Amritvarshini Vav (Amritvarshini Stepwell)

Amritvarshini Vav is unique in being a stepwell built within the walled city of Ahmedabad. This stepwell is located near Panchkuva, which literally means Five Wells. This stepwell is commonly called Panchkuva Stepwell, or Katkhuni Vav.

An inscription in Devanagari and Persian dates the Amritavarshini vav to the period around 1723 when Raghunathdas was diwan to Haidar Quli Khan, the governor of Gujarat during his stay in the city during the early-1720s. This governor of the Mughal Empire is said to have built this stepwell for philanthropic reasons.

The stepwell is unusual in its L-shaped plan and the use of Mughal arches to support the structure. Three flights of stairs lead to the water level of this stepwell which is more than 50 feet deep. The bracing arches have different shapes at the two storeys and in the pavilion before the well shaft. In 2004, the stepwell was recharged.