Incredible India: Adalaj ni 'WOW'

       ‘Adalaj ni vav’ is a step well at a village, Adalaj, between Gandhi Nagar and ahmedabad. Step wells are called Vav in Gujarat, but in Rajasthan & Haryana they call them Baawdi and in Delhi Baawli. Step wells are typical to arid zones of western India. I think the reason for constructing step-well was to make water available, to the travelers and passengers, in this part of India, where there was no perennial source of water, other then wells, was available. And the well always needed rope and a pot to extract water, thus the idea of creating step-wells must have surfaced. And with the passing time, constructing step-well must have become a status symbol which would have, ultimately, resulted in to flourishing art and architecture around the step-wells. Though it was not the first time I visited the magnificent and picturesque step-well, yesterday, and after going there I once again said “WOW!!” so I call it Adalaj ni ‘wow’.

        Perhaps language is among the funniest things human has invented. When you compare certain words of different languages you can’t stop yourself from laughing and be careful as it might land you in some trouble. A woman’s tail (choti) in Punjabi has led poets into creating some nice songs but singing them in front of a Bengali gal might land any one into trouble. A north Indian door’s bolt is posterior in Tamil. A Mizo pot would leave a Biharan red faced, a Hindi jump is Tamilian vulgar for female genitals and be careful and never  buy banana in hindi while in Assam. Just discover and enjoy, I would like to know more such funny combinations from my readers about the languages of the Incredible India!

Any objection on my calling it Adalaj ni ‘wow’!!!!!