The pristine carvings in the Vav are nearly 1,000-years old.
why – iT’s sharp-looking, and big on feaTures and ComforT. and it is easy to see why. The Creta is a sharplooking small SUV that is big on features and comfort. Its cabin is well-appointed and spacious, with supportive and comfortable seats, lots of legroom and a long list of features, while its ride quality is pliant and supple, and the performance, strong and punchy. We are driving the top-spec diesel this time, and that 1.6-litre CRDi engine really deserves applause – it is just so buttery smooth! The combination of good highways and a good highway cruiser meant that reaching our hidden gem was both easy and delightful. Rani ki Vav is an architectural marvel located in a
town called Patan in Gujarat, around 130km from Ahmedabad. Light traffic and good roads meant that we maintained a great average speed throughout, and were walking through the gates of the complex that houses the Vav even before the sun had peaked in the sky. ‘Rani ki Vav’ in Gujarati translates to ‘the Queen’s Stepwell’. This Vav, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2014, is a seven-storeyed stepwell
that is about 64m long, 20m wide and a whole 27m deep. It is unlike any other monument that you might have seen. Usually, when you approach an architectural marvel, you see an awe-inspiring structure rising from the ground; though here, when you walk into the complex, all you see are well-manicured gardens. Walk towards the fenced-up area that is supposed to be the Vav and you are confronted with a sight that truly is one to behold. It is a gaping, intricately carved and sculpted hole