Neemrana Baoli and Water Heritage of Alwar

Alwar district harbours some of Rajasthan's finest stepwells (baolis), most notably the multi-storeyed baoli at Neemrana and the ancient kunds at Siliserh. These architectural marvels were built between the 15th and 18th centuries by local rulers and merchants to harvest monsoon rainwater and maintain year-round water tables. The Neemrana baoli features five descending levels of steps, colonnaded galleries, and arched niches for lamps during festivals. The indigenous system of johads (earthen check-dams) spread across Alwar's villages was revived in the 1980s by environmentalist Rajendra Singh, which restored flow in the long-dry Arvari and Ruparel rivers. This was a landmark case in community water management globally recognised by the Stockholm Water Prize.