{{Short description|Stepwell in Junagadh, Gujarat, India}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}} {{Use Indian English|date=February 2023}} {{Infobox Historic building |name = Adi Kadi Vav |image = Adi Kadi Vav 04.jpg |caption = Flight of steps leading to the well |mapframe-zoom = 14 |mapframe-marker = water |coordinates = {{coord|region:IN-GJ|display=inline, title}} |location = [[Uparkot Fort]] |location_town = [[Junagadh]] |location_country = India |architect = Local |construction_start_date = |completion_date = uncertain |demolished_date = |structural_system = |architectural_style = [[Indian architecture]] |building_type = [[Stepwell]] |designations = [[Archeological Survey of India|ASI]] State Protected Monument No. S-GJ-114 }} '''Adi Kadi Vav''' or '''Adi Chadi Vav''' is a [[stepwell]] in [[Uparkot Fort]], [[Junagadh]], [[Gujarat]], India. The date of its construction is uncertain.
==History==
According to Junagadh district administration website, the stepwell was constructed in 15th century.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Adi Kadi Vav|url=https://junagadh.nic.in/tourist-place/adi-kadi-vav/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-09-24|website=District Junagadh, Government of Gujarat|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200708203702/https://junagadh.nic.in/tourist-place/adi-kadi-vav/ |archive-date=2020-07-08 }}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last=Chakrabarti|first=Ranjan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RljsDwAAQBAJ&dq=Adi+Kadi+Vav&pg=PA124|title=Critical Themes in Environmental History of India|date=2020-06-08|publisher=SAGE Publishing India|isbn=978-93-5388-316-4|language=en}}</ref> Other sources says that it was constructed in second half of the 10th century or in 11th century during the rule of [[Chudasama dynasty]].<ref name="a">{{cite book|author=Jain-Neubauer|first=Jutta|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=61fSwBF4bbYC|title=The Stepwells of Gujarat: In Art-historical Perspective|publisher=Abhinav Publications|year=1981|isbn=978-0-391-02284-3|pages=19}}</ref><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite book|last=Bhatt|first=Purnima Mehta|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tWmiDAAAQBAJ&dq=Adi+Kadi+Vav&pg=PT43|title=Her Space, Her Story: Exploring the Stepwells of Gujarat|date=2014-12-16|publisher=Zubaan|isbn=978-93-84757-08-3|language=en}}</ref> Another source says that it was constructed in 319 BCE and rediscovered in 976 CE.<ref name=":1" />
According to local historian Parimal Rupani, there were two separate stepwells. It is the Adi stepwell and the Kadi stepwell is still buried, according to him.<ref name=":2" />
It is a [[List of State Protected Monuments in Gujarat|state protected monument]] (S-GJ-114).
==Architecture== Adi Kadi Vav is a Nanda type of stepwell.<ref name=":1" /> It is not built but carved out of solid natural rock. There is a flight of 166 steps in a narrow corridor to reach well shaft.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite book|last=Juneja|first=Monica|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7N7VAAAAMAAJ&q=Adi+Kadi|title=Architecture in Medieval India: Forms, Contexts, Histories|date=2001|publisher=Permanent Black|isbn=978-81-7824-010-7|pages=499|language=en}}</ref> A small window is carved in the thin rock layer above the well.<ref name="LivingstonBeach2002">{{cite book|author1=Livingston|first=Morna|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KoVCliqcmIIC|title=Steps to Water: The Ancient Stepwells of India|last2=Beach|first2=Milo|date=April 2002|publisher=Princeton Architectural Press|isbn=978-1-56898-324-0|pages=21–22}}</ref> The rock strata is visible in the eroded walls.<ref name="Desai2007">{{cite book|author=Desai|first=Anjali H.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gZRLGZNZEoEC&pg=PA254|title=India Guide Gujarat|publisher=India Guide Publications|year=2007|isbn=978-0-9789517-0-2|page=253}}</ref> The well is 123 feet deep.<ref name=":2" /> There is no ornamentations, shafts or pillars as in other stepwells.<ref name=":1" />
== Popular culture == According to a legend about its name, when the stepwell was constructed, no water was found. But on instruction of the royal priest, two unmarried girls named Adi and Kadi were sacrificed and the water was found. Another legend tells that Adi and Kadi were the royal maids who fetched water from the stepwell every day.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name="Desai2007" /> People hangs cloths and bangles on the tree nearby to commemorate them.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" />
There is a proverb in Gujarati: {{Transliteration|gu|Adi Kadi ni Vav Ane Navghan Kuvo, Je Na Juve Te Jivto Muo}} ({{Transliteration|en|One who have not seen Adi Kadi Vav and Navghan Kuvo, is like living dead}}).<ref name="a" /><ref name=":2" />
==Gallery== <gallery mode="packed"> File:Adi kadi vav - Junagadh -Gujrat-DSC0002.jpg|Steps leading to well File:Adi kadi vaav poster.jpg|Information board File:Adi Kadi Vav 03.jpg|From outside </gallery>
==See also== * [[Navghan Kuvo]] * [[Stepwell]] * [[Rani ki vav]] * [[History of stepwells in Gujarat]]
==References== {{reflist}} {{commons category}}
[[Category:Stepwells in Gujarat]] [[Category:Junagadh]] [[Category:Tourist attractions in Junagadh district]] [[Category:Rock-cut architecture of India]]