The Chand Baori step well is a structure worthy of being called a wonder of the world
Many buildings of ancient masters are so grandiose and perfect that even today, using the achievements of science and technology, it will be incredibly difficult to repeat them. One of such amazing creations – the Chand Baori well, is located in the small Indian town of Abaneri, located between Jaipur and Acre. Incredibly, this structure was built by hand in the 9th-11th centuries and there is still water in it.
The Chand Baori well is a truncated 30-meter step pyramid, directed downwards from the top. In total, the structure has 13 tiers connected by numerous flights of stairs. The total number of steps in the well is 3,500 and they served to descend to the water at different levels.
Fantastic in scope and engineering design, the well began to be built by order of King Chand of the Nikumba dynasty. The monarch ordered the creation of Chand Baori in order to provide water to his subjects, who often suffered from droughts. Surprisingly, modern engineers consider the structure almost perfect.
Steep slopes and a large depth of the well allow you to keep moisture from evaporation in the hottest time of the year, and numerous stairs provide access to life-giving moisture even at its minimum level. It is also worth mentioning that Chand Baori was built conscientiously – carefully processed stone blocks from local quarries were used for its construction, perfectly fitted to each other.
Ancient masters built galleries and colonnades around the well, decorated with elaborate stone carvings and figures of the gods of the Hindu pantheon. In the old days, people who came to Chand Baori for water from afar could rest in the cool passages of the upper part of the structure before going back with filled jugs and wineskins.
The Chand Baori well was not only a salvation from droughts, but also a sacred place for many Hindus. Pilgrims who came to the Harshat Mate temple performed ritual ablution in its water. Now there is also water in the walls of the well, but it has not been used for bathing, drinking and washing for a long time. The authorities prohibit the use of Chand Baori for its intended purpose because of the risk of an epidemic.
But even not too squeamish peasants from the surrounding houses are unlikely to come up with the idea of drinking from a well – the water in it is dirty and smells bad. In addition, Chand Baori is surrounded by many legends and legends, among which there are also those associated with the wrath of the gods, who descended on disobedient people who encroached on muddy water.
The only category of visitors to a unique place from which it is necessary to protect an architectural monument is foreign extreme tourists. Especially for them, the state authorities installed a metal fence on the fifth tier of the well from below.
Keywords: Architecture | India | Asia | Design and architecture | Well | Antiquity | Monument