(Behind) The Story Of Ranki Vav or Queen's Stepwell - In Patan

"Ranki Vav or Queen's Stepwell"

Once upon a Time

in Patan

                Once in era, Patan was a Capital of Gujarat during the medieval period and today stand as a testimony to the bygone era.

              Patan was a town built up during the 8th century by Raja Vanraj Chavda, The king of the Chavda kingdom of Chalukya Rajputs. He named the city 'Anhilpur patan' or 'Anhilwad patan' after his close friend and his prime minister Anhil Gadariya. It is variously referred in to the Sanskrit literature as 'anahilpatak','anahilpattan', 'anahilvadPattan' etc. 

Ranki Vav in ''Anhilpur Patan"

Gujarati : રાણકી વાવ

Hindi : रानी की वाव

English : Queen's Stepwell

City or Town : Patan

State : Gujarat

Country : India

Completed : 11th century, ( 1022 - 1063 )

Construction during : Chalukya or Solanki dynasty
Type : Hindu Architecture

'Ranki Vav' or 'Rani ki Vav'

            Due to the hot summer season, Water was scarce in dry and arid regions like Gujarat, Rajasthan and many places of India. People had faced more trouble and walked to miles for water. For solving this problem Vavs, Ponds, Stepwell, Bavdi, Checkdem were built up each place which was used for harvesting and conserving water, household needs, irrigation of land, and it was resting place to travellers, troops, people or ladies who arrived at the place. It was very unique form of underground construction wall with various designs and fabulous architecture.

              Beautiful Patan city was established near Saraswati river which was like to see. In this town was built up different and unique underground construction wall, it's called Stepwell. Also called Vav in Gujarat and Bavdi in hindi in Rajasthan.

'Stepwell', 'Vav' or 'Bavdi'

           In The Stepwell has various sculpture memories which was a Rani Udayamati's idea to built up this type monument in memories of her husband Bhima. Her idea was inspired by the 'Pabandha Chintamani' literature composed by the Jain monk merutunga suri (1304 CE).

           In Gujarat, Solanki dynasty was established by Raja Bhima. The Stepwell was built up as a tribute to Raja Bhima by his Rani Udayamati who is daughter of Khengara Saurashtra and Queen of the 11th century Chaulukya dynasty and Spouse of Bhima. So that it was called 'Rani ki Vav', 'Ranki Vav' and 'Queen's Stepwell'. It was probably completed after Rani's death ( 1022 - 1063 ).

'Queen's Stepwell'

           Ranki Vav is best example as a Design and Architecture. It is a best mainstay as a Sculpture beauty, Mythological, Spiritual and Secular Images. It is unique foundation as a combine religious.

          The entrance from the east and the end part of well is located at the western side. The Stepwell is separated into seven level of staircases in which the fourth level is the deepest and leads into a circular well. All levels of staircases leads to the pavilions which are fabulous intervals by the pillars. There is a small gate below the last step of the staircase of well which has a 30km tunnel leads to the near town Siddhapur which was used like an escape way during an invasion by enemy. Now it has been blocked by stones and mud.

Inside Ranki Vav

         Architecture, designs, sculpture images are exhibited on the wall, pillars, beams, columns and brackets. There are shown more than 500 sculpture statues and over a thousand minor Mythological, Spiritual, Secular images.

Sculpture images on Wall

"Apsaras"
(a) Apsara, (b) Apsara wearing Jewellery,
(c) Dancing pose, (d) Playing with Child

        There are represented female figure like Apsara, Nayika, Nagakanya, Yogini, Bhairavi which are show in different types of poses and moods. Some does dancing and Some playing with child, birds, monkey, snakes, scorpion etc. In enhancing it's wearing the ankles, earrings, chain, bracelets, mangtika, bajubandh and represented the best example of Indian Cultural Women who wear whole jewellery.

Mahishasura Mardini

Parvati, ShivaDevi

         There are different forms of hindu devis or goddesses like Mahishasura Mardini, Parvati, Saptamatrikas, Maha Lakshmi, Durga. There are another forms of hindu devas like Ganesha, Hari, Govinda, Purushottam, Narayana, Shridhara, Kesava, Vasu, Narsimha, Trivikarma, Visnu, Aniriradha, Shiva, Bhairava, Vaikuntha Visnu.

           The famous dashavatar of lord Vishnu are also represented like Varaha, Vaman, Rama, BalramaKrishna, Parasurama, Buddha, Kalki. In enhancing, The most famous pose is Shesahayin Vishnu which is evidently the main form of Vishnu. In this pose, Vishnu resting on Shesa snake on the water and creating a lotus from his navel of his own will, from which Brahma was born.

Shesahayin Vishnu

Ganesha

Varaha

Vaman

Parasurama

Rama

BalaramaKrishna

Buddha

Kalki

Shiva as Bhairava

            The Stepwell was later flooded by the nearby Saraswati river and silted over. It had completely buried under the earth until 1940 excavation.

            Ranki Vav was rediscovered in 1940 and restored in 1980. The restoration was carried out from 1981 to 1987 by Archaeology Survey of India(ASI).

        Ranki Vav was added to the list of UNESCO's world heritage site on 22 june 2014.

Ranki Vav image on 100₹ note

           Ranki Vav was named in India's Cleanest Iconic Place in 2016 and declared the monument of National importance and protection by ASI. After 2 years, on 6 November 2018 The new ₹100 note was released by Reserve Bank of India with image of Ranki Vav.

Historical landmark "Ranki Vav", Patan, Gujarat

     'Ranki Vav' or 'Queen's Stepwell' is located in the town of Patan in Gujarat State of India.

          Please noted down here, You can visit at this place between 8 am to 7 pm only but don't forget like to see the beautiful Sculpture images on fabulous Wall of Ranki Vav.

         Some words/places are provided link to the Wikipedia for better understanding to everyone and easily find out This place.

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