Page 45 - Seniorstoday April 2023 Issue
P. 45
ideal setting for visitors to enjoy the Built in 1499 by the wife of the Vaghela
dance. The festival is a great attraction, King Rana Veersinh, Rudrabai. Hence it
with internationally acclaimed artists is also known as Rudrabai Step well. The
performing in front of the temple. Rana started this construction in 1498 for
his beautiful wife, but he was killed in war
by the Muslim King Muhammad and the
VAV was left incomplete. Legend has it
that the Muslim king then convinced the
widowed Rudrabai to marry him, with a
promise to complete the well. After the well
was completed the saddened queen jumped
into this well and committed suicide.
There has been an attempt by the state It is five storeys deep with beautiful
government to make Modhera a model carvings of deities and floral patterns.
town which is fully powered by solar The well is unique for its Indo-Islamic
energy and in 2022 this has been achieved. architecture style with intricate floral
Hence Modhera became the first town in the designs, merging gracefully with Hindu
country to be 100% solar dependent. and Jain symbols.
Another interesting observation was
that near the temple information about
the temple structure is also displayed in
Braille, to help visually impaired visitors. A
fantastic initiative.
Some other well-known step wells:
RAMAKUND STEP WELL - BHUJ
This one is believed to exist from the time
of Ramayana and Mahabharata. It is
RUDRABAI or THE ADALAJ surrounded by sculptures of characters of
STEPWELL Lord Ram, Sita, Lakshman and Hanuman.
Adalaj lies on the outskirts of Gandhinagar, It also has sculptures of the ten incarnations
Ahmedabad in Mehsana district of North of Lord Vishnu.
Gujarat.It can be easily visited if you
happen to be in Ahmedabad even for a ADI KADI VAV - JUNAGADH
short trip. The history of this stepwell was This is a 15th Century step well, carved out
established with the help of a Sanskrit of sheer hard rock. 120 steps cut in stone,
inscription written in devnagri script in a lean path to go down to the water level.
found on a marble slab. It says samvat 155 There are no sculptures or embellishments
that is 1498 AD. here.
SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #46 | APRIL 2023 45
