A 200-year-old well, once a vital water source for British troops and their horses, has been rediscovered beneath the historic Bowring Institute in central Bengaluru. Known as MotherWell, the ancient structure came back to life on Tuesday as clear water surged through its stone-lined depths.
Hidden for decades beneath a structure that housed a gym, health centre, and bar lounge, the well spans 25 feet in width and plunges 40 feet deep. The revival follows years of archival research, geophysical surveys, and painstaking restoration led by the club’s management as part of a broader water sustainability initiative.
“This well predates even the founding of the Bowring Institute in 1888,” said Srikanth HS, secretary of the club. “The British found it upon arriving in Bengaluru. It was one of the few wells known as Kapila Bavis or MotherWell—wells that never dried up.”
Linked once to the Kanteerava Stadium’s water network, the well is unique in that it’s sustained by natural underground water veins. These not only recharge the well but also allow excess water to percolate back into the earth, supporting local groundwater levels.
Inspired by last year’s severe water crisis and guided by IIT Roorkee’s Blue-Green Revolution, the institute installed recharge points and is now channeling all rainwater collected on campus back into the MotherWell.
Excavation began three months ago, delayed earlier by the pandemic. Full restoration is expected in 15 days, after which the well will support the institute’s water needs and stand as a testament to sustainable heritage revival