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A 250-foot-deep stepwell, dating back to the era of the 1857 revolt, was found on Saturday during a survey in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal. The stepwell was found after two bulldozers were involved in excavation at the site in the Laxman Ganj area.
The discovery of the stepwell, named Rani ki Bawdi, came after the ruins of an ancient Banke Bihari temple were found in the same area earlier this month, according to reports.
The matter came to light when Sanatan Sevak Sangh’s state publicity chief, Kaushal Kishore, wrote to Sambhal District Magistrate (DM) Rajendra Pensia that Laxman Ganj used to house the royal family of Sahaspur and also had a stepwell.
As per locals and historical accounts, the stepwell dates back to the era of the First War of Independence in 1857. Kishore urged the DM to excavate and beautify the site.
Following this, the DM ordered an excavation at the site in Laxman Ganj. Two bulldozers were used in the operation and dug up the spot, following which the stepwell was discovered.
“During digging, a two-storey building and Rani ki Bawdi were seen, which is there in historical records. Excavation is currently underway,” an official told India Today TV. The digging was halted at night due to visibility issues.
The DM said that those families who encroached on the site where the stepwell was found would be removed by giving notice to them.
On Friday, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) conducted carbon dating at the Kartikeya Temple in Sambhal, which was reopened on December 13 after remaining locked for 46 years. The temple had been shut since 1978, following communal riots that displaced the local Hindu community, according to local accounts.
Officials conducted carbon dating and examined five pilgrimage sites in the vicinity, including Bhadrak Ashram, Swargdeep and Chakrapani, along with an inspection of 19 wells.
Authorities had earlier said that the temple was discovered during an anti-encroachment drive. Officials described the discovery as unplanned, claiming they “stumbled” upon the site during the operation.
The temple is just a stone’s throw away from the Shahi Jama Masjid, where four people were killed in the violence on November 24 during a protest against a court-ordered survey.
(with inputs from Anoop in Sambhal)
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