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. A Sanskrit inscription on the first floor records that Queen Rooda, wife of the chief Virsinh, built the well in 1498 at a cost of over five lakh tankas; legend adds that her husband was killed by the invading sultan Mahmud Begada, who wished to marry her, and that she agreed on condition that he first finish the well, then threw herself into it when it was done. Whatever the truth of the legend, the temperature at the bottom runs several degrees cooler than the surface, which was the practical point.

History

A Sanskrit inscription on a marble slab on the first floor dates the well to Samvat 1555, 1498 AD, "Mahmud Padshah being king", and records that Rooda, queen of the chief Virsinh, built it, at a cost of 5,00,111 tankas. Legend tells that her husband, Rana Veer Singh of the Vaghela dynasty, was killed by the sultan Mahmud Begada, who then wished to marry her, and that she agreed if he first finished the well, then threw herself into it when it was complete (Wikipedia, Adalaj Stepwell).

What to look for

• 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.

What to expect

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.

Key facts