DEHIR STEPWELL
19.283300,73.666700
Description
What seems to be a man-made stepwell led on 22nd September 1675 to the experience of »a sudden surprize, when they brought me to the wrong side of a pretty Square Tank, or Well, with a Wall of Stone, Breast high; where expecting to find it covered with Water, looking down five Fathom deep [9.15 m], I saw a cluster of Women, very Handsome, waiting the distilling of the Water from its dewy sides; which they carry in Jarrs, and constantly carrying it away, leave it only weeping: It is cut of a firm Black Marble Rock up almost to the Top, with broad Steps to go down« (FRYER 1675.09.22 III.iv published 1698 edited 1873 edited 1993: 335). SITUATION: At a place called »Dehir« that lies at an estimated distance of some 44 or 48 km on foot from one »Tanaw« or Thana / Thane (note 1) eastwards to »Jeneah« or Junnar (note 2). FRYER (1675) reached Dehir by journeying from Thane (N19°12': E72°58') »Three Course or Seven Miles and a half« (circa 50 km) to »Intwally« (note 3) and then »six Course« (circa 20 or 25 km) to »Moobar« (note 4) at the foot of the Western Ghats, and ascending »nine Course« across the »mountain« called »Gaot« (note 5), which seems to be the Nanaghat or Nanghat (note 6) on the way to Dehir at the edge of the Deccan Plateau.
NOTE 1: »Tanaw« (FRYER 1675) is Thana / Thane N19°12': E72°58' (nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003) on AMS sheet NE43-01 Kalyan (U502 series, 1959 edition) and on the India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006: 90 A1), about 30 km in a direct line north-west of »Bombain« (FRYER 1675) or Bombay, the saffronized Mumbai. NOTE 2: »Jeneah« (FRYER 1675) is Junnar at N19°12': E073°53' (nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003), on AMS sheet NE43-02 Ahmednagar (U502 series, 1962 edition) and in India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006: 90 D1). NOTE 3: »Intwally« (FRYER 1675) is suspected to correspond to Titvala N19°18': E73°12' (nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003) on AMS sheet NE43-01 Kalyan (U502 series, 1959 edition) and in India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006: 90 B1). NOTE 4: »Moobar« (FRYER 1675) is suspected to correspond to Murbad at N19°15': E73°24' (nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003) on AMS sheet NE43-01 Kalyan (U502 series, 1959 edition) and on the India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006: 90 B1): Like »Moobar« Murbad is »seated at the end of a large Plain, at the foot of that Chain of Hills supposed to cross the Taurua, trending through the Continent North and South, as does East and West; it is by most Geographers concluded to be Mount Sephir, here called the Gaot [ghat = pass].«NOTE 5: »Gaot« (FRYER 1675) is not the name of a mountain but a "ghat" or pass. NOTE 6: The Nanaghat N19°17': E73°40' (nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003) is marked Nanghat on the India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006: 90 C1) and with a red star (without name) on AMS sheet NE43-02 Ahmednagar (U502 series, 1962 edition).
Documents
Bibliography 30/03/2016- Fryer, John 1698, 1873 edited 1993, 1909 edited by Crooke, William.
History
EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1675 April: Dr. John FRYER (1675.09.22 published 1698 edited 1873 edited 1993: 335) stumbled across the stepwell at a place called »Dehir« (or so).
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | NANAGHAT (Caves at) | ||
| 15.3 | HARISHANDRAGARH CAVES | ||
| 24.6 | GANESHA LENA, Junnar | ||
| 24.6 | MANAMODI, Junnar (Caves of) | ||
| 24.6 | SHIVANERI, Junnar (Caves at) | ||
| 24.6 | TULAJA LENA, Junnar | ||
| 24.6 | Shivabai, Junnar (Cave of) | ||
| 44.7 | ACHOLA (Cave at) | ||
| 72.8 | PANDU LENA, Nasik |