A few fine examples of single-flight step-wells still remain in Delhi and the easiest of these to visit is the well preserved Agrasen ki Baoli in Hailey Road, located off a street running between the Malta Embassy and Pavilion Suites in New Delhi. The closest landmark is the commercial and shopping district of Connaught Place.
The construction of Agrasen ki Baoli is commonly attributed to the pre-Lodhi (c. 14th century) Raja Agrasen, ruler of the Agrawal community. It is a relatively simple structure, consisting of single flight of 103 steps that culminate in a now dry water tank. The stone walls of the well are stark yet beautiful, forming a 60 x 15 meter rectangle made up of a series of superimposed arcades.
Walkways interrupt the walls at three levels, allowing the visitor to explore various alcoves and rooms that once would have been used as sites for retreat or puja during the summer months. Today, the more hazardous of these rooms are secured with gates, and of course, you must avoid the pigeons who claim them as their own private roosts.
Between 1727 and 1734 Maharajah Jai Singh II of Jaipur constructed five astronomical observatories in west central India. The observatories, or "Jantar Mantars" as they are commonly known, incorporate multiple buildings of unique form, each with a specialized function for astronomical measurement. These structures with their striking combinations of geometric forms at large scale, have captivated the attention of architects, artists, and art historians world wide, yet remain largely unknown to the general public.
The construction of Agrasen ki Baoli is commonly attributed to the pre-Lodhi (c. 14th century) Raja Agrasen, ruler of the Agrawal community. It is a relatively simple structure, consisting of single flight of 103 steps that culminate in a now dry water tank. The stone walls of the well are stark yet beautiful, forming a 60 x 15 meter rectangle made up of a series of superimposed arcades.
Walkways interrupt the walls at three levels, allowing the visitor to explore various alcoves and rooms that once would have been used as sites for retreat or puja during the summer months. Today, the more hazardous of these rooms are secured with gates, and of course, you must avoid the pigeons who claim them as their own private roosts.
Between 1727 and 1734 Maharajah Jai Singh II of Jaipur constructed five astronomical observatories in west central India. The observatories, or "Jantar Mantars" as they are commonly known, incorporate multiple buildings of unique form, each with a specialized function for astronomical measurement. These structures with their striking combinations of geometric forms at large scale, have captivated the attention of architects, artists, and art historians world wide, yet remain largely unknown to the general public.
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