used for drawing water for domestic purpose, the design was such that one finds it difficult to climb from the same side as they descended from. Besides, it’s location is really beautiful with hills on one side, and the Amber fort on the other side.
7. Agrasen ki baoli, Delhi
Though there is little evidence, it’s believed to be built some 5000 years ago during the Mahabharat times by the king Agrasen or Ugrasen. The impressive stepwell is situated right in the middle of bustling capital city of India- Delhi. It’s multi storey building, lovely archways and open bricks are really beautiful and photogenic. With 15 meters width, 60 meters length and having 103 stone steps, it looks impressive. In recent times, it came into prominence after the famous Bollywood star Aamir Khan shot his hit movie PK here.
To read about more prominent monuments of Delhi, click here: Best way to explore Delhi in 3 days.
8. Surya Kund at Modhera sun temple, Gujarat
Built in the early 11th century by King Bhimadeva (a Solanki king of Suryavanshi dynasty), the Modhera sun temple has this surya kund beside the main temple. Measuring at 176 by 120 feet, this huge tank is a little different from other similar stepwells in India. It has more than a hundred small temples built around the tank. The steps built in a geometric symmetrical fashion look beautiful.
Modhera sun temple is situated in Mehsana district of Gujarat, about 100 kms north of Ahmedabad; takes 2 hours to reach by road.
9. Toorji ka jhalra, Jodhpur
In the old city of Jodhpur, just a few hundred meters from the clock tower, there is a amazing stepwell called Toorji ka Jhalra. Queen Tanwar ji commissioned it in the memory of her husband Raja Abhay Singh of Jodhpur in 1740. People used to fondly call the King as Toorji. The queen belonged to Patan where she had seen the Rani Ki Vav in her younger days.
Though not as magnificent in scale or sculpture as the Patan stepwell, this one has a beautiful geometrical architecture. The stepwell was a garbage place for the locals for a long time until a local organization helped renovate it and presented it to the world. Don’t miss it when in Jodhpur.
10. Pushkarani, Hampi
Hampi, a major UNESCO World Heritage Site in India, has a well preserved stepwell. Built in the 15th century by the rulers of Vijayanagara empire, it now is an important tourist attraction in Hampi. Though most of the temples in Hampi had a stepwell for religious purposes, this one stands out.
Only recently in 1984-85, the Archeological Survey of India discovered it and renovated it for public viewing. One can imagine the elaborate engineering feat from the fact that the pushkarini had inlet channels running kilometers that carried water from the nearby Tungabhadra river. Keep note of this stepwell so that you ensure visiting it when in Hampi.
11. Rajon ki baoli, Delhi
Daulat Khan, an administrator under Sikander Lodhi during Delhi sultanate period had commissioned Rajon ki baoli; completed in 1506. It got its current name from the word ‘rajbir’ meaning masons when large number of masons (i.e. rajbir in Hindi) moved into the area in the early twentieth century and started using it. Though the masons used it primarily for domestic purposes, its elaborate structure signifies much wider use for socio-cultural purposes too.
It now lies in the Mehrauli Archeological Park in Delhi. Its a hidden gem in Delhi, even not very well known to Delhiites. The park has a number of other archeological ruins; so, if you are a lover of history/ heritage, its a must visit place in Delhi.
Stepwells- India's contribution to world architecture, indeed
One look at the pictures of the stepwells of India above, and you know their architectural significance. One of the stepwells (Patan) is actually a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and another (Hampi) is part of one such monuments. Others are equally marvelous. Indeed, stepwells of India are symbols of India’s contribution to world architecture.
In my fascination for them, I made it a point to visit them all, and reflect on the glorious past of Indian architecture. I know of a few more significant stepwells of India; will explore them in coming times, and will update them here.
Do you concur with me on the subject? How many have you visited yourself? If you know of a stepwell that should have been in this list, please let me know in the comment section.
Ripan
Memdavad me bhi ek he
stampedmoments
Thanks Ripan! Next time; saath mein jayenge 🙂
Santosh Debata
Good information regarding our heritage.
stampedmoments
Thanks Santosh, for reading.
Glad that you liked. Keep connected.
Soumen Chatterjee
Stepwells- India’s contribution to the world architecture. The topic itself is quite interesting. Very rightly said that If Baths were a Greek invention, Stepwells were India’s contribution to the world architecture,It’s indeed.The primary purpose of the stepwells was storing water for drinking or domestic uses and it was a great source of storing water. Waoo, there are about 2000 stepwells in India today!!!. Well according to me these stepwells were not only used for storage purpose but also used by people to celebrate festivals and events and even used for social gatherings. Great to know about the 10 stepwells in India that has been well articulated. One of the stepwells (Patan) is actually a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and another (Hampi) is part of one such monuments. I have visited Agrasen ki baoli, Delhi and would love to visit more. I have heard that some supernatural activities are been detected over here ?
stampedmoments
Yes, Soumen. I have grown tremendous interest in stepwells in course of time.
I have seen all the major ones; but still want to see small ones, and talk to old people about their uses in earlier times.
Thanks!
Prashant Sachdev
Can you share the Maharashtra stepwell list or the research you referred to in the introduction
stampedmoments
Hi Prashant!
Thanks for reading, and searching for stepwells from Maharastra.
There are two beautiful stepwells in Maharastra that I know- one in Amaravati, and one in Parbani districts.
For more stepwells in Maharastra, please check out this link:
http://stepwells.org/atlas.php?cmbm=1
Keep connected mate.
Uday
One piece of information which was informed by an elderly person was this: All the step-wells have one thing in common. They do have water long after they have been constructed. Which signifies that the engineers of the times did not confine themselves to a unconfined aquifer, instead, they reached the confined aquifers. The street depth of the steps signifies this. Plus, this acts as a deterrent against drought too.
My observation in visiting a couple of the step-wells shows one thing in common. They had massive ‘Recharge areas’ around them, in the form of parks, temples, area which was not touched for any other purpose.
That perhaps is what our urban landscape are missing. This is one thing worth emulating.
Beautiful article. Thanks for the post.
stampedmoments
Excellent technical observations and insights, especially from your watershed/ natural resource management experience.
One thing is sure that engineers and architects of yesteryears were absolutely amazing, considering the kind of tools they had at their disposal.
Thanks for the great feedback.
Jayvanti Einjen
Nice information 👌
stampedmoments
Thank you 🙂
Robert Edis
The stepwell in the Merhruli Archeological Park in Delhi is nice. Just next to Qutub Minar.
stampedmoments
Oh yes, it’s a bit differently made than other stepwells; it’s not that deep, but cutely designed.
Thanks for the feedback.