Panna Meena ka Kund
Architecture meets Utility
Panna Meena ka Kund
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| Panna Meena ka Kund |
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| Amber Fort |
Panna Meena ka kund* is an ancient baori*, in Amber, near Jaipur, in Rajasthan, India. It is situated about 13 km away from Jaipur Railway station and via Amer road it will take about 45 minutes to reach there. Most of the guides show the magnificent, big brother Amber Fort to the tourists, so Panna Meena ka Kund, a hidden historical and architectural wonder is unknown to most tourists. It is concealed in a by lane near Amber Fort. It is just 5 minutes away (750 m) from Amber Fort via Sagar Road. After reaching Amber Fort, you drive a little bit straight passing through shops on both sides and then you turn left to a narrow lane. The narrow road is nothing spectacular with shops, houses, some camels, cows, ancient trees and temples...and just a little farther on, is Panna Meena ka Kund in all its glory.
History
Not much
is known about the date of its origin. The most popular accepted version is, it
is more than 400 years old and was built in the 17th century, during the reign
of Jai Singh I (1611-1667). Another version is that it was built by a eunuch
called Panna Miyan who worked in the durbar of Jai Singh I. He helped Jai Singh
to build this stepwell as a rainwater catchment. Hence, the Kund was named
after him.
But
local tales suggest that it might be
built in the tenth century when Amber was ruled by the Meena tribe.
Before the
Rajputs ruled Amber, the Meena Tribes were Amber’s undisputed rulers. A Meena
king could not be defeated by the Rajputs, so they resorted to treachery. They
took the help of an insider in the Meena dynasty and came to know that during
Diwali it was customary for the Meena king to take bath in the kund, leaving
his weapons aside. The Rajputs seized one such occasion on Diwali and killed
him, and laid the foundation of Kachhwaha dynasty in Amber.
This story is somewhat authenticated by James Tod (famous oriental scholar) in
his book, “Annals and Antiquities of Rajas'than.” He described vividly how Sora Singh’s son
Dhola Rai of the Kacchhwaha dynasty captured Amber. He writes about a similar
incident in Khogong, ‘encircled by hills’, ‘within five miles of the modern
Jeipoor’ which was ruled by the Meena tribe. Khogong is modern day Amber.
'On the death of Sora Singh, prince of Nurwar,
his brother usurped the government, depriving the infant, Dhola Rae of his
inheritance.' Dhola Rai’s mother placed her infant son in a basket, carried it
on her head and travelled to the town of Khogong, which was ‘inhabited by
Meenas’.
In
Khogong, she got a job in the royal household by ‘direction of the Meena Rani’.
One day, she (Dhola Rai’s mother) was ‘ordered to prepare dinner’ which Ralunsi,
the Meena Raja ate. He found it so good from the usual food which he ate every
day, that he sent for the cook. The widowed and exiled queen related her story.
When the Meena chief discovered ‘the rank of the illustrious fugitive,’ he
adopted the ex-rani as his sister and her son Dhola Rai as his nephew.
When Dhola Rai attained the Rajput manhood (14
years) he was sent to Delhi ‘with the tribute of Khogong, to attend’ instead of
the Meena king. There he stayed for 5 years and hatched a plan to usurp the
throne of his benefactor, the Meena King. A Meena d’hadi (bard/minstrel)
gave Dhola Rai insider information that during the festival of Diwali, the
Meena King with his associates perform ablutions en masse in a tank as
was the custom. Dhola Rai, the young ‘cuchwaha’ seized the opportunity and with
a few of his Rajput ‘brethren from Delhi’ killed all the Meenas in the stepwell. The kund was
filled with dead bodies. Dhola Rai killed the bard too with his own hands, “observing,
‘He who had proved unfaithful to one master, could not be trusted by another.’”
He then took possession of Khogong and founded the Kacchhwaha state of Amber 997
years ago, in 1028 AD.
Architecture
Panna
Meena ka Kund is a
sweet water reservoir, whose water was used for irrigation, drinking and for
religious purposes. The stepwell goes down to a depth of 200 metres. There are
eight floors and eight level of steps. There are 1300 steps altogether and all
descend to the water level. The steps are on three sides, so that there would be
ample places for seating purposes.
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| Intricate ,Criss-cross design of the Steps. A Chattri, the Promenade and a Bench |
The flight of cream-coloured steps is geometrically perfect and the symmetry of the steps is a feast to the eyes. The steps descend and ascend in an intricate, criss-cross way. Another marvel is that, the steps that are used to climb down will not be the same ones to climb up. You have to climb up through a different set of steps. There are no rails on each side to hold while climbing up and down the steps. Descending the steps is now banned for the past couple of years after a drowning incident happened. The corners of the promenade is decorated with chattris, which are ornamental, dome-shaped pavilions. There are benches on this level for resting.
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| Amber Fort on the Aravalli Range,the Temple and the Pujari |
The ancient Laxmi Narayan Bihari Mandir is built above the stepwell. It was built during the reign of Jai Singh I. It houses the idols of Laxmi Narayan. We could see a pujari, using the water in the kund for religious purpose. The colour of the water is green and there were large, black movements of fish in the water.
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| The Laxmi Narayan Bihari Temple above Panna Meena ka Kund |
It was not only a Jal Bhandar (water reservoir) in olden days from where women collected water. It was also a place for community gathering especially for women who would share each other’s ideas and gossips. The place is isolated and soothing. During summers, the temperature is 9 degrees lower in the kund area.
There is
no entry fee. Service of guides is available. There are some shops outside selling mementos and touristy things.The timing is 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. (may vary) and the best time to visit it is during the monsoons when the hills surrounding
it will be emerald green; or from October to March when the climate is
pleasant.
*Kund: A water reservoir; a small,
natural /artificial lake or an excavation filled with water.
*Bauri: A well or a tank
with steps, a stepwell.
Photographs: Bulbul Sur.
