Rani ki vav, Stepwell monument in Patan, India.
Rani ki vav is a multistorey stepwell in Patan, India, extending 65 meters in length and reaching down 28 meters below ground level. It consists of seven descending terraces connected by staircases and galleries that once led to the water table.
Queen Udayamati commissioned the stepwell in 1063 as a memorial to her late husband King Bhimdev I. Construction lasted roughly 20 years and was completed in the mid 11th century.
The walls and niches of the stepwell display over 500 large sculptures showing Hindu deities, mythological scenes and everyday life from centuries past. Visitors descend along the seven levels and observe the fine carvings and reliefs that speak of religious devotion and social customs once practiced in this community.
The site is accessible from Ahmedabad by bus, with the journey taking around three and a half hours. Tickets are issued on site by the archaeological authority, and the visit is possible throughout the year.
The stepwell lay hidden beneath thick layers of silt for several centuries until its rediscovery in the 1940s. This burial preserved the stonework and ornamental details in remarkably good condition.
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