Whenever we see staircases or ladders, the first thought that rents our minds is that it is something that helps us to climb up. That it is something that is meant to take us up. We seldom stop to think that they are also meant to bring us down. They are also supposed to help us climb down from heights.

Just imagine you are travelling by an airplane and you arrive at your destination. The plane has landed at the airport but the gangway does not arrive. What do you do? Well, whatever else you do, you realize the importance of a staircase as something that helps you to climb down.

I don’t know how it all began. But, I imagine, the idea of staircase must have evolved from footholds and handholds on rocks and branches of trees that helped early men climb up and down hills and trees.

Man needed to pluck fruits or gather honey from trees. So, he must have used branches to haul himself up with his arms and used them as leverage for the feet to climb higher. Similarly, people must have used footholds and handholds on rocks to get a grip to haul themselves and then used them as leverage for their feet to climb higher.

Now, everybody cannot be good at climbing trees or rocks. So, they must have chiseled footholds and handholds on tree trunks and rocks and used them to climb the trees and rocks.

They must have used these footholds they chiseled on tree trunks as ladders once the trees fell. They must have used these steps cut into tree trunks to climb on to tree-houses where they found safety from wild animals.

Then, man must have come across bamboo stalks and found them more convenient to turn into ladders. The staircase or stairway must have evolved at a later stage.

At first, staircases must have had a straight flight of stairs. Then, they evolved into spiral and circular staircases to save space.

In India, we have stepped wells which is reached by climbing down a flight of stairs which lead to the water source.

The objective of a staircase is to help others climb up and down. There are human staircases too. They would lock their hands at their back and let you climb on to their shoulders and climb up. They are found in government offices, private companies and other oranisations—in fact—everywhere! They are the real steps to success for many others!

That is why I look at staircases as social workers. They help others to climb up and climb down. But, they stay put. They remain where they are. They may work as staircases for others. But, for themselves, they are stairways to nowhere!