Last week I visited the Ghumatachi Vihir Stepwell and Temple Complex near Pune.
These are 3 historic places within a fenced area with a gate.
There are two temples - Ganesh Temple and Shiv Temple.
The main attraction is a stepwell.
The timings are 8 am to 12:30 pm
4 pm to 7:30 pm
We reached there by 3:15 and had to wait.
So we have some awesome Tea at the Sai Amrutulya.
Note: All the entrances and doors are below 4 feet, so watch your head.
From the main gate, it is a 100-meter walk to the temple.
All vehicles must be parked outside the main entrance.
The main attractions are the Ganesh Temple - make sure to do the Parikrama.
The Shiv temple with the Nandi Maharaj outside is seated on a pedestal.
Bhakti-Shakti is depicted by statues of Ch. Shivaji and Tukaram Maharaj.
In Indian iconography, the theme or the message is usually carved in stone.
There is beautiful landscaping on the premises, so make sure not to step on the lawns.
Also, stepping inside the stepwell from the near side is prohibited.
However, we can enter the stepwell up to the first level down from the far side.
Walk around the stepwell and marvel at the amazing construction of this 17th-century architecture.
Stepwells are indigenous forms of inverse architecture, where there is a circular well that reaches the water table, and a rectangular tank, which collects rainwater.
Stepwells provided travelers with water and served the citizens of the town a cool space to escape the summer heat.
Stepwells were also used by communities for rituals and gatherings