A unique step-well

In my final year of architecture, as part of the conservation course we had to document a historic structure in or around Pune and come up with a conservation process to help restore that site. All other groups were selecting wadas or temples but we wanted to document something unique and which not many people were aware of. Just a few days prior to this I had got this Whatsapp message of a step-well in Satara, Maharashtra. I knew that there were a lot of step-wells in Gujarat and Rajasthan but I’d never seen one in Maharashtra-my state, and was intrigued. I proposed the idea of documenting this step-well to my team-mates. They were not so happy about it first, but then gave in to my stubbornness.

From Pune, Satara is a 2 hour long drive. This step-well is in Limb village which comes before the main city and you need to turn on the GPS or take help of the locals as the village is off the highway. With the help of a local, we finally reached the destination.

After spotting the well we got down to business dividing ourselves, with some taking measurements and some clicking pictures.

We went down the steps and the drop in temperature and the silence around was palpable. As we were sketching, a group of people along with a local guide showed up and the guide started talking about the history of this step-well and this gave a new perspective to our research.

History:

Built during the reign of Shahu Maharaj, this unique step-well has 15 mots (pulleys) out of which only 12 (bara) would work at a time, hence the name – Bara Motachi Vihir. The main well is octagonal in shape and the shape of the entire step-well resembles that of a Shiva-linga. The construction of this well happened between 1641 to 1646. Shahu Maharaj had brought in 350 species of mangoes from all over Maharashtra and to supply water to these mangroves he built 5-6 step wells; out of which Bara Motachi Vihir was the primary well.

The step-well is divided in two parts- the octagonal shaped main well (Mukhya Vihir), and alongside a small square secondary well (Up Vihir) for when the main well overflows during rains. The step-well is two-storey. It has single flight staircases and trap doors, multi-foiled arches and various stone relief work.
The Darbar hall(royal hall) upstairs has 4 pillars and the top entrance has a royal seat. Secret meetings and discussions “Khalbat” were held over here.

Details:

The Mukhya Vihir is 110 feet deep and 50 feet wide. It has tiers after every 10 feet. Every corner of the tier has a Naag Shilp  (Serpent motif) which symbolizes protection. This is a Hemadpanti construction which means it is carved out of an entire stone. This was a temporary place for Shahu Maharaj to rest. The pillars have symbols of Yaksha (the yaksha bears the load of the structure). There are also motifs of Ganpati, Hanuman, Elephants, and Warriors.

A lot of architecture pieces like these are degraded over the decades. People dump garbage in these wells,stone decay is done by salts, the pigeons have made this their home and droppings are seen everywhere which makes the water unsafe for drinking. Measures need to be taken by the government and conservationists to preserve and restore them to their original beauty and grandeur.

Significance:

There is a lot to learn from the past especially when there is scarcity of water and drought like conditions in the state since the past few years. A step-well is an excellent example of climate responsive architecture. It not only has a functional use, but also used to act as a public space. It would act as a rest stop from the scorching heat and the women who would come here to fill water would sit for a while and socialize. There are clues in our history for the problems we are facing right now, all we have to do is look and learn.