In medieval India, stepwells served the purpose of not only water for the common people they also were places for social gatherings hosting celebrations, dance, music intellectual debates, or simply as a cool resting time during the afternoon when it was relatively warm at the ground level.
On my tour of Bundi city last year, I visited the Raniji ki Baori Stepwell built by the queen of the Bundi Kingdom in eastern Rajasthan.
The stepwell is a masterpiece of grandeur and beauty. It is a huge structure of 260 ft x 40 ft with ornate and exquisitely carved Toran Gates, sculptures of Gods and Goddesses along with murals that add beauty, and the steps are adorned with pillared cenotaphs of the Hindu Rajput style.
According to the tour guide, “The queens of Hindu kings spent their time, money, and energy building stepwells. Several million of these are scattered all over India”.
“This is unlike the Mughals and other Turkic invaders of India, who indulged in the relentless erection of tombs for their dead queens, a classic example being the Taj Mahal”, he chuckled.
The roof of the entrance doors is arch shaped with murals depicted on the ceiling.
This stepwell has more than 100 steps.
There are 3 landings while descending and either side has the depiction of standing Bahairawa.
Descending further downwards, there are sculptures of Ganesha, Saraswati, Gajendra Moksh along with ten incarnations like Matsya, Varaha, Narsingh that are attracted my attention. Unfortunately, they are destroyed by Turkic invaders.
Accessibility Features
There were inscriptions at the entrance gate that described the genealogy of the Hada rulers of Bundi.
The entrance is small and at a short distance from the main street but remains inaccessible for a wheelchair.
Here is the last leg of the entrance to the stepwell which remains inaccessible as well.
What else to do in Bundi?
