The historic Panna Meena ka Kund in Jaipur
Rajasthan (north Indian state) welcomes people with its gracious history and charming vibes, always celebrating its architectural and spiritual richness with its mystical attraction. Jaipur, its capital city, talks about its historic past and has always been a living organism framing a story at every move. The city boasts a totally unique and extensive history which proudly cradles many hidden treasures and offers thousands of opportunities to experience the view of beautiful palaces, forts, museums, havelis (forts), temples and various other monuments. Jaipur is famous for its spectacular infrastructure and heritage sites that are notable for their outstanding intricate stone carvings and frescoes.
One of such sites is the Panna Meena ka Kund or baoli. Situated on Jaipur-Amer road near Anokhi museum, this ancient stepwell is a unique architectural wonder of India. The stepwell was built during the reign of Maharaja Jai Singh in the 16th century and was designed by a Brahmin (Hindu caste). It was constructed in an ancient way to do water harvesting during rainy season. According to the locals of this area, it has the most extraordinary architectural style. The stairs that are used to go down cannot be used again to go upstairs. Only locals can do this as they are habituated to it. The astonishing sight of this stepwell leaves everyone amazed because of its unusual symmetrical style of staircases, which are geometrical in shape but organised in a unique crisscross way. Octagonal shaped pieces have been used in the deep core of the stepwell and terrace on two floors. The most pleasant time to visit this place is during the monsoons as one can experience the bliss of nature within the complex. One can also visit the place during summer season when the water in the pool keeps the complex cool.
This unique heritage place has its own charm and attraction with a beautiful contrast of nature and architecture. Panna Meena stepwell stands with its unique styling, scoring a large number of tourists to admire this amazing eight storied staircase architecture. The terrace gives a splendid view of the beautiful Amer Fort, a gem of Jaipur. This place is a perfect sight to halt for photography.