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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Ruḍābai's vāva Adalaj (Dist. Gandhinagar)
Perhaps the finest of the Gujarat Vävas is that at the village Adalaj, 12 miles north from Ahmedabad. It varies in the arrangement of acces; for here the entrance to the head of the stair is from three sides, and is reached by a few steps from the ground level; landing on platforms 23 & 26 feet across (one on South being lost) from which again are descents of 11 feet on three sides to a spacious landing which measures 41 feet each way.
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
This Väva runs, from south to north, and the stair from the north side of the landing leads down to the reservoir.
On the first landing stand 12 pillars, forming a square 221% feet across, between their centres. These are arranged in such a way, that an octagon is formed by the lintels connecting the inner eight, which support a deep fieze, richly carved in the style of Vedika (railing) mouldings similar to vedika of the balconies of a Hindu temple.
This pattern was too familiar to the Muslim Architecture of Gujarat also. Probably this supported a dome over the landing which, however, has long since disappeared. Behind these pillars, on each side, stand two others, which, with those of the octagon, from porches on the four sides of area. The pillars on the north side stand on the descent and are taller than the other: they are also more elaborately carved in the fashion of pillars of a kirtitorana.
These pillars, in shape and composition are different from the rest of the pillars which are mostly of simple bhadraka type decorated only at the upper end with ratnapattika and floral-Geometrical design. Their circular-disced and corbelled brackets are also simple. As usual these pillars are composed of the base (Kumbhi) shaft, stambha (Danda), capital (Sirävati) but these are superimposed with Ucchälaka (i.e. short pillar) and corbelled bracket so that the required height is attained. The Uchhälaka is flanked on its right and left side, with a miniature pillar like moulding, over the pillars rests the beautifully carved beam (päta).
At the corners of first landing are four small rooms-each only about 4 ft square in side-with balcony windows facing east and west, and doors on north and south sides.
The details of the carving of these windows balconies are interesting. It is supported by our highly carved corbelled brackets (i.e. Madalas) with hanging circular lumas. Over it rests a course of animal figure sculptures. This is continued on the string course at the same level all along the walls of the Vāva. Over the animal frieze is deeply carved floral pattern which is superimposed with the back of the asanapatta carved in the fashion of upraised lotus petals and lotus buds.
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Over the äsanapatta rest the dwarf pillars superimposed with the eave (chhadyakūta). The opening of the balcony contains the floral feieze on vertical as well as horizontal sides of it. The cyma-recta-shaped eave contained Dandika and
સામીપ્ય : પુ. ૨૫, અંક ૩-૪, ઓક્ટો. ૨૦૦૮
માર્ચ, ૨૦૦૯
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