The ancient city of Bundi, 200 kilometres south of Jaipur, is renowned for its architecture, including its stepwells.

一千年前，在印度最干旱的地区，阶梯井是生活的基本保障。RichardCox行至印度西北部，记述这些过住时代的壮观古遗。

During the sixth and seventh centuries, the inhabitants of the modern-day states of Gujarat and Rajasthan in north-western India developed a method of gaining access to clean, fresh groundwater during the dry season for drinking, bathing, watering animals and irrigation. However, the significance of this invention – the stepwell – goes beyond its utilitarian application.

在公元六世纪和七世纪时期，生活在现在的印度西北部古吉拉特邦和拉贾斯坦邦的居民开发出一种方法，能够在旱季获得清洁、新鲜的地下水用来饮用、沐浴、供养动物以及灌溉。然而，这一发明——阶梯井——的意望远不止其实际的应用。

阶梯井通常建筑结构复杂，并且在大小和形状方面整异很大，这在这一地区是独一无二的。在其全盛时期，它们是聚会、休闱以及放松的地点，也是村民们(除了最低的社会阶层)进行礼拜的地点。多数阶梯井位于古吉拉特邦(在此处它们被称为“vav”)和拉贾斯坦邦(在此处它们被称为“baori”)的沙漠地带，少数阶梯井也存在于德里。一些阶梯井位于村庄里面或附近，作为社区的公共场所；另一些位于道路旁，作为游人的休息场所。

Unique to this region, stepwells are often architecturally complex and vary widely in size and shape. During their heyday, they were places of gathering, of leisure and relaxation and of worship for villagers of all but the lowest classes. Most stepwells are found dotted round the desert areas of Gujarat (where they are called vav) and Rajasthan (where they are called baori), while a few also survive in Delhi. Some were located in near villages as public spaces for the community; others were positioned beside ponds as resting places for travellers.

正如其名称所示，阶梯并由一系列石阶构成，这些石阶从地平面向下延伸至水深(通常是地下台水层)，水位随着雨水变化。当水位高时，使用者只需要向下走几个石阶就可以到达；当水位低时，则需要越过几层阶梯。

一些井是巨大开放的坑状，每一个斜面有上百个阶梯，它们通常是层叠的。另一些更为精细，有长长的阶梯通道，经过多层通向水源。它们由石头建成，由柱子支撑，还有一些亭子供来访者躲避酷热。但或许最令人印象深刻的特征是其复杂的装饰性雕塑，它们美化阶梯井，展现出一些活动——从战斗、舞蹈到女性梳头和制作黄油这样的日常行为。

As their name suggests, stepwells comprise a series of stone steps descending from ground level to the water source (normally an underground aquifer) as it recedes following the rains. When the water level was high, the user needed only to descend a few steps to reach it; when it was low, several levels would have to be negotiated.

多少个世纪以来，几千口水井在印度西北部被修建，但其中大多数如今已经停止使用；由于地下水被转移供工业使用并且不再能够达到地下水位，一些水井已经废弃和干枯。它们的状况并没有因为近来的干早期而改变；拉贾斯坦邦从1996年至2004年遭遇了八年的干旱。

然而，古吉拉特邦的一些重要地区近期进行了许多阶梯井的恢复工作，城邦政府在去年六月宣布计划在整个城邦范围内恢复阶梯井。

Some wells are vast, open craters with hundreds of steps paving each sloping side, often in tiers. Others are more elaborate, with long stepped passages leading to the water via several storeys. Built from stone and supported by pillars, they also included pavilions that sheltered visitors from the relentless heat. But perhaps the most impressive features are the intricate decorative sculptures that embellish many stepwells, showing activities from fighting and dancing to everyday acts such as women combing their hair or churning butter.

在古都帕坦。皇后井(Rani Ki Vav)或许是如今最好的例子。它在11世纪晚期由Udayamati皇后建立，但在13世纪的一场洪水中被淤泥充塞。但是印度的考古调查局在20世纪60年代开始对其进行修复，如今已经恢复最初状态。65米长，20米宽，27米深的皇后井，有500个雕像位于该古迹的璧龛内。令人惊奇的是，在2001年1月，这一古建筑在一场里氏7．6级的地震中得以幸存。

另一个例子是位于古吉拉特邦北部Modher的苏利耶井(Surya Kund)，它于1026年由Bhima一世建造，来敬奉太阳神苏利耶。实际上它类似一个池塘(kund是蓄水池或水塘的意思)，而非水井，但呈现出水井的建筑特征——四面有通向底部、几何构造令人惊叹的阶梯。阶梯井带有108个位于阶梯间的、很小且雕刻复杂的神龛。

Down the centuries, thousands of wells were constructed throughout north-western India, but the majority have now fallen into disuse; many are derelict and dry, as groundwater has been diverted for industrial use and the wells no longer reach the water table. Their condition hasn't been helped by recent dry spells: southern Rajasthan suffered an eight-year drought between 1996 and 2004.

拉贾斯坦邦同样有很多水井。斋蒲尔南部200公里的本迪古城，因其阶梯井等建筑而文明。比较大的阶梯井之一是由当地女王Nathavatji于1699年建立的女王阶井(Raniji Ki Baori)。女王阶井深46米，宽20米，长40米，这一雕刻精细的古迹是Nathavatji在本迪授权建造的21个水井之一。

在距离斋蒲尔95公里的废旧小镇艾巴奈丽，月亮水井(Chand Baori)是印度最古老、最深的水井之一；从美学角度看，或许它是最引人注目的水井之一。月亮水井于大约公元前850年建成，紧邻哈沙特玛塔女神庙，包含几百段曲折的阶梯，这些阶梯沿着水井的三个面陡峭地向下延伸至11层，从远处看去这是一种非常特殊的模式。在第四面，由华丽支柱支撑的游廊俯瞰着阶梯。

However, some important sites in Gujarat have recently undergone major restoration, and the state government announced in June last year that it plans to restore the stepwells throughout the state.

依然为公众使用的是尼姆拉纳水井(Neemrana Ki Baori)，它处在紧邻斋蒲尔—德里公路的位置。该水井建立于约1700年，有9层深，最后两层在水下。在地平面，有86个带有柱廊的入口，来访者可以由此向下170阶到达量深的水源。

这些中世纪建造的古迹多年来一直被忽视，如今许多已经被印度考古调查局保护起来，调查局已经认识到这些古迹的重要性，它们是国家悠久历史的一部分。游客从遥远的地方聚集到印度西北部，惊奇地看着这些数百年前的建筑奇迹，它们提示着古文明的创造性和艺术性，以及水对于人类生存的价值。

In Patan, the state`s ancient capital, the stepwell of Rani Ki Vav (Queen`s Stepwell) is perhaps the finest current example. It was built by Queen Udayamati during the late 11th century, but became silted up following a flood during the 13th century. But the Archaeological Survey of India began restoring it in the 1960s, and today it is in pristine condition. At 65 metres long, 20 metres wide and 27 metres deep, Rani Ki Vav features 500 sculptures carved into niches throughout the monument. Incredibly, in January 2001, this ancient structure survived an earthquake that measured 7.6 on the Richter scale.

Another example is the Surya Kund in Modhera, northern Gujarat, next to the Sun Temple, built by King Bhima I in 1026 to honour the sun god Surya. It actually resembles a tank (kund means reservoir or pond) rather than a well, but displays the hallmarks of stepwell architecture, including four sides of steps that descend to the bottom in a stunning geometrical formation. The terraces house 108 small, intricately carved shrines between the sets of steps.

Rajasthan also has a wealth of wells. The ancient city of Bundi, 200 kilometres south of Jaipur, is renowned for its architecture, including its stepwells.

One of the larger examples is Raniji Ki Baori, which was built by the queen of the region, Nathavatji, in 1699. At 46 metres deep, 20 metres wide and 40 metres long, the intricately carved monument is one of 21 baoris commissioned in the Bundi area by Nathavatji.

In the old ruined town of Abhaneri, about 95 kilometres east of Jaipur, is Chand Baori, one of India`s oldest and deepest wells; aesthetically it`s perhaps one of the most dramatic. Built in around 850 AD next to the temple of Harshat Mata, the baori comprises hundreds of zigzagging steps that run along three of its sides, steeply descending 11 storeys, resulting in a striking pattern when seen from afar. On the fourth side, verandas which are supported by ornate pillars overlook the steps.

Still in public use is Neemrana Ki Baori, located just off the Jaipur-Delhi highway. Constructed in around 1700, it is nine storeys deep, with the last two being underwater. At ground level, there are 86 colonnaded openings from where the visitor descends 170 steps to the deepest water source.

Today, following years of neglect, many of these monuments to medieval engineering have been saved by the Archaeological Survey of India, which has recognized the importance of preserving them as part of the country`s rich history. Tourists flock to wells in far-flung corners of north-western India to gaze in wonder at these architectural marvels from hundreds of years ago, which serve as a reminder of both the ingenuity and artistry of ancient civilisations and the value of water to human existence.