Postal department releases set of special postcards on stepwells in Maharashtra

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Oct 11 (PTI) The Maharashtra circle of the postal department has released a set of special postcards highlighting eight ancient stepwells in the state, including four from the Marathwada region.

Stepwells are wells with underground flights of stairs leading down to the water table. These structures with ornamental and architectural features were popular throughout India, particularly in the arid regions.

"The postal department of Maharashtra has published a set of postcards containing images of eight stepwells located in the state. It includes a helical stepwell located at Walur in Parbhani district along with the stepwells in Arvi, Pingli and Charthana from the same district," an official release said.

The other four stepwells are from Satara, Girnare in Nashik, Manchar in Pune and Mahimapur in Amravati, it said.

These postcards were released in the presence of Maharashtra circle's Chief Postmaster General K K Sharma and Postmaster General Amitabh Singh on the occasion of the National Post Day celebrated on October 10.

A senior official from the postal department said, "Maharashtra has a number of stepwells that are constructed with different designs. Releasing a set of postcards on stepwells is a move aimed at throwing light on them to make people visit these heritage places." "We have also released an information brochure on these stepwells so that people know more about them," he said.

Talking to PTI about the move, Rohan Kale, who has mapped nearly 2,000 stepwells across Maharashtra, said, "We have a treasure of stepwells that are silent contributors to the heritage of the state. Many of them were constructed during the Chalukya and Yadava dynasties. The architectural designs of these stepwells made by various institutions are also published today." PTI AW NP