Bhayli vaav lying dormant for decades to come alive today

Vadodara: This stepwell had been lying dormant for many decades. But the 200-year-old Bhayli vaav in Vadodara will come alive on Tuesday and tell the tale of her life.
Kakoli Sen, a city-based artist, will personify this stepwell and bring her story to the world for the first time on the World Heritage Day. The idea is to highlight the dilapidated state of the stepwells across the state and encourage the locals as well as the authorities to conserve them.
“All those ornate vaavs in the state aren’t lifeless. They are very much alive and have many rich stories to tell. I am narrating their journey that transcends across the centuries. And what better occasion than the World Heritage Day to tell such beautiful stories!” Sen told TOI.
Sen will narrate the history of this vaav, known as ‘Hanumant vaav’, while another artist will perform dance accompanied by light and sound show inside the stepwell. “People attending the show will learn about the importance of this stepwell and I hope that it motivates them to conserve it,” Sen, who has done research on the stepwells of Gujarat, said.
Sen has been using her art to bring out many such hidden treasures that are not known to the public. “I have organised similar shows in the Sevasi vaav and Navlakhi vaav in Vadodara, Adalaj vaav near Gandhinagar and Ram Kund vaav in Bhuj. The locals didn’t just appreciate the storytelling but also promised to conserve the heritage,” she added.
“These stepwells store huge quantities of water and recharge underground water table too. Such ancient systems are so important in contemporary times when we are facing a water crisis. They are also marvellous pieces of architecture. Sadly, such vaavs are not being conserved. That is why I am trying to instil life in them,” Sen said.