Sevasi Step Well, Vadodara

I believe that travel begins in your backyard. You do not have to go to specific tourist destinations to feel the joy of travel. If you look around your own neighbourhood or city, you will surely find pieces of history, art and beauty – an old temple, an ancestral home or ruins of an erstwhile palace.

So after M told me about a step well in Sevasi, which is so close to the main city, not just me but even my other local friends didn’t know about it. It came as a surprise to everyone and it went straightaway on my To-Do list. We finally got to see it this week.

Sevasi Vaav (Vaav means Well in Gujarati) is another classic example of an ignored historic architecture. Laid off the road right at the entrance of Sevasi village, you would almost miss it. Take a left turn at main Sevasi bus stop and it is located immediately on the left. Only when you look at it carefully, do you see the whole length of the well.

It is actually quite magnificent and still in good condition. Only thing that prevented us from going further was the slight stink and staleness of the place. It looked totally unheeded and unattended. I was sure no one ever goes there though the local old Chacha, who had strolled in after our arrival had indignantly said that they do get visitors there.

The well, which is architectural brilliance, was built around 550 years ago. There are delicate carvings on the pillars and columns showing flowers, animals and other motifs. The columns and pillars are still intact; only the intricate stone carvings have rubbed off and lost their sharpness. Much is not known about its history but I did get some information here.

The place has an antique, mesmerizing, rustic feel to it. One would tend to wonder how such a wonderful structure could be designed in the 16^th century using traditional means. I wonder if Architecture or Fine Arts students go and camp there for hours staring at the pillars and designs, wondering and marvelling its beauty.

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