The document discusses the vernacular architecture of Bohra Muslim havelis in Siddhpur, Gujarat. Key points: 1. Bohra Muslims settled in Siddhpur in the 19th century and built distinctive houses borrowing from European styles. 2. Bohra havelis are organized into neighborhoods called Bohrwads, with houses arranged around streets and courtyards. 3. Houses feature ornate facades with columns, arches, and wood carvings incorporating Islamic geometric patterns. 4. Planning involves a sequence of spaces moving from the entrance to the courtyard and rooms, with an emphasis on symmetry.

1. VERNACULAR
ARCHITECTURE
GUJARATH
ARCHITECTURE
GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES OF
GUJARATH:
•Gujarat lies on the western region of India.
•Gujarat is Geographically Divided into four
regions.
1. Kutch, situated in the north west, is home to
the Rann of Kutch. While this region remains
arid throughout year, during rainy season, it
sees heavy downpour.
2. The hilly Saurashtra region is home to low lying
mountains, while the fertile plain lies between
the Rann of Kutch and river Damanganga.
3. Less than 10% of land area in Gujarat is
forested. The Aravalli mountains of Gujarat
cover a major part of the state, but around 8%
of land is under forest cover.
4. The Gujarat Plain
The entire eastern portion of the slate of
Gujarat is a fertile plain and is formed by the
alluvium brought down by the river Sabarmati,
Mahi, Narmada and Tapti.
CLIMATE:
Gujarat is known for its climatic
diversity.
• In Winters - 28 C to 11C
• In Summers - 45C to 35C
• In Rainy seasons the state will
be flooded -100MM to 165MM
GEOGRAPHY
CLIMATE

2. VERNACULAR
ARCHITECTURE
GUJARATH
ARCHITECTURE
LAND OF EARTH QUAKES :
• Divided into three zones:
1. Kutch region - zone V - magnitude 8
2. Areas of North Saurashtra and areas
bordering Eastern part of Kutch - zone IV
– magnitude 7
3. Rest of Gujarat - zone III – magnitude 6
CYCLONE:
• Gujarat falls in the region of tropical
cyclone.
• Two cyclonic storm seasons -
May to June ,
September to November
• Over 120 cyclones originating in the
Arabian sea had passed through Gujarat
over a period of 100 years.
FLOODS:
• The Northern part of the State is mostly
arid and semi-arid, the Southern part is
humid to sub-humid.
• All major rivers in the State pass through
a wide stretch of the very flat terrain .
These flat lowlands are prone to flooding.
• Cities like Ahmedabad, Surat and Bharuch
are located on the flat plains of large
rivers.
NATURAL
CALAMITIES

3. VERNACULAR
ARCHITECTURE
GUJARATH
ARCHITECTURE
INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION:
•The Harappan sites, Dholavira located at Khadir island of Kutch and Lothal and
Surkotda at Dholka Taluka .
• The Indus dichotomy divided the city into a citadel built on
3 m high platforms and a lower town subdivided into two
sectors- commercial center and residential sector .
ARCHITECTURE
• Construction with locally available materials like
mud, bamboo, cane leaves, of late bricks, stone
etc.
• To sustain earth quakes they moved to cylindrical
plans for commercial and residential purposes.
• They used ramps constructed with stones for levels.
RUINS OF A HOUSE IN
LOTHAL
STEP WELLS:
•Step wells 'cylindrical brick lined wells' were
integral to the semi-arid regions of Gujarat, as
they provided water for drinking, washing,
bathing and sacred rituals.
•The distance between the entrance and the well
is normally larger. So, various storeys are built to
cover that distance. There are supporting pillars
and recesses with fine carving on them to give them
artistic look.
• Adalaj- ni – Vav is one of the best step wells in
Gujarat. These stairs meet in the first storey
underground in a huge square platform, which rests
on 16 pillars. The walls of the well are richly carved.
Adalaj- ni – Vav
ARCHITECTURE
IN
INDUS VALLEY

4. VERNACULAR
ARCHITECTURE
GUJARATH
ARCHITECTURE
KUTCH:
The Kutch region can be divided into three parts.
The largest of the three is the Rann in the north
extending towards the southeast. Of this the larger
northern section is known as the Rann of Kutch and
the south eastern part is known as Little Rann.
The northern area of Kutch is mainly saline desert
( great ran).
SETTLEMENT PATTERN:
• Two distinct architectural typologies are evolved
due to different climatic, social and economical
conditions .
• The settlements in northern desert of banni are
a with hot and dry climate are resided by the
nomadic and semi nomadic pastoral communities
with a beautiful circular mud and thatch houses.
• All houses of the village are row houses on both
sides of the street. Kurki houses
Bhonga houses
Y - SETTLEMENT
PATTERN
RURAL
ARCHITECTURE
IN KUTCH

5. VERNACULAR
ARCHITECTURE
GUJARATH
ARCHITECTURE
BHONGA ARCHITECTURE:
• A horizontal clay platform about 50 cm
high, delimits the dwelling unit.
• Avoid rainfall inside the house.
• Kind of threshold, making boundaries
physically.
PLANNING:
•The building do not share common walls with
adjacent building with a typical distance of
3.0 M.
• Bhonga is circular in plan, with cylindrical
shaped walls and topped with conical roof.
The inner diameter of the Bhonga is
typically between 3m to 6m. A Bhonga
generally has only three openings one door
and two small windows.
CONSTRUCTION METHODS:
FOUNDATION AND BOUNDARY WALLS:
• The components required
a) Clayey soil and rice husk for earth blocks.
b) Cement mortar used for (foundations).
c) Earth sourced from BANNI, cow dung
and local earth for plaster.
d)Earth and rubble stones for filling the
platform -otla – courtyard
PLAN
ELEVATION
SECTION
BHONGA
ARCHITECTURE

6. VERNACULAR
ARCHITECTURE
GUJARATH
ARCHITECTURE
WALLS:
• It consists of mud wall, split
grass, earth, cane.
• Interior cool when the
temperature rises to 40 degrees
Celsius in summer and warm when it
drops to 10 degrees in the winter.
ROOF:
The roof is thatched, made of wheat or
maize straws.
The conical roof of a Bhonga is supported at
its crest by a vertical central wooden post,
which
rests on a wooden joist. The base of the roof
and the wooden joist are generally directly
supported on Bhonga walls.
MUD
MASONRY
WATER
FLAT MUD
BRICKS
CLAY
PLASTERING
MUD
BRICKS
IN SITU
MUD
REINFORCED
WALL
SIKKI
LEAVES
BAMBOO HUSK
BHONGA
ARCHITECTURE

7. VERNACULAR
ARCHITECTURE
GUJARATH
ARCHITECTURE
EVOLUTION:
TYPICALBHONGA
HOUSE
GATEHERING
AREA
MANGALORE TILES
RECTANGULAR IN
PLAN
MODERN BHONGA
HOUSE
ART AND ELEMENTS: PUCCA HOUSE:
• The local convex circular
clay plates called tavdi .
Cladding on the external
wall for insulation.
Small holes are made in
plates for ventilation and
arranged in different designs and
patterns.
• The conical roof and ceiling of houses is
covered for insulation by clay bowls
locally called as vatkas. These 15 cm
diameter bowls are fixed in invert
position on surface forming a pattern
in itself. The surface is textured by
terracota .
JALIS
CLIMATIC
ELEMENT
EVOLUTION OF DOORS
EVOLUTION OF WINDOWS
INTERIORS EXTERIOR
ROOF
CEILING
The traditional colors which are bright, Earthy
and composite. Many features like doors and
windows, colours, textures and carvings on lintels
distinguish a particular house and group.
DEVELOPMENT
ART AND
ELEMENTS

8. VERNACULAR
ARCHITECTURE
GUJARATH
ARCHITECTURE
Pol houses
Khadki Settlement patterns:
U
R
B
A
N
a
R
C
H
I
T
E
C
T
U
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e
In the urban landscape of India, one of the most visually appealing spaces
is the walled city of Ahmedabad, known for its intricately carved wooden
architecture and the neighbourhood settlements of pols.
•The word pol is derived from the Sanskrit word pratoli meaning entrance to an
enclosed area.
• Pols are enclosed residential clusters entered by gates, which used to be shut
at nights.
• The essence of a pol is a network of small streets, side lanes, shrines and
open community spaces with a chabutaro, a birdhouse raised on a pole to feed
birds in the neighbourhood.
• Pols were originally made as a protection measure when communal riots
necessitated greater security.
• The residents of each neighborhood tended to belong to not only the same
religion, but also the same caste or occupation group.
POL HOUSES

9. VERNACULAR
ARCHITECTURE
GUJARATH
ARCHITECTURE
PLANNING:
Planning of pols conforms to a general character in their organisation and
articulation
•Narrow frontage
representing composite
•Wooden facade
• Bonding-timber
construction
• An empirically
evolved
labyrinths
pathway like a
maze
•Sharing of
common walls
on longer
sides
•Defined spatial
components
•Densely
articulated
within confined
settlement
pattern

10. VERNACULAR
ARCHITECTURE
GUJARATH
ARCHITECTURE
Characteristics of pol houses:
• The street façade is heavily treated with wooden structural and
decorative elements, including carved Plan of a chowk, Khadkee ,oatla
columns, brackets, window shutters and Pol house balconies.
• The OATLA
– Entrance platform
– generally a plinth with a row of columns
- religious place for hindus.
• PANIYARA
– For storing
water & grains
•CHABUTARO or CHABUTRO
– Bird feeder "a stone or
wooden tower with artistic
canopy over it constructed
to feed birds”
CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS:
STONES MUD AND COW DUNG
FOUNDATIONS
STONE WALL
BONDED WITH
CLAY
WOODEN BEAMS
AND COLUMNS

11. VERNACULAR
ARCHITECTURE
GUJARATH
ARCHITECTURE
• The PARASAL
– the verandah space around
the court; most utilized spaces
in the house. • DHUMADIYU
– chimney
• CHULHA
- Fireplace
•BAITHAK
– the formal reception space
– used for visitors.
• ORADA
– Central Hall
• CHOWK
– the Courtyard
is the primary
element of the
house.
•SLOPING
– sheds away the monsoon rains and provides loft space below for storage
• DIWANKHANA
– the large hall where guests were received.

12. VERNACULAR
ARCHITECTURE
GUJARATH
ARCHITECTURE
Three walls are common, so reduces surface area exposed to the sun.
Only shorter façade is open for light & Ventilation .
Chowk acts as vent shaft – which sucks the hot air from the house, providing
thermal .
The balcony and projections act to the open space as a buffer protecting inner
for light & spaces from direct sunlight &ventilation. hot winds.
Cool air flowed through the front window into the house, taking the warm
air up and out through the chowk. This cooled the entire house.
• Wood and stone used as materials for construction – helps in maintaing
the comfort level inside the house.
CLIMATIC CONSIDERATION IN THE HOUSE FORM:
CLIMATIC CONSIDERATION:
• Use of jaali provides protection from
hot winds.

13. BHAVANA CHUNDURU
160160004
ANUHARSHA GRANDHI
160160006
KOTHARU MIDHULA
160160010
SAI SNEHA TUNUGUNTLA
160160017
VERNACULAR
ARCHITECTURE
GUJARAT
ARCHITECTURE
HAVELIS OF
BOHRA
MUSLIMS
• Founded by the Solanki ruler
Siddhraj Jaisinh in the 10th
century on the banks of river
Saraswati, Siddhpur is essentially
a holy place for Hindus.
• It was only in the 19th century
that the Dawoodi Bohras, an
affluent Muslim trading
community, fanned out and settled
in Siddhpur.
The Bohra settlements of Siddhpur display a distinctive
architectural patois and global character born out of the confluence
and influence of various architectural styles worldwide.
• Borrowed from the European
architectural styles while building
their own houses.
• For the Bohras, religion is a way of
life that also provides a civic code,
influencing social behaviour and
interactions.
• In contrast to Islamic philosophy,
there is exterior display and frontal
exposure as the facades are rich in
variety and aesthetic expression.
INTRODUCTION
HISTORY

14. BHAVANA CHUNDURU
160160004
ANUHARSHA GRANDHI
160160006
KOTHARU MIDHULA
160160010
SAI SNEHA TUNUGUNTLA
160160017
VERNACULAR
ARCHITECTURE
GUJARAT
ARCHITECTURE
FEATURES OF
BOHRA HAVELIS
There are two broad categories of Bohrwads: one has an organic layout
while the other is strictly geometrically laid out. The structure of a typical
organic Bohrwad is inwardly oriented, where the houses are arranged in an
introverted neighbourhood form.
• The spatial hierarchy in the typical
Bohra house has a sequence of otla
(entrance platform), deli (arrival space),
avas (courtyard), parsalli and the ordo
(room). The upper floors mainly house
the bedrooms and the agashi (terrace).
•Most Bohrwads have a formal entrance
where gates used to be closed at night
in the past. The houses in a Bohrwad
are typically grouped around a street
and these form a mohalla, several
mohallas form a Bohrwad. Each mohalla
is an exogamous unit and may have fifty
to a hundred houses.

15. BHAVANA CHUNDURU
160160004
ANUHARSHA GRANDHI
160160006
KOTHARU MIDHULA
160160010
SAI SNEHA TUNUGUNTLA
160160017
VERNACULAR
ARCHITECTURE
GUJARAT
ARCHITECTURE
PLANNING
IN A
BOHRA HAVELI

16. BHAVANA CHUNDURU
160160004
ANUHARSHA GRANDHI
160160006
KOTHARU MIDHULA
160160010
SAI SNEHA TUNUGUNTLA
160160017
VERNACULAR
ARCHITECTURE
GUJARAT
ARCHITECTURE
• The facades enhance the totality of the physical ambience of the built
environment.
• The eclectic facades of the houses are characterised by Victorian gable
pediments, ornate pilasters and columns, Baroque-style cornices, friezes,
arches and hoods richly carved in wood and plaster.
•The surface of the facade is visually broken by ornamented columns,
brackets and mouldings, at times bringing multi-coloured cohesion to the
streets.
FACADES OF
BOHRA HAVELIS
•The Bohras have adopted the regional
tradition of Gujarat of making facades with
intricate details in wood.
•They create a sense of enclosure and a play of
light and shadows by using of solids and voids .
Through the display of several textures and
patterns, they express balance and harmony
within a predominantly symmetrical
composition.
•There is a lot of aesthetic attention paid to
the making of the windows, entrance doors,
columns, brackets, grills and other elements.
•In the embellishments they use only non-
figural and abstract geometrical patterns as
per the Islamic tradition, which rejects
animate objects in carving.

17. BHAVANA CHUNDURU
160160004
ANUHARSHA GRANDHI
160160006
KOTHARU MIDHULA
160160010
SAI SNEHA TUNUGUNTLA
160160017
VERNACULAR
ARCHITECTURE
GUJARAT
ARCHITECTURE
•Since both the Hindu and Bohra house types are based on a common regional
house form, there are more similarities than differences, where the
differences generally occur through subtle interventions due to the required
change in the cultural use of domestic space.
•The crucial fact to remember is that the Bohras are conservationists and
promoters of art may be unconsciously. If they are further encouraged by a
strategy for conserving entire Bohrwads, it will help to continue the momentum
of cultural preservation in order that some of the best historic examples of
regional domestic architecture in Gujarat are not lost.
A lot of variation was perceived in the
types of zarookhas (floor projections) that
were incorporated as a part of the design
of facades in various Bohra housing in
Gujarat.
•One hardly sees any person standing in the
external zarookha or the balcony and
interacting because the Bohra life-style
emphasizes privacy, formality and
internalization.
•This bay window has iron screens on the
outside. Spacious and well-lit.

18. BHAVANA CHUNDURU
160160004
ANUHARSHA GRANDHI
160160006
KOTHARU MIDHULA
160160010
SAI SNEHA TUNUGUNTLA
160160017
VERNACULAR
ARCHITECTURE
GUJARAT
ARCHITECTURE
•Besides the houses, a large Bohrwad generally contains a mosque, a
Madressa, a Jamat Khana, and other buildings for collective functions. In the
Bohrwads, the neighbourhood mosque is the most important institution as the
central public space for religious rituals.
•The Bohrwad streets stand apart because of a sense of order, extreme
cleanliness, well-designed drainage system and the element of visual surprise.
• The meandering passageway with a pedestrian sense of scale creates a
series of vistas as one walks down the street.
BOHRA
STREETS

19. BHAVANA CHUNDURU
160160004
ANUHARSHA GRANDHI
160160006
KOTHARU MIDHULA
160160010
SAI SNEHA TUNUGUNTLA
160160017
VERNACULAR
ARCHITECTURE
GUJARAT
ARCHITECTURE
A traditional Bohra house, seen in its cultural and spatial context,
creates a sense of place in a distinct domestic setting.
• The Bohrwad is made up of three to four storeyed-high houses
arranged in a high-density layout.
•The individual courtyard becomes an air and a light shaft where the
cooler air sinks below and the hotter air escapes out of the roof.
• Intricate iron railings adorn the entrance to these houses which are
raised above the ground by a 4-5 feet.
•Some houses have protruding balconies or ‘jharokas’ of typical
Rajasthani havelis. They also have an internal courtyard, about 4 square
feet in size, like traditional Indian houses.
•The house can almost be considered a metaphor for the social system.
Gender is important as an organizing theme in dwelling layouts and use of
spaces.
•Generally a joint family system is followed. The kitchen is common to all
and it becomes central to the family.
BOHRA
HOUSES