Rani ki Vav

Rani ki vav, Patan, India

Rani ki vav is a famous stepwell situated in Patan town in Gujarat in India. It was included in the list of UNESCO's World Heritage Site on 22 June 2014.

Patan was called as Anhilpur Patan when King Siddharja Jaysingh was ruling & it was the capital of Gujarat. Mr. Vanraja Chavda has founded Patan. During the period of the Solanki or Chalukya, the stepwell called the Rani ki vav, orRan-ki vav (Queen’s step well) was constructed. It is a richly sculptured monument.

Rani Ki Vav, view from the top

Patan was called as Anhilpur Patan when King Siddharja Jaysingh was ruling & it was the capital of Gujarat. Mr. Vanraja Chavda has founded Patan. During the period of the Solanki or Chalukya, the stepwell called the Rani ki vav, orRan-ki vav (Queen’s step well) was constructed. It is a richly sculptured monument.

The Rani ki Vav is the 7 storey underground structure, which is finely carved and full with amazing sculpture. After the complete construction of Rani ki Vav , it was completely flooded by Saraswati River. Later on in 1980, it found by the Archeological Survey of India with loads of wonderful sculpture and carving. Due to the excellent sculpture of Rani ki Vav, it was novelized by the archaeological department of Gujarat. The Rani ki Vav is spread in a large area. The length of Rani ki Vav is 64 meter, width is 20 meters and 27 meters deep.

Step wells are a different form of underground water storage and resource systems on the Indian subcontinent, and have been framed since the 3rd millennium BC. They evolved over time from what was basically a pit in sandy soil towards elaborate multi-storey works of art and architecture.

Steps lead down through multiple levels with lines of carved pillars and over 800 sculptures, mostly on Vishnu-avatar themes. Each pillar and each wall are very beautifully carved and sculptured.

Rani-ki-vav is a highly decorated monument with carved panels of sculptures and reliefs representing the height of Maru-Gurjara style of architecture. Most of the sculptures are based on the Dashavatar,which are the incarnations of Lord Vishnu with heart snatching sculpture of Narasimha,Varaha, Rama and Kalki.The major highlight is the scrumptious statue of Mahishasur-Mardini . Apsaras – the angelic beauties showcasing Solah Singar,which are the16 unique styles of makeup is another highlight. Near the water level, you come to a beautiful carving of Sheshashayi Vishnu, in which the lord Vishnu leaned on the thousand-hooded serpent Shesha.

Rani-ki-Vav was made at the wonderful imagination of craftsmen’s art in stepwell construction and it totally based on the Maru-Gurjara architectural style, each and every design of Rani –ki –Vav showing the mastery of this complex technique and great beauty of detail and proportions.

It is designed as a reversed temple mainly concerned about the sanctity of water, it is split into seven levels of stairs with carved panels of high artistic quality; more than 500 main sculptures and over a thousand minor ones combine religious, secular imagery and mythological, often referencing religious literary works.

It is one of the best archeological jewel of India and it is the pride of Gujarat.