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Stepwell, Adalaj Vav, Adalaj, Gujarat, India (1499)**

Artist/Designer: Vernacular, Ancient Arch

Project Location: Gandhinagar, India

Figure 1 ( Source | Accessed : March 6, 2020 | Photographer: Siddhartha Joshi )
Figure 2: Water at the base of the stepwell ( Source | Accessed : March 6, 2020 | Photographer: Siddhartha Joshi )
Figure 3: Intricate carving details on the structure ( Source | Accessed : March 6, 2020 | Photographer: Siddhartha Joshi )
Figure 4: Visitors walking down the steps towards the main well area underground. ( Source | Accessed : March 6, 2020 | Photographer: Siddhartha Joshi )
Figure 5: Left side window flanking the steps leading down to the well ( Source | Accessed : March 17, 2020 | Photographer: Jatin Chhabra )
Figure 6: View from the 5th floor of the well, looking down towards the water at minus ground levels ( Source | Accessed : March 17, 2020 | Photographer: Jatin Chhabra )
Figure 7: The main water reservoir area - the well ( Source | Accessed : March 17, 2020 | Photographer: Unknown )

Style/Period(s):
No Style/Period Assigned.

Primary Material(s):
Stone

Function(s):
Hospitality, Community Center

Related Website(s):

Adalaj Vav – A beautiful stepwell with a tragic tale | Accessed : March 17, 2020
Halla Article | Accessed : March 17, 2020
Wikipedia Article | Accessed : October 26, 2020
Adalaj Stepwell Video | Accessed : October 26, 2020
7 Wonders of India: Adalaj Stepwell Video | Accessed : October 26, 2020
Sid the Wanderer | Accessed : October 26, 2020
STEPWELLS - COSMOLOGY OF SUBTERRANEAN ARCHITECTURE AS SEEN IN ADALAJ | Accessed : October 26, 2020
All you need to know about Adalaj Ni Vav | Accessed : October 26, 2020

Significant Date(s):
15th Century, 1440-1449, 1499

Additional Information:
Publications/Texts in Print:
"Back Matter." Social Scientist 30, no. 3/4 (2002).

Green, Denise. "The 1980s: Asia and Its Influence. The Indian Experience." In Metonymy in Contemporary Art: A New Paradigm, 74-91. University of Minnesota Press, 2005.

Jain—Neubauer, Jutta. "The Stepwells of Gujarat." India International Centre Quarterly 26, no. 2 (1999): 75-80.

Livingston, Morna. Steps to Water: the Ancient Stepwells of India. New York, NY: Princeton Architectural Press, 2002.

Building Address: Adalaj Rd, Adalaj, Gujarat 382421, India


Significant Dates: New Construction 1498, Stepwells in India date back to 200 A.D.


Supporting Staff/ Designers: Vernacular Construction

Tags: India, Architecture, Interiors, 15th Century, 1499, 1440-1449, Stone, Landscape, Stepwell, Hindu, Jain, Sculpture, Well,, Vernacular Architecture, Water Utility, Reservoir


This is one of the oldest step wells in the region, it is 5 stories deep. It's main function is to hold water, offer spiritual sustenance and provide refuge to locals and travellers. Due to the method of construction, the inner area where the water resides, seems to glow from the sunlight and is further into the well therefore making it feel more protected. It is open to the sky and people sometimes gather there to sit and relax. During the construction of this well The Muslim king who began its construction fell into battle and fell in love with a widowed queen. When the well was complete, the queen threw herself into this well and died. There are elements of Hindu and Jain symbolism with carvings, sculptures and floral motifs everywhere. As one descends into the step well, the air gets cooler and the space feels more shaded, this is because of the thick stone used to construct it and also the fact that the person is walking underground towards a body of water. All of these factors provide respite from the heat of the area.

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