Adalaj Stepwell: A Marvel In Sandstone!

Stepwells ( vav in Gujarati and baoli, bawdi in Hindi) have been a part of arid regions like Gujarat and Rajasthan for many centuries. Some were used as luxurious baths by the royalty, while others provided water to the travellers and local residents for their daily needs. They also served as gathering spaces where people got together for social and religious events. Very often, they were large structures, several floors deep, with ornate carvings.

I got an opportunity to visit one of the very beautiful stepwells in Gujarat recently. Situated in Adalaj near Gandhinagar, it is a five-storeyed sandstone structure built in 1498. Called Adalaj Stepwell or Roodabai Stepwell, it is a popular tourist spot easily accessible from Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad at a distance of about five and 18 kilometres respectively.

It is hard to tell from the outside that this is the site of such an important heritage structure. The surroundings are dusty and ordinary, just like one would find in a small town. As you enter the premises, there is a ticket window (Rs. 25 for Indian visitors and Rs. 300 for foreign tourists). Done with the ticket, you walk to the area where steps lead you down towards the bottom of the well. The well is completely covered, but for a circular opening above the water body.

The steps are in good shape and easy to use. I start climbing down, stopping on each floor to appreciate the carvings. There are deities, human figures, elephants, geometrical designs, trees, flowers on the walls and the pillars...all of them exquisite in their proportions and symmetry. The sheer scale of the intricate art fills you with awe and amazement. One can climb down almost to the level of the water which stands in a rectangular pool. It gets a bit dark and cooler as you go down, a welcome respite from the bright sun and warm temperatures outside. 

It is a pleasant morning and visitors are trickling in continuously. I meet two large groups of pre-teen school students, led by their teachers. They bring a lot of colour and positive energy to the ancient monument. Tourist guides are at work pointing towards significant carvings, and doubling up as photographers capturing their clients' images against the magnificent backdrop. Soon, the images will find their way to different social media platforms!

I find a nice spot on one of the steps and soak in the ambience. I recall the poignant story behind the making of this well. 

Photos by Lata

The story goes that Rana Veer Singh of the Vaghela dynasty ruled this area in the 15th century. It was a dry region and his subjects often faced water scarcity. As a helping gesture to them, he took up the construction of this stepwell. But as luck would have it, he got killed in a battle with Mahmud Begada, the Sultan of a neighbouring kingdom before the stepwell was completed. The Rana's wife Roodabai (also known as Roopba) wished to commit sati, but Begada, who was attracted to her beauty, stopped her from committing sati and proposed to her. She agreed to his proposal on the condition that he would complete the construction of the stepwell. Begada readily took up the project and brought it to its completion. Perhaps this explains the fusion of Hindu and Islamic styles in its making. Roodabai, satisfied that her husband's wish got fulfilled, jumped into the same well and ended her life. 

The story gets sadder with the account of Begada killing the masons who made this stepwell. It is said that he did not want them to make something as wonderous as this well so he sentenced them to death. One can see their graves in the premises. They did not live, but their creation continues to live in all its grandeur and splendour.