Start: Chand Baori
Stepwells are an architectural wonder, widespread only in India. There is nothing like this anywhere else in the world.
Step wells can be found mainly in the northern and western states of this country. There is an opinion that several thousand such structures were built here. It is estimated that only in the 3 northern states (Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan) there were more than 3 thousand of them. Slightly fewer wells are found in Delhi and other states (Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa and Jaipur).
Although many stepwells are abandoned today or have fallen into disrepair, being silted up or covered with debris, hundreds of such stepwells still exist. For example, only in New Delhi there are more than 30 of them.
When it comes to the possible functional purpose of stepwells, scientists have one answer: what other doubts there may be, a well - it is a well that can only perform a single function - a water storage tank! This source of water is found in the hot and arid regions of the country.
Indeed, both the northern and western Indian states have always had fairly dry weather, with very little rainfall. Due to the high salt content in the soil, the latter was not able to store water, and very high temperatures instantly evaporated all moisture. However, water was needed - many trade routes passed here. The solution to this problem, allegedly, was the construction of these giant reservoirs.
At the same time, water in India is not only used for drinking, water also plays a special role in Hindu mythology, as the border between heaven and earth. That is why man-made wells were also used as temples, were a place of religious ceremonies and were of particular importance for the worship of the gods, where one could not only quench their thirst or swim in cool water, but also meditate or pray. Women came to wells and temple pools in different parts of India to pray for the mercy of the mother of God, young wives brought flowers and fruits with a request to conceive a child, pregnant women asked for a successful birth.
It is clear that under such conditions of use, the stagnant water of the wells quickly became unsuitable not only for drinking, but also for ablutions. And during the colonial rule of Great Britain, many wells were completely closed: the British were horrified when they saw the monstrous water unsanitary conditions. By now, many of the wells have dried up or collapsed from time to time, others have been destroyed by narrow-minded people dumping household waste and garbage there.
Promotional video:
Wells in different areas of India were called differently, depending on the local language: vav, vaav, baori, baoli, baudi, bawdi, bavadi, kalyani or pushkarani. The English name is stepwells.
The period of creation of wells is very blurred in human consciousness, and the opinions of official science differ here - from the 5th to the 9th centuries. AD
Some of the authors investigating step wells are trying to characterize their architecture by the classification of local names: vav, vaav, baori, baoli, etc. Others classify their designs by location - this or that Indian state.
I want to give my systematization here - according to the shape of the wells. In other words, by their appearance, by their configuration. And there are only 3 such types of stepped wells: pyramidal, linear and round.
Pyramidal stepped wells
This shape of the wells, first of all, and as the name suggests, is characterized by the pyramidal shape of their edges. But, here you can also note some varieties of this form.
The 1st type is characterized by the cleanliness of the pyramidal edges of the well, the absence of any structures on them, introducing disharmony into this form of the correct “antipyramid”. When the water basin itself, along the outer perimeter, may have the shape of a square or rectangle.
And as the very first example of such a configuration, I will cite the Surya Kunda well of the Temple of the Sun in Modhera, Gujarat (coord: 23.583389,72.133452). This Suryakunda, also known as Ramakunda, is a large rectangular stepped reservoir measuring 53.6 x 36.6 m. It is believed to have been used both for storing clean water and for a ceremonial bath in worship of the Sun God.
Suryakunda is an excellent example of strict geometry of forms. Its proportions are perfect, as are the countless stone steps leading to the water. 108 miniature shrines are carved between the steps inside the vault. On any of the 4 pairwise symmetrical terraces, you can go down to the water itself at the bottom of the reservoir.
It is believed that the Temple of the Sun in Modhera, located 102 km from Ahmedabad on the banks of the Pushpavati River, was built in 1026 AD. King Bhimdev of the Solanki dynasty.
Such a configuration variety is quite widespread, which is demonstrated in the following photographs:
Devanhalli fort, Karnataka (coord: 13.2496, 77.70939).
Ratangad, Maharashtra (coord: 19.517728,73.722929).
Vadnagar, Gujarat (coord: 23.78643,72.648779).
The 2nd type of such wells is characterized by the irregular shape of their outer perimeter. When, as shown in the photos below, one or more of the pyramidal faces are broken. But, as in the previous version, on the lateral edges of the well there are also no structures that introduce disharmony.
Hulikere Karnataka (coord: 13.199066,76.002993).
Tank in Kannur, Kerala (coord: 11.868587,75.355012).
And finally, the third type of pyramidal wells is characterized by the replacement of one stepped face with a stone multi-storey structure. Which, at the most superficial glance, resembles a palace, a residential building, and even a kind of technical structure, introducing disharmony into the expected pyramidal shape. And, of course, as an initial example in the gallery of images of this type of stepwells, we will give photographs of the already famous Chand Baori well.
Hand Baori, Rajasthan.
Panna-Miah-Ka-Kund, fort Amber Village, Jaipur.
Manikeshwara, Lakkundi, Karnataka.
Continued: Linear Step Wells