Rajasthan
Sacred Tanks in Rajasthan
Chand Baori in Abhaneri village
Eastern Rajasthan
The Chand Baori in Abhaneri village is one of the primitive step wells in the state of Rajasthan and is well thought-out to be one of the largest wells in entire globe. It appears exactly like a well. There are 3,500 tapered steps in this step well. The green water at the pedestal of the well indicates that the well is of no use now. The steps encircle the step well on the 3 sides while the 4th side has a group of pavilions that are constructed one on top of the other. The famous Chand Baori at Abhaneri was featured in a movie called “The Fall”. This step well also made a quick appearance in a smash hit film called “The Dark Knight Rises”. At present, this step well is one of the vital assets of the country and is carefully administered by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI).
Picture source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Bundi, Kota
Picturesource:http://www.flickr.com/photos/prof_richard/4196317123/sizes/z/in/photostream/
Bundi is a beautiful town and has its importance in the history of Rajasthan. It is surrounded by the Aravalli hills on the three sides and is circumscribed by a massive wall with four gateways and it’s famous for its intricate carvings and murals. Bundi is known for its baoris or stepwells. Constructed by royalty and affluent members of society, they served as water reservoirs when there was a scarcity of water. The finest example is the Rani Ji Ki which was built by Rani Nathavati Ji in 1699 AD during her son Budh Singh's time. It is adorned with finely sculpted pillars and arches. It is a multistoreyed structure with places of worship on each floor. The steps built into the sides of the water-well made water accessible even when at a very low level. The baori is one of the largest examples of its kind in Rajasthan.
(Source: http://hotelbundihaveli.com/bundi.htm)
Pushkar Lake
Place of Origin: Pushkar (Ajmer District), Rajasthan
Description:
Pushkar is an artificial lake created in the 12th century AD and covers an area of about 5 sq.kms. About 400 temples and shrines and 52 ghats are located near this lake.
Religious significance
The great Hindu epics of the Ramayana and Mahabharata contained references to this lake as the Adi Tirtha.Legend has it that Lord Brahma created this lake and even Lord Vishnu is supposed to have come here in the form of a boar. Guru Govind Singh recited the Guru Granth Sahib here and the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi were immersed here. On Karthic Poornima (Full moon day) lakhs of pilgrims come here to bathe in the holy waters of the lake as it is believed to cure skin diseases. According to Hindu mythology, Lakshman did penance here. Hence, there is a temple dedicated to Lakshman on the banks of the lake. There is also a star shaped Guruwara called Sri Hemkund sahib which is an important pilgrims site for the Sikhs.
Ecological significance
The Pushkar lake is rich in biodiversity like aquatic life. However, in the recent past due to developmental activities, tourism, the annual camel fair, poor drainage system, immersion of ashes, etc., the lake has become polluted. The water requirements are now being met by a system of tube wells.
Karz Kund and Tulsi Kund at Eklingji Temple, Udaipur
(Picture source: httpwww.harekrsna.comsunfeatures11-09features1552.htm)
Eklingji situated in a beautiful valley to the north of Udaipur is the home of many temples. One of the important temples built in the Jain style dates back to the 15 century AD. Another famous temple is said to have been founded by Acharya Viswaroopa, a contemporary of Adi Sankaracharya. There are two tanks named Karz Kund and Tulsi Kund which are situated in the northern side of the temple. The water is utilized for the rituals in the temple, especially the alankar ritual of Lord Shiva. The ruler of Mewar regards Eklangji as the real kingdom. There are around a hundred more temples, big and small, around the Eklagji temple.
Galtaji Kund, Khania-Balaji, Jaipur
(Picture Source:httpjaipuron.blogspot.in)
Galtaji was the retreat for the Hindu ascetics belonging to the Vaishnavite Ramandi sect since early 1500 AD. The present temple, constructed of pink stone, was built in the 18th century AD. Two artificial pools have been created which are used by the pilgrims for bathing. There are two other temples dedicated to Lord Balaji and Surya. The temple is noted for its natural water springs which are collected in seven tanks, the holiest being the Galta kund which never becomes dry. It is considered to be especially auspicious to take a bath on the occasion of Makar Sankranti.
Galta Kund, Galwar Bagh and Surya Temple
Monkey temple kund, Khania-Balaji, Jaipur
(Picture source: httpsonyaandtravis.comthe-paris-of-india-jaipur-rajasthan-india)
The Ramgopalji temple complex is known as Monkey temple because of the large tribe of monkeys which inhabitat it. The rhesus macaque species were featured in National Geographic Channel’s Robel Monkeys and “Thar Desert-Sacred sand” episode of Wildest India series. The Galtaji is part of a cluster temple and sacred kunds. It is believed that the saint Galav spent his entire life at this spot practicing meditation and doing penance. The main deities of the Monkey temple are the Sun God and Lord Hanuman.
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Kaman, Bharatpur district
(Picture source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaman_Rajasthan)
Kaman is an old sacred town for the Hindus and it forms part of the Braj area where Lord Krihsna spent his early life. It is also known as Kamawan. A number of Kadamba trees are also found here. It is a popular scene of pilgrimage and is visited by a large number of Vaishnavites. Kaman also has 84 kunds many of which have dried up. It was long ruled by the Maharajahs of Jaipur. During the rainy season a fair is held called theParikramma Mela.
Bundi, Hadoti, Rajasthan
(Picture source: httptours-northindia.blogspot.in201208bundi-tour-discover-undiscovered-of.html)
Bundi, a city in the Hadoti region of Rajasthan is famous for its forts, stepwells, reservoirs and palaces. The Taragarh fort was constructed in the year 1354 AD and from the top of it one can get a panoramic view of the city. There are three perennial tanks within the fort. The Baoris or stepwells was built by Rani Nathavatji in 1699 AD. It is around 46 metres deep. An artificial lake called the Nawal Sagar is built in the form of a square and contains many tiny islets. A temple dedicated to Lord Varuna is situated in the middle of the lake. The Dabhai kund, popularly known as the jail kund, is famous for the many intricate carvings on the steps leading to the water level.
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Fatehpur, Shekhawati, Rajasthan
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stepwell
Shekhawati is in a desert area of Rajasthan and has special importance in the history of India. The term Shekhawati was used frequently in Vamsh Bhaskar It is said that the term Shekhawati came into use about two and half centuries ago. Shekhawati is named after Rao Shekha.
The natural climatic conditions in the region are very harsh and extreme. The groundwater is as deep as 200 feet (60 m), and in some places, the groundwater is hard and salty. The people in the region depend on rainwater harvesting. The harvested rainwater from the monsoon season (during July and August) is stored in pucca tanks and used throughout the year for drinking purposes. Bawdis and johads are traditionally constructed for storing rainfall in this arid region of Rajasthan. The bawdi is constructed in such a design that it is wide at the top and gets narrower at the bottom. The water stored in it is cool and used for drinking purposes.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shekhawati