Samipya 2007 Vol 24 Ank 01 02

Author(s): R P Mehta, R T Savalia
Publisher: Bholabhai Jeshingbhai Adhyayan Sanshodhan Vidyabhavan

Page 29

is accessed through a small shrine completely over-shadowed by a very large tree that has grown directly over and through the well which must be two hundred years old. Condition
The condition in which these historic sites are to be found also varies greatly. The most important sites, The Rani Queens Well in Bundi (Rajasthan), Rani Ki Vāv Patan and the Sun temple in Modhera, (Gujarat), are major heritage sites fully and carefully restored and consequently in fine condition At the other end of the sepcturm there are numerous step wells located in the villages and cities that are derelict, overgrown and little more than repositories for rubbish. These could easily be missed without knowledgeable guidance.
Nearly all these wells in the latter category are dry, and those which contain water are usually (but not always) badly polluted, which is the case with Gulla Ji Baori, an "L" shaped well just outside Bundi. Ashapura Vāv, Saraspur-Ahmedabad
This derelict Step Well was especially interesting. Hemmed in on all sides by urban development housing, the access could only be made through a temple built across the entrance. No shoes allowed in the temple which made progress through the very dark and deep lower levels a tricky business. With five levels, the octagonal well head was covered with a metal grid restricting the light at the bottom of the dry well where I distrubed a large colony of bats who were not pleased with my visit.
Although it could not have been used for decades, (years of bat droppings lay undisturbed), some of the upper landing areas were being used for storage of ceramic vessels. This site was typical of the kind of location that would have proved inaccessible were it not for the expert guidance I received from my colleagues and friends in India, in this particular instance I am most grateful to Dr. R.T. Savalia of University of Gujarat, B. J. Institute of Learning and Research, Ahmedabad.
The dereliction of so many wells must be placed at the door of the British Raj who declared them unhealthy and banned their use. This was a misguided policy and did not recognized the important and valuable functions they served. They are often built by royal families, Maharajas, princes and queens as acts of generosity and benevolence for the community by providing access to water in a desert environment, cool shelter and a place to meet on long journeys and as a place to worship. May of the wells are important religious sites, adjacent to temples and richly decoarated with hundreds of stone carvings of India Gods, animals and other symbols. These structures served many other purpose. As places of entertainment, there are dance platforms built in Baoris to be found in Kota (Amli Meena), for recreational bathing thus serving a very different purpose to providing
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20144:4. 28, 2i9-2, luct-., 2009