Panna Meena ka Kund

Panna Meena ka Kund

                                                 Architecture meets Utility   

                                                     Panna Meena ka Kund

Panna Meena ka Kund

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 17^th 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.

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.

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.

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.

 Reference:Annals and Antiquities of Rajas'than by James Tod. Book II. 

Photographs: Bulbul Sur.