Whenever we think of Indian architecture, we think of temples, monuments, forts, and so on. Apart from the most important contributions of Indian architecture were majestic forts or temples; it was a unique water management system called a stepwell.
There are several stepwells in Bharat that hold spiritual as well as religious significance. However, they are also popular for their architecture it has. It is beyond of how could one think of such magnificent architecture at that time when there was no geometry, mathermatics, engineering or physics. One of such stepwells located in Bharat that will fascinate you is Chand Baori. It is one of the largest and most beautiful stepwells in the world built over a thousand years ago in the Abhaneri village of Rajasthan.
History
Located in the eastern part of the province of Rajasthan, it was built by King Chanda from the Gujara Pratihara clan (some believe he is of the Nikumbha Dynasty), who claim to be the descendant of Bhagwan Ram's younger brother Laxman. It was built somewhere in the 9th century. Being one of the largest stepwells in the world, it was built to conserve water and provide a respite from the intense heat. It was a community gathering place for locals as well as royals.
Adjoining the Chand Baori is the Harshat Mata Temple. This 9th-10th century temple is dedicated to Harshat Mata, who is considered to be the goddess of joy and happiness for the whole village. But it was destroyed and damaged by Mahmud Ghaz. The Mughals also destroyed the Baori interior sculptures. Today, there are remains of old sculptures and carvings, which were suggested to be in the temple or in the various rooms.
According to Morna Livingston in Steps to Water: The Ancient Stepwells of India, Chand Baori is one of the few stepwells that has "two classical periods of water building in a single setting".
Architecture
The Chand Baori has a precise geometrical pattern, hard to find in this age which is why it is an architectural wonder. It comprises of 3,500 perfectly symmetrical, narrow steps arranged in perfect symmetry, which descend almost 20m to the bottom of the well. It is this exquisite geometry that draws local and international visitors to it every year. But Chand Baori is not easy to find, making it one of India’s hidden wonders. The play of light and shadow on the steps is what makes the structure so captivating.
It has an enclosed rectangular courtyard kind of structure. Upon entering you reach a jharokha (windows). Descending the stairs on the left, you can see the cavernous baori narrowing towards the bottom, criss-crossed with double flights of steps on three sides to reach the water surface down below.
The stairs encircle the water on the three sides while the fourth side boasts of a pavillion with three storeys with beautiful carved jharokhas, galleries supported on pillars and two projecting balconies enshrining beautiful sculptures.
Fun Facts
Chand Baori has been used as a filming location for a number of films, such as Bhoomi, The Fall, Bhool Bhulaiyaa, and Paheli. The 2012 Hollywood movie The Dark Knight Rises starring Christian Bale as Batman used Chand Baori as inspiration for one of its production sets but was not actually filmed on location at Chand Baori.
How to reach here
Chand Baori is situated 88 kms from Jaipur. To get to Chand Baori one can take a jeep or a taxi from Sikandra, or hail a taxi from Jaipur. The route from Jaipur to Chand Baori takes one through Dausa, Sikandra Mod, Goolar Chauraha and finally Abhaneri.