Inside the Revival of Karnataka’s 11th-Century Stepwell With Rare Naga Carvings |
In Sudi, a small town in Karnataka’s Gadag district, a flight of sandstone steps now leads visitors back into the past.
The air grows cooler as one descends into Nagakunda, an 11th-century stepwell built during the time of the Kalyani Chalukyas. The walls are lined with carved nagas, their coiled forms catching the light as it filters down into the stone-lined structure. For years, much of this world lay hidden under vegetation, debris, and neglect.
Today, Nagakunda stands restored.
The revival was taken up by the Deccan Heritage Foundation India under Karnataka’s Adopt a Monument scheme. The Rs 1.5 crore restoration was funded by philanthropist Rajashree Pinnamaneni of the Devineni family, founder of the Gandipet Welfare Society, an NGO that works to promote a zero-waste culture.
“When I first visited Sudi in October 2024 and came across the Nagakunda wells, I was completely captivated by their beauty,” recalls Rajashree, who has also supported stepwell restorations at Bansilalpet and Bapughat in Hyderabad, and Jafar Bouli in Khammam.
“Wherever the opportunity arises, I am committed to taking on the restoration and upkeep of stepwells across India,” she says.
After her October 2024 visit, the team began planning the conservation work. The restoration started in early 2025, with the funds going towards labour, stonework, documentation, conservation materials, engineering support, and other project inputs.
A town built around water, faith and power
Nagakunda’s revival is closely tied to the history of Sudi itself.
Known in inscriptions as Rajadhani Sundi, the town was once an important provincial centre under the Kalyani Chalukyas. Epigraphic records from the reign of Someshvara I refer to Akkadevi’s authority over divisions such as Kisukad-70, while later scholarship also points to Sudi’s role as a significant administrative centre.
In this landscape, stepwells were central to community life. They stored water, supported ritual practices, and reflected the architectural imagination of their time.
Nagakunda was one such structure. Its serpent carvings, stonework, and temple-like detailing show how water architecture in this region often carried both practical and sacred meaning. Unlike many........