Rani Ki Vav is splendid Step-well located in the Patan town of Gujarat. It is located on the shores of Saraswati River and it was added to the UNESCO’s World heritage site. It was believed that it was a memorial to Bhima I by his widowed wife queen Udayamati and completed in 11th century during the region of Chaulukya dynasty.
Rani ki vav was built in the complex Maru-Gurjara architectural style with an inverted temple and seven levels of stairs and holds more than 500 principle sculptures. The ethereal step-well is around 64 meter long, 20 meter wide and 27 meter deep. The unique feature of step-well is its stepped corridor compartmented at regular intervals pillared multi-story pavilions. There is also a small gate below the last step of the step well, with a 30 kilometre tunnel, presently blocked which leads to the town of Sidhpur near Patan. It was used as an escape gateway for the king.
Most of the sculptures decorated on step-well belongs to Vishnu, in the forms of Dus-Avatars Kalki, Rama, Krishna, Narsinh, Vaman, Varai and others representing their return to the world. Nagkanya, Yogini beautiful women – Apsara showcasing 16 different styles of make-up to look more attractive called Solah-shringar.