Day_44 MY CITY-4

Hello everyone, and welcome to my 44th blog post.

I hope you're all doing well. Let's continue with our series on my city, Vadodara. Today, I want to share some lesser-known places with you. Whether you're from Vadodara or elsewhere, you might be surprised to learn that at one point, Vadodara had over 100 vavs (stepwells). Some of them are well-maintained and accessible even today.

NAVLAKHI VAV

Let's start with Navlakhi Vav, located in Laxmi Vilas Palace. It is believed to have been built by Sultan Muzaffar Shah in the 15th century. According to the book "Ramesh Joshi Imarat Ane Avshesho - Baroda Nagari No Prachin Itihas," there is a Brahmini inscription on one of the lower floors. The name "Navlakhi" comes from the fact that nine lakh gold coins were spent on its construction. Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III later restored it. Initially, it supplied water to Laxmi Vilas Palace and now provides water to the golf course.

SEVASI VAV

Another beautiful stepwell is the 500-year-old Sevasi Vav, situated on the outskirts of the city on the way to Sindhrot. It is considered one of the oldest vavs, built around 1946 according to a Devnagari inscription on one of its beams. It was constructed to commemorate a spiritual leader, Vidyadhar, revered in Sevasi village. Legend has it that young girls adorned in gold were sacrificed at Sevasi Stepwell on full moon nights for prosperity.

Then there's Tandalja Vav, built during the Gaekwad era over 200 years ago. Unfortunately, housing societies have emerged in the surrounding area, causing neglect and deterioration of the vav. The interior once featured artistic murals depicting gods, animal motifs, and narratives of war and life during the Gaekwadi era. While people used water from the stepwell in the past, now it has a contaminated water stream due to garbage.

These are just a few examples, and there are many more both inside and outside the city. If you get a chance, do visit one of the existing vavs.

I hope you enjoyed my blog. If you did, please share it with your friends. Thank you. ❤️