Chand Baori Stepwell

Today we hired a driver, Laxman, to take us some 50 miles west to Chand Boari stepwell. Stepwells are all over India, but are really prevalent in Rajasthan. They are wells dug deep into the ground with steps for carrying water. The temperature at the bottom of the well is 5 to 6 degrees cooler than at ground level, so these were used as gathering places during the hot weather. As the water level rises and falls the lower steps are revealed or submerged depending on the season. Monsoon. They are associated with the female goddess of joy and happiness Harshat Mata. Often women are/were responsible for the ritual celebrations.

Chand Baori is one of the oldest stepwells. It was built by King Chanda between 800 CE and 900 CE. 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.

It is a remarkable structure and really worth a visit, even if your son didn't graduate from college with a degree in water management.

On the drive back we asked Laxman to take us through some smaller roads in the countryside. There were lots of interesting slices of life coming to us as we drifted past. Goat herds in the hundreds, women gathering in saffron saris on rooftops, and one striking image of a Muslim woman dressed from head to toe in a deep magenta sari floating through a yellow field of rapeseed.Read more