>Nizil Shah at 05:04, 11 February 2021

2021-02-11T05:04:51Z

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{{short description|Stepwell in Mehsana, Gujarat, India}}
{{Infobox Historic building
|name = Boter Kothani Vav
|alternate_names = Mehsana Vav
|image = Boter Kotha ni Vav Mehsana Stepwell 2.jpg
|caption = Stepwell interior with exposed bricks
|coordinates = {{coord|23.603431|72.401489|region:IN-GJ|display=inline, title}}
|location_town = [[Mehsana]]
|location_country = India
|architect = Local
|construction_start_date =
|completion_date = 1674
|date_demolished =
|cost =
|structural_system =
|style = [[Indian architecture]]
|floor_count = Eleven storied stepwell
|designations =
|mapframe-zoom = 14
|mapframe-marker = water
}}
'''Boter Kothani Vav''', also known as '''Mehsana Vav'''<ref name="Bhatt2014">{{cite book|author=Purnima Mehta Bhatt|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tWmiDAAAQBAJ&pg=PT57|title=Her Space, Her Story: Exploring the Stepwells of Gujarat|date=16 December 2014|publisher=Zubaan|isbn=978-93-84757-08-3|pages=57–58|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170824131900/https://books.google.com/books?id=tWmiDAAAQBAJ&pg=PT57|archive-date=24 August 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> or '''Interi Vav''',<ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-05-13|title=મહેસાણાની ઐતિહાસીક વિરાસત એવી 'બોત્તેર કોઠા'ની વાવ ફરીથી તંત્રની ઉદાસિનતાનો|url=https://www.divyabhaskar.co.in/news/UGUJ-MEH-MAT-latest-mehsana-news-075513-1870208-NOR.html|access-date=2020-11-06|website=Divya Bhaskar|language=gu}}</ref> is a [[stepwell]] located in [[Mehsana]], [[Gujarat]], India.

==History==
The stepwell was constructed during the reign of [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] emperor [[Aurangzeb]]. An inscription dated [[Samvat]] 1731 (1674 CE) in [[Persian script|Persian]] and [[Devanagari|Devnagari]] scripts states that it was commissioned by Shah Gokaldas from Laghu Shakha of [[Shrimali Brahmins|Shrimali]] caste, and his mother Manabai for public welfare.<ref name="Bhatt2014" /><ref name="GG1975">{{cite book|editor=S. B. Rajyagor|title=Gujarat State Gazetteers: Mehsana District|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JycbAAAAIAAJ|series=Gujarat State Gazetteers|volume=5|year=1975|publisher=Directorate of Government Print., Stationery and Publications, [[Government of Gujarat]]|pages=805|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170216021852/https://books.google.com/books?id=JycbAAAAIAAJ|archive-date=2017-02-16}}</ref> Gokaldas is a son of Virji who is a son of Vaka and grandson of Tejpal, as mentioned in the inscription.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Bhojak|first=Kanaiyalal Amthalal|title=Mehsana: Prachin Arvachin|publisher=Mehsana Municipality|year=1957|isbn=|location=Mehsana|pages=48-53|language=gu|script-title=gu:મહેસાણા: પ્રાચીન અર્વાચીન|trans-title=Mehsana: Ancient and Modern}}</ref>

Repaired and renovated during the [[Gaekwar State|Gaekwad]] rule,<ref name="Shukla 2014">{{cite web|last=Shukla|first=Rakesh|date=24 June 2014|title=ક્યારેક લોકોની તરસ છિપાવતા હતા ગુજરાતના આ જળ મંદિરો-બોતેર કોઠાની વાવ|url=http://gujarati.oneindia.com/features/some-interesting-stepwell-gujarat/slider-pf63029-019322.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161120213416/http://gujarati.oneindia.com/features/some-interesting-stepwell-gujarat/slider-pf63029-019322.html|archive-date=20 November 2016|access-date=20 November 2016|website=gujarati.oneindia.com|language=gu}}</ref><ref name="WDG2013">{{cite web|date=2 December 2013|title=શિલ્પ-સ્થાપત્યની બેનમૂન બોતેર કોઠાની વાવ કચરાપેટી બની ગઈ|url=http://gujarati.webdunia.com/article/gujarati-regional-news/શિલ્પ-સ્થાપત્યની-બેનમૂન-બોતેર-કોઠાની-વાવ-કચરાપેટી-બની-ગઈ-113120200004_1.htm|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170824131900/http://gujarati.webdunia.com/article/gujarati-regional-news/%E0%AA%B6%E0%AA%BF%E0%AA%B2%E0%AB%8D%E0%AA%AA-%E0%AA%B8%E0%AB%8D%E0%AA%A5%E0%AA%BE%E0%AA%AA%E0%AA%A4%E0%AB%8D%E0%AA%AF%E0%AA%A8%E0%AB%80-%E0%AA%AC%E0%AB%87%E0%AA%A8%E0%AA%AE%E0%AB%82%E0%AA%A8-%E0%AA%AC%E0%AB%8B%E0%AA%A4%E0%AB%87%E0%AA%B0-%E0%AA%95%E0%AB%8B%E0%AA%A0%E0%AA%BE%E0%AA%A8%E0%AB%80-%E0%AA%B5%E0%AA%BE%E0%AA%B5-%E0%AA%95%E0%AA%9A%E0%AA%B0%E0%AA%BE%E0%AA%AA%E0%AB%87%E0%AA%9F%E0%AB%80-%E0%AA%AC%E0%AA%A8%E0%AB%80-%E0%AA%97%E0%AA%88-113120200004_1.htm|archive-date=24 August 2017|access-date=20 November 2016|website=Webdunia|language=gu}}</ref> it became neglected and polluted. It was cleaned by the Mehsana Municipality in 2013.<ref name="WDG2013" /><ref>{{Cite news|date=2013-12-04|title=૭૨ કોઠા વાવ : મહેસાણાની શાન અને જાન છે|url=https://www.divyabhaskar.co.in/news/UGUJ-MEH-72-kotha-vav-in-mehsana-4453002-NOR.html|access-date=2020-11-06|publisher=[[Divya Bhaskar]]|language=gu}}</ref><ref name="Toi12013">{{cite news|date=21 March 2013|title=Enthusiasts to revive stepwell in Mehsana|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/vadodara/Enthusiasts-to-revive-stepwell-in-Mehsana/articleshow/19115026.cms|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130322222113/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/vadodara/Enthusiasts-to-revive-stepwell-in-Mehsana/articleshow/19115026.cms|archive-date=22 March 2013|access-date=20 November 2016|work=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref> It was cleaned again and its water was approved for use in gardens in 2020.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-10-30|title=મહેસાણાની અવાવરૃં બનેલી 72 કોઠાની વાવ જીવંત કરાશે|url=https://www.gujaratsamachar.com/news/mehsana/the-72-storey-building-of-mehsana-will-be-revived|access-date=2020-11-06|publisher=[[Gujarat Samachar]]|language=gu}}</ref>

==Architecture==
It is located near Bhimnath Mahadev temple in Para area.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2019-11-27|title=અયોગ્ય@મહેસાણા: ઐતિહાસિક 72 કોઠાની વાવમાં સ્વચ્છતા અભિયાનનું સુરસુરીયું|url=https://atalsamachar.com/ineligible-mehsana-historical-72-room-cleanliness-campaign-launched/|access-date=2020-11-06|publisher=Atal Samachar|language=gu}}</ref> It is constructed of bricks and sandstone.<ref name="WDG2013" /> It is {{convert|45|to|50|ft|m|order=flip}} long{{cn|date=November 2020}} and eleven floors deep, and has unique twin wells.<ref name="WDG2013" /> It is known as Boter Kothani Vav, literally the stepwell with 72 cells.<ref name="GG1975"/><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vKEUAQAAMAAJ&q=boter+kotha+ni+vav|title=Census of India, 1991: Mahesana|publisher=Government Photo Litho Press|year=1992|pages=29|language=en}}</ref>
==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Inscription in Boter Kotha ni Vav, Mehsana.jpg|thumb|Persian and Devnagari inscriptions in the stepwell
File:Boter Kotha ni Vav Mehsana Stepwell.jpg|thumb|Neglected stepwell filled with debris
</gallery>

== See also ==
* [[Rajmahal, Mehsana]]
* [[Para Lake]]
* [[Nagalpur Lake]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Stepwells in Gujarat]]
[[Category:Mehsana]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Mehsana district]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1674]]
[[Category:Monuments and memorials in Gujarat]]

Boter Kothani Vav - Revision history

>Nizil Shah at 05:04, 11 February 2021