Aashini Sanjeev Sheth

1145-C

South of Isanpur lake, in the midst of dense neighbourhoods and commercial spaces - one finds Jetabhai ni Vaav - a mid-19th century stepwell. In 1991 it was declared a monument of importance by the Archeological Survey of India along with the Hassan Shahid Mosque next to it. The well sits choked from disuse while the vast expanse of manicured lawns around it are watered daily using a borewell. Hundreds of households, commercial spaces as well as schools in the surrounding are either competely dependent on expensive borewells, purchased water or unreliable municipal water supply. This has been the way of life in this locale for more than 30 years. Few years ago there was an unexplained surge of water in the well after years of running dry. The whole neighbourhood flocked to the well to witness the miracle. This incident brings to light the latent potential of the well to be revived once again as a source of water for increasingly water stressed communities.