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. Nagakunda’s stone-lined structure has been restored after years of neglect.   Today, Nagakunda stands restored. The revival was taken up by the...