Huge architectural gems built deep into the Earth like inverted fortresses are scattered around India – and restoring them may be a solution to help the country's parched communities.

巨大的建筑瑰宝遍布印度各地，犹如倒置的城堡被建在地下深处，修复它们也许是帮助印度干旱地区的一个办法。

An exquisitely carved maze of 3,500 steps, arranged in perfect symmetry, descends with geometrical precision to reach a well. Criss-crossed steps encircle the water on three sides, while the fourth side is adorned by a pavilion with embellished galleries and balconies. Built by Rajput ruler Raja Chanda during the 8th-9th Century, Chand Bawri in Abhaneri, Rajasthan, is India's largest and deepest stepwell. Extending down 13 floors, or 100ft (30m), into the ground, it is a captivating example of inverted architecture.

这座雕刻精美的迷宫由完美对称的3500个台阶排列而成，精准的几何形状直通地下的一口水井。纵横交错的台阶从三面环绕井水，第四面装饰着一座亭子，里面带有装饰性画廊和阳台。月亮水井坐落在印度拉贾斯坦邦艾芭奈丽村，由拉其普特统治者拉贾·钱达建造于8-9世纪，是印度最大和最深的阶梯井。阶梯共13层，深达100英尺（30米），它是倒置建筑的迷人典范。

Plunging into the earth, stepwells like Chand Bawri were built in drought-prone regions of India to provide water all year round, ensuring communities had access to vital water storage and irrigation systems.

像月亮水井这种深入地下的阶梯井被建造在印度干旱地区，全年提供水资源，确保社区接近至关重要的蓄水和灌溉系统。

Centuries of natural decay and neglect, however, have pushed these structures into oblivion. Dating back more than 1,000 years, the stepwells (baoli, bawri, or vav) are crumbling into obscurity. Their value has gone largely unnoticed by town planners as modern running water systems eclipsed their importance. Many stepwells are in shambles or have caved in. Some have disappeared completely.

然而，数个世纪的自然衰败和疏于修护已使这些建筑被人遗忘。拥有一千多年历史的阶梯井正变得无人问津，城市规划者基本忽视它们的价值，因为现代自来水系统使它们失去了意义。许多阶梯井处在废墟或坍塌状态，有些已经完全消失了。

But in recent years, many of these ancient edifices are being restored to help tackle India's acute water problem. The country is currently undergoing the worst water crisis in its history, according to a recent government report. There are hopes that the ancient technology of the stepwells might offer a solution.

但近些年来，许多这样的古老建筑正在得到修复，帮助印度解决严重的缺水问题。最近的政府报告显示，印度正在遭遇有史以来最严重的水危机。人们希望古老的阶梯井技术能解决问题。

According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), India is the world's largest extractor of groundwater. The groundwater level in India is estimated to have declined by 61% between 2007 and 2017. The depletion of this vital resource not only threatens people's access to drinking water but also food security by resulting in a reduction in food crops by up to 68% in severely-hit regions.

根据联合国教科文组织的说法，印度是世界上最大的地下水开采国。据估算2007-2017年，印度地下水位下降了61%。至关重要的水资源枯竭不仅威胁到人们获取饮用水，而且威胁到粮食安全，重灾区的粮食作物减产高达68%。


There are thousands of stepwells across India but as modern water systems have been installed many have been neglected

印度各地有数千个阶梯井，但由于安装了现代自来水系统，许多阶梯井已被忽视。

India receives about 400 million hectare metres of rain annually, but nearly 70% of surface water is unfit for human consumption due to pollution. India is ranked 120th out of 122 countries in the water quality index. An estimated 200,000 people die every year due to inadequate water.

印度每年降雨量约4亿公顷米，但接近70%的地表水由于污染而不适合人类饮用。印度的水质指数在122个国家中排名第120位，每年约有20万人因缺水而死亡。

The government emphasises the need to use India's historic water management systems for solutions to these problems. States can leverage new technologies to modify traditional water systems for local requirements. In a nation where 600 million people – around half the population – face severe water shortages daily, traditional water-harvesting solutions are a harbinger of hope. "With India's water table rapidly declining, stepwells can help refill ground aquifers and harvest runoffs. In three months during the rainy season, millions of litres of water can be collected," says Ratish Nanda, a conservation architect and projects' director at the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, an organisation leading restoration efforts.

印度政府强调有必要使用古代的水管理系统来解决这些问题，各邦利用新技术因地制宜地改造传统水系统。印度有6亿人（约一半人口）每天面临严重的缺水问题，传统取水方法蕴藏着希望。“在印度地下水位迅速下降的情况下，阶梯井能帮助恢复地下含水层和获取径流。三个月的雨季期间可收集数百万升水”，负责修复工作的阿加汗文化信托基金会的文物保护建筑师和项目总监拉蒂什·南达说道。
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In 2018, the government of Rajasthan, one of the most water-scarce regions in the world, drew up a comprehensive frxwork, with technical assistance from the World Bank, for restoration of the stepwells, including Chand Bawri.

印度拉贾斯坦邦是世界上最缺少的地区之一，2018年，邦政府起草了一份综合框架，旨在世界银行的技术援助下修复阶梯井，包括月亮水井。

"The Rajasthan government, through its flagship program Mukhyamantri Jal Swavalamban Abhiyan, has taken initiatives to make villages self-sufficient in water by reviving the non-functional rainwater harvesting structures," says Mohit Dhingra, who teaches at Jindal School of Art and Architecture in Sonepat, India, and is associated with conservation projects in India.

“拉贾斯坦邦政府实施旗舰计划，率先通过恢复集雨建筑物的功能来实现村庄用水自给自足”，印度索内帕特县金达尔艺术与建筑学院教师、参与印度保护项目的莫希特·丁格拉说道。

"India has a comprehensive water eco-system, but most of the traditional water bodies have become defunct. Reviving the stepwells will enable people to reclaim their traditional resources and spaces of community life. With the holding capacity that stepwells like Chand Bawri have, a great burden of water scarcity can be mitigated," he says.

“印度拥有综合的水生态系统，但大多数传统水体已失去作用。恢复阶梯井能让人们开发利用传统水资源和社区生活空间。有了月亮水井这种阶梯水井的蓄水能力，就能极大缓解缺水问题”，他说道。

Bansi Devi, who rears cattle for a living in Rajasthan, has already noticed a change. "We had to walk for hours searching for water," she says. "Now I can use water from the revived baoli in my village for our domestic use and also for feeding and washing the cattle."

班西·杰维在拉贾斯坦邦以养牛为生，他已经注意到变化。“我们以前必须走好几个小时去找水”，她说道。“我现在使用村子里修复好的阶梯井取水，满足了家庭用水和对牛的饲养与清洗”。

In Jodhpur city, the Toorji stepwell was restored after a team spent several months pumping out stagnant water. Decades of toxic water had turned the red sandstone white, with half an inch of thick crust covering much of the surface. Sand-blasting was carried out to clean the thick white crust of deposits on the wall, at a cost of about 1.5 million Indian rupees (£14,784). About 28 million litres (6.2 million gallons) of water per day is supplied to the city by other recently cleaned stepwells for irrigation and domestic purposes.

在佐德普尔市，一支团队修复了焦特布尔阶梯井，花了数月时间从中抽出死水。几十年来的毒性水已将这里的红色砂岩染成白色，大部分表面覆盖着一层半英寸厚的硬层。团队利用喷砂处理清除了沉积在墙体表面的白色硬层，耗资约150万印度卢比（14784英镑）。该市最近还清理了其他用于灌溉和家庭的阶梯井，每天可为该城市供应大约2800万升（620万加仑）水。
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Gram Bharati Samiti (Society for Rural Development), a non-profit in the Jaipur district of Rajasthan, has carried out restoration work of seven stepwells in the villages of Rajasthan, providing around 25,000 people with a more reliable water source.

拉贾斯坦邦斋普尔区的非营利组织“农村发展协会”修复了村庄里的七个阶梯井，为25000人提供了更加可靠的水源。

"We have restored seven stepwells where ground water has been recharged and storage capacity has increased," says Kusum Jain, secretary of Gram Bharati Samiti. "Most stepwells can provide ample water for the daily needs of the villagers. It saw a unique coming-in of volunteers from different communities, exemplifying India's religious harmony."

“我们已修复七个阶梯井，地下水得到了补给，蓄水量已有所增加”，“农村发展协会”秘书库桑·耆那说道。“大多数阶梯井能提供足够的水满足村民的日常需求。罕见地吸引了来自不同社区的志愿者，为印度的宗教和谐树立了榜样“。

Rajkumar Sharma, a head teacher of the Government Primary School, in Shivpura, Rajasthan, is elated to see the revival. "Baolis are an integral part of our cultural life," he says. "The stepwell in our village was the only source of water. With time, it had dried up and had converted into a heap of rubbish. We now have access to clean water for drinking, domestic use and for religious ceremonies. The baoli has become the grandeur of our village."

拉贾斯坦邦Shivpura地区公立小学的校长拉杰库马尔·沙玛是对阶梯井的修复兴高采烈。“阶梯井是我们文化生活中不可缺少的一部分”，他说道。“我们村的阶梯井是唯一的水源。它随着时间的推移干涸了，变成一堆垃圾。现在我们有了清洁水可供饮用、家用以及宗教仪式使用，阶梯井已成为我们村子的宏伟建筑”。

Evidence of stepwells dates back to the Indus Valley Civilisation between 2500-1700 BC. Initially constructed as crude trenches, they slowly evolved into engineering marvels between 11th-15th Century. In 2016, Stepwell Atlas, mapped the coordinates of around 3,000 existing stepwells in India. Delhi, the capital, alone has 32 stepwells.

阶梯井的证据可追溯到公元前2500-1700年的印度河流域文明。最初建造的是简陋的沟渠，在11-15世纪逐渐演变成为工程奇迹。2016年，《阶梯井地图册》绘制出印度大约3000处现存阶梯井的坐标，光是首都德里就有32处。


Stepwells usually have cascading galleries and steps to a central pool of water

阶梯井通常有大量的画廊和台阶通往中央的水池。
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Stepwells are multi-storied subterranean structures with significant ornamental and architectural features. They usually have two parts: a vertical shaft of water and the cascading galleries, chambers and a flight of orchestrated steps. "Stepwells are a repository of India's historical tales, used for social gatherings and religious ceremonies," says historian Rana Safvi. "They served as cool retreats for travellers as the temperature at the bottom was often five-six degrees lesser. Stepwells helped create bonhomie in common spaces as well as providing water for communities. They are an ingenious system for rainwater harvesting and served as water reservoirs. Revival of stepwells could be a significant step in our fight to overcome water shortage."

阶梯井是一种多层地下建筑，具有显著的装饰和建筑特点。阶梯井通常由两部分组成：取水用的竖井，大量的画廊、房间、精心设计的阶梯。“阶梯井是印度历史故事的宝库，是用于社交聚会和举行宗教仪式的场所”，历史学家拉娜·萨菲说道。“它们曾是游客的纳凉之地，因为地下的温度通常低5-6度。阶梯井也能帮助营造公共场所的友善氛围，并为社区提供用水。它们是别出心裁的雨水收集系统，还能起到蓄水池的作用，修复阶梯井可能是解决我们水短缺问题的重要一步”。

Chicago-based author Victoria Lautman describes them as "gates to the underworld" in her book, The vanishing stepwells of India. "Stepwells are unique since we generally look up at architecture, not down into it," she says. "As one looks around the parade of steps, tall columns loom over, creating shifting views through a powerful play of light and shadow that is beautiful as well as mysterious.

芝加哥作家维多利亚·罗特曼在她所著的《消失的印度阶梯井》一书中将它们形容为“地下世界的门户”。“阶梯井是独一无二的，因为我们普遍仰望而非俯视它”，她说道。“当你环顾层层阶梯，赫然耸立的高柱时，强烈的光暗对比营造出变幻莫测的神秘美景”。

"Awareness of India's stepwells has grown exponentially recently. It's ironic that they've been ignored, considering how wonderfully efficient stepwells were at providing water for nearly 1,500 years. Now, thanks to the restoration efforts, stepwells will come full circle."

“最近人们对阶梯井的认识迅速增加。讽刺的是，高效供水长达1500多年的阶梯井竟然被忽视了。现在多亏了修复工作，阶梯井将恢复原状”。

Stepwells were built along natural slopes to collect run offs and acted as rainwater catchment areas, often connected to ponds so they could channel rainwater. Excavating and building these underground fortresses with pre-industrial tools and techniques must have been an enormous task, says Lautman.

阶梯井被建在自然边坡上是为了收集径流和作为雨水收集区，阶梯井通常与池塘相连，这样可以调集雨水。利用工业化前的工具和技术挖掘和建造这些地下城堡必定是一项艰巨的任务，洛特曼说道。

"Built using masonry, rubble or brick, stepwells involved careful placement of a long staircase and side ledges around a trench that allowed access to water," she adds. "During rainy seasons, the trench would transform into a huge water cistern, filling to capacity. Their close-packed design helped reduce evaporation."

“使用砖石瓦砾建造的阶梯井需要在沟渠四周精心布置长楼梯和侧面壁架来获取水源”，她补充道。“每到雨季，沟渠就变成一个巨大的蓄水池，里面注满了水。阶梯井的密集设计有助于减少蒸发”。

Stepwells used for farming had drainage systems that channelled water into the fields. The Moosi Rani Sagar revival project in Rajasthan is one such multi-level plan involving wells, dams and canals from the top of the Aravalli hill to the stepwell at the foothills. Restoration work started in 2020 and required extensive cleaning and desilting, removing debris and invasive weeds and firming up civic structures. From a cesspool, the channel has transformed into a fresh waterway, with thriving fish and turtles.

农业用途的阶梯井配有排水系统，可以将水引入农田。拉贾斯坦邦的修复工程是一项多层次规划，包括水井、水坝、以及从阿拉瓦利山顶通往山脚下阶梯井的水渠。修复工作开始于2020年，需要进行大量的清理和疏浚，清除垃圾和入侵的杂草，对市政建筑物进行加固。这条水渠已从一条污水池变成一条干净河道，鱼和乌龟在里面繁衍生息。


Stepwells are not just useful for water storage but form an important focal point of communities and their heritage

阶梯井不仅用于蓄水，而且是社区及其遗产的重要活动中心。

Researchers have explored the application of fractal geometry in stepwells, which had both an aesthetic and functional purpose. This provided stability, buttressing walls against water pressure, owing to which many stepwells have survived and have the potential to be restored.

研究人员发现了分形几何学在阶梯井中的应用，兼具美学与功能。这提供了坚固性，使阶梯井抗住水压，所以许多阶梯井才得以幸存，并有修复的潜力。

In 2017, the government identified 15 stepwells in Delhi for restoration. In 2019, the Aga Khan Trust for Culture partnered with the German Embassy in India to restore a stepwell in the Humayun Tomb complex in Delhi. "It mandated re-grading the earth and rebuilding the walls," says Nanda. "The efforts helped recharge aquifers through an investment of 4.15 million Indian rupees (£40,500/$54,990). This catchment area will help conserve 150,000 litres (32,995 gallons) of rainwater."

2017年，印度政府确认对德里的15处阶梯井进行修复。2019年，阿加汗文化信托基金会与德国驻印度大使馆开展合作，修复德里胡马雍陵墓的阶梯井。“政府命令重整地形，重建墙体”，南达说道。“通过投资415万印度卢比（40500英镑/54990美元），这项工作有助于恢复地下含水层。这片集水区可帮助收集150000升（32995加仑）雨水”。

The 14th-century Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah in Delhi was restored earlier. Portions of the baoli had collapsed, threatening the families living nearby, who were relocated to safer places. "It required rebuilding the collapsed portion with traditional materials, removing 700 years of accumulated debris, extensive cleaning and de-silting 80ft below the ground, and removal of the epoxy layer involving 8,000 man-days of work with the help of volunteers. The efforts helped in recharging underground aquifers," says Nanda.

建于14世纪的尼桑木丁圣陵建筑群先前已得到修复。阶梯井已部分坍塌，威胁到周边住户，这些居民已迁居到安全地区。“重建坍塌的部分需要使用传统材料，清除700年来堆积的废弃物，深入地下80英尺进行大规模清洁和清淤工作，在志愿者的帮助下花8000个工作日清除环氧层。这些工作有助于恢复地下含水层”，南达说道。
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"The Dargah baoli is special as people consider it sacred and believe that the water has medicinal property. They carry water for drinking and healing purposes. The locals are enthused to see fresh water in the baoli," says Kaleemul Hafeez, a resident of Delhi.

“达加阶梯井很特殊，因为人们认为它很神圣，相信这里的水有治病功效，他们取水饮用和治病。当地人看见阶梯井里的新鲜水兴奋不已”，德里居民卡雷穆尔·哈菲兹说道。

Unfortunately, there is no universal way of restoring a baoli. Restoration needs to be done using traditional materials with skilled craftsmen, architects and structural engineers, according to Nanda.

可惜的是，修复阶梯井没有通用的办法。据南达透露，修复工作需要使用传统材料、娴熟的工匠、建筑师、结构工程师。

"Undertaking restoration is not easy. It's a complex project involving a multi-disciplinary team," says Nanda. "It requires surveying surrounding structures to prevent any damage. A baoli needs a proper catchment area through which water can reach underground aquifers."

“修复工作并非易事。这是一项复杂工程，需要一支多学科团队”，南达说道。“这需要测绘周边结构来防止破坏。阶梯井需要适当的集水区，从而使雨水到达地下含水层”。

Most restoration work has been carried out through partnerships between government and non-governmental organisations, local volunteers and donors. "The restoration projects are a lesson in how local communities can be brought closer to their heritage by offering them a sense of ownership and responsibility," says Safvi.

大多数修复工作是通过与政府、非政府组织、当地志愿者、捐献者合作的方式而开展的。“修复工程给我们的经验是，通过培养主人翁意识和责任感，可以拉近当地社区与遗产之间的距离”，萨菲说道。
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But stepwells are not just a water source, they are also part of India's architectural history. They are heritage sites, surrounded by native trees and foliage, which need to be preserved. They can serve as vibrant social centres and can attract tourists. One approach to fund their upkeep has been to use heritage funds that can be built through municipal revenue generation and donations for restoration and maintenance.

但阶梯井不只是水源，它们也是印度建筑史的一部分。它们是遗产地，周边的本土树木和枝叶应该受到保护。它们可以成为充满活力的社会中心，可以吸引游客。

"Restoring stepwells may not solve the country's water problem completely, but can certainly provide solutions at the local level to battle water scarcity," says Nanda.

“修复阶梯井可能无法彻底解决印度的缺水问题，但必然能给地方解决缺水问题提供解决办法”，南达说道。