Page 420 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

418  WESTERN INDIA

2 Adalaj Vav

The stepwells (vavs) of Gujarat are an
ingenious answer to the water scarcity in
this arid region. Many of these elaborately
ornamented, underground wells are dedicated
to deities, acknowledging the hand of God
in providing life-sustaining water. Adalaj Vav,
perhaps Gujarat’s finest stepwell, was built in
1499 by Rudabai, the wife of a local chieftain, Local women at the stepwell, which is still used
to conserve water and provide a cool and for rest and recreation
pleasant ambience for social interaction.
A series of beautiful platforms and galleries
are built into the sides of the stepwell, all
the way down to its subterranean depths.

The Stepped Corridor
The main corridor leads down five
storeys to a depth of 30 m (98 ft),
through pavilions whose walls,
pillars and niches are covered
with sculptures.

. The First Well
Adalaj has an intermediate tank, 7 m
(23 ft) in diameter, just before the
main well. The octagonal well-
shaft is entirely covered with
fine carvings.

KEY
1 The steps surrounding the first
well were used by people taking
ritual baths.
2 The main well is no longer in
use, but the ramp at the top, used
for drawing water, still exists.
3 Stringed courses
4 Ramp for drawing water
5 One of the three
main entrances
6 Stringed courses, or horizontal
detailing, break the monotony of
plain walls.

For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp699–700 and pp713–14

418-419_EW_India.indd 418 26/04/17 11:46 am
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Starsight template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.7)
Date 24th April 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm