Baramotichi Vihir in Satara: A palace inside a stepwell

Have you ever seen a palace inside a stepwell? Baramotichi Vihir in Satara is one such beautiful piece of Maratha architecture. It is a stepwell located in the Limb village near Satara, which is 110 feet deep, 50 feet wide and has a palace in the centre.

I have always loved exploring ancient Indian architecture. And I particularly love the late Maratha style of architecture. I found Baramotichi vihir (बारा मोटेची विहीर), just when I was wondering why aren’t there any elaborate wells in Maharashtra like they have in Gujarat and Rajasthan. And soon I found this one which is perhaps the only stepwell now left in Maharashtra.

If you are close to Satara I would highly recommend you to take some time for Baramotichi vihir. If you have kids it will be fun for them to play around in the underground palace, but with supervision. You have to take a small detour to Limb village from the highway NH 48.

If you just want to go and see this stepwell, then combine your visit to Baramotichi vihir with other nearby places. For example, I combined my visit to Baramotichi vihir with a quick trip to Panchgani and Thoseghar waterfalls. And this small stop was well worth the effort.

Quick details of Baramotichi Vihir (बारा मोटेची विहीर)

• Where: Limb village in Satara, close to highway NH 48.
• Best time to visit: Any time of the year. The well might be a bit dry in the summer months like May, but that will reveal more parts of it which would otherwise be underwater.
• Timings: 6 am to 7 pm.
• Satara to Baramotichi vihir distance: 15 km.
• Pune to Baramotichi vihir distance: 104 km.
• Accessibility: Inside of the stepwell is not accessible to wheelchairs or strollers.
• Transport: It is best to take your own car or bike to reach here.
• Food and Washrooms: The stepwell is located inside a village. So, there aren’t many facilities. But the locals may provide food or snacks around the stepwell. I saw some people here selling agro produce from their farms.

Take a local guide, its worth it and helps the local economy. The guide will tell you a lot of things which gives a better understanding of the place. Historians, architecture lovers and Maratha history enthusiasts will love visiting Baramotichi Vihir.

How to reach Baramotichi Vihir

Baramotichi vihir is located inside the Limb village near Satara. This place is around 4 km away from the highway NH 48. There are no signboards anywhere but if you follow google maps you will reach easily. The route goes through the village roads, which are narrow and bumpy. At times you will feel as if you are on the wrong route but just follow the Google maps directions. If you are coming from Pune side, you have to take a left on the highway NH 48 towards Limb village. After crossing several sugarcane fields you will reach the destination.

History of Baramotichi Vihir in Satara

The Baramotichi Vihir was build between 1641 and 1646. And it was constructed under the supervision of Sau. Virubai Bhosale. Yes, the construction of this stepwell was done by a woman. And perhaps that’s the reason behind how the artistic vibes merge with ease of access and safety, so seamlessly in this structure. This stepwell was used to provide water to the nearby mango trees (आमराई).

Many cool architectures were taken up during the time of Chp. Shivaji Maharaj and in the post-Shivaji era. These architectures had a simple goal – the welfare of the people. The craftsmanship in this period excelled in all the aspects. A lot of thought was given behind each motif or feature in these structures. These architectures are so robust that they still stand the test of time. I was amazed that this stepwell is in such a good condition after so many centuries.

Baramotichi vihir now

All the impressive architecture is still well preserved, fortunately. Since the well was built in recent years, the Mughals haven’t mutilated the structure like the rest of the things in Maharashtra. The arches, pathways and steps are made of stone which is still strong enough. So, it is completely safe to go down and walk inside the well and its palace.

The water of the well wasn’t so clean though. I visited this stepwell in November, and the water inside the main stepwell, as well as the other sub-well, was sadly stinking and full of algae. I mean the water wasn’t clean and fresh when I visited this stepwell. Though I didn’t have to pay any entry fee, but still, I expected better maintenance of this impressive historic inheritance.

Architecture of Baramotichi Vihir in Satara

Baramotichi vihir which is 110 feet deep and 50 feet wide is entirely made of black stone. There is an underground palace in the centre of the well. Some large and wide steps lead down inside the depths of the well. An underground arched gate made of stone leads us on the stone pathway between the rectangular sub-well (उपविहिर). This pathway further leads towards the palace and the octagonal main well. The overall architecture is such that none of the present architects could figure out how it was constructed.

The water comes from this deep well which is large and octagonal in shape. The architecture looks like an inverted Shiv Linga. There are 12 stone slabs all around the top of the well. Each one has a hole, where they used to put in a rope to pull up the water. The word “Bara” means 12 and “Moat” in Marathi means a leather bucket tied to a rope. So this is the बारा मोटेची विहीर or Baramotichi well, where 12 bulls can pull out the water simultaneously. Baramotichi Vihir actually has a total of 15 moat or places to pull up the water, but they used only 12 regularly.

Inside the octagonal well, there are sculptures of four tigers at the top. Of these, the two tigers in the south have 2 elephants at their feet each. This is a total of four elephants. And the tigers in the north are surging up in the sky. This signifies that the Maharaja or the king has conquered the south and will now head towards the north.

Inside the underground palace of Baramotichi Vihir

There are 4 different ways to go inside this underground palace at the center of Baramotichi vihir.

Two staircases from the depths of the well lead upwards towards the top of the palace. And there are two small entrances at ground level on both the sides of the well. They called these the Chor Darwaza. The steps here go downwards inside the underground palace. This Chor Darwaza is very well hidden. It was built for the king and his people to escape in case of an attack by the enemy. Back in the days, this well was also a secret meeting room! All the 4 staircases are narrow, with large stone steps.

At the top are arched stone windows which can put any normal palace windows to shame. This place is like a झरोखा – a gallery or a window of a palace. The pillars inside have beautiful intricate carvings. There are motifs of flowers, birds, animals combined with sculptures of Hanuman and Ganesha on these pillars. The arched window or gallery from one side overlooks the large octagonal well, which is full of water. The windows on the other side overlook the rectangular sub-well and the large stone steps and pathways leading to the main well.

At the top of the Baramotichi Vihir

I was very impressed by the architecture after walking in the depths of this well and in the palace at its centre. But it wasn’t all over yet. On the roof at the top centre of the well is a stone chair for the king. It is said that King Shahu Maharaj himself used to sit here and hold his conferences and meetings.

Other Places near Baramotichi Vihir

• Ajinkyatara Fort.
• Thoseghar waterfalls.
• Kas Pathar, Kaas Lake and Vajrai Waterfall: A must visit in the flowering season from August to October.
• Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Sajjangad Fort.

Find more things to do in Satara.

FAQs about Baramotichi Vihir in Satara