Dada Harir ni Vav: A Harem Keeper’s Legacy

The Dada Harir ni Vav is a distinctive stepwell in Ahmedabad and a testament to the syncretic culture of medieval Gujarat. This stepwell is often mistaken for a Hindu monument due to its name, which sounds similar to ‘Hari’, one of the names of Lord Vishnu. But the truth is, it was built during the time of the Sultans of Gujarat, by a keeper of the Sultan’s harem.

Located in the Asarwa neighbourhood of Ahmedabad and almost forgotten by history, the stepwell has a significant place in the development of Indo-Islamic architecture of the Gujarat Sultanate and has features from both Hindu and Islamic architectural and artistic traditions.