Bahar Wali Baoli, Kharian: A Restored Mughal Stepwell

Bahar Wali Baoli is a Mughal-era stone stepwell in the middle of Kharian, Gujrat district, tucked into the streets off Guliana Road near Anarkali Bazaar. The federal archaeology record and Dawn date it to the reign of Aurangzeb, though some accounts place it as early as Akbar. After decades of neglect and encroachment, the Punjab archaeology department began restoring it in 2021. It makes a short, unusual stop for anyone driving the GT Road between Jhelum and Gujrat.

This guide covers what the baoli is, what the restoration involved, how to find it in Kharian's lanes, and what else is nearby.

What is a baoli?

A baoli, or stepwell, is a well you can walk down into. Instead of lowering a bucket on a rope, people descended a long flight of steps to reach the water at whatever level it stood that season. The word is commonly derived from Persian. Stepwells were built across northern South Asia, often by rulers or wealthy patrons as public works, and along the old trade routes they served travellers, animals and the nearby town.

In the dry Pothohar and northern Punjab, a deep, shaded well that stayed cool in summer was valuable. That is the point of the design at Kharian.

How old is Bahar Wali Baoli?

The Department of Archaeology and Museums (DOAM) record says the baoli was "reportedly built during the reign of Aurangzaib", and Dawn's 2021 report on the restoration gives the same period, which would put it in the second half of the 17th century. Other accounts, repeated on Wikipedia, say it may date from Akbar's reign a century earlier. No builder's inscription has been published, so treat "Mughal" as safe and the exact reign as uncertain.

The name is also local rather than recorded. The mohalla around it is known as Mashriqi Bawli, the eastern baoli, which suggests the well has been a landmark of the town for a long time.

What makes the design unusual?

DOAM notes that the steps are carved from stone and that the baoli "was divided into different chambers right from the start of underground water table to keep the water cool in the summer season". In other words, the lower part was built as a series of compartments around the water, shaded and enclosed, rather than an open shaft.

Archaeologists working on it in 2021 estimated the full depth at between 70 and 80 feet. At the time of Dawn's report, manual excavation had reached about 25 feet, and only one of the arches had been reopened; the total number of arches was to be established as the work went down.

What did the restoration involve?

The baoli had suffered decades of neglect, and buildings had crept onto the site. The district administration cleared the encroachments, and the Punjab government approved a restoration project with Rs10 million allocated in 2021. Civil society groups in Kharian had pressed for it to be rehabilitated as a place people could visit.

The work, by the Punjab archaeology department, included:

• Manual excavation, to avoid damaging the original structure.
• Restoring the entrance to its original form.
• Reopening an arch below ground.
• Steel railings around the opening for safety.

Wikipedia and the archaeology department describe the project as a successful conservation scheme. We could not confirm whether excavation has since reached the bottom, or whether the lower chambers are open to visitors, so be ready to see it from the railings.

How do you find it in Kharian?

Kharian sits on the GT Road between Gujrat and Jhelum, and the city is easy to reach by car, bus or train. The baoli is not on the highway. It is inside the older part of town, in the streets off Guliana Road near Anarkali Bazaar; DOAM gives its position as about 32.8118 N, 73.8684 E, which is the most reliable thing to put into a map.

• Park on Guliana Road and walk in. The lanes are narrow and busy.
• Ask locally for the baoli in Mashriqi Bawli if the map pin leaves you in the wrong street.
• Go in daylight. We could not confirm fixed opening hours, a caretaker or a fee.
• Respect the neighbours. The baoli is surrounded by homes and shops, so keep it quiet and do not photograph people's houses.

What else can you see nearby?

Kharian is a sensible stop on a GT Road heritage drive rather than a destination on its own. Good pairings:

• Rohtas Fort, Sher Shah Suri's great fort near Jhelum; our Rohtas Fort guide covers the visit.
• Gujrat city, with the shrine of Shah Daula and other sights in our places to visit in Gujrat guide.
• Jhelum, for the river and the old cantonment church; see places to visit in Jhelum.

Our GT Road heritage sites guide strings these together with the caravanserais and forts along the old route.

Is Bahar Wali Baoli worth a stop?

Yes, if you are already on the GT Road and enjoy old engineering. It takes little time, it costs nothing as far as we could find, and you will learn more about how a Mughal town got its water than from most museums. Pair it with Rohtas and it becomes part of a full heritage day.

It is not worth a special trip from Lahore or Islamabad on its own, and families expecting a park or a visitor centre will be disappointed: it is a protected well in a crowded neighbourhood. Our experiences page has more ideas for a day out in northern Punjab.

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