“Rani ki Vav” in Patan or the Queen’s Step Well is yet another example of medieval India’s architectural genius.
Rani ki Vav was built in the latter half of the 11th century by Queen Udayamati in memory of her husband, King Bhimdev I, of the Solanki dynasty. This was quite unusual for the time because usually, kings used to build memorials for their wives.
Some believe that the step well was flooded by the River Saraswati in the 1980s. Others believe that it just got buried under sand time passed. The carvings and sculptures that adorn the walls of the step well were buried under. Silt preserved them, in fact. The stepwell was later excavated and restored. Step wells were an excellent way to store water in the states of Gujarat and Rajasthan. As time passed, people started dividing simple wells into tiers and adorning their walls with intricate carvings.
“Rani ki Vav” Rani ki Vav is divided into seven levels of stairs and is designed like an inverted temple. As you climb down th stairs, you will be amazed to see the quality and quantity of sculptures on the walls.
Rani ki Vav is located in Patan at a distance of 125 km from Ahmedabad. Patan is often clubbed with the Modhera Sun Temple which is yet another beautiful monument built by the Solanki dynasty.
You can get to Patan from Ahmedabad either by private car or bus. You can also book an Uber or Ola Outstation.
The ideal time during the day to visit the monument is during the early hours of the morning. The rising sun casts a golden hue on the sculptures and the stepwell glitters like gold. During the year, October – March is a good time to visit Gujarat.
As October is arriving, you must give this place a visit!
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