Misplaced Pages

Wadhwan

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.

Madhavav or Madhav Vav is a stepwell located in Wadhwan town of Surendranagar district , Gujarat , India. It is located in the western side of old town.

#405594

27-613: Wadhwan , also spelled Vadhwan , is a city and a municipality in Surendranagar district in the Indian state of Gujarat . Located on the banks of the Bhogavo River , around 3 km from Surendranagar and 111 km from Ahmedabad , Wadhwan is a known location for its old world royal charm and serene space with a life and culture of its own. It was historically the capital of Wadhwan State . As of 2001 India census , Wadhwan city had

54-487: A granary) dated to 1439 CE records it as having been built by one Malik Muhammad b. Malik Musa during the reign of Ahmad Shah. Another inscription, this one in Old Gujarati and dated to samvat 1613 (1556 CE, during the reign of Ahmad Shah II ), records the local Kotia and Talavia Kolis as being landholding pasaitas responsible for the maintenance of the forts ( kot ) and water tanks ( talavi ) near their lands. During

81-407: A number of important structures were constructed, mostly during the era of 18th and 19th century. Vadhwan is considered as an important centre for Jains and is renowned as one of the fortified towns of Gujarat. Formerly known as Vardhamanpuri, the town is believed to have footprints of Lord Mahavir. The Raj Mahal and Hawa Mahal were constructed here by the erstwhile rulers of the region. The Raj Mahal

108-445: A population of 61,739. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Wadhwan city has an average literacy rate of 71%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 78%, and female literacy is 63%. In Wadhwan city, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age. It is located on the bank of the dry Bhogavo River . The name "Wadhwan" is said to derive from "Vardhmānpur", after Vardhamana, also known as Mahavira ,

135-518: A sovereign state such as the Principality of Monaco , to a small village such as West Hampton Dunes, New York . The territory over which a municipality has jurisdiction may encompass: Powers of municipalities range from virtual autonomy to complete subordination to the state . Municipalities may have the right to tax individuals and corporations with income tax , property tax , and corporate income tax , but may also receive substantial funding from

162-645: Is derived from French municipalité , which in turn derives from the Latin municipalis , based on the word for social contract ( municipium ), referring originally to the Latin communities that supplied Rome with troops in exchange for their own incorporation into the Roman state (granting Roman citizenship to the inhabitants) while permitting the communities to retain their own local governments (a limited autonomy). A municipality can be any political jurisdiction , from

189-409: Is in the east. It is 55 metres long and the stepped corridor are 49.80 metres long. It is entered by small narrow staircase. It has six kuta (pavilion towers) and six flights of steps to descend. The breadth decrease at each pavilion; 6 metres at the flight of steps to 3.6 metres at the pavilion. Each pavilion formed by four pilasters is 2.7 metres long. Due to height of 4.80 metre between two pavilion,

216-534: Is some 450 years old. 11th century Gangva Kund at Dedadara village is believed to have been constructed during the Chalukya period. The popular ancient Gangavav step-well is believed to have been constructed in Vikram Samvat in 1969. There is Lakhavav also. Madhavav is popular stepwell for its historical significance. It is believed that the son and daughter-in-law of King Sarang Dev sacrificed their lives here for

243-450: Is uncertain. Dharnivaraha's ancestry is also given: he appears to have succeeded his brother Dhruvabhta as king; their father was Pulkeshi, who was the grandson of Vikramark, founder of the dynasty, via Vikramark's son Adraka. The later Solanki dynasty of Patan made Wadhwan a fortified post on their military highway from Viramgam to Junagadh and Somnath ; Wadhwan lay between Jhinjhuvada and Sayla on this road. Later still, Wadhwan

270-404: Is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term municipality may also mean the governing body of a given municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district . The English word

297-606: The British Raj , Wadhwan State was one of several princely states governed by the Jhala Rajputs . It was classified as a 9-gun salute state . Vadhwan rulers belonged to the Jhala Rajput clans and had good administrative and culturally inclined society. To provide sufficient protection to their clan and the people, the town of Vadhwan was fortified and gates were erected at most places to provide safety. Some of these gates and

SECTION 10

#1732876185406

324-525: The 24th Tirthankar of Jainism . According to legend, the site of Wadhwan was originally a place called "Astigram", or "the village of bones", due to the predations of a man-eating yaksha named Shulpani, who lived in a cave on the bank of the Bhogavo river half a mile east of the present town. However, Mahavira visited the town and converted Shulpani, and the relieved inhabitants renamed the town Vardhmanpur in his honor. A temple dedicated to Mahavira now stands on

351-521: The Spanish term ayuntamiento , referring to a municipality's administration building, is extended via synecdoche to denote the municipality itself. In Moldova and Romania , both municipalities ( municipiu ; urban administrative units) and communes ( comună ; rural units) exist, and a commune may be part of a municipality. In many countries, comparable entities may exist with various names. Madhavav There are two inscriptions in

378-525: The community living in the area and the common interest. These include terms: The same terms "Gemeente" (Dutch) or "Gemeinde" (German) may be used for church congregations or parishes, for example, in the German and Dutch Protestant churches. In Greece, the word Δήμος ( demos ) is used, also meaning 'community'; the word is known in English from the compound democracy (rule of the people). In some countries,

405-519: The fortified walls are still found in the city, although city has grown beyond these walls. Vadhwan was the centre of the princely state by the same name, which in earlier days was known as Vardhamanpuri, the name being derived from the great Jain Thirthankaras, Bhagwan Vardhaman. The prime ministers of this princely state belonged to the Rawal family who were given the title of Dewan Bahadur. Under their rule,

432-724: The natives of the region. The Automobile Library, Wagheshwari Devi Temple and Swami Narayan Temple are some of the prominent attractions located in the vicinity of Wadhwan. C. U. Shah University is a private university located in Wadhwan. It is run by Vardhman Bharti Trust and named after Chimanlal Ujamshibhai Shah. It had been created by the state of Gujarat under the Private University Amendment Bill in 2013. Other schools include Dajiraj High School, established in 1885, and Ladkibai Kanya Vidhyalaya, established in 1921. Freedom At Midnight Municipality A municipality

459-431: The parents of Madhav. The stepwell is now state protected monument but is not maintained well. According to legend, the stepwell was dry for twelve years after its construction. The royal astrologer predicted the need of sacrifice by an ideal couple for water in the stepwell. The prince and her wife agreed for welfare of people even though they had an infant. They descended the stepwell in bridal clothes. As they reached

486-657: The present day also, many of the Sompura artisans whose community built Hawa mahal are seen involved in carvings and cutting of sculptures for various Hindu and Jain temple projects. Sompura Salat community was one of the Brahmin communities in Gujarat who were master artisans. They built famous Somnath Temple. In recent years, these artisans have been called upon for restoration work of various temples in Gujarat as well as in other parts of India, and also building new temples. Vadwala Temple here

513-402: The seventh step, the stepwell filled with water and they drowned. They sacrifice ensured water in the stepwell. The legend is popular folklore and is celebrated in folk-songs. It is also believed locally that a ghost haunts the stepwell and demands death of a person by drowning every three years. The stepwell is constructed in east-west direction; the entrance is in the west while the well

540-552: The site said to have been Shulpani's home. Another legendary account holds that, around 295 CE, Wadhwan was ruled by the Vala dynasty king Ebhal, remembered in oral tradition for defeating an Irani force of 200,000 men. A copper-plate inscription dated to samvat 639 (717 CE) records Wadhwan (as Vardhmanpur) as being ruled by a Raja Dharnivaraha of the Chapa dynasty ; Dharnivaraha is described as subservient to one Mahipal Dev, whose identity

567-478: The state. In some European countries, such as Germany, municipalities have the constitutional right to supply public services through municipally-owned public utility companies . Terms cognate with "municipality", mostly referring to territory or political structure, are Spanish municipio (Spain) and municipalidad (Chile), Catalan municipi , Portuguese município . In many countries, terms cognate with "commune" are used, referring to

SECTION 20

#1732876185406

594-459: The stepwell. The Sanskrit inscription states that it was built by Madhav and Keshav, the Nagar Brahmin minister brothers in the court of Karandev II of Vaghela dynasty in 1294 ( Vikram Samvat 1350) in honour of his parents. The second inscription, which is much eroded, tells about Lashamidevi (Lakshamidevi), daughter of Nagar Brahmin minister Sodhal; and Sindhu, son of Soma who were probably

621-848: The thick wall is necessary. There are slightly convex roofs on each kuta in ogee moulding formed by nine horizontal tiers. The roofs are crowned by small finials in form of kalasha . The well is 5.3 metres in diameter. At the top of the round well-shaft, there are six double-bent struts in the last storey; four in back wall covered with stone lintel for drawing up water, in leathern bags for irrigation purposes. There are stone screens on each side of first kuta forming its walls. Each screen has 16 squares, four in each of four rows. The pattern of these screens are identical to Vimal Vasahi temple of Dilwara Temples on Mount Abu and Queens' Mosque, Sarangpur, Ahmedabad . The door-frame has small sculptures of seated gods in compartments of vertical parts of frame and scenes of daily life in horizontal lintel. In

648-401: The walls, upon either side, at intervals in the descend, are sculptured niches holding groups of images which are very much mutilated. It includes sculptures of Bhairava , Saptamatrika , Navagraha , Dashavatara and other gods and goddesses which are difficult to recognise due to its condition. There is sculptures of couple in one niche which is recognised as that of Madhav and his wife. There

675-413: Was built during the era of Jhala rulers. Even though it was an ambitious project with ultimate craftsmanship, the work was left incomplete. The part which is incomplete is outside the actual fort and is in different stages of construction along with the study of architectural designs, which were stopped midway. These give a glimpse into the style of architecture used by the artisans in erecting Hawa Mahal. In

702-477: Was the residence of His Highness Balsinhji in the 19th century, replete with exotic gardens, cricket pitches, fountains, tennis courts and lily ponds. The Raj Mahal is now functioning as a heritage hotel. Several members of the Thakar family served as Dewans (Prime Ministers) of the princely state, most prominent amongst them being Vishwanath Thakar and Khodidas Thakar in the 19th century. Hawa Mahal, "the wind palace,"

729-571: Was the seat of a branch of the Vaghela dynasty ; after that, it came under Muslim rule. From the time of Ahmad Shah I of the Gujarat Sultanate , Wadhwan was the site of a strongly fortified thana to secure control over the region. The city's Pada mosque was constructed during this period; a Persian inscription formerly in the mosque (but later kept in the Darbar enclosure which was later converted into

#405594