Archive · 30 Jan 2026
Mumbai students document Marathwada’s historic stepwells
A group of students and teachers from a college in Mumbai are working on a project called 'Maharashtra Baarav Mission'.
They are studying and documenting old stepwells, known as 'baravs', in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra.
These stepwells are very old and important for history and architecture.
The team has already documented 12 stepwells and is sharing their findings with the government to help protect these historic structures.
A local historian is helping them, and they have found that many of the stepwells recorded during the British era are no longer traceable.
62 students and 7 faculty members from Chembur Trombay Education Society’s College of Architecture are documenting stepwells in Marathwada.
The project, 'Maharashtra Baarav Mission', aims to understand the architectural, historical, and functional significance of stepwells.
Stepwells are being documented in Jalna, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Parbhani, and Lonar in Buldhana district.
Local historian Rambhau Lande is assisting the team, noting that only 38 of the 90 recorded stepwells in Jalna are traceable.
The team has documented 12 stepwells in detail and is sharing findings with government authorities for conservation efforts.
- Who
- Students and faculty members from Chembur Trombay Education Society’s College of Architecture, Mumbai
- What
- Mapping and documenting ancient stepwells (baravs) in Marathwada region
- When
- Ongoing, specific timeline not mentioned
- Where
- Jalna, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Parbhani, Lonar in Buldhana district, Maharashtra
- Why
- To understand the architectural, historical, and functional significance of the stepwells and facilitate their conservation
- Project Name
- Maharashtra Baarav Mission
- Participants
- 62 students and 7 faculty members
- Locations
- Jalna, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Parbhani, Lonar in Buldhana district
- Stepwells Recorded
- 12 stepwells documented
- Total Stepwells in Jalna
- 90 recorded, 38 traceable