Baolis, or stepwells, were a common feature of South Asian social life. Even today, thousands of baolis exist in India, some of them architectural wonders. In Pakistan, too, at least around two dozen baolis still exist. I have visited seven of them so far, and this baoli is the eighth one. You can find the links on the page of Baolis, given on the right side of the blog.
This baoli is located in Wan Bhachran, a small town in District Mianwali. It is situated almost in the centre of the town at 32°25'1.07"N, 71°41'45.09"E. This was my second visit to this baoli, and it was a very happy one. I was aware that some repair work had been done recently, but the complete transformation I saw surprised me and truly made my day. I visited it on September 20, 2025.
A board, installed by the Department of Archaeology, still stands blank. A local person told me that something had been written on it earlier, but it was later erased due to uncertainty about the details. However, to resolve such dilemmas, there is a ready formula: attribute it to the famous king Sher Shah Suri. So, according to tradition, this baoli too was built by Sher Shah Suri. I am not in a position to confirm or refute this claim. What is certain, however, is that this is a very old structure. Almost nothing is known about its history, neither the time of its construction nor the identity of its builder. It could be during the Mughal era.
Entrance of the baoli. (20.09.2025.)
Looking towards the east. (20.09.2025.)
A staircase is the most prominent feature of a baoli. (20.09.2025.)
The word Wan in the local language means a well, while the Bhachar are a prominent tribe of this area, who settled this town. So the name means "Well of the Bachars". Due to the importance of the well in this arid area, the locality became known as Wan Bhachran.
Looking down the stairs, water is also visible. (20.09.2025.)
Another view of the stairs. (20.09.2025.)
This baoli is of considerable size, almost 56 meters in length. More than half of the staircase is subterranean, which suggests that the well was originally very deep. However, I noticed water visible at about one-third of the depth of the staircase. There could be two reasons for this: due to the rainy season, the water level is higher, and the second, perhaps more important, is that now, unlike in the past, the area is irrigated by canals. In earlier times, it was a desert-like area, so the water level has probably risen due to the irrigation projects launched after independence.
The entire length of the baolis is visible. You can see the well on the far left side. (20.09.2025.)
The well is safely secured with an iron grille. (20.05.2025.)
Kos Minars were an important and common feature of the main roads since early times. Their purpose was dual, to measure the distance and also guide the travellers. These twin towers most probably served the same purpose. Normally, a single tower is erected, but these twin towers perhaps indicated the existence of a baoli. Just a guess. A couple of original Kos Minars still exist in and around Lahore.
L to R: Azeem & Ibrahim. (20.09.2025.)
L to R: Tariq & Ibrahim. (20.09.2025.)
As I mentioned earlier, this was my second visit to this baoli. The first was ten years ago, on August 13, 2015. At that time, the baoli was almost invisible, buried under dirt and garbage and covered with overgrown wild plants. Then its fortune changed and we see the result.
I must say the Archaeology Department of Punjab has done an excellent job. The premises are secured with an elegant iron railing, and the entire 0.25-acre area is neatly paved with bricks. The structure itself has been carefully repaired, and above all, the whole site is clean and well maintained. Benches have also been provided for visitors. However, I noticed that no trees or plants have been planted, which would have certainly enhanced its beauty. Full credit goes to those who took this initiative and carried out the work so skillfully, saving this historic monument from disappearing forever.
I hope the department will write the history of this baoli on the board and also provide some technical details about its architectural features.
Tariq Amir
September 30, 2025.
Islamabad
Update: 01.11.2025.
A month after completing this article, I came across a reference to this baoli in the following book:
Fifteen miles to the south-east of Mianwali, and on the high road leading to Shahpur from the Kuram Valley, stands the flourishing town of Van Bachran. Van means a baoli, or well, with a staircase leading down to the level of the water, and is the term used by Baber throughout his commentaries. The people are unanimous in stating that the Van, or baoli, was made by Akbar, and the village was established at the same time. But as all the houses stand on a mound, it is clear that the site was an old one.
The well is 19 feet in diameter and 50 feet deep, but is now quite dry. The staircase leading down to the water is 179 feet long and 9 feet 9 inches broad, with a pair of tall minars standing at the head, one on each side, 15 feet apart. These minars are 25 feet, the lower half being octagonal, with a side of 2-1/2 feet, and the upper part conical, surmounted by a dome. Close by there is a small masjid, 30 feet 9 inches long by 20 feet 9 inches broad, outside.
The style of the minar is exactly that of the Mughal period, of which so many specimens still exist between Agra and Lahore. The small thin bricks, 6 1/2 by 4 3/4 by 1 inch, are also certain evidences of the same age.
I am surprised that such an authentic source is so often ignored. Anyway, it establishes with some certainty that the Baoli was constructed during the Mughal Rule, probably during the reign of Akbar. And it has nothing to do with Sher Shah Suri.
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