CENTER FOR ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY

The Helical stepwell is situated at the foot of a hill near the town of Pavagadh. It is altogether a small monument, measuring in all not more than 19 metres. It consists mainly of the shaft of the well, and a short entrance staircase which leads into a spiral stairway. This spiral stairway is attached to the wall of the well and descends downwards like the ‘coils of a snake’. The idea of circumambulation is expressed in the spiral stairway. This stepwell reflects the very early stage of stepwell architecture.

Reference: Jain-Neubauer, Jutta. The Stepwells of Gujarat: In Art-historical Perspective, 2003.

Himachal Pradesh (Architectural Drawings)

Hot Springs is the main feature of this town, where the main tank is called the shiv kund and has been used by Rishis in the past. The tank is considered sacred by the Hindus and is visited by people who on solar and lunar eclipse to take a dip in the holy water. This place was also mentioned by Akbar during one of his visits as best in the suburbs of Delhi. It was re-discovered in 1872 by the British who developed the surrounding tank after realizing its medicinal value. The main structure over the spring is octagonal shaped and covered with a dome, topped with an inverted lotus and a finial. Water from here is delivered into a large cistern. A number of concrete pools receive water from the spring. Today, the domed structure and the tanks have been altered and several other buildings have sprung up around it

I Sites, AIIS, CA&A

Ilha de Rachol, Baroque Architecture, Goa

Digitization of this collection has been possible with financial support from the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.