Explore the history of Delhi's baolis

BY A STAFF REPORTER:  Monsoon is important to parched baolis because it allows them to resuscitate themselves with rainwater, but not in all its splendour. The British documented around 30 stepwells in Delhi in the early 1900s. Many of these are still in existence, and some are even operational. Every Thursday, thousands of worshippers are supposed

to swarm the Baoli of Feroz Shah Kotla to pray to the djinns.
Monsoon is important to parched baolis because it allows them to resuscitate themselves with
rainwater, but not in their full grandeur. Nonetheless, these stepwells remain important, whether
for rainwater harvesting, congregations, or selfies with friends. Here's a look at a couple of the
Capital's baolis and their fascinating history.


Mathura Road, Purana Qila Baoli
"When the British wanted to demolish communities surrounding the Qila, they summoned in a team
to clean the waste dump," explains historian Vikramjit Singh Rooprai, who has published a book
about baolis. The garbage collectors kept cleaning the landfill, but it seemed to go on forever. They
soon realised they were excavating into the Old Fort's deep stepwells. It was then resurrected and
reused. In addition, Old Fort Baoli is one of three in Delhi that are aligned with the setting sun! As a
result, they had to construct a cover over the tank to keep the water from evaporating.