Adalaj Stepwell

The Adalaj vav descends five storeys into the ground, its octagonal shaft open to the sky and its walls, pillars and platforms carved throughout in a mix of Hindu and Islamic motifs. Its story is recorded in an inscription: the local ruler was killed by an invading sultan who then wished to marry his widow, Rudabai; she agreed on condition that he first complete the stepwell her husband had begun, and when it was finished in 1499 she threw herself into it. Whatever the truth of that, the temperature at the bottom runs several degrees cooler than the surface, which was the practical point.

What you actually see

• The five storeys - platforms descending to the octagonal water shaft.
• The carving - Hindu and Islamic motifs across every surface.
• The cool air - noticeably lower temperature at the lower levels.
• The founding inscription - the record of Rudabai and the well's completion.

When to go

October to March; the stepwell is cool at depth even in heat, but Ahmedabad summers make the journey unpleasant. Mid-morning light reaches furthest down the shaft.

Honest expectations

The lowest level is usually fenced off and holds standing water. The visit is short. Weekends bring crowds and photography groups that occupy the platforms.

Nearby

Ahmedabad lies south; Gandhinagar is north.