Agrasen ki Baoli - Baoli of the Unseen?

Water plays a special part in Hindu mythology, as a boundary between heaven and earth known as tirtha. The concept of stepwells (Baoli in Hindi, Vav in Gujraati) is not only for drinking water, bathing but a place for prayer and meditation. But is there any possibility that water can be used for black magic and entice people to commit suicide?

Agrasen Ki Baoli. It remains hidden among the tall buildings,towers of the posh area of Connaught Place, Delhi. Agrasen ki Baoli is considered as one of the Delhi's most haunted place. Is it really haunted or just made up stories.

There are stories that well was once filled with black water, the black water invited people to jump into it and commit suicide. If a person was discouraged or depressed it was said that black water of this baoli had power to hypnotized them and a power would overtake them and they would jump into the well’s waters. How much of it true is actually difficult to say.

Looking in to wiki and ASI records, there are no known historical records to prove who built Agrasen ki Baoli, but it is believed that it was originally built by the legendary king Agrasen. The signboard at the entry gate syas its "Ugrasen ki Baoli". This is protected manument under ASI and ticket less entry.

The well is deep and rectangular in shape, 60 meters long, by 15 meters wide, with with 103 steps. The visible parts of this historical step well consist of three levels. Thick walls on both the sides with two series of arched niches at the first and second levels. Each series of niches are divided into two levels. The lower niche is deep and can easily fit two people. There are passages and rooms inside the baoli, which are now locked and inaccessible.

 

 

 

Coming back to the legend. It may be born out of real incidents or just made up stories.May be curiosity, may be gossip and may be bed time stories that lives on for centuries.The baoli nowadays remains almost waterless.For years people believe that well has several evil spirits. Many visitors were uncomfortable and claim to have felt a strange presence here. The hundreds  of bats and pigeons residing here only add to its eeriness. 

Not sure if all these claims and legends are really true or just made up stories. Only proper investigation of this place can unearth the truth. 

When I went there, I could see many visitors, mostly college group and some love birds looking to spend some quality time together.It was normal atmosphere there but once I started getting down to third level which was empty and no one around, I felt eeriness. The reason actually was, the sounds of all people around and pigeons completely vanished and all I could hear was my own footstep. It becomes louder in a complete silence. Perfect for any uncanny, eerie atmosphere.  

Some pictures from lower level of stepwell.

 

I found very popular photo clicked in 1971 by Raghu Ram, titled "Diving into Ugrasen Ki Baoli" The photo captured a young boy in the act of jumping from a wall of the baoli into the black water.