MASTER OF FINE ARTS

VADODARA'S PRESENT AND FUTURE ARE ROOTED IN ITS ROYAL PAST AND LEGACY OF ART, FINDS RADHIKA IYENGAR. PHOTOGRAPHS BY CROOKES & JACKSON

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On a sunny morning, we find ourselves at Vidyadhar ni Vav—a 15th-century stepwell built in the memory of a saint—in Sevasi on the outskirts of Vadodara. When summer arrived, this ancient stepwell served not only as a water source but also as a communal space for rituals, and offered respite from the scorching heat.

The vav’s aged bones are still formidable; its solemn walls muffle the city’s vehicular cacophony. As we descend the hewn stone steps into its darkening, sunken belly—layers of wispy grey smoke rise. Curious, we go further, passing a coterie of teenagers engrossed in taking photographs. A few landings below, we discover the smoke’s source: a sacred fire. In the depths of the stepwell lies a hidden shrine dedicated to Khodiyar Mata, a warrior goddess who wields a trident and rides a crocodile. We watch a woman circumambulating the holy fire. She bows her head before the deity, palms pressed together, her lips whisper a prayer.

We continue downward, observing the motifs of elephants and flowers etched into the pillars, half-erased by time. Though the stepwell’s water reservoir is no longer in use, it remains a popular spot for locals, especially for the younger crowd. Seated regally on one of the steps, a young influencer, in an emerald green sari and Maharashtrian jewellery, strikes a pose for the 'gram. It is a moment that captures the spirit of a city perched between the past, present, and future.