અડી કડી વાવ

Adi Kadi Vav

Useful Information

Location:	Mullawada, Junagadh, Gujarat 362001. Within the grounds of Uparkot Fort, Junagadh, Gujarat. 37 km from Keshod, 99 km from Rajkot. (21.526830, 70.471820)
Open:	All year daily 8-18. [2023]
Fee:	Adults INR 300, Children (0-15) free. [2023]
Classification:	Stepwell
Light:	n/a
Dimension:	L=81 m, W=4.75 m, VR=41 m, St=162.
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Adi Kadi Vav, Uparkot, Gujarat 362001, Tel: +91-1800-203-1111.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

319 BC	first constructed.
976	rediscovered.
10th century or in 11th century	constructed during the rule of Chudasama dynasty.
11th and 12th century	stepwell constructed by Ramsingh Rav.
15th century	stepwell constructed, according to Junagadh district administration website.

Description

અડી કડી વાવ (Adi Kadi Vav) is a stepwell located on the northern side of Uparkot Fort in Junagadh city. Its unclear when the well was actually constructed, there are several completely different theories. The oldest creation date given is 319 BC, more than 2,000 years ago. According to this theory, the well was abandoned at some point and was rediscovered in 976. One scholar says it was constructed 10th century or in 11th century during the rule of Chudasama dynasty. The most detailed theory says it was dug by Ramsingh Rav in the 11th to 12th century, the construction works took 14 years. There is even a legend about its construction. The Junagadh district administration website gives the most conservative theory, that it was constructed in the 15th century.

After the vav had been built, there was no water; the pool stayed dry. The royal priest Jyotishi told the king that they needed to sacrifice two unmarried girls. Two female servants of Rani, Eti and Cheti, volunteered. After the sacrifice, the well had water and was named Eti Cheti after them, which later became Adi Kadi. People hang cloths and bangles on the tree nearby to commemorate them until today.

The well has the form of an elongated ditch with vertical side walls and a long staircase doing down, this type is called Nanda. The walls on both sides are the massive sandstone rock without any carving or design. There are no ornaments, shafts or pillars as in other stepwells. But the walls were eroded since the construction, so they have horizontal ledges caused by the erosion of the softer layers.

The stepwell is part of the Uparkot Fort in Junagadh city. The fort has a wall which encloses an almost 800 m long and 400 m wide area, there is a fortification going around the almost rectangular area with towers and gates. The only entrance is Uparkot Gate, which is located in southern part of the west wall, on Jagmal Chowk Rd. Inside is a park with artificial lakes and two stepwells, and Uperkot Caves, and the modern Jama Mosque, which is located in the middle of the huge park. The stepwell is located about 250 m to the northeast of the Jama Mosque, at the end of the road.