From Delhi to Gujarat: These 5 stepwells steal the spotlight and why

Stepwells are known as vavs in Gujarat or baoris elsewhere in India. These stunning architectural structures all over India are a must-visit. These stepwells flourished between the 7th and 19th centuries. Although they were built as water reservoirs, they further became social hubs, spiritual retreats, and architectural marvels that also hold great cultural significance.

Let’s look at some stunning stepwells:

Located in Abhaneri of Rajasthan, Chand Baori is one of the deepest and the largest stepwells in India. This stepwell consists of about 3,500 steps, which is almost 13 stories deep and has a massive tank at the bottom. Chand Baori has been constructed in an upside-down pyramid style. The galleries and chambers surrounding these wells have intricate carvings on them and are cool retreats in the hot weather of Rajasthan. Chand Baori is said to be named after a local ruler of the Nikumbh Rajput dynasty called Raja Chanda.

A stepwell located in Gujarat on the banks of the Saraswati River has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Rani ki Vav has been designed as an underground shrine or inverted temple and has sculptures with numerous Hindu deities. The stepwell was constructed during the rule of the Chalukya dynasty. Rani ki Vav has 500 principal sculptures and many minor ones with religious, secular, and symbolic imagery. This stepwell is famous for its Maru-Gurjara style and holds high cultural value.

A stepwell located in the town of Adalaj in the state of Gujarat. The Adalaj stepwell is important to the semi-arid regions of Gujarat as it provides water for drinking, washing, and bathing. This stepwell has hosted a lot of colorful festivals and sacred rituals. The stepwell is called a ‘Vav’ in Gujarat and has intricate carvings and is almost five stories deep. The Adalaj stepwell is constructed with sandstone and in Solanki architectural style with symbols of Hindu and Jain gods carved at different levels of the well. Since it has a lot of windows and used to store water, the temperature inside the well is about five degrees lower than the outside hot summer temperatures.

Agrasen ki Baoli is located on Hailey Road near Connaught Place and has 108 steps and has been protected by the Archaeological Survey of India. It is considered that this stepwell was built by members of the Aggarwal community in the name of their ancestor Agrasen, but there are no official records. Visitors can visit this baoli from 9 am to 5:30 pm. Agrasen ki Baoli is a famous architectural marvel that has appeared in a lot of Bollywood films, such as Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, Shubh Mangal Savdhan, PK, Sultan, and many more. Some legends suggest that the stepwell is haunted.

A 15th-century stepwell located in the Asarwa area of Ahmedabad in Gujarat. The Dada Harir stepwell is built in sandstone and in Solanki architectural style and is almost five stories deep and has stunning intricately sculptured pillars. This beautiful stepwell is considered to have been built by Dhai Harir, who was a household lady of Mahmud Begada. It has beautiful motifs of flowers and graphics of Islamic architecture which really blend well together, and the upper floors of the stepwell have carvings of elephants adding to the beauty of the stepwell.