GT Road, or the Grand Trunk Road, is also called the Great Road and sometimes referred to as the Kings’ Road. It is considered one of the most important roads in the world, connecting the entire northern plain of India since the time of Chandragupta Maurya and Ashoka. In later periods, especially during the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal eras, it served as the most significant route for trade, communication, and defence. It connects hundreds of cities from Kabul to Sonargaon in Bangladesh.
Due to its long history and strategic value, hundreds of historically important structures can be found along this road, such as forts, serais, and baolis (stepwells). Recently, I travelled on this road and visited four baolis. One of them is located near the village of Khukha. Its historical name is not known to me, so I shall confine myself to describing its location and present condition.
The baoli is located at 33°0'15.69"N, 73°32'9.23"E, about one kilometre west of Khukha. It stands in open fields and is easy to approach. However, the last one kilometre of the route is a dirt track, which can be travelled only in fair weather. It is nearly five kilometres southwest of the current route of the GT Road, or N5 as it is officially called. The only explanation for this is that the original GT Road existed a few kilometres to the south of the present route in the past.
A section of the baoli between the first and the second arch. (10.11.2025.)
Construction work in progress. (10.11.2025.)
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