{{Short description|Historical stepwell in New Delhi, India}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2019}} {{Use Indian English|date=January 2019}} {{Coord|28|35|58.86|N|77|2|38.53|E|display=title}} [[File:Front View of Dwarka Baoli 01.jpg|300px|thumb|Dwarka Baoli is a site under restoration by [[INTACH]] Delhi Chapter, August 2014]] '''Dwarka Baoli''' (also known as Loharehri Baoli) is a historical [[stepwell]] discovered in [[Dwarka Sub City]], in south west [[New Delhi]], [[India]]. It was constructed for the residents of Loharehri village by the Sultans of the [[Lodi Dynasty]] in the early 16th century. [[Dwarka Sub City|Dwarka]] now stands where the Loharehri village once stood.<ref name="Verma">{{cite news|last1=Verma|first1=Richi|title=Forgotten Lodi era ''baoli'' discovered in busy Dwarka|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Forgotten-Lodi-era-baoli-discovered-in-busy-Dwarka/articleshow/9018659.cms?referral=PM|access-date=8 October 2016|work=timesofindia.indiatimes.com|agency=TNN|publisher=The Times of India|date=28 June 2011}}</ref> Located in a barren stretch of land between a residential society and a private school on Azad Hind Fauj Marg, Sector 12, [[Dwarka]], at 28-35-58.95 degree North and 77-02-38.67 degree East. It was hidden by a large group of [[Peepal]] trees and covered by a thick undergrowth which seems to have aided in its relative obscurity. It is mentioned in Maulvi Zafar Hasan's 1910 Monuments list which says it was not very deep and had 22 steps.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Verma|first1=Richi|title=Baoli emerges from tiny pit in Dwarka - Times of India|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Baoli-emerges-from-tiny-pit-in-Dwarka/articleshow/40321969.cms|access-date=8 October 2016|work=The Times of India|agency=TNN|date=17 August 2014}}</ref> It is under restoration by the State archeological department and work will be taken up by [[INTACH]] Delhi Chapter.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Verma|first1=Richi|title=Tomb under foliage gets a distinct look - Times of India|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Tomb-under-foliage-gets-a-distinct-look/articleshow/40873459.cms|access-date=8 October 2016|work=The Times of India|agency=TNN|date=26 August 2014}}</ref> In an effort to draw attention to the historic stepwell, students of Nirmal Bhartia School led by Neil Pahuja: created a microsite and virtual tour for the Dwarka Baoli, in 2024. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmj3hN4HyzQ Video Tour]

Baoli or [[stepwell|bawdi]], also referred to as baori or bauri, is a [[Hindi]] word (from [[Sanskrit]] ''wapi''<ref>Suryakanta(1975), Sanskrit Hindi English Dictionary, page 519, Orient Longman ({{ISBN|086125 248 9}}).</ref><ref>Whitworth, George Clifford (1885), An Anglo-Indian Dictionary (See Baoli).</ref> or ''vapi'','' vapika'').<ref>Jutta Jain- Newbauer (1981), The step wells of Gujarat in art-historical perspective (see ''the term'').</ref> Water Temples of India and temple step wells were built in ancient India and the earliest forms of step well and reservoir were also built in India in places like [[Dholavira]] as far back as the [[Indus Valley Civilisation]].

==Architecture== The structure shows typical [[Lodi Dynasty|Lodi]] era [[architecture]] with prominent arches along the steps and a well at the end of the [[baoli]]. The [[stepwell]] is constructed using rubble masonry, common in monuments of that period. Along the steps, two levels of [[arch]]es are clearly visible. Although the water level has receded leaving the well dry.

The baoli seems to have disappeared from the pages of history and bears no mention in the [[Archeological Survey of India]] or [[INTACH]] heritage list.<ref name="Verma"/>

Although not as architecturally significant as [[Agrasen ki baoli]] and [[Rajon Ki Baoli]], Dwarka Baoli is one-of-its-kind as there is no other structure in the area.

==Gallery== <gallery> File:Front View of Dwarka Baoli 02.jpg|Front view of the Dwarka Baoli File:Front View of Dwarka Baoli 03.jpg|Front view of the Dwarka Baoli File:Front View of Dwarka Baoli 04.jpg|Front view of the Dwarka Baoli </gallery>

== See also ==

* [[History of Delhi]] ** [[Anangpur#Paleo|Paleolithic sites in and around Delhi]] ** [[Purana Qila#See_also|Forts and palaces of Delhi used as the capital]] ** [[Baolis of Mehrauli#Stepwells|Stepwells of Delhi]]

* [[Stepwell]]s of India ** [[Rani ki vav]], UNESCO heritage listed ** [[Stepwell#India|List of stepwells in India by states]]

* [[History of water supply and sanitation]] ** [[Sanitation of the Indus Valley Civilisation|Water supply and sanitation in the Indus-Saraswati Valley Civilisation]] ** [[Johad#Similar|Ancient water conservation techniques]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

== External links == * [https://web.archive.org/web/20120927183646/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-06-28/delhi/29712476_1_ki-baoli-historical-monuments-dwarka] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20110719104259/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-07-01/delhi/29725507_1_ki-baoli-lodi-era-intach]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dwarka Baoli}} [[Category:Stepwells in Delhi]] [[Category:South West Delhi district]]