Reports of a new performance venue in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad drew my attention to the abandoned 17th-century Bansilalpet Stepwell, which had recently reopened as a tourist attraction. Hyderabad holds many happy childhood memories for me, and I was particularly intrigued that despite dozens of visits to the city, I hadn't noticed -- nor even heard of -- this monument.
Tea Leaves
Indian stepwells provide lessons in ancient ingenuity
Hundreds lie in ruins, but many are being renovated for new uses
Old temples in India, such as this one in Modhera, in the western state of Gujarat, had water reservoirs in the form of stepwells within the premises. (All photos by Charukesi Ramadurai)
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