UpdateBot at 05:27, 23 June 2022

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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2018}}
{{Infobox Historic building
| name = Agrasen Ki Baoli
| image = Agrasen ki Baoli, New Delhi, India - 20070127.jpg
| caption = Agrasen ki Baoli in Delhi, a local historical monument.
| map_type = India Delhi
| coordinates =
| location_town = [[Delhi]]
| location_country = India
| architect =
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| style = [[Indian architecture|Indian]]
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}}
'''Agrasen Ki Baoli''' (also known as ''Ugrasen Ki Baoli''; {{trans|[[Baoli]] of [[Agrasen]]}}) is a 60-meter long and 15-meter wide historical [[step well]] in [[New Delhi]], India.<ref>[http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2002-01-03/delhi/27142365_1_baoli-asi-official-groundwater-level Agrasen ki Baoli gets new lease of life]. [[The Times of India]], 2 January 2002. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130926090426/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2002-01-03/delhi/27142365_1_baoli-asi-official-groundwater-level |date=26 September 2013}}.</ref>

Located on Hailey Road,{{efn|Named after administrator [[Malcolm Hailey, 1st Baron Hailey|Malcolm Hailey]].<ref>{{cite web|title=In 1918 Delhi was in the grip of another killer contagion|url=https://timesofindia.com/india/in-1918-delhi-was-in-the-grip-of-another-killer-contagion/articleshow/75320171.cms|author=Avijit Ghosh|date=April 24, 2020|website=[[Times of India]]}}</ref>}}{{efn|The connecting road between [[Kasturba Gandhi]] Road and [[Barakhamba Road]].}} near [[Connaught Place, New Delhi|Connaught Place]], [[Jantar Mantar]], it was designated a protected monument by the [[Archaeological Survey of India]] (ASI) under the [[Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act]] of 1958.

Although there are no known [[historical record]]s to prove who built the stepwell, it is believed that it was originally built by the legendary king [[Agrasen]],<ref>Mittal, J.P. (2006), History of Ancient India (4250 BCE to 637 CE) page 675, {{ISBN|978-81-269-0616-1}}. The author considers king Agrasen an actual historical figure.</ref> and the present architecture hints at it being rebuilt in the 14th century during the [[Tughlaq dynasty|Tughlag]] or [[Lodi dynasty|Lodi]] period of the [[Delhi Sultanate]]. The Baoli is open daily from 9 AM to 5:30 PM.

==Toponymy==
Baoli or [[stepwell|bawdi]], also referred to as baori or bauri, is a [[Hindi]] word (from [[Sanskrit]] {{transl|sa|wapi}}<ref>Suryakanta (1975), Sanskrit Hindi English Dictionary, page 519, [[Orient Longman]]. {{ISBN|086125 248 9}}.</ref><ref>Whitworth, George Clifford (1885), An Anglo-Indian Dictionary (see baoli).</ref> or {{transl|sa|vapi}}, {{transl|sa|vapika}}).<ref>Jutta Jain-Neubauer (1981), The step wells of Gujarat in art-historical perspective (see ''the term'').</ref><ref>A Sanskrit English Dictionary by [[Monier Monier-Willams]], originally published in 1899 by [[Clarendon Press]], Oxford. Reprinted by [[Motilal Banarasidass]].</ref> In [[Rajasthan]] and [[Gujarat]] the words for step well include {{transl|gu|baoli, bavadi, vav, vavdi}} and {{transl|gu|vavadi}}.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rainwaterharvesting.org/Rural/Traditional2.htm|title=Water Harvesting Systems : Traditional Systems}}</ref> Water temples<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.travelpraise.com/agrasen-ki-baoli/|title=All Important Information About Agrasen Ki Baoli|website=travelpraise.com|language=en-gb|access-date=2020-02-04}}</ref> and temple step wells were built in ancient India. The earliest forms of step well and reservoir were also built in India in places like [[Dholavira]] as far back as the [[Indus Valley civilisation]].<ref name=news>{{Cite journal|first=Suichi|last=Takezawa|journal=The Diverse Architectural World of the Indian Sub-Continent|volume=III|url=http://news-sv.aij.or.jp/jabs/s1/jabs0208-019.pdf|title=Stepwells -Cosmology of Subterranean Architecture as seen in Adalaj|access-date=2009-11-18}}</ref>

==Architecture==
[[File:Agrasen Ki Baoli Panorama.jpg|thumb|200px|Panoramic view of Agrasen Ki Baoli]]
This Baoli, with 108 steps, is among a few of its kind in [[Delhi]]. Three levels of the historic [[stepwell]] are visible. Each level is lined with arched niches on both sides. From an architectural perspective, this step well was probably rebuilt during the [[Tughlaq]] or [[Lodi dynasty|Lodi]] period and is flanked by a small three-sided mosque towards the west.<ref>[http://India9.com/i9show/Baoli-61723.htm Baolis in Delhi.]</ref>

== In popular culture ==
The location has been used to shoot scenes from various Bollywood films such as the blockbuster film ''[[PK (film)|PK]]'' starring [[Aamir Khan]] and ''[[Sultan (2016 film)|Sultan]]'' starring [[Salman Khan]]. It was also featured in the 2017 [[Sridevi]] thriller ''[[Mom (2017 film)|Mom]]''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nativeplanet.com/travel-guide/facts-about-agrasen-ki-baoli/articlecontent-pf16087-003161.html|title=8 Facts You Didn't Know About Agrasen Ki Baoli|work=Native Planet|access-date=2018-02-04|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bollylocations.com/locations/Agrasen-ki-Baoli|title=Bollywood movies shot at Agrasen ki Baoli|website=bollylocations.com|language=en-gb|access-date=2018-02-04}}</ref> In 2012, a photo-shoot of Formula One models also took place here.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://jatinchhabra.com/agrasen-ki-baoli/|title=Agrasen Ki Baoli - Not a haunted stepwell in Delhi by Jatin Chhabra|website=jatinchhabra.com|language=en|access-date=2018-02-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403071224/https://jatinchhabra.com/agrasen-ki-baoli/|archive-date=3 April 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref> The step well also appeared on the second episode of ''[[The Amazing Race Australia 2]]'' in 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dryedmangoez.com/2012/07/02/5284/|title=RECAP: THE AMAZING RACE AUSTRALIA, EPISODE 2.02 – "HE'S AS USELESS AS TITS ON A BULL."|website=dryedmangoez.com|date=July 2, 2012|access-date=June 6, 2020}}</ref>

There are also [[urban legend]]s of the step-well being haunted.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://desitraveler.com/agrasen-ki-baoli/|title=A Visit To Agrasen Ki Baoli Considered A Haunted Monument in New Delhi|date=2015-01-05|work=desi Traveler|access-date=2018-02-04|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181215110412/http://desitraveler.com/agrasen-ki-baoli/|archive-date=15 December 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.tripoto.com/trip/agrasen-ki-baoli-delhi|title=Agrasen Ki Baoli|last=Jain|first=Aditi|work=Tripoto|access-date=2018-02-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403071221/https://www.tripoto.com/trip/agrasen-ki-baoli-delhi|archive-date=3 April 2019|language=en|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ghoststoriesworld.com/indian-haunted-houses/agrasen-ki-baoli-haunted|title=Agrasen ki Baoli Haunted, Ugrasen ki Baoli new Delhi|last=Show|first=Subhas Chandra|website=Ghoststoriesworld.com|access-date=2018-02-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403072722/http://www.ghoststoriesworld.com/indian-haunted-houses/agrasen-ki-baoli-haunted|archive-date=3 April 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://hauntedindia.blogspot.in/2014/03/agrasen-ki-baoli.html|title=Agrasen Ki Baoli, New Delhi|website=hauntedindia.blogspot.in|access-date=2018-02-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180507075424/http://hauntedindia.blogspot.in/2014/03/agrasen-ki-baoli.html|archive-date=7 May 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery widths="200" heights="200">
Agrasen ki baoli is a popular tourist destination.jpg|Agrasen Ki Baoli is a popular tourist destination.
Graffiti outside agrasen ki baoli.jpg|One of the many graffiti outside the monument.
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[Chand Baori]]
*[[History of Delhi]]
*[[Johad]]
*[[Rani ki vav]]
*[[Water well]]
*[[Agrasen]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Agrasen ki Baoli}}

{{Coord|28|37|34|N|77|13|30|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=title}}
{{Delhi landmarks}}
{{Delhi}}

[[Category:History of Delhi]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Delhi]]
[[Category:Stepwells in Delhi]]
[[Category:Monuments of National Importance in Delhi]]
[[Category:Memorials to Agrasen]]
[[Category:Hindu architecture]]
[[Category:Architecture of the Delhi Sultanate]]
[[Category:Architecture of the Tughlaq dynasty]]
[[Category:Architecture of the Lodi dynasty]]

Agrasen Ki Baoli - Revision history

UpdateBot at 05:27, 23 June 2022