THE BAOLI BEHIND GOLDEN DOMES

Step well construction goes back to 600 AD in India. Step wells are also called kalyani or pushkarani, bawdi or Baoli in different languages. These are wells or ponds in which the water may be reached by sliding a set of steps. They may be covered and protected and are often of architectural significance. They also may be multi-storied having a bullock which may turn the water wheel to raise the water in the well to the first or second floor.

Step Well or Baoli are most common in western India today. They may be also found in the other more arid regions of South Asia, extending into Pakistan, as Pakistan had been a part of the subcontinent and ruled by the same rulers. The construction of a Baoli may be utilitarian, but sometimes includes significant architectural embellishments. All forms of the step well are examples of the many types of storage and irrigation tanks that were developed in subcontinent now mostly part of India, mainly to cope with seasonal fluctuations in water availability. A basic difference between step wells on the one hand, and tanks and wells on the other, was to make it easier for people to reach the ground water, and to maintain and manage the well. Step wells usually consist of two parts: a vertical shaft from which water is drawn and the surrounding inclined subterranean passageways, chambers and steps which provide access to the well. The galleries and chambers surrounding these wells were often carved profusely with elaborate detail and became cool, quiet retreats during the hot summers.

Numbers of surviving step wells can be found in different parts of India and some most significant ones are Chandinath ki Bawadi and Daadeli Vav in Bhinmal, Agrasen ki Baoli and Rajon ki baoli in New Delhi Chand Baori in Abhaneri near Jaipur-Rajasthan, Jachcha Ki Baori, Hindaun City in Hindaun Block-Rajasthan, Charthana Barav in Parbhani District-Maharashtra, Rani ki vav in Patan- Gujarat, Adalaj ni Vav in Adalaj, Gandhinagar-Gujarat, Dada Harir Stepwell in Ahmedabad, Toor Ji Ki Baori,Birkha Bawari Bhoot Baori in Jodhpur, Shahi Baoli in Lucknow and Raniji ki Baori in Bundi in Rajasthan; Bundi has over 60 baolis in and around the town.

In Pakistan the remains of the step well and few places that had step wells are still seen today. Rohtas Fort near Jhelum, Wan Bhachran near Mianwali, Losar Baoli near Islamabad, Losar Baoli in Sher Shah Park Wah Cantt, Makli Baoli near Thatta and Gurdwara Baoli inside Walled City Lahore.

Today let me take you to the Baoli inside a garden in Walled City of Lahore. Behind the glittering jewel like Golden Mosque you can reach a hidden piece of history that is the Baoli Bagh (Step Well Garden) of Sikhs. A very narrow but not dark doorway would lead you inside the Baoli. History mentions that this Baoli was constructed during Jahangir's rule by the fifth Sikh Guru Arjun Singh in 1599. A historian, Kanhaya Lal gives an interesting account of its construction. The place where the Baoli exists now was sold to a woman by a Sikh. She dug up the ground to build her house where she found some antiques and expensive items buried underneath. When she tried to give those to the previous owner he denied to accept them and didn’t believe that those were his. In the end, the matter was taken to a local Qazi, and was later presented in emperor's court. Emperor, being pleased at the honesty of both parties, sent the items to Guru Arjun Singh and asked to use those for public welfare. Then the Guru decided to build a Baoli out of the money. A Baoli with several levels was built there which remained intact till Mughal Emperor Jahangir's period and was used by Sikhs and even by Guru Arjun Singh. Later, during Shah Jahan's reign, the successor of Guru Arjun Singh, Guru Hargobind Singh had some clashes with both the Qazi and Emperor due to which he left Lahore and the Baoli went abandoned. During Maharaja Ranjeet Singh’s rule in Punjab, one of the Sikh followers came and told Maharaja about dreaming of Guru Arjun Singh wishing to restore it. At that time the Maharaja was seriously ill and the sikh follower who had a cream said that Maharaja would gain his health back if he would take a bath with Baoli's water after restoring the Baoli. Maharaja eventually did so and gained his health. This Baoli served as a gathering point for religious activities. After the death of Ranjeet Singh and to the current period there are no traces in history that what happened to the Baoli and how it reached to this condition of barren garden having no Baoli.

According to another historic account narrated by the Sikhs it is said that a Pathan of Bukhara was leaving on an expedition and in haste, he entrusted a purse containing 142 gold coins to the charge of Chajjoo Bhagat.  Chajjoo took the purse and placed it in the safe and forgot all about it. The Pathan returned after many months and demanded back his money. Chajjoo denied since there was no entry of this transaction in his account books. The case went to the court of governor of Lahore and the Pathan lost the case. It so happened that after a few days Chajjoo found the purse while he was cleaning his safe. He went to the Pathan with the purse and apologized to the Pathan for forgetting it and taking the case to the court. The Pathan refused to accept the purse saying that he had lost his claim and had no right over it. The dispute came up before Arjun Dev, when both of them refused to accept the money; he decided to build a Baoli in Dabbi Bazaar with that money. With the passage of time in 1685, the Baoli was got filled with earth. During the reign of Ranjit Singh the Baoli was restored in 1891.

Today we do not see any traces of the Baoli but just a huge tree in the center. Most of the land of Baoli is encroached now and pleading for restoration. I think if such structures are built in the far flung areas of Pakistan, it is a better source of managing rain water as well as a tourist spot. I hope this is revived soon.