Agrasen Ki Baoli, Connaught Place, New Delhi May 26, 2025

Long before tanks and taps came along, people in India found a genius way to store water: stepwells, or baolis, as they"re fondly known. Known by many other names like bawdi, baori or vav, they have deep roots in Indian history and language, with origins in the Sanskrit word "vapi." In fact, the concept of stepwells dates all the way back to the Indus Valley Civilisation, with ancient sites like Dholavira showcasing some of the earliest examples of this ingenious way to manage water in arid climates.

© Neha Gupta/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Finding beauty in ruins
How’s the air up there?
May 26, 2024Methow Valley, North Cascades, Washington, USA

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Mar 5, 2026Evening over Göreme, Cappadocia, Türkiye
An architectural wonder in Rajasthan
Apr 11, 2024Eid al-Fitr
What can you see from this tower?
Apr 9, 2024Black bear cub emerges into spring
More of a moustache than a beard?
Apr 12, 2026International Day of Human Space Flight
May 31, 2024Gunnerside, Yorkshire Dales National Park, England
Dec 27, 2023Kirkjufell, Iceland
Ive got a lot of problems with you penguins!
Feb 18, 2024Sperm whale pod surfacing
Dec 3, 2025Sandhill cranes, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico
Apr 7, 2024North American beaver
Feb 8, 2025Medieval towers in Mestia, Upper Svaneti, Georgia
Nov 13, 2024Sea lion in a kelp forest, Baja California, Mexico
Apr 13, 2024Apple trees in spring, Germany
A splash of colour
Unbe-leaf-able
Where are these spectacular peaks?
Sep 20, 2025Oktoberfest begins!
Feb 12, 2025Ashoka pillar, Kutagarasala Vihara, Vaishali, Bihar
Nature’s own canvas
Dec 25, 2025Merry Christmas!
Aug 21, 2023Skógafoss waterfall, Iceland
Sep 16, 2025Nighttime view over the Gulf Coast
Jan 9, 2024Gayathri Reservoir, Karnataka, India
What are they celebrating?
Mar 11, 2025Broken Beach in Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia
Mar 16, 2025Baby giant panda, China
Sep 27, 2023Via Krupp, Capri, Italy