The city of thousand havelis is testament to the architectural vision and craftsmanship of the kings of Bikaner and the artisans who built it
- Bikaner state, which is also known in history as JanglaDesh, had an important place among the 21 princely states of Rajputana
By Suman Bajpai
City of thousand havelis
Famous for its Bhujai and considered a desert town because of its sand dunes that are spread throughout the district, situated in the northern region of Rangilo, Rajasthan has many things to explore.
The city of Bikaner is a synthesis of amazing cultural heritage and craftsmanship that has given it a unique identity on the tourism map. Bikaner state, which is also known in history as JanglaDesh, had an important place among the 21 princely states of Rajputana. The oldest building in Bikaner is Junagarh Fort, built in an area of about 970 meters by Raja Rai Singh in 1593. It has 37 towers. Apart from the main gate of the fort, Surajpol, the others are Daulat Pol, Fateh Pol, Taranpol, and Dhruv Pol. The design of its arches and corridors is also unique.
A city in red sandstone
This state was established in 1486 by Rao Bikaji, the favorite son of Rao Jodha, the ruler of Marwar. According to a legend, after a dispute with his father, the founder of Jodhpur, Rao Bikaji, left the palace. During his travels, he reached the sand dune-filled territory known as Jangladesh. Bikaji transformed it into an extraordinary city to set up his own kingdom.
Bikaner nicknamed ‘camel country,’ still displays its ancient magnificence in the havelis, palaces, and forts that are the heart of the region’s architecture. Built in red sandstone these structures are the pride of this desert town which had a 7 km long boundary wall interspersed with five gates that ran along the city boundary.
India’s Mughal rulers thought it was better to maintain relations with the rulers of this state rather than conquer it; they established high-level friendly relations with Bikaner’s kings which continued until the fall of Mughal rule. The state of Bikaner never paid revenue to the Marathas and the British, even though an annual tithe was required of most of the states of India. Many of Bikaner’s kings were learned scholars, and the books written by them are still available in the state library.
Jigsaw Puzzle Havelis
Famous as the city of a thousand havelis built by the Bikaner kings, the architecture and craftsmanship of the havelis of Bikaner also depict the 150-year-old architecture.
Most of the havelis of Bikaner were built during the reign of Maharaja Gangasingh ordered the construction of 1001 havelis in Bikaner between 1887 and 1943. These havelis were built by wealthy merchants and traders in cities like Rampuria.
The eventual jigsaw puzzle of havelis in every size adorned with beautiful facades, balconies, windows, jaalis, and jharokas, also have European influences like colored glass and Victorian arches.
Each haveli has a painted Dankha (Diwan-e-Khas is called Dankha), courtyard, Pankha-Saal (a big hall next to the courtyard where people gathered for conversations), as well as ore, maal, and maliya—symbols of a unique architectural style.
The havelis sit close to each other with narrow paths between them, so you can walk across the city of Bikaner in 15-20 minutes.
Craftsmanship
Bas relief -embossed carvings – adorn most of the havelis on the outside. Images of Hindu gods and goddesses are painted or their idols are sculpted at the entrance. The nameplates on the entrance reveal the names of the mansion’s owner and when it was built.
Inside, the walls, ceilings, and alcoves are decorated with paintings and patterns with floral designs in bright colors. Some mansions are embellished in the ‘Ala-Gila’ style -an indigenous Indian technique of fabrication of wall painting that uses an application of lime, which is polished for extra luster. The mansions also feature paintings of Kishangarh, Bikaner, and Mughal styles of illustration.
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Vaults used to be an integral part of Bikaneri mansions either mounted on the walls or buried in the ground and can be found behind pictures, under carpets, or inside cupboards.
Some of the famous havelis worth visiting include Rampuria Haveli, Kothari Haveli, Sopani Haveli, Jain Haveli, Bachhawaton Ki Haveli, Mohta Haveli, Rameshwar Lal Bania Ki Haveli, Dango, Shrimanton Ki Haveli.
Rampuria Haveli
Constructed with Dulmera red sandstone, Rampuria is the most outstanding and grand haveli in Bikaner. Rampuria was built by a wealthy merchant family to reflect their opulent such lifestyle. Balujee Chalva, a local architect, designed this royal and elegant mansion which showcases exquisite craftsmanship in its intricate jharokhas, carved doors, and windows.
Rampuria’s elegant aesthetic is reflected in its fine woodwork and amalgamation of Mughal, Victorian, and Rajputana architectural styles, moving writer and philosopher Aldous Huxley to call the Rampuria Haveli ‘the pride of Bikaner.’
Read: Lessons in Sustainability from the Folk Architecture of Gujarat
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Suman Bajpai is a freelance writer, journalist, editor, translator, traveler, and storyteller based in Delhi. She has written more than 17 books on different subjects and translated around 160 books from English to Hindi.
Courtesy: India Currents (Posted on September 30, 2024)
