About

Rani-ki-vaav is a 7-level deep step-well with elaborate sculptures and carvings. It is located on the banks of the Saraswati River in Patan. It is oriented in an east-west direction and combines all of the principle components of a stepwell, including a stepped corridor beginning at ground level, a series of four pavilions with an increasing amount of storeys towards the west, the tank, and the well in tunnel shaft form. It no longer functions as a water well as a result of the change to the Saraswati River bed some time in the 13th century.

It is said to have been built by Queen Udayamati, the consort of Raja Bhimdev-I, the son of the founder of the Solanki dynasty.

The well is designed as an inverted temple highlighting the sanctity of water. Its original form and design can still be easily recognized despite missing pavilion storeys. It is divided into seven levels of stairs with sculptural panels of high artistic quality featuring more than 500 principal sculptures and over a thousand minor ones. The sculptures are a combination of religious, mythological and secular images.
The dashavatara (ten incarnations of Vishnu) are featured prominently on the walls of the well. Images of Durga in her Mahishasuramardini form, of Ganesha, Vishnu in his seshashayana form are seen on the western walls of the well shaft. There is also a panel showing sixteen different forms of beautification adopted by women (solah shringar) including combing ones hair, applying lipstick, wearing jewelry, and flowers. There is another set of sculptures featuring the 64 yoginis.
There are a number of geometric lattice patterns and designs on the walls, resembling Patola textile designs.

The stepped corridor is compartmentalized at regular intervals with pillared, multistorey pavilions. The walls, pillars, columns, brackets and beams are ornamented with carvings and scrollwork. The niches in the side walls are ornamented with delicate figures and sculptures. There are 212 pillars in the stepwell. There are gradually increasing cantilevered brackets in the well shaft which are profusely ornamented.

The fourth level is the deepest and leads into a rectangular tank 9.5 m by 9.4 m, at a depth of 23 m. The well is located at the westernmost end of the property and consists of a shaft 10 m in diameter and 30 m deep.

Architecture

Rani-ki-Vav was built in the Maru-Gurjara architectural style, reflecting mastery of this complex technique and great beauty of detail and proportions.