(Top): An example of a functional stepwell with water “Baori” in Rajasthan, India. (iStock photo) (Bottom): The Tulsian Bawri in the heart of Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, is now reduced to a garbage dump, with city officials turning a blind eye to its plight. (Sanjeev Tulsian/Siliconeer)

In a desert state like Rajasthan, in India, where water is precious, a “Baori” or stepwell is like an oasis, but for the city officials of Jhunjhunu, a town about 180 kilometers from the bustling tourist destination of Jaipur, it has become nothing short of a ‘mirage.’

During a recent trip to India, a reader who is also a native of Jhunjhunu, observed this eyesore and writes:

It’s right there! Right in the middle of the city, and yet no one including the government seems to care for its sanctity, or for that matter, for the mess that has been created due to their non-management.

The ‘Tulsian Baori’ is a step well located right in the middle of Jhunjhunu and if maintained right, it could be a much-needed water reserve and ground water recharge station for the residents of the city.

The plight of this heritage landmark is reduced to rubbles, literally, with the residents treating it as a garbage dump.

Jhunjhunu city officials have also turned a blind eye towards the mess, so much so, that it is now becoming a breeding ground for mosquitos that may carry the deadly malaria and dengue virus and more.

The reader shared these pictures of the ‘Baori’ which clearly show the inaction on part of city officials and the misuse on part of residents.

The baori-turned garbage dump in Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, has become a breeding ground for disease-carrying insects. (Sanjeev Tulsian/Siliconeer)

The city’s job was to maintain this heritage landmark, but they have failed.

Talking to Sanjeev Tulsian, we found that a lot has been said and written about this place but the city officials at Jhunjhunu are still busy elsewhere, which brings us to this – What’s more important in a desert than water?

Tulsian also pointed out that recommissioning the existing stepwell makes a lot more economic sense as well. “If the city was to create a new stepwell or water conservation facility, it would cost the city at least a hundred times what it would cost them to clean and maintain the existing ‘Baori,'” he said.

“And then, there is the heritage part, the step well is a tourist attraction, a heritage landmark in India, it’s painful and disheartening to see how the city ignores such an important piece of Jhunjhunu’s history and heritage.” lamented Tulsian.