A village approx. 90 km from jaipur which has a step-well believed to be built over night is indeed an under-rated and least explored tourist places in India.
Abhaneri, a small village near Jaipur in Rajasthan, is famous for its exquisite 1,200 year old step-well known as the Chand baori. The oldest parts of the step well date from the 8th century onwards.
Chand Baori - Stepwell in Abhaneri. Unexplored Places in India
This baori or step-well, which is considered as the deepest step well in the world, is located opposite to a partially ruined temple known as the Harshat Mata mandir. Named after a local 8th century CE Rajput ruler King Chanda.
The imposing square shaped baori measures 35 meter on each side, and is around 19 meter in depth. There are double flights of 3,500 stairs on ten landings on three sides of the well, which run parallel to the baori rim. These stairs are perfectly proportioned in a way that they form stair-triangles along a very sharp descent.
The walls of this baori are so steep that when one looks down from the top edge the stair-triangles alternately hide and show the people going down. Unlike other step-wells, Chand baori was renovated and portions added at a later period.
The lower part of the fourth wall with its exquisitely carved pillars, pavilions, and shrines, were built by the Rajput rulers in the 8th century CE, when the baori functioned as a community well.
The structure of the pavilions had been designed in such a manner that in its heyday there would have been a magnificent play of light and shade from reflections in the shimmering waters of the pool for those viewing from the rooms inside.
Chand Baori - Stepwell in Abhaneri. Unexplored Places in India
Women fetching water from the step-well.
India has many places left unexplored.
Next time when someone asks you what India has other than taj mahal include this marvellous in your list.