Stepwells (vavs or baori) are wells or ponds with a long corridor of steps that descend to the water level. Some stepwells are multi-storeyed and can be accessed by a Persian wheel which is pulled by a bull to bring water to the first or second floor. The construction of stepwells is mainly utilitarian, though they may include embellishments of architectural significance, and be temple tanks. A basic difference between stepwells and tanks and wells is that stepwells make it easier for people to reach the groundwater and to maintain and manage the well. They are examples of the many types of storage and irrigation tanks that were developed in India, mainly to cope with seasonal fluctuations in water availability. Stepwells played a significant role in defining subterranean architecture in western India from 7th to 19th century.

A stepwell structure consists of two sections: a vertical shaft from which water is drawn and the surrounding inclined subterranean passageways and chambers and steps which provide access to the well. The galleries and chambers surrounding these wells were often carved profusely with elaborate detail and became cool, quiet retreats during the hot summers.

The builders dug deep trenches into the earth for dependable, year-round groundwater. They lined the walls of these trenches with blocks of stone, without mortar, and created stairs leading down to the water. This led to the building of some significant ornamental and architectural features, often associated with dwellings and in urban areas. It also ensured their survival as monuments.

They are most common in western India and are also found in the other more arid regions of the Indian subcontinent, extending into Pakistan. While the utilitarian architecture is common, they vary in size and vary in embellishments. As examples:

Chand Baori (Stepwell of the moon) is situated near Jaipur in Rajasthan. It is approximately 30m (100ft) deep, making it one of the deepest and largest stepwells in India.

Rani Ki Vav (Queen’s Stepwell) is situated in a small town called Patan in Gujarat, banks of the (now extinct) Saraswati River. Constructed about 1,000 years ago, over time it was silted over, and rediscovered in the 1940s and restored in the 1980s. It has been listed as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India since 2014.

The finest and one of the largest examples of its kind, this stepwell is designed as an inverted temple highlighting the sanctity of water. It is divided into seven levels of stairs with sculptural panels. These panels have more than 500 principal sculptures and over a thousand minor ones that combine religious and symbolic imagery.