At The Spectacular Rani Ki Vav!

It is a beautiful morning. We set out from Ahmedabad by taxi. Our destination is the famed 11th-century stepwell Rani Ki Vav on the banks of the river Saraswati in Patan district about 125 kilometres away. Stepwells were built in arid regions like Gujarat and Rajasthan as a source of water for the local population and travellers. Being underground, they were cooler, providing respite from the harsh sun. Occasionally they were used as venues for gathering and celebrating festivals.

The road from Ahmedabad is comfortable and we reach in about two-and-a-half hours. We enter the premises after buying our tickets (Rs. 25 for Indians and Rs. 300 for foreigners). The well is situated amidst sprawling lawns that are well-maintained and very green. 

The stepwell is believed to have been commissioned by queen Udayamati in the memory of her husband Bhima I of the Chaulukya (also known as Solanki) dynasty in 1063. Its construction took 20 years. Some records show that it was made around 1032. It is certain that the stepwell was constructed about a thousand years ago. It is elaborately decorated with stunning sculptures and is seven floors deep, earning a moniker of "Inverted Temple" for itself. 

At some point in time, the stepwell was flooded by the river Saraswati and silted over. It is not known for how long the well remained hidden underground, perhaps for some centuries. It was noticed during excavations carried out in the 1940s. The Archaelogical Survey of India (ASI) restored it in the 1980s. Now it is protected by the ASI and is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India.

A bit overwhelmed by the size of the huge stepwell, I start descending it. Wearing comfortable shoes is a must. The stairs are somewhat tricky and require taking firm steps with full attention. There are no handrails or supports, so one has to be slow and steady. At every level, there is a wide platform to stand and admire the sculptures around you before climbing down to a lower level. You cannot go all the way down to the water level. The access is closed for the last two levels or so.

As you go down, it gets cooler and more pleasant. The hats and sunglasses come off as the stepwell turns into a comfortable retreat. The pillars, beams and walls are adorned with numerous carvings. They depict Gods and Goddesses in their traditional forms as described in the epics, animals, flowers, scenes from daily life and geometrical patterns. The proportions, postures and facial expressions in the sandstone sculptures tell us a lot about the sculptors' excellence in their craft. And the sturdy structure of the stepwell is a testimony to the architectural mastery of builders of that time. It withstood the silt, clay and sand that the floods deposited inside it for centuries!

Some panels in Rani Ki Vav feature intricate geometrical designs. The patterns in the well-known patola sarees that are woven in this region are inspired by these designs. Isn't it amazing? 

Photos by Lata

One of the several panels with exquisite carving! If queen Udayamati built Rani Ki Vav, her husband Bhima I constructed the Sun Temple at Modhera a few kilometres away. Read about it here.

Incidentally, the Rs.100 currency note features Rani Ki Vav on the reverse side.