CHAND BAORI: UTILITARIAN BUT ALLURING ARCHITECTURE

· OVERVIEW:

Chand Baori is a stepwell situated in the village of Abhaneri in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Chand Baori is a deep four-sided well with a large temple on the back face of the building. The basic architectural aspects of a monumental well consist of a long corridor of steps leading to five or six story below the ground level which can be seen at the site.

Chand Baori consists of 3,500 narrow steps over 13 stories. It extends approximately 30 m (100 ft) into the ground, making it one of the deepest and largest stepwells in India.

The state of Rajasthan is extremely arid, and the design and final structure of Chand Baori was intended to conserve as much water as possible. Ancient Indian scriptures made references to construction of wells, canals, tanks and dams and their efficient operation and maintenance. This site combined many of these operations to allow for easy access to local water.

At the bottom of the well, the air remains 5-6 degrees cooler than at the surface, and Chand Baori was used as a community gathering place for locals during periods of intense heat. One side of the well has a haveli pavilion and resting room for the royals.

· HISTORY:

Chand Baori one was built during the 8th and 9th centuries and has 3,500 narrow steps arranged in perfect symmetry, which descend 30m to the bottom of the well. Centuries ago, the stepwells were built in the arid zones of Rajasthan to provide water all year through.

It was built in the 9th century for water harvesting. It was so named as it was built by King Chand Raja from the Gujara Pratihara clan, who claims to be the descendant of Lord Ram’s younger brother Laxman. The Pratihara dynasty was at their peak during 6th-10th century AD, and also ruled over other parts of Rajasthan. Their capital was Mandore near Jodhpur.

However, no epigraphic evidence has been found regarding the construction of the Chand Baori or the adjoining Harshat Mata Temple. Based on similarities in style and carvings with the terraced temples of Paranagar and Mandore, the Baodi can be dated to 8th-9th century. It was likely constructed before the temple. The Chand Baori is one of the few stepwells that has "two classical periods of water building in a single setting". according to Morna Livingston in “Steps to Water: The Ancient Stepwells of India”.

The oldest parts of the step-well date from the 8th century onwards, An upper palace building was added to the site, which is viewed from the tabulated arches used by the Chauhan rulers and the cusped arches used by the Mughals. The upper stories with the columned arcade around it were built around the 18th century during the Mughal era. The Mughals also added art galleries and a retaining wall around the well. Today, there are remains of old sculptures and carvings, which were suggested to be in the temple or in the various rooms. The nearby Harshat Mata Temple was a pilgrimage site and formed a complex together with the well. Many of these stepwells, including Chand Baori, served multiple purposes including drawing water and religious or ceremonies activities. The stepwell and the Temple worked in unison, as it was common practice to freshen up at the stepwell before entering the Temple for prayer.

· ARCHITECTURE:

The baori has a precise geometrical pattern, hard to find in the architecture of this age. The steps form a magical maze and the consequent play of light and shadow on the structure gives it a captivating look. 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, crisscrossed 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 pavilion with three stories with beautiful carved jharokhas, galleries supported on pillars and two projecting balconies enshrining beautiful sculptures. The depth of the stepwell depended on underground water levels, and thus inspired elaborate designs for the steps.

It is a feat of mathematical perfection from an ancient time and is sometimes referred to as an upside down pyramid.

· HISTORICAL FRAMEWORK:

It is a testimony to the ingenuity and grit of the desert people. They realized the worth of every drop of water and built themselves a magnificent water source.

This square-shaped architectural marvel built with porous volcanic stones lets water seep in from the bottom and the sides of the well. The geometric patterns of this structure are almost hypnotic in nature. Compact triangles run parallel to the rim along the steep descent of the wall, allowing the water and the steps to shimmer in the sunlight. Box within a box, there is a mesmerizing play of triangles on three of the descending walls.

The architecture of this particular structure was completely dictated by function. That function was carried out to the utmost by the initial designers of the structure themselves, which has greatly increased the longevity of the architecture of this stepwell. In my opinion, the initial design of the structure was so well thought out that it almost prevented the rulers and the dynasties that came after its inception from making any changes to its architecture.

The Chand Baori was simply a sanctuary that bound people together around something they cherished the most – a water source.