Located in Patan, in the northwestern state of Gujarat, India, Rani ki Vav, or The Queen’s Stepwell, contains nearly four hundred niches along pillared multi-storied pavilions. Built between 1022-1063 CE by the widowed queen Udayamati, possibly in memory of her husband, Bhimdev I, the stepwell served as a communal water source for Patan’s royalty. The rectangular structure is approximately 64m long and 20m wide, with seven pillared stepped terraces that approach the 27m deep, 7m diameter well.
Over time, Rani ki Vav was filled with silt, with only the top-most layers visible. It was finally excavated in the 1960s, revealing the splendid preservation of its lower levels, including the details of the carvings from the statuettes’ curled toes to their beaded jewelry. Its scale and grandeur have earned it a place on the Tentative List for UNESCO World Heritage status.
2 comments