Home | Attractions Ahmedabad | Adalaj Vav

Situated 18 km north of Ahmedabad, Adalaj is a small village, which was built by Queen Rudabai; in 1499 AD. Queen Rudabai was the wife of the Vaghela chief, Veer Sinh. Vav means a step well. A wonderfully chiseled step well, Adalaj Vav is considered as the premium architectural structures of Gujarat. According to the legends, Sultan Beghara killed the Vaghela King, Veer Sinh, in order to spread out his territory. He then sent a marriage proposal to his wife, Queen Rudabai.

She requested from the Sultan for sometime, so that she could complete the Vav, which she was building in the memory of her fond husband. The Sultan approved without knowing the factual intentions of the queen. Queen Rudabai hauled the construction work for 20 long years. Losing endurance, the Sultan again insisted for marriage. As per a historical anecdote, it is said here that the queen took Jal Samadhi in order to save her honor and to gratify the Jal Devi to maintain steady flow of water in the well.

Later, these steps of the well were used by the group of people and travelers passing from the area, on the due course of their trade routes. With time, the well has become a monument of the love of the queen for her husband. Tourist can still see water in the well which is a alive example of spirit of the queen.

Adalaj Vav is decorated with intricate carvings and grand sculptures. The walls of the well portray figures of flowers, birds, fish and other decorative designs. There are a number of corridors and platforms nearby the well. It has an entrance from three sides with open colonnades of increasing height and complexity rise over the staircase landings. Before the main well is reached, there is open octagonal surrounded by galleries on four levels with circular well at the bottom. This well is cool even on the hottest of the days and makes a good resting places and providing drinking water for the tired travelers.