They were commissioned by the royal rulers for civic, strategic and philanthropic reasons to make it easier for the people to have access to water.
In regions where there is abundant fresh water during the monsoon season, but arid during the dry season, stepwells provided access year round to fresh water filtered through the earth.
Their cool interiors also provided relief from the desert heat. At
the bottom of the well the air remains 5-6 °C cooler than at the surface.
The wells were not only practical sources of water, but they also served as community spaces for social gatherings and religious rituals.
