Adalaj Wav Step Well (built 1499)

The Adalaj Wav Step Well is located 18 kilometers north of Ahmedabad in the Gandhinagar district. It was built
during the reign of Queen Rudabai, a muslim ruler. Though now dry, the well once provided water to weary
travellers and pilgrims along the roads outside of Ahmedabad. The four-level well is dug directly into the water table,
exposing fresh water that rose and fell according the seasons and the amount of rainfall. Its deep interior provided
cool relief from the harsh Indian sun.

The Adalaj Stepwell

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.

The stepwell was built in 1499 by Muslim king Mohammed Begda for Queen Rani Roopba, wife
of Veer Singh, the Vaghela chieftain. The step well or 'Vav', as it is called in Gujarati, is
intricately carved and is five stories in depth. Such step wells were once integral to the semi arid
regions of Gujarat as they provided basic water needs for drinking, washing and bathing. These
wells were also venues for colorful festivals and sacred rituals.[1][2][3][4]

Stepwells, also called stepped ponds, built between the 5th and 19th centuries, are common in
the west of India; over 120 such wells are reported in the semi-arid region of Gujarat alone, of
which the well at Adalaj is most popular. Stepwells are also found in more arid regions of the
subcontinent, extending into Pakistan, to collect rain water during seasonal monsoons. While
many such structures are utilitarian in construction, they sometimes include significant
architectural embellishments, as in the Adlaj stepwell, which attracts a large number of tourists.
In the past, these stepwells were frequented by travelers and caravans as stopovers along trade
routes.[