Neemrana baori is the alter ego of Neemrana fort

Neemrana is known for its fort today, but close to it lies the palatial baori (stepwell) which is one of the best of its kind in India.
According to the local folks, the fort was made by the local kings to provide relief to their subjects sometime around the early 18th century. In all likelihood, the kings who commissioned the construction of the stepwell were the descendants of Prithviraj Chauhan.

The subterranean stepwell known as Neemrana Baori is situated a few miles off the Delhi-Jaipur highway. Though it is the largest and deepest stepwell in India, the beholder will fail to resist the magnificence of this structure.

At the level of the ground, about 86 colonnaded openings existed from where everyone had to go down 170 to 200 steps to reach the water stored at the bottom of the stepwell. They say that more than 20 stairs right from the eighth floor were submerged in water.

Today, the place has lost its former glory to the apparent neglect it has faced over the decades by the concerned authorities. What one can see now are broken ledges, filth, cracked steps, scribbling by the visitors, and some unwelcomed occupants such as beehives, bats etc.

Neemrana Baori may surely have been abandoned, but it still retains its erstwhile charm – there is still much scope for it to regain its former charisma provided the authorities take charge of its restoration soon. Word has it that the baori might be converted into a haat (an open marketplace) for locals and tourists.