“The British used to look at us with disdain. Are things better today? The dawn of urbanisation has proved to be dusk for us.” If you think this is from a person reflecting on life in pre-independent India, you couldn’t be more wrong. This is Navlakhi Vav (stepwell), over 600 years old, sharing its story with a tinge of pain. For noted visual artist Kakoli Sen, this unique way of telling the stories of intricately designed stepwells (also known as heritage water bodies) has been a work of passion and dedication.
Gujarat is renowned for its architectural marvels known as stepwells. Rani-ki-Vav, or the ‘queen’s stepwell’, in Gujarat’s Patan city, is celebrated for its breathtaking architecture and even features on the Rs 100 currency note. This 11th-century subterranean water storage system is also a World Heritage Site. But not all stepwells have such grand stories to tell. Many beautiful, centuries-old stepwells are languishing in neglect.
Ask Vadodara-based Kakoli Sen what drew her to undertake this detailed project on stepwells and bring their stories to life. She says, “When I was a student in Delhi, I used to visit the heritage monuments. I would go early in the morning and sit quietly to paint. I just loved being in the presence of architecture, history, and heritage. That love introduced me to mapping. While mapping, I decided to map stepwells. I am fascinated by stepwells. Stepwells are architectural marvels that are below the ground.”
Sen undertook this project titled ‘Soul of a Vav’ as part of the Bengaluru-based Centre for Internet and Society’s ‘Maps for Change’ project. Since 2009, she has been engaged in exploring the intriguing world of stepwells.
As part of her project, Sen travelled to many places in India to conduct in-depth research on stepwells. She says, “Gujarat is known for its beautifully designed stepwells. There are 60 stepwells in Vadodara alone. But due to negligence, stepwells become dumping grounds, and their beauty and utility are lost. One of the stepwells in Sevasi village of Vadodara has steps in a helical style, but not many even know about its existence.”
Sen, as part of the project, explored every district of Gujarat and found stepwells that had not been discovered in years. Most of these are in the northern parts of the state, many more lying in dilapidated conditions. She says, “Yes, people know about the famous stepwells like Rani ki Vav and Adalaj ki Vav that are well protected and promoted by the government for tourism. But I am passionate about telling the stories of those stepwells which are languishing. I want to bring them alive by sharing their stories with people. I also travelled to Bundi in Rajasthan, which is known as the stepwell city.”
Ask her about the challenges of undertaking this project, Sen says, “It was a challenge as even people living beside the stepwells were not aware of their existence. I kept on asking people, friends, acquaintances, and locals. It was like one discovery led to another. But as most of them were in pathetic conditions, even the locals were not willing to come forward. In some cases, they even discouraged me from going near the stepwells.”
While narrating the stories of the stepwells, Sen uses multimedia and dance to make them more interesting. The stepwell becomes a person, and then the story reaches people, creating an intimate bond.
Sen created a surreal world when she narrated the amazing story of Navlakhi Vav, with a graceful dance performance in the background unfolding the association of women and water. The Navlakhi Vav, located inside the Laxmi Vilas Palace, is over 600 years old, and nine lakh gold coins were spent on building it.
Sen, as part of the project, launched an initiative to highlight the sorry state of these historic stepwells in Vadodara and organised light and sound shows at various vavs in recent years. “All these beautiful ornate vavs are not lifeless. They have so many stories to tell. I am very happy to be the medium or sutradhar to narrate their journeys that span centuries. I want people to connect with these heritage water bodies.”
Sen has organised similar shows at the 200-year-old Hanumant Vav in Bhayli, Sevasi Vav and Navlakhi Vav in Vadodara, Adalaj Vav in Gandhinagar, and Ram Kund Vav in Bhuj.
What keeps her going? She says, “I feel connected to stepwells because water is life. In light of groundwater depletion, stepwells assume greater significance. It is possible to regenerate water. The Navlakhi stepwell is now being used, and that makes me so happy.”
Deepika Sahu has been a journalist for 29 years and she has worked with some of India’s leading media houses. Right now, she is independently engaged in content creation and curation. Twitter: @menondeepika; Instagram: @moodydeepika; Facebook: Deepika Sahu
Support independent community journalism. Support The Indian Sun.
Follow The Indian Sun on X | Instagram | Facebook
Artist Kakoli Sen revives stories of neglected stepwells in Gujarat through her project 'Soul of a Vav,' using multimedia and dance to highlight their historical significance and promote preservation. 🎨🏺📜💧💃 #TheIndianSun @menondeepikahttps://t.co/owSWY6ICl7
— The Indian Sun (@The_Indian_Sun) July 23, 2024
Donate To The Indian Sun
Dear Reader,The Indian Sun is an independent organisation committed to community journalism. We have, through the years, been able to reach a wide audience especially with the growth of social media, where we also have a strong presence. With platforms such as YouTube videos, we have been able to engage in different forms of storytelling. However, the past few years, like many media organisations around the world, it has not been an easy path. We have a greater challenge. We believe community journalism is very important for a multicultural country like Australia. We’re not able to do everything, but we aim for some of the most interesting stories and journalism of quality. We call upon readers like you to support us and make any contribution. Do make a DONATION NOW so we can continue with the volume and quality journalism that we are able to practice.
Thank you for your support.
Best wishes,
Team The Indian Sun
