Water Dharma II - Queens who created exquisite step wells

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"Vishnu is the primary deity of the stepwell, and the sculptures are depictions of one of his many forms. This well had seven terraces, each on a separate level, along with a large torana or ceremonial gateway that welcomed the visitor and looked beautiful in its time" -Kirit Mankodi 




Sri Vishnu as a Seshasayi is the most remarkable and central iconic deity visible through the winding stairways at various levels of Rani Ki Vav, the most ornate stepwells built in 11th century by Queen Udayamati in memory of her husband and Solanki ruler King Bimadeva I. The technological aspects of the well have been praised by experts and endorsed by UNESCO in its recognition of the site as a World Heritage Site in 2014. It combines the utilitarian with the spiritual, as the 24 forms of Vishnu, Gauris, Bhairava and other deities are seen beautifully etches all around the inner niches of the well. Vishnu as a Seshasayi, we recently heard an expert on stepwells, A.S.Pathak say is the presiding deity of stepwells. The association of divinity related to water seemed to get clear, when he said it. Creating a tirtha as per shastras is an act of liberation and a Queen grieving for dead husband created one at Patan ... interestingly the site is close to the site of river Saraswati. 

Interestingly one data shows how Patan, the ancient capital Anhilwara ranked 10th largest city in the world. Rani Udayamati's stepwells came up in late 11th century and by 13th century the city was ransacked by Qut-ud-ddin Aybak and later destroyed by Allauddin Khilji. These wells were lost for centuries and rediscovered early 20th century and ASI started work on restoring it in 1950. 










Centuries later another widow, Queen Rudabai completed the Adalaj Stepwells her husband Rana Veer Singh started to cater to the needs of a dry town that was suffering. Gujarat's sultan at that time Mahmud Begada agreed to complete it to win the hands of Rudabai. Begada was besotted with Rudabai and wanted to marry, and Rudabai extracted the promise. On completion of the well she jumped into it and committed suicide. There are many versions of the suicide, hailed by locals as extreme act of sacrifice. Adalaj stepwells on the outskirts of Ahmadabad is a combination of Hindu, Islamic and Jain styles. 










These two stepwells are not alone, in being monuments created by women, there have been innumerable women over centuries who have made endowments to build tanks, temples and monuments.

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