INTRODUCTION: STEPWELL

What is a Step-well?

Why do we need them?

What are their types?

How can we revive them functionally and culturally?

WORLD RESOURCES FORUM CHAND BAORI

STEPWELL • Subterranean water-

related monument. • A descending

stairwell leading downward from the ground level to the water level.

2000 B.C 1000 B.C 650 B.C 600 B.C 0 A.D 250 A.D

TIMELINE OF MILEESTONES AND CIVILIZATIONS: INDIA

NEED OF THIS STUDY

Fig. Total number of foreign visitors in selected countries from 1999 to 2011 (In case of Denmark and Bangladesh data are only available till 2010) Lord Vishnu from Hindu Mythology MAIN DRAIN

Indus Valley Civilization WORLD RESOURCES FORUM

Sno.

Location Name Image Dynasty Period Function Remarks

Before Now

1. Patan, Gujarat

Rani-ki-Vav

Bhimdev I (1022 -1063) CE

11th century Stepwell built in honour of deceased husband by Queen Udayamati

2. Satara, Maharashtra

Baramotichi Vihir

Not Available

17th century Accommodates the throne of the king that opens to two galleries to hold council meetings ;Looks like a dug-out shivling

3. Abhaneri, Rajasthan

Chand Baori

Nikumbha Dynasty

860 AD (9th century)

Opposite to temple of Harsha Mata, goddess of joy and happiness Jharokhas (windows) meant to house the royal family are present on one side of the stepwell

METHODOLOGY Literature Case Study: Stepwells of Western India

S.No.

Location Name Image Dynasty Period Function Remarks

Before Now

4. Mehrauli, Delhi

Gandhak-ki-Baoli

NA Period of Iltutmish (1210-1236) or the 13th century

Water is known to contain sulphur (Gandhak in Hindi) Contains water in Monsoon, Mosque located adjacent.

5. Khandagiri and Udaygiri Jain temple and caves, Odisha

Rock-cut Step-well

NA 10th century AD Probably used as a resting place for Buddhist and Jain monks.

6. Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh

Bijamandal Temple Step-well

NA 8th century AD

Probably used as a resting place for Buddhist and Jain monks.

Sno.

Location Name Image Dynasty Period Function Remarks

Before Now

1. Hampi, Karnataka

Octagonal Bath

Vijayanagara Empire

14th century

Colonnade circumventing the bath; made of indigenous granite stone; no mortar used

2. Hampi, Karnataka

Stepped Tank

Vijayanagara Empire

14th century

Made of Black schist stone; in-situ construction

3. Hampi, Karnataka

Public Bath Vijayanagara Empire

14th century

Bath made up on approx. 5m. Raised platform; made of indigenous granite stone with

Materials and Methods

Primary Case Study:

Sno.

Location Name Image Dynasty Period Function Remarks

Before Now

4. Madurai, Tamil Nadu

Meenakshi Amman Temple

Naya Nayaka Dynasty

16th century

Water present in the stepwell in the temple enclosure; maybe used for washing hands and feet

5. Hampi, Karnataka

Stepwell adjacent to Hazara Rama temple

Vijayanagara Empire

14th century

Water present at the bottom; has become polluted with garbage accumulation

6. Hampi, Karnataka

Stepwell adjacent to Krishna Temple

Vijayanagara Empire

14th century

Made of indigenously available stone

RESULTS: TYPES OF STEPWELLS

WORLD RESOURCES FORUM

Based on

Function Drinking

Bathing

Travellers rest Royal

council meetings

Buddhist and Jain Monks

Typical South Indian Stepwell

Typical North Indian Stepwell

CONCLUSION: REVIVAL STRATEGIES

Parks

Haat Bazaar

Melas Religious Uses

Plazas

WORLD RESOURCES FORUM

Sarojini Nagar Market, New Delhi Sankey Tank , Bangalore

Typologies Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats

Parks • Will act as the highlighted water feature • Will cool down temperature of its

surroundings • Scenic views

Will cause water-run-off from park to accumulate in the stepwell

• Can host forest retreats and park retreats with Indian cultural element

• Can be used to determine water table levels and thereby maintain them

• Can be used to irrigate park flora

• Lack of initial seed fund to establish landscape around the stepwell

• Lack of incorporation of indigenous flora in the park leading to degeneration

• Lack of improper landscape design

Melas • Will ensure maintenance • Provide employment to local

inhabitants • Improve social intermingling • Enhance income from sale of local

handicrafts

• Will increase waste generation • May prove dangerous for

children in crowded times

• Fortification of stepwells with guard rails for safety • Holding important cultural and festive events to

enhance socio-cultural identification of the people with the stepwell

• Generation of revenue from carnivals to maintain the stepwell

Lack of initial seed fund to clean the stepwell and set up stalls and amusement parks

Haat Bazaars (Traditional commercial centres)

Will ensure maintenance Provide employment to local inhabitants Improve social intermingling Enhance income from sale of local handicrafts

Will increase waste generation May prove dangerous for children in crowded times

Fortification of stepwells with guard rails for safety Holding important cultural and festive events to enhance socio-cultural identity Generation of revenue from commercial stalls to maintain the stepwell

Lack of initial seed fund to set up stalls and clean the stepwell

Plazas A cultural promenade for tourists and local inhabitants ending with a stepwell Open air amphitheater for light, sound and water shows Enhance income from sale of local handicrafts

Will increase waste generation May prove dangerous for children during crowded times Damage to the monument due to mishandling during shows

Fortification of stepwell with guard rails for safety Holding important cultural and festive events to enhance socio-cultural identity of people with the stepwell Generation of revenue from commercial stalls to maintainthe stepwell

Lack of initial seed fund to clean the stepwell and establish the cultural centre around it.

Religious Uses

Construction of temples to assert the sanctity of the monument To be used for cleaning rituals prior to entering the temple A gathering place for listening to sermons

Not inclusive of all the sects and religions of Indian society

An opportunity to create an inclusive gathering place for all religions centerd around the stepwell by construction of a Hindu temple, mosque and church etc. Improve communal harmony in India

Separatist attitudes in conflict with communal harmony

1. Ruggles DF, Silverman H (2009) Intangible heritage embodied. Springer

2. Shubhangi K, Shireesh D (2015) Water-Related Architecture as an Identity Anchor of Chanderi-Madhya Pradesh, India. Bonfring Int J Ind Eng Manag Sci 5:29–32. doi: 10.9756/BIJIEMS.8073

3. Jain-Neubauer J (1999) The stepwells of Delhi. India Int Cent Q 26:75–80.

4. Lautman V (2013) India’s Forgotten Stepwells. http://www.archdaily.com/395363/india-s-forgotten-stepwells. Accessed 23 Apr 2017

5. UNESCO (2014) Rani-ki-Vav (the Queen’s Stepwell) at Patan, Gujarat. http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/922. Accessed 23 Apr 2017

6. Wilhelm Z (2013) Water as a Natural Resource , Cultural Heritage and Tourism Attraction in India. 1:80–99.

7. Pathak A, Kulkarni UD (2007) Influence of Chalukya architecture on Hampi stepwell.

8. Chakraborty R, Serageldin I (2004) Sharing of River Waters among India and its Neighbors in the 21st century: War or Peace? Water Int 29:201–208. doi: 10.1080/02508060408691769

9. Oki T (2006) Global Hydrological Cycles and World Water Resources. Science (80- ) 313:1068–1072. doi: 10.1126/science.1128845

10. Vörösmarty CJ, Green P, Salisbury J, Lammers RB (2000) Global water resources: vulnerability from climate change and population growth. Science (80- ) 289:284–288.

11. Matti K, Philip JW, Hans de M, Olli V (2010) Is physical water scarcity a new phenomenon? Global assessment of water shortage over the last two millennia. Environ Res Lett 5:34006. doi: 10.1088/1748-9326/5/3/034006

12. Alcamo J, Döll P, Henrichs T, Kaspar F, Lehner B, Rösch T, Siebert S (2003) Global estimates of water withdrawals and availability under current and future “business-as-usual” conditions. Hydrol Sci J 48:339–348.

13. (2015) World Population Prospects: The 2015 Revision - United Nations. https://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/publications/files/key_findings_wpp_2015.pdf.

14. Ohlsson L, Turton AR (1999) The turning of a screw: Social resource scarcity as a bottle-neck in adaptation to water scarcity. Occas. Pap. Ser. Sch. Orient. African Stud. Water Study Group, Univ. London

15. Shiklomanov AED (1997) Assessment of Water Resources and Water Availability in the World World Meteorological Organization. Stock. Environ. Institute, Geneva, Switz.

16. Korzun VI, Sokolow AA, Budyko MI, Voskresensky KP, Kalininin GP, Konoplyanstev AA, Korotkevich ES, Kuzin PS, Lvovich MI (1978) World Water Balance and Water Resources of the Earth. USSR National Committee for the International Hydrological Decade. English translation. Studies and Reports in Hydrology No. 25.

17. Cox R, Grainger M (2008) Step Back in Time.

18. Bhatt PM (2014) Her Space, Her Story: Exploring the Stepwells of Gujarat. Zubaan

19. Das K (2002) Reviving a water heritage: Economic and Environmental Performance of Traditional Water Harvesting Systems in Western India. Unpublished

20. https://www.flickr.com/photos/97924400@N00/6104518173

21. https://www.flickr.com/photos/ramesh_lalwani/5343430556

commons.wikimedia.org

https://www.thoughtco.com/the-ghats-of-varanasi-1770630

3 http://www.traveldestinationsofindia.com/famous-attractions-in-india/varanasi-ghats.php

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chand_Baori

https://www.holidify.com/places/patan/rani-ki-vav-sightseeing-5605.html

Uday https://justaboutev3rything.blogspot.ch/2013/09/ratnagiri-odisha-bihar-is-land-of.html