Whatever you do, don’t look down. The ancient stepwell at Abhaneri, known as Chand Baoli, is approximately 65 feet deep, with 3, 500 steep steps making up 13 levels-much like an inverted pyramid. The isolated and historic location of Abhaneri village, about 100km from Jaipur, was probably once a great centre of arts, as suggested by its sculpture and architecture. Most of the area’s mountains have fallen victim to the ravages of time, but just across the stepwell lies the 7th-century Harshat Mata temple, its elaborate carvings evocative of the temples at Kajuraho. However, Abhaneri is worth visiting for Chand Baoli alone. The many baolis of Rajasthan once functioned as community centres, and are all impressive architectural structures. Abhaneri’s stepwell is no exception: it’s a huge awesome construction inset with fine decorative panels and carved pillars. Several balconies at various levels are set around the stepwell, and you can almost hear the ling-gone echoes of villagers gathered around the pool of water at the base. At this dramatic site, you can’t help but marvel at our past.
From Jaipur, take a bus to Sikandra (10 km away) or a bus to Gulhar (5 km away)
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