VERNACULAR

ARCHITECTURE
HAVELI - RAJASTHAN

ABOUT THE PLACE CHARACTERISTICS

Thar desert
northwest
region
One of the
oldest cities
- Jaipur
Part of Indus
valley
civilization

INTRODUCTION
Mountain
ranges
Aravalli and
Mount Abu
Land of
kingdom

INTRODUCTION

ABOUT THE PLACE CHARACTERISTICS

Major tribes rajput, jat, meenas,
gurjar, marwar
Difficult to protect their land
Gurjars rulers 6th to 11th century
Protected from the Arab invaders
Resistance from the foreign invasion
from the west
Islamic influence

ABOUT THE PLACE CHARACTERISTICS

Battles from different parts of north India
Influence of the Mughals and the Rajputs
Over the years Rajput came into power,
Mughal weakened
British Influence in the 18th and 19th century
Forts and Havelis rich cultural and
architectural heritage muslim and Jain
architecture
Fresco economic development

ABOUT THE PLACE CHARACTERISTICS

Extreme
temperature
Less rainfall
Border with
Gujarat
Rann of Kutch
fertile land
Similar to the
Gujaratis

HAVELI

HAVELIS
Private Mansion
Significant for
history and
architecture
Found in
Rajasthan, UP,
Pakisthan
Started for the
purpose of
worship

HAVELIS
Fresco was
prominent feature
Fresco depicts
stories of British
colonization, history
and god/goddesses
Erected by the
Marwaris and the
Rajputs

HAVELIS
Heavily influenced by the Mughal
Architecture
Status symbol for the Marwaris
Security and comfort and seclusion
of the outside world
Closed from all sides

HAVELIS
One main entrance
Single door and
indirect entrance
Courtyards main
feature two
generally

HAVELIS
Havelis evolved around the courtyards
To ensure safety and privacy of the
womenfolk
Protection from the heat of the long and
harsh summers
Central courtyard- family get-togethers,
children playing, offering morning prayer
Within the zenanaget together of the
women

HAVELIS

HAVELIS

HAVELIS

HAVELIS
Chhatri dome shaped pavillion,
symbol of pride and honour,
generally built on cremation site,
gardens, high points

HAVELIS
Chhatri Meant for pleasure and
comfort
Experience of inside and outside
Fresh air flow during hot summer

HAVELIS
Courtyards response to both
climatic and cultural needs
Subdued light and ventilation
Light and ventilation to the
connected rooms
Transition and connecting spaces
Often bounded by verandahs along
its periphery

HAVELIS

HAVELIS
Courtyards less openings in the
exterior due to heat and privacy factor
Number of courtyards increases with
the size of Haveli
Size does not increase but number
Hierarchy of courtyards public to
private
Porosity to the city fabric

HAVELIS COURTYARDS
The traditional Indian courtyard is
built on the principles of Vastu
Shastra, which state that all spaces
emerge from a single point, that is,
the centre of the house.
The origin of courtyards can be
traced to the Indus Valley Civilisation

HAVELIS COURTYARDS
Centre for various ceremonies and
the rituals.
The Tulsi plant
Separated areas for men and women
Served as a micro-climate modifier
Activities for the women

HAVELIS
Jharokha - overhanging enclosed
balcony
Viewing balcony, normally a stone
window
Mainly for women without their
presence in the public

HAVELIS
Stepwell - a well or pond
common in the Western India,
especially in Rajasthan and Gujarat
Hundreds of years

VERNACULAR ASPECTS
Primarily rural but few towns existed
A wonderful town planning system

VERNACULAR ASPECTS
The towns were
mostly the villages
- expanded by the
virtue of their
dimension and
increased
population
Security in towns
was ensured by the
means of strong
walls and hills.

VERNACULAR ASPECTS
Divided into wards connected by
narrow streets and lanes.
The temples, wells, gardens and
palaces were important parts of
these towns.
The main road of the town was lined
with shops selling cloth, jewellery,
fruits, food items, etc.

VERNACULAR ASPECTS
Narrow lanes and compact buildings
more shade
Height of buildings is large compared
to the street width
Mostly blank walls and small
openings to protect from dusty winds
Orientation along east-west
Havelis are located here

VERNACULAR ASPECTS
Uneven building being at the town
scale to provide shade
Large number of jharokas and chajjas
on the facade
Deeply carved pattern on the facade

VERNACULAR ASPECTS
THE GRID AND THE COURTYARD:
The grid system of planning very old
Flexible enough to accommodate any
site condition and topography
More sustainable - economy and speed
of construction
Complex geometry and curvilinear
grids were also adopted

VERNACULAR ASPECTS
THE FOUR GOLDEN PRINCIPLES:
The four golden rules in architecture
- the great epic Ramayana
Function or bhogadayam
Aesthetics or sukha darsham
Harmony or ramyam
All encompassing factor or poornam

HAVELIS
The typical havelis
inShekhawaticonsisted of two
courtyards an outer one for the
men and the inner one, the domain
of the women.
The largest havelis could have up to
three or four courtyards and were
two to three stories high.