 "Visuals: Centuries-old stepwell discovered during survey in UP's Sambhal")
An ancient stepwell, likely to be 125 to 150 years old, was found during an excavation drive in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal on Sunday, 22 December. The discovery came after the reopening of the Bhasma Shankar temple in Sambhal on December 13, after being closed for 46 years.
Excavation at the Laxman Ganj area of Chandausi began on December 21. According to Sambhal’s District Magistrate Rajendra Pensiya, the stepwell was constructed during the reign of the king of Bilari.
The stepwell, with an area of 400 square meters, has around four chambers, including floors made of marble and bricks, said Pensiya. “The second and third floors are made of marble, while the upper floors are built from bricks,” news agency PTI quoted him as saying.
Why is excavation going on in Sambhal?
The court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal has led to extensive excavation in the nearby areas. While the Supreme Court stayed the mosque’s survey by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) after communal clashes erupted last month, the anti-encroachment drive by the local authority in nearby areas has led to new discoveries.
The Bhasma Shankar temple, which is a stone’s throw away from the mosque, was reopened on December 13 after authorities said they discovered the structure and two damaged idols inside the well of the temple.
“The excavation, which has so far uncovered 210 square meters of the site, will continue, and encroachments in the area will be removed. Preliminary estimates suggest the stepwell is approximately 125 to 150 years old,” DM Pensiya said.
According to the PTI report, the Sambhal administration will request the ASI for a survey of the stepwell. The Sambhal district administration had earlier written to the ASI for carbon dating of the temple and the well.