Agrasen Ki Baoli Explained

Ugrasen Ki Baoli
Map Type:India Delhi
Location Town:Delhi
Location Country:India
Style:Indian

Ugrasen Ki Baoli (also known as behens Ki Baoli;) is a 60-meter long and 15-meter wide historical stepwell in New Delhi, India.[1]

Located on Hailey Road, near Connaught Place, Jantar Mantar, it was designated a protected monument by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act of 1958.

Although there are no known historical records to prove who built the stepwell, it is believed that it was originally built by the legendary king Agrasen,[2] and the present architecture hints at it being rebuilt in the 14th century during the Tughlaq or Lodi period of the Delhi Sultanate. The baoli is open daily from 9 am to 5:30 pm.

Toponymy

Baoli or bawdi, also referred to as baori or bauri, is a Hindi word (from Sanskrit [3] [4] or,).[5] [6] In Rajasthan and Gujarat the words for stepwell include,,, and .[7] Water temples[8] and temple stepwells were built in ancient India. The earliest forms of stepwell and reservoir were also built in India in places like Dholavira as far back as the Indus Valley civilisation.[9]

Architecture

This baoli, with 108 steps, is among a few of its kind in Delhi. Three levels of the historic stepwell are visible. Each level is lined with arched niches on both sides. From an architectural perspective, this stepwell was probably rebuilt during the Tughlaq or Lodi period and is flanked by a small three-sided mosque towards the west.[10] a very clear Persian-style architecture – bioclimatic architecture

In popular culture

The location has been used to shoot scenes from various Bollywood films, such as the blockbuster film PK starring Aamir Khan and Sultan starring Salman Khan. It was also featured in the 2017 Sridevi thriller Mom.[11] [12] The stepwell also appeared on the second episode of The Amazing Race Australia 2 in 2012.[13]

There are also urban legends of the stepwell being haunted.[14] [15] [16] [17]

See also

Notes and References

  1. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2002-01-03/delhi/27142365_1_baoli-asi-official-groundwater-level Agrasen ki Baoli gets new lease of life
  2. Mittal, J.P. (2006), History of Ancient India (4250 BCE to 637 CE) page 675, . The author considers king Agrasen an actual historical figure.
  3. Suryakanta (1975), Sanskrit Hindi English Dictionary, page 519, Orient Longman. .
  4. Whitworth, George Clifford (1885), An Anglo-Indian Dictionary (see baoli).
  5. Jutta Jain-Neubauer (1981), The step wells of Gujarat in art-historical perspective (see the term).
  6. A Sanskrit English Dictionary by Monier Monier-Willams, originally published in 1899 by Clarendon Press, Oxford. Reprinted by Motilal Banarasidass.
  7. Web site: Water Harvesting Systems : Traditional Systems.
  8. Web site: All Important Information About Agrasen Ki Baoli. travelpraise.com. en-gb. 2020-02-04.
  9. Shuichi Takezawa . Journal of Architecture and Building Science . 117 . 1492 . August 2002 . 24 . Stepwells – Cosmology of Subterranean Architecture as seen in Adalaj. 2009-11-18.
  10. http://India9.com/i9show/Baoli-61723.htm Baolis in Delhi
  11. News: 8 Facts You Didn't Know About Agrasen Ki Baoli. Native Planet. 2018-02-04. en.
  12. Web site: Bollywood movies shot at Agrasen ki Baoli. bollylocations.com. en-gb. 2018-02-04. 22 March 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190322002542/http://www.bollylocations.com/locations/Agrasen-ki-Baoli. dead.
  13. Web site: RECAP: THE AMAZING RACE AUSTRALIA, EPISODE 2.02 – "HE'S AS USELESS AS TITS ON A BULL.". dryedmangoez.com. July 2, 2012. June 6, 2020.
  14. News: A Visit To Agrasen Ki Baoli Considered A Haunted Monument in New Delhi. 2015-01-05. desi Traveler. 2018-02-04. en-US. https://web.archive.org/web/20181215110412/http://desitraveler.com/agrasen-ki-baoli/. 15 December 2018. dead.
  15. News: Agrasen Ki Baoli. Jain. Aditi. Tripoto. 2018-02-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20190403071221/https://www.tripoto.com/trip/agrasen-ki-baoli-delhi. 3 April 2019. en. dead.
  16. Web site: Agrasen ki Baoli Haunted, Ugrasen ki Baoli new Delhi. Show. Subhas Chandra. Ghoststoriesworld.com. 2018-02-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20190403072722/http://www.ghoststoriesworld.com/indian-haunted-houses/agrasen-ki-baoli-haunted. 3 April 2019. dead.
  17. Web site: Agrasen Ki Baoli, New Delhi. hauntedindia.blogspot.in. 2018-02-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20180507075424/http://hauntedindia.blogspot.in/2014/03/agrasen-ki-baoli.html. 7 May 2018. dead.

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