Agrasen Ki Baoli, Connaught Place, New Delhi May 26, 2025

Agrasen Ki Baoli, Connaught Place, New Delhi

Long before tanks and taps came along, people in India found a genius way to store water: stepwells, or baolis, as they"re fondly known. Known by many other names like bawdi, baori or vav, they have deep roots in Indian history and language, with origins in the Sanskrit word "vapi." In fact, the concept of stepwells dates all the way back to the Indus Valley Civilisation, with ancient sites like Dholavira showcasing some of the earliest examples of this ingenious way to manage water in arid climates.

© Neha Gupta/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Finding beauty in ruins
How’s the air up there?
May 26, 2024Methow Valley, North Cascades, Washington, USA

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Aug 2, 2024Virgin Islands National Park, Saint John, United States
Sep 1, 2025Great Basin National Park, Nevada, United States
This island is more than a mile high
Paint the sky with colours
May 1, 2025Maharashtra Day
A natural spotlight
Blue hues and ceramic scenes of Porto
Sep 22, 2025Autumn equinox
Jul 5, 2024Daintree Rainforest and Noah Beach, Queensland, Australia
A pair of high achievers
The sea that acts like a lake
Feb 9, 2025Alstrom Point, Lake Powell, United States
Jul 14, 2025Shark Awareness Day
Feb 6, 2024Lake Tahoe, Nevada
Mar 3, 2025World Wildlife Day
A kiss and a sigh
Twinkle twinkle, little bugs
An unbreakable bond between siblings
Kings of the north
Ride the wave
Oct 28, 2025The Gothic Gate in the Adršpach-Teplice Rocks, Czechia
Sep 18, 2024Gujō Hachiman Castle, Gifu Prefecture, Japan
May 14, 2024Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico, USA
Preserving Alaskas natural beauty
A sky full of stars
Jun 7, 2025Gadisar Lake, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan
A sacred water tank in Hampi
Protecting the gentle giants
Jan 25, 2024Agra Fort, Agra, Uttar Pradesh
Aug 6, 2025Ring-tailed lemur