Gaurav at 15:08, 25 March 2026

2026-03-25T15:08:28Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox Historic building
|name = Brahma Vav
|image = Brahma Vaaav Khedbrahma.jpg
|caption = Stepwell from outside
|mapframe-zoom = 14
|mapframe-marker = water
|coordinates = {{coord|region:IN-GJ|display=inline, title}}
|location = Brahmaji Chowk
|location_town = [[Khedbrahma]], [[Gujarat]]
|location_country = India
|architect = Local
|construction_start_date =
|completion_date = 14th century
|demolished_date =
|structural_system =
|architectural_style = [[Indian architecture]]
|building_type = [[Stepwell]]
|designations = [[Archeological Survey of India|ASI]] State Protected Monument No. S-GJ-326
}}
'''Brahma Vav''' is a [[stepwell]] in [[Khedbrahma]], [[Gujarat]], India. It was built in 14th century.

== History ==
The stepwell is situated opposite the [[Brahma Temple, Khedbrahma|Brahma temple]]. Based on ornamentation of the miniature shrines in the stepwell, it is dated to 14th century. There is no inscription in the stepwell to ascertain its age.<ref name="Jain-Neubauer1981" />

There are some [[paliya]] (hero stone) dedicated to Dhabi gatekeepers of the village who died fighting Maharaja Shivsinhji of Idar around Samvat 1800. The inscriptions on them are worn out.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Shastri|first=Ganpatishankar|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.305767|title=Puratan Brahma Kshetra Prachin Arvachin Itihas|publisher=Idar State|year=1935|location=Idar|pages=3, 9|language=gu|trans-title=Ancient Brahma Kshetra: Ancient and Modern History}}</ref>

It is sacred to the [[Hūmaḍa|'''Humada Digambara Jains''']] and the '''Khedavala Brahmins.''' It is considered the place of origin for these sub-communities, as mentioned in the '''''Hūmaḍa Purāṇa''''' and other texts. They used to worship their ancestral-patron deities here.<ref name="Shukla 2014">{{cite web|last=Shukla|first=Rakesh|date=24 June 2014|title=ક્યારેક લોકોની તરસ છિપાવતા હતા ગુજરાતના આ જળ મંદિરો-ખેડબ્રહ્માની વાવ|url=http://gujarati.oneindia.com/features/some-interesting-stepwell-gujarat/slider-pf63031-019322.html|access-date=20 November 2016|website=gujarati.oneindia.com|language=gu}}</ref><ref name=":0" />

==Architecture==
The stepwell is built with grey granite stone. It is constructed in east–west direction; the entrance is in the east and the well is in the west. It is {{convert|38.10|m|ft}} long; {{convert|30|m|ft}} of stepped corridor and the well of {{convert|8.10|m|ft}} diameter. The stepwell becomes narrower as one goes downwards and to the well. It has four ''kuta'' (pavilion-towers) where fourth is attached to the well. The breadth is {{convert|8.50|m|ft}} (including parapet wall) and {{convert|6.60|m|ft}} (without parapet wall) at the entrance which decreases to {{convert|5.4|m|ft}} in second ''kuta'' and {{convert|3.90|m|ft}} in the third ''kuta''. It had row of miniature shrines as an ornamentation in the wall of shaft of the stepwell which suggests it was built in 14th century. They resemble temple spires and has niches. It has 27 niches without any idols now. It is now in despair due to lack of maintenance.<ref name="Jain-Neubauer1981">{{cite book|author=Jain-Neubauer|first=Jutta|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=61fSwBF4bbYC&pg=PA53|title=The Stepwells of Gujarat: In Art-historical Perspective|publisher=Abhinav Publications|year=1981|isbn=978-0-391-02284-3|page=|pages=23, 53}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Brahma Kund]]
*[[Rani ki vav]]
* [[History of stepwells in Gujarat]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{commons category}}

[[Category:Stepwells in Gujarat]]
[[Category:Khedbrahma]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Sabarkantha district]]

Brahma Vav - Revision history

Gaurav at 15:08, 25 March 2026