Underground Shrine Queens Stepwell Patan

Author(s): Jaikishandas Sadani
Publisher: B J Institute of Learning & Research

Page 13

Underground Shrine: Queen's step-well at Patan
Bhimadeva I also built the temple of Bhimesvara and Bhiruani at Patan. He ruled Gujarat for 42 years. King Bhimadeva was a profound devotee of Śiva and Vişņu and Laksmi as well. He worshipped her beseeching for a son as an heir to his kingdom. He was blessed with a son Karnadeva. Like his illustrious father he continued the cultural tradition and was a great contributory for building outstanding temples. Karnadeva was a Shaivite in the beginning but later on he also worshipped Viṣņu and Lakṣmi. The copper plates found at Navasari bear the inscription "Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya"- I bow to divine Vasudeva- the incarnation of ViṣṇuLord Kṛṣṇa. The same plate also has an invocation to Varaha or the Boar avatara of Visņu. The copper plate was issued by Karnadeva himself in Vikrama Samvat 1131 i. e. 1074 A. D. The leaning of Caulukya Kings towards Vaishnavism started by King Mualaraja was taken up both by Bhimadeva I and his son Karnadeva with equal zeal and dedication. The Chaulukya rulers were essentially Shaivites so they naturally built more Śiva temples but their love for Vaishnavism inspired them to build Visņu-Lakṣmi temples as well. This speaks highly of their non-sectarian, universal outlook. They built temples dedicated to Brahma, Viṣņu, Śiva, Śakti, Surya, and Gaṇeśa-Vinayaka. Worship of Mahalakṣmi was very popular during Deepavali.
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King Bhimadeva's Queen Udayamati, was very generous and ardently religious. Like her husband and son Karnadeva, she herself was a great connoisseur of art and culture and she encouraged her son to build temples, sarovaras and vapis-stepwells. It is stone which is the timeless symbol that lasts the longest in perpetuating the cultural history. It makes the past vividly present for the following generations. No sooner we see the beautiful art creations of the period we are left spell bound, absorbed in prayer. The whole past becomes a living present, thus enabling the unimpeded flow of culture and tradition.
Building of step-wells for storing water, so that it could be utilised in summer, during the period of water scarcity was very common. Thousands of vapis or water reservoirs were built in western India particularly in Gujarat and Rajasthan. Visņu Dharmottara Purana lays down that "one who digs well for the public, has, as a consequence half his sins absolved when the water begins to flow forth; one who dedicates a pond or vapi is for ever happy and free from thirst. He attains the world of Varuna (Chaps. 91-92)". Thus it was a current practice throughout Gujarat and Rajasthan to build step-wells, wells and lakes or sarovaras to perpetuate the memory of their beloved ones or their forefathers, for public welfare as well. The step-wells of Gujarat and Rajasthan were beautiful monuments of highly specialised structure. Pavilions were built in several storeys. The steps naturally connected one storey