About the Project 

Restoring a Forgotten Treasure

With the endorsement of the Government of Karnataka and the generous support of the Gandipet Welfare Society (GWS), led by Mrs. Rajashree Pinnamaneni in memory of her late father Dr. Subba Rao Devineni, the Deccan Heritage Foundation India (DHFI) has begun the restoration of the Nagakunda stepwell in Sudi under the state’s “Adopt a Monument” scheme.

In the first phase of the project, the ancient stepwell - the Nagakunda Pushkarani (a traditional stepwell) located in Sudi, a panchayat town in Gadag District of Karnataka, India, will be restored which includes water rejuvenation and conservation work of the structure along with landscaping the gardens around it.

Reviving Sudi’s Living Heritage

Sudi, a town in north Karnataka, and once a historic stronghold of the Kalyani Chalukya dynasty, boasts remarkable 10th and 11th-century temples, and the stepwell represents a unique example of subterranean architecture combined with ancient water management systems. 

The project will involve restoring the natural hydrological balance of the stepwell to supply drinking water to the people living nearby, as well as creating pathways between the nearby temples and the stepwell, preserving the monuments’ deep cultural and social significance. The DHF will collaborate with Heritage Matters and the Water Literacy Foundation on this important undertaking. 

Under the state government's "Adopt a Monument" initiative, Deccan Heritage Foundation India (DHFI), aims to deliver the project by October 2025