Abhaneri

Abhaneri
village
Country	India
State	Rajasthan
District	Dausa
Languages
• Official	Hindi
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
Vehicle registration	RJ-
Coastline	0 kilometres (0 mi)

Abhaneri is a village in the Dausa district of Rajasthan state in India. It is situated at a distance of 95 km from Jaipur, on the Jaipur-Agra road. The place is popular for the Chand Baori step well and Harshat Mata Temple.

History

The village of Abhaneri is believed to have been established by the Gurjar pratihar king Samrat Mihir Bhoj. In mythology, samrat Mihir Bhoja is presented as King Raja Chand.

Monuments

Abhaneri was originally named Abha Nagri, which means "city of brightness," but due to mispronunciation, the name was changed. The city is now in ruins, but it attracts tourists from across the globe.

Abhaneri is prominent for 'Baoris', step wells which were invented by the natives to harvest rain water. These tanks were used as cool places of retreat and as water reservoirs during parched times of the year. Chand Baori is the most popular of the wells in the region, and it is one of India's deepest and largest. There are three ways to reach the water using the steps, which are divided into stories. This colossal, delicately carved well is located in front of the Harshat Mata Temple. It was a ritual to wash the hands and feet at the well before visiting the adjoining temple.

Harshat Mata Temple, dedicated to the goddess Harshat Mata, serves as the other tourist attraction of Abhaneri. Razed during the invasion of India by Islamic rulers in the 10th century, the remains of the temple still boast architectural and sculptural styles of ancient India. Harshat Mata is considered to be the goddess of joy and happiness. According to myth, the goddess is always cheerful, and she imparts her joy and happiness to the whole village.

Local Dances

The famous Local Dances of Abhaneri
1.Ghoomar
2.Kalbelia
3.Bhawai