Ancient Step Wells - Down To Water Table

India's Step Well Architecture - Collecting, Storing Water

The ancient step wells of India are man-made wells or reservoirs that take one down to the water table. They also served as spots for socialising for women and were also apt for meditation and prayer. India's stepwells are fast disappearing. They are feats of Engineering actually. Find photos of stepwells on the page accessible via link at the bottom.
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"... You'll find many of these unique water sources in northwestern Indian regions like Gujarat and Rajasthan, which are extremely hot and dry for half of the year and filled with monsoon rains the other half. The stepwells allowed towns and cities to maintain a constant water supply even in the face of months-long droughts.
Rudimentary stepwells began popping up in great numbers around India between the 2nd and 4th centuries A.D., and only became more elaborate and grandiose over the centuries.
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Stepwells declined in use during the rise of British rule in the mid-1800s as more modern piped water systems were installed across the empire. As relics of the past, many stepwells are now tourist attractions, while many others have deteriorated due to neglect. ..."

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Find this at http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/blogs/explore-functional-aesthetics-indias-elaborate-stepwell-architecture where you are also served a crash course video on step well architecture..