An excavation at Laxman Ganj in Chandausi area, Sambhal district, has discovered a stepwell, when the local government carried out an anti-encroachment campaign. The steepwell ‘Baori‘ is believed to be between 125 and 150 years old. As of now, 400 square meters of historic architecture have emerged.
The excavation work began on Saturday, 21 December 2024, under the direction of Krishna Kumar Sonkar, Executive Officer of the Chandausi Nagar Palika.
Krishna Kumar Sonkar, talking to the media, says, “As soon as we came to know that there is a Baori here, we started the excavation work here… We will try our best to restore this.”
#WATCH | Sambhal, UP | Executive Officer, Municipal Corporation Chandausi, Krishna Kumar Sonkar says, “As soon as we came to know that there is a Baori here we started the excavation work here… We will try our best to restore this…” https://t.co/DN5U1XPPvK pic.twitter.com/b1IHq3M11N
— ANI (@ANI) December 22, 2024
The stepwell has three floors, two of which are marble and the top is brick, as well as four rooms and a well.
According to local sources, the stepwell dates back to the era of the maternal grandfather of the king of Bilari. Sambhal District Magistrate Rajender Pensiya confirmed that the site had previously been registered as a pond. He said that authorities are working cautiously to preserve the structure during the excavation.
“An area of around 400 square meters is recorded in the form of Ah-Baoli Talab. It is said that this baoli was built during the time of the king of the grandfather of Bilari’s king. The second and third floors are made up of marble, and the upper floors are made of bricks. As we saw (from the excavation), around four chambers are there,” Pensiya told reporters at the site.
1857 year old #bawdi of Raja Rani Sunderwale’s Jagir found in #Chandausi (UP) #sambhaltemple #sambhalmosque #UttarPradesh pic.twitter.com/E1ZsV7iP5z
— Devesh , वनवासी (@Devesh81403955) December 22, 2024
District authorities are planning to seek the help of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct a thorough survey of the site. Pensiya said that encroachments around the stepwell would be cleared to properly unearth and preserve the structure.
The stepwell was discovered shortly after the reopening of the Bhasma Shankar temple in Sambhal on December 13. The temple had been closed for 46 years. During the temple’s restoration, two damaged idols were found in its well, further sparking interest in the region’s historical landmarks.
Close to the Banke Bihari temple, which is another heritage site that dates back about 150 years, will also be renovated. The two idols housed within the dilapidated temple are currently preserved in two different places. Pensiya said plans are in place to renovate the temple and preserve its heritage.
VIDEO | An ancient step well was discovered in Chandausi, Uttar Pradesh. Situated just 27 km from Sambhal’s Shahi Jama Masjid, four rooms were found in the three-storey step well. Excavation work is still underway. More details are awaited.
(Full video available on PTI Videos -… pic.twitter.com/E35hcA7h8H
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 22, 2024
This is after a public meeting at which Kaushal Kishore, a resident of Chandausi, drew attention to the existence of this stepwell and the deplorable state of the neighboring heritage sites. Kishore said that the locality had earlier comprised a Hindu community, and the queen of Bilari frequently came there.
In another exercise, an ASI team has recently conducted a survey of historic sites in Sambhal by inspecting five shrines and 19 wells. The team spent 8–10 hours surveying nearly 24 locations, which include the newly discovered stepwell and surrounding temples. Their findings will guide further preservation efforts.
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