Currents
Globetrotter
By: Max Edwards
Stepwells of India
There are many palaces, temples, and monu-
ments in India paying homage to secular and reli-
gious grandeur. But stepwells,
built to conserve water, best illus-
trate humble village life. The
need for a year-round supply of
water required the digging of
deep wells to provide water
access, even as water levels
declined by many feet.
A Stepwell Atlas, compiled in
2016, lists some 1500 wells in
India; the wells are also found in
Pakistan and in Southeast Asia.
Among the most dramatic
stepwells is that of Chand Baori,
the world’s deepest and largest
(see photo). Its location, about
5.7 miles from the city of Jaipur,
opposite the Harshat Mata temple
(built to honor the goddess of joy
and happiness) is a must-see.
The well, measuring 105 feet on
each side on a square, has steps
on three sides.
The steps
descend to a depth of 100 feet,
similar to the height of a 13-story
building.
A first glance into the depths of
Chand Baori provokes awe, and
some fear. The 3500 narrow
descending steps, aligned in a
geometric crisscrossing double
pattern, exert a hypnotic pull upon
the onlooker. Visitors step back
from the rim of the viewing area,
as though on a cliff edge. The
symmetrical
construction
bespeaks an advanced civiliza-
continued on page 6 >
December 2017
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