Steps of civilisation

Updated - June 01, 2018 at 12:39 PM.

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Shah Quli Baoli, Fatehpur Sikri, Uttar Pradesh: If it is Fatehpur Sikri, it has to be red sandstone. Shah Quli Baoli is named after a son of Maham Anga, emperor Akbar’s wet nurse. Quli Khan’s brother Adham, also a general in the Mughal army, was notorious for acts of rebellion against the sovereign. Adham was executed when he murdered one of the high-ranking ministers. Quli Khan’s life was less colourful, and we cannot say why this baoli was named after him. Or for that matter, a mausoleum in Delhi’s Mehrauli area. The four-storey structure in Fatehpur Sikri has “three levels of interior rooms” that “run the length of the well”.
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Dada Harir Vav, Asarwa, Gujarat: “On a dedication panel, Dada (or Bhai) Harir is described as ‘the general superintendent at the door to the king’s harem’.” Built in 1499, this one has a large domed pavilion; chhatris; and a “tree of life carved in a niche in the well’s cylinder”. In the same premises is a mosque, as well as a tomb for Dada Harir. Both draw visitors to a compound that is rather well looked after.
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Raja Bir Singh Dev Baoli, Sirol, Madhya Pradesh: About seven km outside the town of Datia, two conspicuous domes form the gateway to “an extraordinary stepwell, built during the reign of Raja Bir Singh Dev and hence assigned his name”. The king, who ruled from 1605-26, is said to have been admired by Sir Edwin Lutyens, the architect that New Delhi is synonymous with. A local historian says that the baoli is part of the king’s summer enclave. “A set of narrow steps leads to the long, slim and peaceful pool set between arched corridors.” The water — used by the family of a farmer who currently owns the land on which the baoli stands — is crystal clear
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Ujala Baoli, Mandu, Madhya Pradesh: Mandu’s eventful past — romance, intrigue, conspiracy, battles, suicides, et al — did not come in the way of its dedication to architecture. The city’s palaces and mausoleums are hallmarks of medieval Indian architecture. It is no surprise that the same sophistication can be seen in some of its water features. Ujala Baoli, one of the several stepwells in Mandu, is one such example
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Rataba Vav (Ratala Vav, Ratba Vav), Rampura, Gujarat: This gigantic vav stands out for more than six pyramidal shikharas. Built in 1482, this structure is “nearly impossible to take in... at one glance”. You can go down only three storeys, due to the high water level. A Shiva shrine, a reclining Vishnu on the floor and several Ganesh idols greet you as you explore the vav. So do floral offerings, peacock feathers, beads and tinsel — courtesy of devotees who come asking for good health, prosperity, offspring and more.
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Navghan Kuvo, Junagadh, Gujarat: The curious case of the rock-cut stepwell is that no one can tell how old it is. It could be from the fourth century; it could also belong to the mid-11th century. Navghan, however, boasts a more “eccentric, complex layout” than other similar early rock-cut structures. Once inside the stepwell, you feel like you are in a quarry, with massive rock walls all around. You will find a small shrine with the usual trimmings — garlands, joss sticks, bangles, vermilion — as well as scores of pigeons that have taken up residence here. ▲
Helical Vav, Champaner, Gujarat: If beauty lies in simplicity, then Helical Vav fits the bill like a dream. It dates back to the early 16th century, and lies outside the fortress city of Champaner. This city was once called the ‘City of a Thousand Wells’ — a reference to its advanced water-harvesting systems. Helical Vav is a circular structure, with a flight of steps that make it easy to access the water. Even the ASI signboard at the site offers basic information about the history.
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Mahila Baag Jhalra, Jodhpur, Rajasthan: Gulab Rai, said to be a wealthy and beautiful concubine of Maharaja Vijay Singh of Jodhpur, built Mayala Baag Jhalra in the late 18th century. No one knows how Mahila (Hindi for ‘female’) replaced Mayla in the name. The stepwell is also known as Chamukhi Ghat. Located across the road from Gulab Sagar, another Gulab Rai water project, Mahila Baag Jhalra has never run dry. It speaks volumes of Jodhpur’s efficient water management system.
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The Vanishing Stepwells of India; Victoria Lautman; Merrell Publishers, London ₹4,040 approx ▲

India’s stepwells speak volumes for the role that water has played in architecture and city planning. Known as baolis, vavs or bawadis, these structures are also remnants of the sophisticated water-harvesting systems built over centuries. Sadly, most of these lie in neglect-in the heart of a city, by the highway, on the edge of a desert, or in the shadow of a stately fortress.

Photos: Victoria Lautman, The Vanishing Stepwells of India

Published on May 4, 2024 17:21
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