Editorial photo #156249 Human Interest
11th century stepwell in Gujarat gets World Heritage site tag
Patan, GUJARAT/INDIA - 25 JUNE 2014 : 'Rani-ki-Vav', an 11th century stepwell in Gujarat, has been approved as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO which described it as "exceptional example of technological development" in utilising ground water resources.Rani Ki Vav is amongst the finest stepwells in India, and one of the most famous legacies of the ancient capital city. The Rani-ki-Vav (the Queen’s Stepwell) is located on the banks of the Saraswati river and was initially built as a memorial to a king in the 11th century AD. Queen Udayamati commissioned this stepwell, in 1063 A D in the memory of her husband King Bhimdev I of the Solanki dynasty. The vav was excavated in late 1980s by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI), with the carvings found in pristine condition.
