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 archaeological sites of Mahenjo Daro, 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 ancient and medieval India. You will hardly see them elsewhere else in the world. Among many things like burnt mud-brick construction and underground drainage systems, stepwells were ancient India’s contribution to the world architecture.
{For more such architectural wonders of India, check out: Khajuraho Travel Guide (Madhya Pradesh) ||| Agra- Taj Mahal (Uttar Pradesh)}
My experience of witnessing India’s great stepwells:
When I first came across a stepwell in Ahmedabad (Adalaj) in 2007, I was amazed by the architecture of the building meant to be a well only! Hardly did I know of its significance and spread across the country. Moreover, I thought it might have been a fascination of a particular King for the structure! However, the plaque put up at the stepwell read that it was a Queen who commissioned the stepwell. Whoever it was, I thought, must be a one-off thing. So, I didn’t research any more then.
A few years down the line, I visited another gorgeous stepwell at the Modhera Sun Temple in north Gujarat. This actually created the curiosity in me. There might be more of this in Gujarat, I thought. And indeed, there were many. A little google and a little conversation with the right people led me to the realization of vast array of stepwells across the country. As I see more and more of India’s stepwells in course of time, my bewilderment and fascination keep growing only.
Tradition of India's Stepwells
It sounds quite obvious that in medieval India, the primary purpose of the stepwells must have been storing water for drinking or domestic uses. And it becomes clearer when you see the geographical distribution of India’s stepwells- largely over the arid and semi-arid western regions of the country (Gujarat, Rajasthan, parts of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh), though there are a few in other parts of the country as well.
In different states, people called them by different names, viz. vav, baoli, baori, bawdi, kund, pushkarani, etc. In these states, precipitation has always been low. So, these stepwells served as great sources of water conservation and subsequent use in the summer or drought periods. According to estimates, there are about 3000 stepwells in India today, only a fraction what used to be there in those days.
From my observations and experience, I have got a little theory. One of the principal reasons of the decline of the Indus Valley Civilization was climate change and floods/ droughts. Over a period of time, these people moved to and consolidated in nearby areas of Gujarat and western/ north- western India. It’s a known fact that Indus Valley people were masters of water-management practices, which is evident from the great Bath and systematic sewer systems of Harappa. Hence, obviously, they would have carried that expertise with them. At a later phase, they would have modified this expertise into construction of water-conservation structures like the stepwells. I guess, this would have been researched well already, but I have not got any good document to read on this subject yet.
Why were India’s stepwells built?
As long as the purpose of India’s stepwells was water-conservation, it is quite understandable. However, it becomes intriguing to think why the builders would make them so lavish, ornate and costly affairs, unlike other sources of water (viz. 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 descend to the level of water by foot 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 travellers who often stopped over at these places during night.
But I wonder what made the rulers spend huge amounts 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. Moreover, India’s 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. Among other purposes of India’s stepwells were, being places of cooling retreats, to function as sacred places for social rituals, reflection of power and patronage and even showcasing of regional architecture and craftsmanship. {To learn more, have a look: Why were India’s Stepwells Built}.
Whatever the reasons, long after they served their principal purposes, they are still very much important from a heritage point of view. Today, they are huge tourist attractions, and earn a lot of revenues for the local governments.
Stepwells- India's contribution to world architecture
One look at the pictures of the stepwells of India above, and you know their architectural significance. In fact, one of the stepwells (Rani Ki Vav- Patan) is actually a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and another (Pushkarani- Hampi) is part of one such monuments. Others are equally marvellous. Indeed, stepwells of India are a symbol of India’s contribution to world architecture.
The magnificence of India’s stepwells is now well recognized and documented. As per BBC, “Stepwells are India’s ancient engineering marvel; this unique architectural idea was medieval India’s ingenious answer to perennial water shortage”. Similarly, Joe Bindloss writes in the Lonely Planet: “Every great civilisation has contributed something special to the pantheon of world architecture. Egypt gave the world pyramids, Greece provided Corinthian columns, and India provided the stepwell, elevating the humble act of collecting water into an extravagant piece of public theatre”.
If you want to learn more, here are a few good books to read:
- “Steps to water: “The ancient stepwells of India”, by Morna Livingston
- “The Vanishing Stepwells of India”, by Victoria Lautman
- “The stepwells of Gujarat in Art”: Historical Perspective, by Jutta Jain- Neubauer
- “Her Space, Her Story: Exploring the stepwells of Gujarat”, by Purnima Mehta Bhatt.
However, in spite of their grandeur, India’s stepwells remain quite underrated as tourist destinations, even among domestic tourists. I wonder, how many people visit Panna Meena Ka Kund, a beautiful stepwell just beside the famous Amber Fort! Let alone travelling hours away from Jaipur to see the stunning Chand Baori. I hope the Tourism Department of the Government does something about it.
{For more such underrated monuments, check out: Gagron Fort (Rajasthan) ||| Maheshwar (Madhya Pradesh)}
Decline and restoration of India’s stepwells:
In 18th and 19th century, the British Government discouraged the use of stepwells for domestic purposes. Gradually, they introduced pumps, piped water and other modern ways of water supply to households. Simultaneously, Royal patronage to India’s stepwells diminished and no new stepwells were built. In course of time, these stepwells went into neglect and oblivion. Slowly, natural processes of depleting water tables and siltation spelt death knell for India’s magnificent stepwells.
After more than a century of neglect, a few great stepwells came into limelight. First, it was Rani Ki Vav, the UNESCO heritage site was excavated in the 1940s and completely restored in 1980s. Afterwards, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) renovated a few more significant stepwells. Government of Gujarat’s efforts in renovating a large number of stepwells in Gujarat in the first decade of 2000s is commendable as well.
However, it’s only in the last decade or so, a great public- private movement (starting with Toorji Ka Jhalra, Jodhpur) has resulted in restoration of many of India’s smaller stepwells across the country. Led by organizations like INTACH and WMF, the movement is gaining momentum in several cities. I hope this movement grows and most of the surviving 3000 stepwells are restored well.
11 stepwells of India one must visit
Among the large number of India’s stepwells that still exist, some are absolutely spectacular and are must-visits. 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
Among the pantheon of India’s stepwells, this one would perhaps be the universal choice for the best, the Queen among the stepwells of India, and certainly my favourite. 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.
India’s stepwells are generally underrated as tourist destinations, and so is Rani ki Vav. In fact, I lived in Ahmedabad (just a few hours’ drive away) 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 UNESCO sites, read: Myson Sanctuary (Vietnam) ||| Kathmandu- UNESCO Sites}
2. Chand Baori, Abhaneri, Rajasthan
One of the deepest and largest of India’s stepwells, 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. If Rani Ki Vav touched the zenith of stepwell-architecture in India, Chand Baori was not far behind. Unfortunately, invading armies of Mahmud Ghazni and later the Mughals damaged the monument significantly.
While returning to Delhi from one of our Jaipur trips, we decided to stop over at this architectural marvel. It took only about 45 minutes to explore the stepwell, but its architecture was stunning. Its inverted pyramid structure going all the way 13 floors down looked absolutely incredible. Apart from the steps, the monument houses a number of exquisite statues of Hindu deities (like Ganesha, Durga, Vishnu) and mythical characters.
Its architecture is so intriguing and fascinating that it has inspired generations of films- from the Hollywood movie ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ to Bollywood movies like ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’, ‘Paheli’ and ‘Bhoomi’.
From Jaipur, it takes about 2 hours to reach this place (Abhaneri), 95 kms away by road. The nearest train station is Bandikui (6 kms). There is an old church in Bandikui to explore as well.
3. Adalaj ni Vav, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Situated on the Ahmedabad- Gandhinagar border (18 kms from city center), this is among the finest of India’s stepwells. 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. Climbing down its multi-level stair case, I couldn’t believe my eyes to see the intricate designs and sculpture on its walls and pillars.
4. Shahi Bauli, Lucknow, U.P.
His penchant for commissioning marvellous buildings made Nawab Asif Ud-Din Daula convert a water reservoir into a magnificent stepwell (Shahi Bauli) 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. However, the bottom floors of the building are now permanently submerged. The top floors proudly showcase its intricate Indo-Islamic archways and other features.
Our guide explained to us some of the most interesting aspects of its architectural design. Standing at a specific window, if one looks outside towards the gateway, they can see the reflection of anyone entering through that gateway. Hence, it provided the building an amazing stealth safety mechanism. In those days, the royal guards patrolling inside used to keep an eye on the gateway for any intruders. Similarly, if you whisper (a bit loudly) in one corner of the building, the sound travels through the corridors to the other side quite clearly.
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
In the 15th century Ahmedabad, in the royal court of Sultan Mahmud Begada, there was this noblewoman named Bai Harir. She was in charge of the royal harem. Towards the end of her life, she commissioned a mosque and a tomb, where her mortal remains lie. Not far from the mosque, she also commissioned a grand stepwell in ~1499 for the benefit of travellers.
Built with a combination of Hindu- Muslim- Jain design elements, the five-story structure is among the best stepwells in Gujarat/ India. This 190-feet long and 40- feet wide stepwell has its walls intricately designed in sandstone for visual pleasure. One may notice the two inscriptions at the site- one in Arabic and one in Sanskrit mentioning briefly its purpose and origin.
In course of time, ‘Dhai’ became ‘Dada’ and people now call it ‘Dada Harir Vav’ (stepwell).
During my decade long stay in Ahmedabad, I missed visiting this. But recently, only when I got interested in the history of stepwells, I decided to visit it 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. But yes, you might find a bit difficult to locate it; asking the locals will help.
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. Probably, it was later enhanced by Rajput King Man Singh-I.
Its 18000 steps across eight storeys make it look like a fascinating maze. While three sides of the stepwell cover the steps, the other side has decorated doorways and balconies. 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, its location is really beautiful with hills on one side, and the Amber fort on the other side. In recent times, several Bollywood movies have been shot here, viz. Bhool Bhulaiyaa.
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. However, historians believe the Agrawal community of Delhi rebuilt it sometime in the 14th century in honour of their ancestor- King Agrasen.
The impressive stepwell is situated right in the middle of bustling capital city of India- Delhi. Its 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}
8. Surya Kund at Modhera Sun Temple, Gujarat
Built in the early 11th century (1026-27 CE) by King Bhimadeva (a Solanki king of Suryavanshi dynasty), the Modhera Sun Temple has this Surya Kund beside the main temple. It’s situated in Mehsana district of Gujarat, about 100 kms north of Ahmedabad. It takes about 2 hours to reach by road.
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. Among the smaller shrines, three major ones stand out those of: Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva and Lord Ganesha. The steps built in a geometric symmetrical fashion look beautiful.
Since it’s built beside a temple, the main purpose of this stepwell was spiritual/ ritualistic. In its heydays, the spire of the temple would reflect in the waters of the tank symbolising a union of water and fire. Devotees would climb down the steps to wash their feet before entering the main temple.
9. Toorji ka jhalra, Jodhpur
In the old city of Jodhpur, just a few hundred meters from the clock tower, there is an 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 (Gujarat) 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 fusion of Rajput, Maratha and Mughal architecture makes it stand out. The walls have beautiful carvings of dancing elephants and lions.
After the royal days were over, the stepwell remained unused for a long time. In fact, 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. Unlike most other stepwells, this one is in use these days. It was quite interesting to see local young people diving and swimming at the stepwell. If you are in Jodhpur, don’t miss visiting it.
10. Pushkarani, Hampi, Karnataka
Moving from the hub of India’s stepwells in north-western region, south India (also, eastern India) presents a different type of stepwell. In most Hindu temple complexes, there would be a grand stepwell, mainly for ritual purposes.
In the Royal enclosure of Hampi, a major UNESCO World Heritage Site in India, stands a well-preserved stepwell- Pushkarani. 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 Archaeological Survey of India discovered it and renovated it for public viewing. One can imagine the elaborate engineering feat from the fact that Pushkarani had inlet channels (aqueducts) 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. However, 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 during the earlier period.
It now lies in the Mehrauli Archaeological Park in Delhi. It’s a hidden gem in Delhi, even not very well known to Delhiites. The park has a number of other archaeological ruins as well. So, if you are a lover of history/ heritage, it’s a must visit place in Delhi.
Concluding Thoughts
Stepwells of India are an enigma of sorts. Spread across the length and breadth of the country, they represent India’s ancient engineering/ architectural prowess, water management skills and a rich cultural heritage. However, hardly anyone cares about them now. Yes, some organizations and individuals have started taking interest in them. But they are very few; we need many more. Even documentation of these stepwells is very poor. Neither their history is clear nor very many authentic researches are underway.
In my fascination for the stepwells of India, I made it a point to visit all the great ones, and reflect on the glorious past of Indian architecture. I know of a few more of India’s stepwells, though not as significant as the ones featured in this article. I will explore some more in coming times, and will write about them separately.
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.
KRISHNARAJ CHONAT
Hello ! A beautiful stepwell from the 17th century that was in bad shape, was restored between 2019-2022 in Bansilalpet, Secunderabad, [Telangana], through the untiring efforts of Kalpana Ramesh of The Rainwater project, the local population around the step well and the district administration ! This is a striking example of the many wonders that an aware and concerned citizenry can accomplish and inspires us to imagine possible ways of extending the same to other step wells across India !!
stampedmoments
Hi Krishnaraj!
Thank you so much for bringing this to our notice.
I googled it; but found not much on the stepwell.
I would surely visit thins place on my next trip to Hyderabad, and write about it later.
Thanks again.