Solarium is an idea adopted by Maharaja Jam Ranjitsingh of Jamnagar. It is built for the remedy of TB,Skin deseases and rheumatism using Solar energy in 1940. (Maybe you will say,WHAT ?? How that is possible in 1940 ?? Even it is not available even today.) Go deeper, guys !!
Indradeep society,behind M.P.Shah Medical college,Nr. NCC headquarters,Jamnagar.
Description
How to go ?
Private vehicle :- Accessible upto end
Train :- Jamnagar railway station and from there around 3-4 km
Bus :- S.T. bus stand of Jamnagar and nearly 1-2 km from that.
From where the seed come ?
Once Maharaja Ranjitsingh went for France. They amused to see the Solarium built near Eiffel tower and expressed his willingness to built same thing at Jamnagar,Gujarat,India.
Construction :-
Construction started in A.D.1937 and completed within 2 years.
Current situation :-
It is currently closed due to unavailability of the expert who can operate this,since 1996. Last it was operated in 1996. It is in tremendously bad condition. It is like a Hospital needs to be cured before it cures the people…!!!!!
Thanks to Safari magazine and my friend Darpan,who asked me whether I know this place or not. And I just found out and even captured the whole architecture.
Currently none is there to take care of this marvelous architecture. Share it as much as you can to reach it to our government as it is too much useful for the patients of skin deceases,rheumatism and TB , in addition world’s only second this type of place and we are just doing nothing about it.
Adalaj stepwell is an example of marvellous architecture that still able to shock the modern architects. It is situated in Adalaj village near Ahmedabad. It was build around 517 years ago(1498/1499 AD).
Step well is just a well equipped with steps. From around 150AD, the rock cut stepwells are being made in India solely to cope with water scarcity. And in Gujarat and Rajasthan, most of the stepwells are built. In Gujarat also numerous stepwells are present but the architectural intelligence present in Adalaj and Ranki vav of Patan are beyond your imagination.(I haven’t visited Rani ki vav but as it is called Queen of the Stepwell, it must be better than the Adalaj.)
How to reach
Private vehicle :- Accessible till end. Public transport :-
For Ahmedabad localities…
AMTS will directly depart you at Adalaj bus stand , nearly 1 km from your destination.
Railway :- Kalupur railway station and then transport bus or any other private vehicle/cab
Airport :- Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International airport just 16 km away. Come by cab or transport bus.
Bit description
Board
Purpose :-
As there were ponds and wells, there was no need of stepwell. But when the kingdom faced the drought, Queen Rudabai decided to build a stepwell which along with storing water serve other purpose. As it was her idea King Veersinh named it “Rudabai ni vav”. So the construction of the stepwell started.
History :-
It was built during 1498-99.
Mohammed Begda attacked the kingdom ruled by Veersinh. In the war the king was killed. The invader wanted to marry the King’s wife,Queen Roopba. She ready to marry on condition that the step well work that is started by his beloved husband(Veersinh) must be completed by him then only she will marry him. Mohammed Begda instantly accepted the proposal and completed building the remained step well on war. That’s why it is combination of Hindu and Muslim architecture.
Now it was time for Queen to complete her promise. She instead of marrying her husband’s killer, throw herself in water of the same step well , that the Begda just completed.
Begda was so impressed with the architecture that he thought replica must not be built. When upon asked whether the replica can be built or not,masons replied a big YES. And so as like TajMahal when the wrists of the masons were cut down, he killed all 6 masons. Their tombs are present here.
As it was built by the Hindu king as well as the Muslim king, this stepwell is a mixture of Hindu and Muslim architecture.
Inner ArchitectureDownstairs from the top of stepwell
It was build on the trade route. That’s why it not only promises of storing water only, but also gives shelter to travellers , their animals , localised people in hot summer. In addition to resting and meeting place, it helps in hiding at the time of war and also a religious one. In this manner , it works as multi-tasking stepwell. That’s why it is called our ancestors were much much wiser than us !! Salute to their long vision !!
Well
Bottom to Top
Straight eye
It is five storied building. Along with beautiful carving. At each place you will find different pattern. What a beautiful work by the Masons !!! It is like horizontal structure upto 3-4 level but you can not go beyond that, as of security reason. So could not explore much.
There is also inscription written on the wall. Which is history. I found only some part.
Inscription
The Sanskrit inscription in the stepwell describes,[16]
“Samvat 1555 (1498 AD), month of Magha, Mahmud Padshah being king.
” Salutation to Vinayaka (Ganesha) to whose race belonged King Mokala, chief of the country of Dandahi. From him was born Karna, whose son was Mularaja. Mahipa was Mularaja’s son, and Virsinh and Naisha were the sons of Mahipa. Virsinh’s queen, whose name is Rooda, has constructed this well.
“It is dedicated at this time — when the sun is in the north, the month is Magha, the bright half (Shukla Paksha), the 5th day, the day of the week, Wednesday, the lunar mansion — Uttara, Karana-Bava, the yoga — Siddhi.”
The idols I found, and the inscription here you go. If anyone knows about these, please inform me.
bdg 