Gujarat stepwell in Unesco heritage site list, Modi hails move

Rani ki Vav (queen's stepwell), in Gujarat's Patan town, has been added to Unesco's list of World Heritage sites, an official statement said Sunday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the decision, calling it a "matter of great pride" for the state.

"Rani Ki Vav in Patan, Gujarat, has been added to the UNESCO World Heritage list! A matter of great pride for us. Next time you visit Gujarat, you must visit Rani Ki Vav, an excellent symbol of our great art and culture," he tweeted.

Rani ki Vav has been added to Unesco's list of World Heritage sites, an culture ministry release said.

"Rani ki Vav has been approved for inscription on the World Heritage list," said the release, adding that the decision was taken by Unesco at the World Heritage Committee session currently on at Doha.

"Unesco has recognised this masterpiece as an exceptional example of technological development in utilizing ground water resources in a single component, water management system and it illustrates the exceptional capacity to break large spaces into smaller volumes following ideal aesthetic proportions," it added.

"The ancient stepwell was built in the 11th century and is an example of a unique Indian subterranean architectural structure. Its seven storeys of ornamented panels of sculptures and relief represent the height of the Maru-Gurjara style," said the release.

"Following the flooding and disappearance of the Saraswati river due to geotectonic changes, the property was buried under layers of silt for almost seven centuries and has been preserved underneath in an exceptional state of conservation by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)," the release added. The stepwell was nominated for the title by the ASI in February 2013.