Hyderabad: There were only 30 stepwells listed by the archaeology department before the Hyderabad Design Forum found 81 more. The forum still has to search 16 more districts. Of the 111 stepwells, 44 are located in Hyderabad most of them to the south of the Musi.
Stepwells were introduced by the Kakatiyas and Qutb Shahis to provide a place to rest on a sunny day. The temperature in the stepwells is up to 5ºC cooler than outside.
The oldest stepwell the forum found was the Devariyamjal stepwell in Shamirpet on the city outskirts. The Kolanupaka stepwell, one of the oldest in the state, is located in Someshwar Swayambhu temple, which got its name from the 101 kolanus in the region. Untouchability was never practiced at this temple.
HDF president Yeswanth Ramamurthy said, “Our forefathers thought well and constructed these stepwells. The steps make it convenient for the people to descend till the water.”
The HDF team comprising amateur architects found the stepwells in about a year.
Environmentalist Kaplana Ramesh, who is also an architect, said, “We referred to the hydrological maps of the places. Stepwells are placed at locations where there the water streams. They were well thought out.”
There is a striking difference between the stepwells in the Old City and those in the rural parts of the state, Ramesh said.
“The revival of the stepwells in the city might be more difficult in comparison with the rural stepwells. Due to rapid urbanisation there is a drop in groundwater level. The presence of lakes in the surrounding area of a stepwell is another important factor. Our city lacks both,” Ramesh said.
Many stepwells in the city have garbage dumped in them. The stepwell at the Gachibowli Ramalayam has become a dumping yard, where you can find only the destroyed computer parts and plastic waste,” Mr Ramamurthy said.
He said once the HDF survey is complete, it would release a book with scientific information. This can be used to restore and revive stepwells.” he said.
