Helical Stepwell, Champaner, Gujarat.


Helical Step Well is located at Champaner in Gujarat. It is situated a little outside the town of Champaner, towards Vadodara.


This 16th century step well has a 1.2 meter wide staircase that spirals down along the wall of the well shaft, making it quite unusual in design among step wells of the region. These steps are narrower towards the center and wider at the wall. The well wall is made of brick while the steps are made of stone. This step well is unique in that it has a circular stairway leading down to the water.


Champaner’s rulers designed a very good water management system, to avoid the water shortage during summers. Champaner (Pavagadh) has a large numbers of small and big Talao, step wells, and other water management systems. The city of Champaner is also otherwise known as "the city of a thousand wells". The Pavagadh hills which overlook the city of Champaner contain a number of pools and ponds and are hence known as "the hills of a hundred pools".

Picture Credit: Parth Vaghela
Location: Champaner, Gujarat 389360, India

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Eidgah, Bharuch, Gujarat

Image
Eidgah or Idgah, also Eid Gah or Id Gah is a term used in South Asian Islamic culture for the open-air enclosure usually outside the city (or at the outskirts) reserved for Eid Salah, Islamic prayer offered in the morning of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. It is usually a public place that isn't used for prayers at other times of the year. On the day of Eid, the first thing Muslims do in the morning is gather usually at a large open ground and offer special prayers, in accordance with the Sunnah (traditions of Muhammad). Although the term Eidgah is of Hindustani origin, due to lack of any specific Arabic word this term may be used for similar open spaces around the world where Muslims perform Eid prayers. Eidgah of bharuch was built up on the heights of limestones and bricks in 1326. An article of Mohammed Taghlakh era ‘Hijri San 726’ is written on a marble plate in Arabic language at Eidgah. Picture Credit: Parth Vaghela  
Read more

Ranakdevi Palace, Junagadh, Gujarat.

Image
Ranakadevi was a daughter of potter of Majevadi village near Junagadh, the Chudasama capital. she was born to the king of Kutch but she was abandoned in forest as the astrologer had predicted that whomever marry her will lose his kingdom and die young. The abandoned child was found a potter named Hadmat or Jam Rawal who raised her as his own daughter. Khengara (The King and His Husband) used to stay himself at the fort of Uparkot in Junagadh but kept his queen Ranakadevi in h is palace in the hill fort of Girnar, a mountain near Junagadh. Ranakdevi ka Mahal (Ranakdevi's Palace) which was converted into a mosque "Jammi-Masjid" by Mahmud Begada after he defeated the last Hindu ruler of Junagadh, Raja Mandlik III in 1473. It is better to call it the Palace of Rani Ranak devi as this structure and its 140 pillars are of her palace. It's courtyard has a roof with three octagonal openings. Today, nothing much interesting of that palace is left e
Read more

The Tomb of Khwaja Safar Sulemani, Surat, Gujarat.

Image
The Tomb of Khawaja Safar Sulemani is near Marzan Shami Road, Variyavi bazar, Surat, Gujarat. This tomb and the architecture is approximately 500 years old. It is arcuated and is famous for beautifully carved stone latticework windows (jalis) on the side and rear arches. Safar Sulemani was Governor of Surat and Sufi Saint during British Raj. He is also known as Khudavanda Khan. Safar Sulemani born in Non-Muslim Family of Italy. In Early age he visited Turkistan to meet Sultan for business. At that time, he attracted by Islam and became Muslim. Afterwards he married to sultan's daughter and came to India from Turkistan for business. He had mastery in marine War and Naval Wal Techniques. The British loots the people with the help of sea way. So, Sultan of Gujarat demanded to Delhi Sultanate for security. So, they sent Safar Sulemani for the Governance of Surat. At that He had gifted Surat a Fort which is in Chowk Bazar. The fort was equipped with cannons which was b
Read more