Patan is home to the famous Rani ki Vav, one of the largest stepwells in the world. It’s also known as the Queen’s stepwell. Also, in Patan, I visited a Patola sari making factory! A sari is a traditional Indian dress, and ‘Patola’ is a way of making it.
I visited Patan for a day trip, about 2 hours from Ahmedabad, to experience the culture and architecture. I really marvel at the glorious people, who dedicated their lives to a single monument, painstakingly carving and creating beauty.
We arrived at Rani Ki Vav and read a few noticeboards on the history of the stepwell, then proceeded to the actual one.
When it came into view, we were stunned. The whole stepwell was so big, we couldn’t see the bottom at all. The 11th century stepwell had elaborate carvings and designs surrounding the steps, depicting gods, stories, Patola designs, and even blueprints for pillars.
It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and only now I understood why. Its beauty is unapparelled.
We proceeded inside, and I ran all the way to the bottom, where there was a yellow tape preventing me from proceeding further.
Dad explained that the government only allowed tourists to go this far, so as not to hurt themselves by tripping near the water of the stepwell. However, we still got cool pics of the water at the bottom by standing at the top hole, which led directly to the pool, and was covered by a huge grate.
It was so big! We went back up, marvelling at the unique miniature model of Rani ki Vav at the very top.
Next stop, the Patola centre. We were taken in by a guide, who first explained the basics of Patolas.
The ‘Patola’ method was a textile dyeing and weaving technique, called Double Ikat, unique to Patan since the 12th century.
He then took us for a tour of the centre, and took us through the detailed process of making Patolas. He explained that every single task was completed by hand, which was totally amazing!
We soon proceeded to the actual sari gallery, and when we asked for the price, it was super expensive! More than the total cost of 2 whole vacations! But the saris themselves were very beautiful.
Sadly, we weren’t spending any nights in Patan, but we were very excited about our next stop: Balasinor Dinosaur Fossil Park! Whoopee!
Enjoy Rani Ki Vav at Patan!
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Patan
Patan is home to the famous Rani ki Vav, one of the largest stepwells in the world and traditional 'Patola' sari making factory. Dive in!
