Stepwells are India's pre-pump engineering — Rani-ki-Vav (UNESCO), Adalaj, Toorji, Chand Baori. Each pick is structurally complete, freely accessible, and worth the detour from the nearest larger destination.
Cluster in Gujarat and Rajasthan — most sit on the Ahmedabad-Jodhpur-Jaipur arc. Pair with the regional fort or palace circuit; stepwells make sense as half-day stops, not as a standalone itinerary.
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