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PLACES
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TAVaLAI
Tavalai is largely an agricultural village in Shahada taluka with in 1961, 2,463 inhabitants. The village has an old step-well, one of the finest in Dhulia district, supposed to have been built by one Maheshvar Bhat, whose sickle as the story goes striking against a stone was turned into gold. Overjoyed, Maheshvar ran home to show his sickle without taking any notice of the stone. On hearing his story, his mother arrived at the spot and tapping all the stones with a piece of iron found out which was the philosopher's stone. Further it is said that of the wealth Maheshvar amassed with the help of that stone, a part was spent in building this well. Round in shape, and from 7.620 to 9.144 metres (25 to 30 ft.) across the inner diameter, the well has about a hundred steps, some of the lower ones always remaining submerged in water. The 5.488 metres (18 ft.) wide stairs have been broken into flights of about twelve steps each by broad landings. Over two of the landing places rise high mosque-like domes and at three places in the descent the stairs pass through arches, the first of one storey, the second of two storeys and the third of three storeys. Tin's work in masonry has been well-executed and deserves careful preservation.
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