About Sidhpur

Sidhpur is
located on
the banks
of
Saraswati
river

 Sidhpur is a town in Gujarat state and an important pilgrimage centre for

Shaivism and for Hindu devotees honouring maternal ancestors,
 Also known for its gorgeous European-influenced,especially Renaissance
styled architecture built over a century ago in the Muslim neighbourhood.

Photo source:outlookindia.com
 Dawoodi
Bohras

Photo source: artsy.net

 The Dawoodi Bohras are a Shia Muslim trading community from Gujarat
with a very distinct history and identity. A close knit community, they
have a significant presence in Indian cities like Mumbai and Ahmedabad,
and East African countries like Madagascar.
 The Bohras or Vohras, as they are known locally, invested in and built
distinctive and grand residences in their ‘native’ towns/villages after
they migrated.
 Since the
community
tended to stay
together, entire
neighbourhoods
came to be
called
Vohrawads or
Bohrawads,
housing Bohra
families.

 The Vohrawads are rows of narrow, deep houses, about three to four
storeys high, and either along the main street or in a grid like formation.
 Most of the houses shared a wall with the houses on either side giving a
feeling of connectedness.
  Modern-but-traditional
gated enclaves organised
around a main street which
branches off into narrower
side streets.
 The compact footprint —
necessary for security,
quick pedestrian access,
and insulation from the
extremes of hot and cold
weather — is compensated
by piling up more than one
storey above the ground
floor.
 A very small ‘grilled’ shaft
of open air, called the
chowk, runs up through the
central room of all the
floors bringing in a
controlled amount of sun

Intricate jaliwork represents

islamic architectural
element.
Photo source: artsy.net
 The streets of Two flights
Sidhpur, Gujarat of steps to
seem reach the
anachronistic, entrance
capturing the of the
Dawoodi Bohra house act
trading as
community in a transition
capsule outside from
the rush of time outside to
. inside

 Ornate Photo source: flicrhivemind.net

interiors,
rainbow-
coloured
facades,
flowing ridas
murmuring
against
fantastically
intricate and
symmetric
architecture.
 Intricate
carvings being
the great
examples of
Zarokhas islamic
with jali architecture
work
patterns also
suggest the
community’s
introvert
nature.

Deep plan.
planned
The for the hot
entrance dry
lobby climate of
creates a sidhpur.
transition
space from
the
outsides to
the insides.
 Decorative wooden
extensions of the
upper storeys often
Use of
project out from the decorative
building line, in the pillasters,fascia
older vohrawads boards,jaliwork
patterns as
particularly, help elements for
keep the sun out from facade
treatment
the street floor.
 Even by day, then,
the street is a cool,
shaded space. The
otlas, or extensions of The
the high plinths, are women in
carefully designed to the house
stay
be lounging spaces, mostly in
particularly once the the ‘andar
sun weakens. ni parsal’
and the
rasodu

Photo source: artsy.net

 Photo source: artsy.net
Peculiar combination of an intimate formality, and exquisite craftsmanship
in wood enlivened further by the subtle and uplifting play with colour.
 The three-part division of
the facades, often with a tall
door or window in each part,
is of very European style— Richly
decorated
especially when decorated ceiling,
with pilasters made of
stucco
 The interior of the house, plaster or
POP.
though, is organized around
the cultural values of
community, with a central
room (the one with the
“courtyard”) the everyday
family living space.
 Windows off the raised
ground floor, with or without
window seats, are decorated
richly—they are the main
architectural elements on the Photo source: artsy.net
façade
3 part division of the facade
 Photo source: artsy.net

Intricate timber railings, flooring , and partitions

 The Bohrawad “courtyard” is
generally no more than a series
of cutouts in every floor, lined
up one above the other.
 The opening is small, about 4
sq. ft , and covered with a
metal grille or mesh for safety.
 Provide natural light and
ventilation without letting too
much of the weather in.
 The shaft also helps the hot air Photo source: artsy.net
to escape, leaving the house
cooler.
 This vertical shaft also lets
families on different floors of
the house stay in touch. Each
family achieved a level of
privacy, as in an apartment,
while connection across
families was maintained by the
architecture.
Thank you! PRESENTED BY-
SHREYA DESHPANDE
POOJA DIXIT