Adorned Subterranean Architecture, a photo from Gujarat, West

Photographer's Note

Patan was a capital of the western Indian state of Gujarat in medieval times. The town was founded in 745 AD. During the period of the Solanki dynasty’s rule, the stepwell called the Rani ki vav (Queen’s step well) was constructed.

Rani Ki Vav is the oldest and the grandest stepwell in the state of Gujarat. It is believed to have been built during 1022 to 1063 AD. The construction was completed by the widowed queen Udayamati, the wife of King Bhimdev I.

Dimension-wise, Rani Ki Vav is 64 metres long and 20 metres wide. It was originally constructed of seven stories of which only five are now preserved. The shaft of this step well is 27 metres deep. The stepwell is so huge that the tourists appear to be ants climbing an anthill. Check out the man in the left of center at the far end & you would understand...It is difficult to capture in one frame the entire 'depth' (both in horizontal & vertical sense) from a single POV. After trying from a lot of different spots, I found this spot which seemed to provide the best POV.

Due to silting, a major portion of the well has deteriorated. There were some renovation exercises in 1980, which have restored some of the ancient glory of the place. One of its pillars is so beautifully carved, that it reminds one of the ancient charm of the monument. It appears the well is made up of bricks. There is small gateway just below the last step of the Rani Ki Vav well. There are 7 storeys in the step-well and the steps are intricately carved. There are sculptures of the avatars of the Hindu Gods, Jain Gurus, Goddesses, Apsaras, etc. Nearly 400 sculptures have survived out of the original estimated 800 sculptures. The central theme is the Dasavataras, or ten incarnations of Vishnu, including Buddha. It is said that around 60 years back there were Ayurvedic plants near the well which possessed medicinal properties. Due to this, the water of the well also gained curative powers capable of healing viral disease, fever, etc.

Also, there were Chambers built in the Rani Ki Vav. Here, the royal families rested in the summer months. The water from the well acted as the natural air conditioner by decreasing the heat and making the breeze cool. The archaeologists are thinking of excavating the nearby area. It is believed that there must be palaces and royal residences in the vicinity, which used the well as the medium for air cooling.

Rani Ki Vav is an excellent example of subterranean architecture in Gujarat...no other Vav is so profusely adorned with such exquisite carvings. Rani Ki Vav is deservedly one of the 29 Indian sites submitted for tentative World Heritage List.

holmertz, janusz2054, i9l2y1m8a8t3, papagolf21, Ilducabianco, dip, BennyV, pierrefonds, Longroute, patdeph, mkamionka, bukitgolfb301, jafadabret, danos, annjackman, sacavem, josepmarin, subhendu_bagchi, abmdsudi, Juntas, jaywalker has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

holmertz (103584) 2011-01-04 9:43

Hello Angshuman,
You probably found the optimal POV for this photo, covering practically every part of this magnificent and unusual construction. Another healthy reminder of the immensity of the Indian cultural heritage.
Well done and a fine contribution to TE.
Kind regards,
Gert

janusz2054 (2) 2011-01-04 9:45

Hello Angshuman,
This is a incredible architecture shot with many fine details at the Queen's Well.
Your point of view is impressive.
Best regards
Janusz

Bluejeans (64251) 2011-01-04 10:29

Ola Angshuman ,
Fantástico este templo debaixo de terra , tem uns lindos detalhes de arquitectura , boa sensação de comprimento e de profundidade , boas cores e luz , parabéns!!
Um abraço Gonçalo

Bom Ano de 2011

humayun (3129) 2011-01-04 10:31

hi dear.........
very nice image and good note.........
pov is good and good old capture............
Weldon..........
Tfs....

JFS (32459) 2011-01-04 10:55

Hello Angshuman,
The Queen's well is impressive and your shot very good. Thanks for your note too.

Regards,
Juan

giorgimer (35017) 2011-01-04 13:31

Hi,

incredible place, very interesting

TFS

G

ciakgiak (30) 2011-01-04 13:44

Dear Angshuman,
this is a very spectacular archeological site. a very impressive and interesting view from which we can learn more. The POV and the quality are really excellent.
Congratulations and TFS.
Best regards and best wishes for the 2011.
Giorgio

Dragut (14) 2011-01-04 22:02 [Comment]

Show Comment

TopGeo (38220) 2011-01-04 22:54

Hello Angshuman,of subterranean architecture in Gujarat a strange temple beneath the ground, has beautiful architectural details, impressive decoration is nice note!, good color and light, congratulations!
Regards
Georgios

Graal (103040) 2011-01-04 23:28

Hi Angshuman,
an interesting old historic place. Good note and presentation. Fine shot. Well done photo.
Have a nice day.
Aleksander

papagolf21 (152607) 2011-01-05 0:59

Bonjour, cher ami Angshu,
Merveilleux trésor architectural. Un cadrage parfait pour valoriser ce témoignage historique.
Un mot suffit : superbe.
Amitiés.
Philippe

dip (21408) 2011-01-05 3:03

Hello Angshu,
wonderful and well framed image with many interesting architecturel details and an informative note,very good choice of POV,
I wish you a Happy and prosperous 2011!
Dimitris.

BennyV (34772) 2011-01-05 4:40

A fine picture, Angshuman, but in this case it's the very subject that strikes me most. What an impressive scene! (And completely new to me!) The inclusion of the man at the back gives a sense of dimension. Fascinating place - this goes straight to my (very virtual) list of places I want to see in my life.

Have a fine 2011 & keep surprising us.

Benny

pierrefonds (115488) 2011-01-05 4:58

Hi Angshuman,

The stepwell is impressive and well presented in the vertical format. The point of view is showing with precision the details and colors of the architecture of the Rani Ki Vav stepwell. The light is enhancing the colors. Have a nice day.

Pierre

Longroute (19600) 2011-01-05 8:27

Extraordinary! In the true sense of the word. This well is a architectural marvel which should be on the list of protected site of UNESCO. And you framed it very wisely, using the vertical format to have a good depth and perspective. The image has a strong three-dimensional effect and a very fine visive impact.
Your note is very informative and interesting as usual.
TFS,
Donato

pajaran (117001) 2011-01-05 11:42

Pozdrav.
Fantasticna arhitektura ...
Veliko delo starih majstora gradjevine, mnogo lepo izgleda.
Dobar prikaz, tekstom, kompozicijom i lepom fotografijom.
Dobar rad i kompozicija, lepo je.
Sve najbolje.
Paja.

Google.

Hello.
Stunning architecture ...
Great work of old masters buildings, very nice looking.
Good display, text, composition and beautiful photography.
Good work and composition, it is nice.
All the best.
Paja.

patdeph (35750) 2011-01-05 12:04

namaste Angshuman
Woooow!Incredible end impressive!I didn't know this place,and I have to plan to go there in a next trip,this is so wonderful!And you have chosen an excellent POV to give this sensation of vastness!Splendid!
Regards
Pascale

Fis2 (171877) 2011-01-05 12:55

Witaj Angshu!
Wow beautiful old architecture.
Excellent POV and perspective.
Good colors and light.Very impressive picture!
Regards
Krzysztof

mkamionka (75079) 2011-01-05 14:24

Hi Angshu,
wow this is an incredible view and story, I was not aware that in the past people were able to build so deep structures. Excellent presentation from a good POV to get the feeling of the depth.
Very interesting, TFS
M

bukitgolfb301 (54014) 2011-01-05 15:51

Hi my dear Prof. Angshuman

So gorgeous and amazing shot. Your country's culture and civilization is great, I respect as always. Perfect framework, so sharp description in the detail and very resonable composition. Thanks for your sharing with finest work, have a good day and best regards,

Takero

jafadabret (56501) 2011-01-05 23:49

Bonjour Angshu,
Cette architecture est très curieuse et en même temps très belle. Ta photo a su la mettre en valeur par le POV bien choisi. Excellent !
Mes vœux les meilleurs pour cette nouvelle année !
Amicalement
Jacques

danos (110407) 2011-01-06 0:27

Hello Angshu,
impressive the POV of the Queen’s step well, that is found in this subterranean architecture construction.I like the vertical format of the scene and i think that looks like as a ship...

Regards,Danos

annjackman (23019) 2011-01-06 9:38

Hello Angshuman,
You have captured this very well indeed using a great POV. Fine detail shown. Thanks for the informative note - this is an amazing place. THe inclusion of the man gives a fantastic feeling of the scale.
Regards. Ann

pablominto (53746) 2011-01-07 5:08

Hello Angshu,

An amazing site indeed!
Curious to think that this made almost a thousand years ago, with the tools they had available then...
The photographer found a fine point of view, that is resulting in a composition with good symmetry, sharp fine details!

Greetings,
Pablo -
***

sacavem (18620) 2011-01-08 6:04

Olá Angshuman,

Thank you for bringing us this wonderful architecture "745 AD ".
It is the first time I see it. On television channels, thematic, never seen.
You had difficulty in finding good pov, I you believe that she made right.
This place would have to be candidate the Heritage of the Humanity.

Cumprimentos,
Filipe

batalay (41261) 2011-01-08 6:23

Hello Mr. B,

What an astonishing and exotic sight, as if on planet of a distant star. I had never heard of Patan, stepwells nor Guajarat... but thanks to your superb photo and the complementary note I am tantalized by the place.

Warm regards,

Bulent

josepmarin (59385) 2011-01-09 4:13

Namaste Angshuman,
A great POV to there show us this spectacular subterranean architecture, beautifully adorned, in an image with a great sharpness and a deep perspective.
The architectural set is absolutely impressive, and you have caught it skillfully in a great composition.
A superb work, my friend.
Best wishes,
Josep

npecanhuk (79329) 2011-01-09 4:16

Hello Angshuman!
Very interesting place!
Truly attractive picture!
Sharpness, exposure, chosen pov, colors, pp, contrasts, vertical format, black & white borders and composition are all excellent!
TFS - congrats,
Cheers,
Neyvan

subhendu_bagchi (26091) 2011-01-09 8:12

Dear Dada,
it is really a superb and interesting architecture. You have presented it nicely with a nice POV. Light is tough but managed masterfully. Great composition. Tfs.
Best wishes.
Subhendu

abmdsudi (95869) 2011-01-10 6:35

Namste Angshu
Stunning architecture.. A real pleasure to view! Wonderful detail, sharpness, lighting and colors. Good choice of framing with superb perspective & lens make the object looks longer and deeper. Really pleasing symmetry with excellent vanishing point, real cool shot! Good control of converging verticals. spectacular shot my friend. Warm rgds

P/s. With rgds to quiry:
Very min adjustment done, such as sharpness, color, and contrast and no manupulation of bg as per my origianal Raw image. in fact I have never tried blurring image, this is something i have yet to learn and try.
i strongly believe good image needs very minimal enhancement

Juntas (7960) 2011-01-13 7:13

Hi Angshu. The place is wonderful and your central and symmetrical approach was appropriate in my opinion. Sharpness is good and colors are very nice too. I just found the upper part a little bit distracting and would have cropped it like in ws. Hope you don,t mind.
HAve a nice day.
Paulo

[workshop] [compare] +

clic (76) 2011-01-27 13:27

Thanks for your kind words, Angshuman.
I'm just out of a cruise ship... so imagine the easy analogy of this engulfed well to the 11 stories of our vessel!
Impressive work to quench the thrist of a queen and to refresh the whole royal family...before the era of cooling devices!
Most interesting photo document and note; I did'nt know the existence of such titanic "ants laborious tasks"!
Cheers.
Robert

sevy (58) 2011-02-04 2:27

Incredible architecture. I was not knowing this.
In more than this interesting subject, I like the way you managed it with a good game with the perspective giving a lot of dynamism to this view in vertical.

Yves.

jaywalker (16105) 2011-03-17 3:30

Hi Angshuman, What truly breath taking architecture & a wonderful POV, this is the most amazing well I have ever seen & like you say the people look like ants, wonderful note & TFS, kind regards Wilson.