She stoops to SCARE !!!

She stoops to SCARE !!!

Agrasen ki Baoli, is a secret historical step well situated in the capital's heart on Hailey Road near Connaught place, a short walk from Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, India.

Hidden from the hustle and bustle of the city smoke and speed, this picturesque place was originally built by legendary king Agrasen and thus the name Agrasen ki Baoli.

The unseen Baoli is an ancient step well- a water reservoir built in the past and has been dwelling between tall buildings. One fine day exploring city's unsaid places, I luckily came across this amazing, impressive and peaceful historical setup.

A huge board outside the monument screams of  its protection by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and is considered to be of national importance but still its ticket less entrance hardly sees any visitors. 

The Baoli beautifully reflects the architecture of the 14th century, when it is believed to have been built, stone dressed with inventive designs with a series of arched structure. The water  reservoir is on the  left side of the monument  and there are around 103 steep steps, made up of  red stone that lead downwards to the water reservoir. The stone walls of the well are remarkable, stark yet beautiful.

Till recently, surprisingly Baoli still had water but now with time, it has dried up and all one can see are bird feathers and droppings. The Baoli is very famous with the bats and pigeons. As one goes to the bottom of the stairs, the silence deepens, the city skyline disappears and the day light fades away assuring one - of it being one of the spooky haunted places of Delhi and then all you would be able to hear underneath - the gurgling sound of hundreds of resident pigeons echoing off the stone walls, the squeaky chatter of bats, who have taken up residence in the lofty spaces of the dry tank. 

Not only the bats but also the B-Town, various Bollywood movies have been shot here to add an architectural edge to it like and gradually the unsaid and unseen place is becoming the most talked hot spot amongst the youngsters. And one can always see the lens man capturing the ancient angles.

But the description just doesn't end here; this beautiful place has an additional weird story to it which has been cited by various residents around the monument. The place was said to be haunted, and not long ago the Baoli was filled with filthy water and depressed people would jump into it to their death. It was a “well of the deads”. It was believed that the Baoli used to call out to people to sacrifice their lives for it and raise its water level. Many believe it to be a myth but some are eye witnesses to these shocking tales which have stayed hidden for the whole of Baoli’s life. Some still believe it to be haunted and some have it as their picnic spots.

This distinguished historical monument has disappeared through the years probably due to modernization and encroachment, and so its magnificence lies unacknowledged.

If you are really bored of visiting and listening about the well known monuments of Delhi, this is one place you could have your eyes on and satisfy your crave for more history and architecture, could be worth a visit.