Recording the endangered wooden havelis of Gujarat
Gujarati havelis are traditional wooden townhouses that highlight the rich cultural heritage and lifestyles of Gujarat’s past. These grand structures are characterized by their elaborate decorative motifs, intricate carvings, and ornate façades, which developed out of an amalgamation of Hindu, Jain, Islamic, Mughal and European design traditions. Richly carved doors, windows, verandas, balconies and façades can be found in their hundreds, embellishing homes and temples in the cluttered streets and winding alleys of Gujarat’s many towns and villages. In the past, the havelis were the residence of affluent merchants, traders, and esteemed families, and symbolized their social standing and prosperity in the community. As well as constituting cultural heritage, the structures are an excellent example of how local construction techniques responded to the availability and management of scarce resources, as wood is not abundant in certain regions of Gujarat and each region developed its own
