Worldroom MICE Tourism Guide: India 2008


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	Worldroom National Tourism Guide INDIA 2008archive


	From the time history has been recorded, western India has been known to be seasonally arid. The monsoons distinctly divide the seasonal cycle into wet and dry months, blessing the people with the wonderful smell of wet-earth for three months and then leaving the soil thirsty for the rest of the nine. To make it possible to survive with such an erratic water supply, the region's inhabitants began to devise ways of managing and mediating the water resource. In the late sixth and early seventh centuries A.D., anonymous masons dug deep trenches into the earth to reach dependable, year-round groundwater. Building upward, they lined the walls of the trenches with huge stone blocks, laid it without mortar, and paved the slope of each trench with stone stairs leading up from the water. Thus were built the first stepwells or baoris, where visible architecture gave access to an invisible landscape of underground aquifers. The idea proved to be very successful and this practical solution to water scarcity, spread to various parts of Rajasthan and made those dehydrated farms more conducive to cultivation. The late 11th century through the 16th century witnessed the magnificent period of stepwell construction in various villages of western India, marking the countryside with numerous architectural marvels. Stepwells or Baoris are, in essence, wells in which the water can be reached by descending a set of steps. The stepwells made it easier for the people to reach the ground water, and to maintain and manage it, and this was an advantage over traditional tanks and wells. The majority of the stepwells also served a leisure purpose, besides providing water. The base of the well provided relief from severe heat during the day, and more such relief was obtained in the wells that were covered. This led to the building of some significant ornamental and architectural features, often associated with dwellings, which also ensured their survival as monuments. Stepwells are known by a number of distinct names: baori, baudi, bawdi, bawri, baoli, or bavadi. Of the several stepwells, Chand Baori located at Abhaneri, in Rajasthan, is India's deepest and largest stepwell. Built in the 10th century, it is considered as unparalleled in artistic and architectural beauty. Traveling to Abhaneri means visiting the Dausa district of Rajasthan. Abhaneri is a small village, situated 95 km from Jaipur, on the Jaipur-Agra road. It is best approached by road and buses ply regularly between Jaipur and Agra. Abhaneri or 'Abha Nagri' which when translated into English means, the city of brightness, now lies in ruins. But it has an old world charm and this attracts a large number of tourists from all over the globe. The Chand Baori at Abhaneri is an artistic marvel. This historical monument is an 'exquisite' well where you can walk down the steps to collect water, regardless of the water level. The staircase is visually stunning, so designed that a coin once dropped here is impossible to retrieve. Legend has it that it was built by ghosts in one night. The carvings and sculptures speak of a high degree of artistic excellence of the artisans. The steps to the well create an optical illusion that camouflages with the wall surrounding the well. The Chand Baori is fortified on all four sides with bastions for defense. The huge tank with delicate carvings is a delight to the eyes. There also exists a maze popularly known as Andheri-Ujali which extends a few kilometers into the Aravali Hills. This maze was used as a measure of security in the past. The village of Abhaneri and the Chand Baori is believed to have been built by King Raja Chand, a Nikumbh Rajput of the Chauhan dynasty during the 8th-9th century AD. The stepwell is about 100 ft deep, square in plan and closed by pillared verandahs with an entrance on the north. It has a double flight of steps on its 13 landings from the south, east and west. There are separate changing rooms for women and men. Two projected niches on the lower storey enshrine the images of Mahishasura Mardini and Lord Ganesha. The pavilion at its upper level indicates that this cool magical retreat was in use for a long period of time. It is said that on a full moon day, this place has a mesmerizing effect. This colossal stepwell is located in front of the Harshat Mata Temple. Harshat Mata, the goddess of joy and happiness is believed to spread cheer in the whole village. It was a ritual for devotees to wash their hands and feet at the step well before visiting the temple. Built during the 10th century, the remains of the temple stand testimonial to the architectural and sculptural styles of ancient India in general, and to the brilliance of the Pratihara sculpture, in particular. Ancient idols and sculptures recovered from the precincts of Harshat Mata temple have now been placed inside the verandahs of Chand Baori. The Archaeological Survey of India plans to develop this into a museum. The district administration has laid out a beautiful garden at the outer periphery of Chand Baori and is in the process of acquiring land nearby for providing greater infrastructural facilities to the tourists.