>Vycl1994 at 20:23, 9 October 2021

2021-10-09T20:23:35Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox Historic building
|name= Chand Baori
|image= File:Ancient way of water presservation.jpg
|caption = Chand Baori, in the village of Abhaneri near [[Bandikui]], [[Rajasthan]].
|map_type= India Rajasthan
|coordinates =
|location_town=[[Bandikui]]
|location_country=India
|architect= Local
|client=
|engineer=
|construction_start_date= c. 800
|completion_date= c. 900
|date_demolished=
|cost=
|structural_system=
|style= [[Mihir bhoj]]
|size=
}}
'''Chand Baori''' is a [[stepwell]] situated in the village of [[Abhaneri]] in the [[India]]n state of [[Rajasthan]].<ref name="Marvel">{{cite web |last1=Safvi |first1=Rana |title=A mathematical marvel called Chand Baori |url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/1893096678/citation/D253D532C08D4BC5PQ/1 |website=ProQuest |publisher=Kasturi and Sons Ltd |accessdate=25 October 2019 |ref=$ }}{{Dead link|date=July 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref name="Water Wells">{{cite book |last1=Voudouris |first1=Konstantinos |last2=Kaiafa |first2=Asimina |last3=Xia Yun |first3=Zheng |last4=Kumar |first4=Rohitashw |last5=Zanier |first5=Katharina |last6=Kolokytha |first6=Elpida |last7=Angelakis |first7=Andreas|author7-link=Andreas N. Angelakis |title=A Brief History of Water Wells Focusing on Balkan, Indian and Chinese Civilization |date=March 2017 |publisher=IWA 2nd Regional Symposium on Water, Wastewater and Environment |location=Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Cesme-Izmir, Turkey |pages=465–476 |edition=1 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/315693780 |accessdate=20 October 2019 |ref=%}}</ref><ref name="Stepwells">{{cite journal |last1=Singh |first1=Aditi |last2=A. Mishra |first2=Soma |title=Study of Ancient Stepwells in India |journal=International Journal of Research in Engineering, Science and Management |date=October 2019 |volume=2 |issue=10 |pages=632–634 |url=https://www.ijresm.com/Vol.2_2019/Vol2_Iss10_October19/IJRESM_V2_I10_173.pdf |accessdate=23 October 2019 |ref=# |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191204002801/https://www.ijresm.com/Vol.2_2019/Vol2_Iss10_October19/IJRESM_V2_I10_173.pdf |archive-date=4 December 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== History ==
Chand Baori is said to be named after a local ruler called Raja Chanda.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://asijaipurcircle.nic.in/Chand%20Baori.html |title=ASI: Chand Baori |access-date=3 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305075546/http://asijaipurcircle.nic.in/Chand%20Baori.html |archive-date=5 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> 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.<ref name="Chandramani_2002">{{cite book |editor=Chandramani Singh |title=Protected Monuments of Rajasthan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i-jVAAAAMAAJ |year=2002 |publisher=Jawahar Kala Kendra |isbn=978-81-86782-60-6 |page=176–177}}</ref> It was likely constructed before the temple.<ref>{{cite book |author=Cynthia Packert Atherton |title=The Sculpture of Early Medieval Rajasthan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZkxXK5wFob4C&pg=PA64 |year=1997 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=90-04-10789-4 |page=64}}</ref> 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''.<ref name="Marvel" />

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. Access to these rooms is now blocked for tourists.<ref name="Marvel" /> The upper stories with the columned arcade around it were built around the 18th century during the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal era]].<ref>{{cite book |author=Morna Livingston |title=Steps to Water: The Ancient Stepwells of India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KoVCliqcmIIC&pg=PA38 |year=2002 |publisher=Princeton Architectural Press |isbn=978-1-56898-324-0 |pages=38–39 }}</ref> 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.<ref name="Marvel" /> 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 ceremonial activities.<ref name="Stepwells" /> This unique form of underground well-architecture remains constant from the 7th century in the existing monument.<ref name="Stepwells" /> Excavated stones of the temple are now kept by the [[Archaeological Survey of India]] in the arcades of the well. Chand Baori plays an important part of the main current of architectural activity in western India.

== Overview ==
Chand Baori is a deep four-sided well with a large temple on the back face of the building.<ref name="Water Wells" /> The basic architectural aspects of the monumental well consist of a long corridor of steps leading to five or six stories below ground level which can be seen at the site.<ref name="Stepwells" />

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.<ref name="Water Wells" /> 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°C 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.

== In media ==
Chand Baori has been used as a filming location for a number of films, such as ''[[Bhoomi (2017 film)|Bhoomi]]'', ''[[The Fall (2006 film)|The Fall]]'', ''[[Bhool Bhulaiyaa]]'', and ''[[Paheli]]''. The 2012 Hollywood movie ''[[The Dark Knight Rises]]'' starring [[Christian Bale]] as [[Batman]] used Chand Baori as inspiration for one of its production sets but was not actually filmed on location at Chand Baori.<ref>{{cite AV media |date=5 November 2017 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TV_druEX_EQ |title=017. I found Dark Knights Prison. 2 hours in JODHPUR |publisher=TheFreeBird |via=[[YouTube]] |access-date=5 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210505144341/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TV_druEX_EQ |archive-date=5 May 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media |date=26 December 2014 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbeyN25dLEs |title=Batman's Prison {{!}} Chand Baori Stepwell in Abhaneri (The Beginning // Backpacker's Magazine) |publisher=UndDasIstErstDerAnfang - Reisevideos & -blog |via=[[YouTube]] |access-date=5 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210222125134/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbeyN25dLEs |archive-date=22 February 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>https://foxnomad.com/2016/11/01/cave-batman-found-soul-rural-indian-village/</ref><ref>https://traveltodriveblog.wordpress.com/2016/09/11/chand-baori/</ref>

== Images ==
<gallery>
File:Steps of the step-well.JPG|Steps of the well
File:Abhaneri-Chand Baori-04-Galerie-2018-gje.jpg|Arched arcade around the well
File:A magnificently carved window overlooking the baori.JPG|Stone carved window of the royal ''haveli''
</gallery>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commonscat-inline}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20200125124506/http://www.chandbaori.org/ Homepage]

{{coord|27.0072|N|76.6068|E|type:landmark_region:IN_dim:200|display=title}}

[[Category:9th-century establishments in India]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures completed in the 9th century]]
[[Category:Stepwells in Rajasthan]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Dausa district]]

Chand Baori - Revision history

>Vycl1994 at 20:23, 9 October 2021