Chand Baori is a thousand years old stepwell located in the Abhaneri village in Dausa District of Rajasthan. It is one of the largest and most beautiful stepwells of the world. Situated on the east portion of the state, the stepwell was built by King Chanda during 8th century. Chand Baori is also considered to be a hidden secret of India as it is not easy to locate the spot. Chand Baori has 3500 steps, which are arranged in perfect symmetry descending 20 meters to the bottom of the well. Chand Baori is dedicated to Harshat Mata, the Goddess of joy and happiness. Today, it is not used as a well, rather as an interesting tourist spot exhibiting exquisite geometrical shapes. Chand Baori has also been used as a shooting spot for several films like "Bhoomi", "The Fall", "Bhool Bhulaiyaa", and "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel".
History of Chand Baori
Chand Baori stepwell, named after the King Chanda of Gujara Pratihara dynasty, was constructed in the arid zone of Rajasthan to provide water through out the year, as an adjunct to the temple and as a venue for performing arts. King Chanda claimed to be the descendant of Lord Ram`s younger brother Laxman. Pratihara Dynasty flourished during the 6th century and they ruled over the other portions of Rajasthan as well. Their capital was Mandore near Jodhpur. The oldest parts of the well were 8th century and upper stories were constructed around 18th century during the Mughal era.
Structure of Chand Baori
Chand Baori is a 100 feet deep well constructed with 13 floors and it is considered to be the largest and deepest stepwell of India. This precise geometrical pattern is descending towards the bottom of the stepwell with criss-crossed hundreds of flights of steps. The well is encircled by the steps on three sides and the fourth side consists of a pavilion with three storey, which are carved with jharokas, galleries supported on pillars and two balconies enshrining sculptures. At the bottom of the well, the air is 5-6 degrees cooler than at the surface. Hence, Chand Baori was used as a place for local community gathering during the time of intense heat.
Visiting Information to Chand Baori
Dausa Railway Station and Jaipur International Airport are the best mediums of transport to reach the place. This spot can also be reached by National Highway 19.
