A Visit to Artistic Step Well at Adalaj Near Ahmedabad in India

Gujarat State in India is famous for special types of step wells that are used to conserve water during rainy season so that the same water can be used at the time of need in extreme summer or during the draft situation. Almost all the kings of Gujarat have constructed such step wells in their kingdom. One such most famous step well is situated at the town of Adalaj near the city of Ahmedabad in the State of Gujarat in India. This step well at Adalaj is an architectural marvel. It is really surprising that in absence of standard engineering practices before around 500 years, how such structures would have been created.

The step well at Adalaj is located around 10 miles to the North of Ahmedabad. One can easily drive here from Ahmedabad within at the most half an hour. Adalaj is a very small town and is mainly famous for this step well only. The population of Adalaj is hardly around 10000 people. The famous Adalaj step well was built by the queen Rudabai before around 500 years during the time of Vaghela rulers. There was an acute draft here and this step well was made to save people from such drafts by supplying water all through the year. Such step wells also provide a good, cool place for the people to rest during summer. The Adalaj step well is on the North side and the entrance to this well is on the south side. This has been the general practice while making such step wells. The total length of this step well is around 240 feet. It has 3 entrances with three separate gates for each entrance. There are five stories to this well. The entire platform of the well rests on total 16 pillars. The eight pillars are situated on the four corners and two pillars are located in front of each main gate.

There are four built in shrines at the four corners of the well. The well has 344 steps in all. The water can be reached easily by getting down through these steps. The level of water inside the well can vary based upon the season and the rains. Normally, Adalaj step well level of water remains at 2 stories level. The entire corridor is surrounded by 3 feet tall parapet wall for safety reasons. This step well can serve as a wonderful picnic spot in the village of Adalaj. When you get down in the step well, you will feel as if you are getting down under the soil in the most mysterious land. Be extremely careful while getting down as some people may feel dizzy due to height phobia and may slip due to the steps condition. If you shout from the bottom of the well, there will be 5 repetitive echoes of your own sound. This is a real engineering wonder. There are various shloks written in Sanskrit on all the walls of the step well. The step well is also full of artistic sculptures of the renowned kings of Gujarat of that time. The stone structures are also engraved with artistic designs of flowers and other natural elements like sky, clouds and the rain. There is a Samadhi of queen Rudabai just at the step well entrance.

It is a belief that two female servants of the queen Rudabai had sacrificed their lives here in order to bring the water in to this well after its construction. This step well is under the jurisdiction of the Archeological department of Government of India. The step well remains open for public viewing all throughout the year. This is a great one day outing for the people staying at Ahmedabad. The groups of people keep on visiting this most beautiful monument and enjoy themselves thoroughly. Make sure to carry your food and the bottled mineral water for the drinking purpose as the quality of food and water is not up to the standards here at this small village of Adalaj. Many groups of scientists also visit this engineering wonder to see how such a marvelous step well could have been constructed before around 500 years. I am sure that most of the people residing at Ahmedabad may not have visited this gorgeous step well in spite of its closeness. I would strongly suggest them all and also to the tourists visiting Ahmedabad to visit this great monument, which is a real engineering wonder of the world.