Telangana: Study to throw light on stepwells

HMDA, HDF ink MoU for research and publication of ‘The Forgotten Stepwells of Telangana'

Hyderabad: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) and Hyderabad Design Forum (HDF) for the research and publication of ‘The Forgotten Stepwells of Telangana’ on Tuesday.

The Hyderabad Design Forum (HDF), which is a guild of practicing designers, has received the task of documentation and publication of step wells, which was voluntarily started by HDF to make it a permanent and legitimate document of reference.

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The HDF field surveys so far have discovered over 110 wells in five major typologies ranging in historicity from 1,000 to 200 years in rural Telangana and the walled city of Hyderabad.

The HDF is taking up documentation of these water structures through physical site surveys, photographs, and oral interviews.

A team of 10 architects is each voluntarily researching a different aspect that will analyze the role of these wells in the socio, religious and agrarian lives of medieval Telangana.

Researchers are examining hydrology, geology, Vastu and Agama building codes, gender behavior, history, folklore, and iconography with reference to this fascinating inverted architecture.

The study will culminate in the publication of an illustrated scientific monograph entitled ‘The Forgotten Step Wells of Telangana’, slated for May 2023. The MoU was signed in the presence of Arvind Kumar and president of HDF Yeshwant Ramamurthy in the presence of senior architects from the Forum.