 Set
in the quiet village of Adalaj, this vav
has served as a resting place for hundreds of years for many pilgrims and
caravans along their trade routes. Built in 1499 by Queen Rudabai, wife of the
Vaghela chief, Veersinh, this five-storey stepwell was not just a cultural and
utilitarian space, but also a spiritual refuge. It is believed that villagers
would come everyday in the morning to fill water, offer prayers to the deities
carved into the walls and interact with each other in the cool shade of the vav.
There is an opening in the ceilings above the landing which allows the light and
air to enter the octagonal well. However, direct sunlight does not touch the
flight of steps or landings except for a brief period at noon. Hence some
researchers say that the atmosphere inside the well is six degrees cooler than
the outside. Another remarkable feature of this stepwell is that out of the many
stepwells in Gujarat, it is the only one with three entrance stairs. All three
stairs meet at the first storey, underground in a huge square platform, which
has an octagonal opening on top. The vav is a spectacular example of
Indo-Islamic architecture and design. The harmonious play of intricate Islamic
floral patterns seamlessly fusing into Hindu and Jain symbolism embody the
culture and ethos of those times. All the walls carved by ornamentation,
mythological scenes along with everyday scenes of women churning buttermilk,
dancers accompanied by musicians, women adorning themselves and a king sitting
on a stool. Fascinating to many visitors is the Ami Khumbor (a pot that
contains the water of life) and the Kalp Vriksha (a tree of life)
carved out of a single slab of stone. There is a belief that the small frieze of
navagraha (nine-planets) towards the edge of the well protects the
monument from evil spirits.
How to Reach
By road:
Gujarat has one of the
better developed road networks in India. Ahmedabad is well connected with all
major cities and towns by road. Prominent bus stops are located at Gitamandir
near Kalupur Railway Station and Paldi. Regular bus services are available by
Gujarat state transport buses and private operators to all the major
destinations of the state.
By rail:
The main railway station is located in Kalupur area. This station falls under
the prominent national railway circuit and is connected to all major cities of
India. If you are on the western side of the Sabarmati river, then you can go to
the Gandhigram station near Ashram road to buy your railway tickets easily.
By air:
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel airport at Ahmedabad is an international airport with
direct flights to USA, UK, Singapore, Dubai and other international hubs.
Numerous domestic flights are also operational from here
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