This vaav at Asarva is the oldest known stepwell in Ahmedabad, built in 11th century during the Solanki rule. Although it has always been associated wit ha female protective divinity, the addition of a shrine has ensured its preservation. This shrine dedicated to Goddess Mata Bhavani is set into the rear wall of the well-shaft. The families who live in houses along the well's edges are involved in the daily upkeep of the temple-well and have added over 30 small shrines of various gods, figurative images, plants and pots of water - and have outpaced the government's involvement. The stepwell is thronged daily by pilgrims, visitors, birds and animals alike and is so deeply integrated with the lives of this neighbourhood that it has become the embodiment of a living well.
Stepwells of Ahmedabad is sponsored by the Asian American Cultural Center (AACC), Yale School of Architecture Exhibitions Fund and Anthill Design. The research on these stepwells was initiated in 2015 as an initiative of Anthill Design.