New discoveries are happening every day in Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh. On Saturday, while the Revenue Department was digging land in Chandausi, district Sambhal, a large stepwell and Rani ki Bawadi was uncovered. In the excavation, 19 wells and 5 religious places were found by the investigating team of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
After digging and surveying for around 8-10 hours, the ASI team found a Rani Ki Bavadi at a depth of 250 meters under the ground.
VIDEO | An ancient step well was discovered in Chandausi, Uttar Pradesh. Situated just 27 km from Sambhal’s Shahi Jama Masjid, four rooms were found in the three-storey step well. Excavation work is still underway. More details are awaited.
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On the 20th of December, the ASI sent its five-member team to conduct a survey in Sambhal. The district has been at the centre of spotlight since last month after Islamist mobs launched an attack on the official team who came to survey the disputed structure some call Shahi Jama Masjid, which was illegally built by destroying the Hari Har Mandir.
Interestingly, the Laxman Ganj area in Chandausi was a Hindu-dominated area before 1857, where the Saini community used to live. Over time, the population in the area shifted, and now it has more Muslim residents. The letter mentioned that there was once a stepwell belonging to the Queen of Bilari in Laxman Ganj.
Recently, Shiv-Hanuman temple was found in Sambhal, a letter was sent to the District Magistrate (DM) requesting an investigation.
Following the complaint, the DM ordered an investigation. On Saturday, Naib Tehsildar Dhirendra Singh, along with the Revenue Department team, visited the site with a map of the area. When digging began in the Babdi settlement, ancient structures started to emerge from beneath the ground.
Naib Tehsildar told Aaj Tak that a two-story structure became visible during the excavation. Records also confirm the existence of a stepwell and a pond in the area, and there’s even a possibility of finding a tunnel. He added that the stepwell is large but was buried under a thick layer of soil. Further investigation is ongoing as they continue to clear the area.
Meanwhile, the ASI team was in Sambhal on Saturday and surveyed the Kalki Temple. They examined five locations, including 19 wells and five pilgrimage sites. Among their discoveries was an ancient Krishna well inside the Kalki Temple.
The ASI team also conducted a detailed survey of the temple with the priest, capturing photos of the dome inside the temple. For security reasons, the local administration kept the survey low-key. Earlier, on Friday, the ASI team photographed stones from an ancient structure at a temple in Ladam Sarai, Sambhal.