India’s two known states, Gujarat and Rajasthan have some of the most beautiful stepwells. For people who don’t know, stepwells are wells or ponds with a lengthy staircase leading down to the water’s surface. But the one we are talking about here, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is simply exquisite. This historic stepwell in Gujarat’s Patan is known as Rani-ki-Vav and is a must-visit site in India.
Rani-ki-Vav, A Historic Stepwell In Patan
Rani Ki Vav is a piece of beautiful underground architecture from India. This stepwell in Patan serves as a historical example of how ground water was stored and used back then. Seven stories of underground space make up the stepwell. It has a length of 64 metres, a width of 20 metres, and a depth of 27 meters. The shape of Rani-ki-Vav is that of an upside-down temple, signifying the holiness of water, as the value of water led to its reverence by the gods.
The Solanki or Chalukya dynasty ordered the building of Rani Ki Vav. According to legend, Bhimdev the First, whose father had established the Solanki dynasty in 1050 AD, was honoured by having the stepwell constructed. The queen Udayamati, Bhimdev the First’s wife, made the construction proposal. Patan served as the capital of Gujarat in those days. The stepwell is built in the Maru-Gurjara style of north Indian temple architecture.
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A Unique Example Of Subterranean Water Architecture
Visitors can descend the levels to view the sculptures, which feature figures with precise proportions and fine details that were made by anonymous artisans centuries ago. Over 500 big sculptures of gods and apsaras, as well as more than a thousand smaller ones, can be found on the panels. They include Varaha, Rama, Vamana, Balaram, Parashuram, Kalabhairav, and Mahishasuramardini.
Rani Ki Vav, sometimes referred to as the Queen’s Stepwell, was added to UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites in India in 2014. Rani Ki Vav was acknowledged by UNESCO as a technological marvel in groundwater management in the 11th century. This stepwell in Patan, is a unique example of an Indian subcontinental style of subterranean water architecture. The bottom step comes to an end at a little gate that leads to a 30-kilometre tunnel. It is just a 125-km drive from Ahmedabad and 118-km from Gandhinagar.
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Cover Image Courtesy: Gujarat tourism