Monday, November 2, 2015

Rani-Ki-Vav, Patan

Rani-Ki-Vav (the Queen's Step Well) at Patan is one of the most magnificent step-well in the World. It was added to the list of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites in the year 2014 and rightly so. It is a distinctive form of subterranean water resource and storage systems on the Indian subcontinent.


It was built in the last decades of 11th century by Queen Udayamati as a memorial to her husband King Bhimdevan 1 of Solanki Dynasty. Measuring more than 65 meters in length, it is designed inverted temple  it is divided into seven levels of stairs with sculptural panels of high artistic quality.


At the ground level a free standing structure om two columns with an elaborate superstructure was built as a kind of ceremonial structure. The well is located at the westernmost end of the structure and consists of a shaft 10 m in diameter and 30 meters   deep. 


Beyond the entrance commences a stepped corridor  marked at intervals by landings where multi-storyed pavilions were built; at the end of a corridor there is a reservoir, beyond which is the well.


Adorned with exquisitely carved sculptures arranged in paneled niches. Both walls of the corridor, and the well itself, besides the pavilions, were  fully covered with large sculptures which must have numbered about eight hundred, and with many other carvings of a symbolic or decorative character.


There are more than 500 principle sculptures and over a thousand minor ones combine religious, mythological and secular imagery, often referencing literary works. 

41 comments:

Anonymous said...



Exquisite work.

Gemma Wiseman said...

The intricate designs are amazing. Incredible detail at every level.

Arroz Di Leite said...

Bom dia,
Belíssimas imagens!!
Aproveito e fico com você aqui no seu Blog.
Ótimo dia para você!

http://arroz-di-leite.blogspot.com.br/

Bjs

Tânia Camargo

eileeninmd said...

Hello, looks like an amazing place to visit. The details and sculptures are awesome. Great shots, enjoy your new week!

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Beautiful ... Those intricate carvings re incredible. I just imagine the number of hours each single carving must have taken.

Anonymous said...

Fascinating and lovely!

Donna said...

Another fabulous find Rajesh...I have never seen a subterranean water resource or inverted temple....stunning spot....I am in awe.

Photo Cache said...

IMHO, the entire India should be under UNESCO Heritage Site jurisdiction. Too pretty and too precious.

Worth a Thousand Words

Jeannie Marie said...

This is an amazing building and your photographs are beautiful. It's hard to imagine how much effort went into this work of art.

Sylvia K said...

What an awesome and incredible place, Rajesh, and your captures are superb!! Thank you for sharing the beauty and the history!!

Al said...

What an awesome place, excellent shots.

Joyful said...

Wow, Rajesh. That is a magnificent structure. I can only imagine all the work, time and skill that went into building it.

Linda said...

It's a well? Wow, it's huge!

Indrani said...

Wow! Incredible structure! I feel proud!

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

What an amazing and complex structured well! I'm glad is is being preserved as a UNESCO site.

Anonymous said...

that looks like a big one :)

Maude Lynn said...

Amazing!

Trubes said...

Amazing structure, truly amazing.
Best wishes,
Di.
ABCW team.

Unknown said...

Complex and high at some points, one should not have to deal with 'fear of hights'

Have a nice abc-day/-week
♫ M e l ☺ d y ♫ (abc-w-team)

photowannabe said...

Absolutely amazing.
I can picture the Queen descending those stairs.

Algodão Tão Doce said...

Olá amiga, vim desejar-lhe um abençoado início de mês, e lindos dias
de outono!!!
Obrigada pela visita atenciosa!!!

Doce abraço Marie.

carol l mckenna said...

Fascinating photos and great choice for Q!

Happy Week to you,
artmusedog and carol

Reader Wil said...

I don't think that there is any building in Europe that is so exquisitely built like this one created like lace in concrete.
European buildings are more robust!
Wil, ABCW Team.

Roger Owen Green said...

very regal!

ROG, ABCW

Hildred said...

Oh my, amazingly beautiful.

Jeevan said...

Awesome well, Rajesh! Sounds like a sculptural treasure and indeed marvellous architecture... Excellent capture

Ann said...

It looks so delicate to have lasted all this time.
Ann

Unknown said...

exquisit and wonderful !

Have a nice abc-day/ - week
♫ M e l ☺ d y ♫ <abc-w-team)

EG CameraGirl said...

How amazing that it's designed as an inverted temple!

Roger Owen Green said...

more great detail!

ROG, ABCW

photowannabe said...

Really amazing is all I can say!

Unknown said...

lovely.

K V V S MURTHY said...

Amazing architecture.

Su-sieee! Mac said...

So intricate and delicate. I cannot imagine anyone wanting to do anything like this today.
The View from the Top of the Ladder

Unknown said...

Beautiful architecture....

Abhijit Ray said...

Earlier people use to construct such beautiful water storage facility. i do not know why these have fallen in disuse. We have maximum water wars now!

Maniparna said...

Wonderful architecture!

Purba chakraborty said...

Such a beautiful and interesting place. Great captures.

Yogi Saraswat said...

Different type of structure !!

जितेन्द्र माथुर said...

Simply amazing !

Jyotirmoy Sarkar said...

Beautiful place, loved the pics, its mind blowing.