An artist from Gujarat is winning hearts and also making records for her intricate recreation of one of India’s most celebrated architectural monuments Rani ki vav. Meet Payal Kintu Thakkar who has earned a place in the India Book of Records. So it’s not her artwork but the materials used to create it which makes it unusual. There is no paint, pencil or traditional paintbrush used to create this masterpiece.Instead, the artwork has been made using nails and white cotton thread against a black background.Meet the artist and her creationThe artist, Payal Kintu Thakkar, recreated Rani ki Vav, which is a historic stepwell in Patan, Gujarat. She made it on a panel measuring 56 inches by 38 inches. The achievement was confirmed by the India Book of Records on October 3, 2026, under the record for the largest nail and cotton thread artwork of Rani ki Vav made by an individual.Her work brings together an unconventional art technique and a monument known for its elaborate architectural details. By using thread instead of paint, Thakkar has chosen a medium that requires a different approach to depicting the structure’s intricate design.Payal took to Instagram to share about her achievement:Sharing the picture of her winning art, she wrote,“A Dream Becomes a Record!With immense gratitude, I am proud to share that my artwork “Rani ki Vav” has been officially recognised by India Book Record as the Largest Nail & Cotton Thread Artwork of Rani ki Vav made by an individual.📐 Size: 56 × 38 inches🧵 Medium: Cotton Thread & Nails🖤 Background: Black📍 Ahmedabad, Gujarat📅 Record confirmed: 3 October 2026This artwork is not merely a record for me—it is a journey of patience, precision, heritage and countless hours of work. From thread by thread to a record in history.”Rani ki vav, UNESCO monument with centuries of history
The unique creation made using nails and thread (@payal_kintu)
Rani ki Vav (The Queen’s Stepwell) is an iconic UNESCO World Heritage Site inscribed in 2014. It is far more than an ordinary stepwell which was built in the 11th century. The monument was commissioned by Queen Udayamati as a memorial to King Bhimdev I.It’s an unique architecture designed like an inverted temple. The stepwell features seven levels of stairs. The walls and pillars of the stepwell depict religious and mythological imagery. The depictions of Hindu deities and celestial figures.According to UNESCO, the monument contains more than 500 principal sculptures and over 1,000 minor sculptures. The engineering behind its construction is remarkable for its time.For an artist attempting to recreate the monument, even a small section of its architecture presents a challenge on several levels considering repetitive geometric patterns and sculpted pillars. It was a particularly demanding project.Choice of nails and threadThe artist’s choice of nails and white cotton thread offers a different way of interpreting this heritage structure. Rather than using traditional colours, she took help of white thread to create the contrast. The India Book of Records specifically identifies these materials and the dimensions of the finished artwork in its record entry.From Gujarat’s heritage to an unusual artistic recordIt’s an achievement that draws attention to the possibilities of unconventional art forms. Nail and thread art, sometimes also known as string art, uses strategically placed nails or pins and threads stretched between them to create intricate patterns and shapes. Depending on how the threads are arranged, the technique can produce geometric compositions, portraits and architectural representations.The India Book of Records
Rani ki vav (Canva)
The India Book of Records confirmed Thakkar’s achievement on October 3, 2026. Its October 30 entry identifies her as Payal Kintu Thakkar, born on July 8, 1977, and records her as an Ahmedabad-based artist.The record recognises her as the individual who created the largest nail and cotton thread artwork of Rani ki Vav.Rani ki Vav has stood for centuries as a reminder of the craftsmanship and engineering skills of an earlier era. Thakkar’s artwork offers another interpretation of that legacy, using simple materials to represent a monument whose original creators worked with extraordinary detail and precision.Her 56-by-38-inch creation is also a reminder that artistic tributes to India’s heritage do not always have to follow conventional formats. Sometimes, a familiar monument can be revisited through an entirely different medium, allowing its design and cultural significance to reach people in a new way.