Step Wells of India

Step wells of India
A millennium ago, stepwells were fundamental to life in the driest parts of India. During the sixth and seventh centuries, the inhabitants of the states of Gujarat and Rajasthan in North-western India developed a method of gaining access to clean, fresh groundwater during the dry season. Most stepwells are found dotted around the desert areas of Gujarat (where they are called vav) and Rajasthan (where they are known as baori), while a few also survive in Delhi. As their name suggests, stepwells comprise a series of stone steps descending from ground level to the water source (normally an underground aquifer) as it recedes following the rains. When the water level is high, the villagers needed only to descend a few steps to reach it and in the summer, when it was low, several levels would have to be negotiated. They also included pavilions that sheltered visitors from the relentless heat.

They could be as simple as a spiraling staircase down to a round pool of water in the center, or a complex maze of stairs and columns. But perhaps the most impressive features are the intricate decorative sculptures that embellish many step wells. While Hindu in origin, the value of stepwells was quickly grasped by Muslim rulers of the Mughal empire beginning in the early 1500′s and they even built their own wherever they went.