Rajasthan is famous for its palaces and forts which rise proudly into the sky. Tourists from around the world come to admire these great structures. But one of the most beautiful things going on in the state is doing the opposite. And rather than extend upward, it goes deep into the ground. This is Chand Baori, which is the stepwell of Abhaneri that dates out more than a thousand years ago.
Chand Baori is one of the deepest stepwells in the world. It descends nearly 30 metres 13 levels in total with an incredible number of over 3,500 steps placed symmetrically in a perfect symmetry. At the grand scale of construction it is quite a sight but it's not just the size to see the brain behind it.
Today we are having more and more discussions of design thinking, an idea which bridges empathy, function and creativity and then makes the most of them and solves problems. Chand Baori is an obvious case in point centuries earlier. The stepwell was built to ease an immediate need: water was needed in dry places. But the solution wasn’t just that practical, it became art. The hypnotic shape of the steps and the balance between form and function and how it served the community as it did they all signify wisdom that seems timeless.
And other stepwells like Chand Baori weren't only about water kept to keep it cool. They were social spaces in which people gathered, took a break and got some relief from heat. But outside, in the cool air the stepwell was comforting and its architecture was harmonious and ordered. It was where architecture met one's daily life to put a touch more into everything and combine necessity with beauty.
What makes Chand Baori exceptional is the way it embodies wisdom. The builders solved a pressing problem of how to store water in a desert climate; I can't see how anyone can help but be inspired by what the people of Abhaneri achieved in the process. And the stepwell shows of course that designing must not be about solving the simplest puzzles, it must also be about thinking and the thought before you do so in a dignified way. People in Abhaneri were the first to appreciate that the spirit of empathy and creativity would create a long-term solution.
Chand Baori is not just a stepwell. It is a site of human thoughts, resilience and artistry. In Rajasthan’s forts and palaces, all with their towers and palaces look up to the sky; Chand Baori hits the earth and tells us that wisdom in both directions can be found in one another. That’s a design, so long ago before we gave it its name; then it was wisdom and then it was wisdom.
