Mata Bhavani’s Vav / Mata Bhavani’s Stepwell

Mata Bhavani’s Stepwell or Mata Bhavani ni Vav is a stepwell in Asarwa area of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.

History

The stepwell was built in 1485 by Dhai Harir, a household lady of Mahmud Begada according the persian inscription in the stepwell. She was the superintendent of the royal harem.
Dhai Harir built a mosque and a tomb in which she was buried. The well bears two inscriptions, one in Sanskrit on the south, and one in Arabic on the north wall, of the first gallery.

This holy and wholesome water; the splendid travellers’ rest-house enclosed on four sides by carved and painted walls, and a grove of fruit trees with their fruit, a well, and a pool of water for the use of man and heist, were built in the reign of the Sultan of the Sultans of the age, established by the grace of God and of the faith, Abul Fath Mahmud Shah, son of Muhammad Shah, son of Ahmed Shah, son of Muhammad Shah, son of Muzaffar Shah the Sultan, may God keep his kingdom. Dated the metropolis of the kingdom the 2nd of Jamadi-ul-awwal in the 26th year of the reign.

A Sanskrit inscription says that the step-well was built in December 1499 AD. It was during the reign of Mahmud Shah that Bai Harir Sultani, locally known as Dhai Harir, built the step-well. The name later corrupted into Dada Hari. It costed 3,29,000 Mahmudis (₹ 3 lakh) at that time. The ornate step-well has spiral staircases pieced into the sidewall of the well shaft and descending to the different platform levels.

Structure

Built in sand stone in Solanki architectural style, the Dada Harir stepwell is five stories deep. It is octagonal (8-sided polygon) in plan at the top, built on intricately carved large number of pillars. Each floor is spacious enough to provide for people to congregate. It was dug deep to access ground water at that level, accounting for seasonal fluctuations in water level due to rainfall over the year. The air and light vents in the roofs at various floors and at the landing level are in the form of large openings. From the first story level, three staircases lead to the bottom water level of the well, which is considered a unique feature.

At the level of the ground, it is 190 feet long by forty wide. At the east end, from a domed canopy, a descent of eight steps leads to a covered gallery. A second flight of nine steps leads to another gallery, and a third of eight steps to the lowest gallery two or three foot above the level of the water. At each landing a corridor runs along the sides and leads to other galleries that cross the well at intervals.

Built along a East-West axis, entrance is from the East, the two spiral staircases are in West, near the well. The structural system is typically Indian style with traditional trabeat with horizontal beams and lintels. At the bottom of the well is a square stepped floor in the shape of a funnel extending to the lowest plane. This is chiseled into a circular well. Above the square floor, columns, beams, wall and arched openings spiral around; a feature that continues to the top. The top part of the well, however, is a vertical space open to the sky. The four corners of the square are strengthened with stone beams, set at 45 degrees angle. The motifs of flowers and graphics of Islamic architecture blend very well with the symbols of Hindu and Jain gods carved at various levels of the well. The dominant carvings on the upper floors are of elephants (3 inches (76 mm) in size, each of different design). The Islamic architectural style could be attributed to Sultani Dhai Harir who built it.

Address

Mata Bhavani’s Vav, Haripura, Asarwa, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380016

Jethabhai’s Vav / Jethabhai’s Stepwell

Jethabhai’s Stepwell or Jethabhai ni Vav, is a stepwell in Isanpur area of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.

History and Architecture

James Burgess wrote in 1905 in the Archaeological Survey of Western India, volume VIII, “two and a half miles south of Ahmadabad, near Isanpur. perhaps one of the most modern examples of the regular vav[step well]. It was constructed little more than forty years ago by the late Jethabhai Jivanlal Nagjibhai (or Mulji) of Ahmadabad. To obtain the materials, he purchased from the holder of Shah Alam the rauza belonging to a masjid known as that of Malik Alam…and from the late Qazi Hasan-ud-din of Ahmadabad he bought the Nenpurvada masjid at Rajapur-Hirpur together with its accompanying rauza. These were pulled down by the Hindu purchaser and the materials used in the construction of this well and in putting up a portico to his temple in the Shaherkotda suburb. In the ornamentation of the well one of the mihrabs of the mosque has evidently been utilized. This vav. is 210 feet (64 m) in length and from 21 to 22 feet (6.4 to 6.7 m) wide, with a dome raised on twelve pillars on the entrance at the west end. It has the usual descents from platform or gallery to gallery.” The stepwell was built by Jethabhai around 1860s. It has four pavilions and the entrance pavilion is canopied.

Address

Jethabhai’s Stepwell, Isanpur Flyover, Paras Nagar, Isanpur, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380050

Dada Harir’s Vav / Dada Harir’s Stepwell

Dada Harir Stepwell is a stepwell in Asarwa area of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.

History

The stepwell was built in 1485 by Dhai Harir, a household lady of Mahmud Begada according the persian inscription in the stepwell. She was the superintendent of the royal harem.
Dhai Harir built a mosque and a tomb in which she was buried. The well bears two inscriptions, one in Sanskrit on the south, and one in Arabic on the north wall, of the first gallery.

This holy and wholesome water; the splendid travellers’ rest-house enclosed on four sides by carved and painted walls, and a grove of fruit trees with their fruit, a well, and a pool of water for the use of man and heist, were built in the reign of the Sultan of the Sultans of the age, established by the grace of God and of the faith, Abul Fath Mahmud Shah, son of Muhammad Shah, son of Ahmed Shah, son of Muhammad Shah, son of Muzaffar Shah the Sultan, may God keep his kingdom. Dated the metropolis of the kingdom the 2nd of Jamadi-ul-awwal in the 26th year of the reign.

A Sanskrit inscription says that the step-well was built in December 1499 AD. It was during the reign of Mahmud Shah that Bai Harir Sultani, locally known as Dhai Harir, built the step-well. The name later corrupted into Dada Hari. It costed 3,29,000 Mahmudis (Rs. 3 lakh) at that time. The ornate step-well has spiral staircases pieced into the sidewall of the well shaft and descending to the different platform levels.

Structure

Built in sand stone in Solanki architectural style, the Dada Harir stepwell is five stories deep. It is octagonal (8-sided polygon) in plan at the top, built on intricately carved large number of pillars. Each floor is spacious enough to provide for people to congregate. It was dug deep to access ground water at that level, accounting for seasonal fluctuations in water level due to rainfall over the year. The air and light vents in the roofs at various floors and at the landing level are in the form of large openings. From the first story level, three staircases lead to the bottom water level of the well, which is considered a unique feature.

At the level of the ground, it is 190 feet long by forty wide. At the east end, from a domed canopy, a descent of eight steps leads to a covered gallery. A second flight of nine steps leads to another gallery, and a third of eight steps to the lowest gallery two or three foot above the level of the water. At each landing a corridor runs along the sides and leads to other galleries that cross the well at intervals.

Built along a East-West axis, entrance is from the East, the two spiral staircases are in West, near the well. The structural system is typically Indian style with traditional trabeat with horizontal beams and lintels. At the bottom of the well is a square stepped floor in the shape of a funnel extending to the lowest plane. This is chiseled into a circular well. Above the square floor, columns, beams, wall and arched openings spiral around; a feature that continues to the top. The top part of the well, however, is a vertical space open to the sky. The four corners of the square are strengthened with stone beams, set at 45 degrees angle. The motifs of flowers and graphics of Islamic architecture blend very well with the symbols of Hindu and Jain gods carved at various levels of the well. The dominant carvings on the upper floors are of elephants (3 inches (76 mm) in size, each of different design). The Islamic architectural style could be attributed to Sultani Dhai Harir who built it.

Address

Dada Harir’s Vav, Haripura, Asarwa, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380016

Amritavarshini Vav / Amritavarshini Stepwell

Amritavarshini Vav, also known as Panchkuva Stepwell or Katkhuni Vav, is a stepwell near the Panchkuva Darwaja in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.

History

Panchkuva, literally five wells, area derived its name the Five Wells in the area. Amritavarshini Vav was completed in 1723 as per Devanagari and Persian inscription ( Vikram Samvat 1779/A.H. 1135 ) in the stepwell. It was built by Raghunathdas, diwan to Haidar Quli Khan, who was the governor of Gujarat during his stay in the city in 1721–1722 for charitable purpose.

Architecture

Sparsely ornamented, Amriavarshini Vav is notable for its L-shaped plan and has simple design. It has three storeys and is more than 50 feet deep. The bracing arches have different shapes at the two storeys and in the kuta (pavilion tower) before the well shaft. It was declared a protected monument in 1969 and was conserved in 1999. It was recharged later by digging in 2004.

Address

Amritavarshini Vav, Near Panchkuva, Pachakuva Darwaja Rd, Panch Kuva, Sindhi Cloth Market, Khadia, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380002