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HERITAGE:-
Kapadwanj-
The Bohra Houses
influence
2. Door Detail-Jain Influence
3. View of the Mohalla through the
Gateway (Darwaza)
4. Garden house-Colonial Influence
5. Bohra Clock Tower, The Town
Landmark - Islamic Influence
Moayyed Fatehi
HERITAGE
Kapadwanj-
The Bohra Houses
3
1 2
4 5
1. Streetfront houses with colonial
influence
2. Door Detail-Jain Influence
3. View of the Mohalla through the
Gateway (Darwaza)
4. Garden house-Colonial Influence
5. Bohra Clock Tower, The Town
Landmark - Islamic Influence
January 2009 ARCHITECTURE - Time Space & People 39
LOCATION
This quaint town situated in Kheda district
of Gujarat alongside the State
Highway is in close proximity to Nadiad
and the City of Ahmedabad (approx
60kms). It is also connected by a rail-line
via Nadiad.
THE TOWN & ITS PEOPLE
Various communities from different religions
dwelled here such as sunni & shia
muslims besides Hindu Gujarati’s but the
presence of Dawoodi Bohra communitya
subsect of shia’s, was in large numbers,
who were mainly traders and business
oriented in diverse fields. They got their
original identity from their fore-fathers to
the present generation besides bringing
about the economic growth of the town.
Further the social attitudes, stigmas
and orthodoxy almost kept each other
confined within their own zones except
the interaction which took place at the
“Chowks’ or small town squares and this
deeply reflected on the town’s layout and
architecture during the early days. The
Bohra houses predominantly existed on a
high topography secured within the fort
walls, which is evident even today, defining
the periphery of their limits. Since distances
were short, life unhurried with
hardly any vehicular traffic and commuting
was by foot in the early days, the
streets were planned narrow and often
winding. The Bazaar area mainly had
traders who lived within the precincts of
the bazaar in their shop-houses.
Although Kapadwanj did not have a very
Houses on the fringe of the Fort wall on elevated site
History of architecture
in India reflects a rich
and diversified legacy
through the display
of vernacular traditions
of building.
Gateways formed by connecting building on first floor in Islamic style
Street scape-Winding narrow streets with Colonial & Jain influenced Facades
40 ARCHITECTURE - Time Space & People January 2009
long history, unlike Sidhpur or other
Gujarat towns ,there are a few notable
landmarks such as ‘kund ’or step wells and
clock-towers, conspicuous amongst them
being the Bohra mosque tower which
could be noticed from miles away. Two
rivers namely, the ‘Sangam’ on the outskirts
& a smaller one ‘Mahor’ within the
limits supplied water to the town even
during severe droughts at one time.
Though there was a planned growth till
the end of 70’s within manageable limits,
the last three decades has witnessed an
influx of populace from different communities
with new independent pieces getting
added at regular intervals thus transforming
into an semi urban conglomerate
besides the depleting heritage within
the precincts of Vohrawaad.
THE VOHRAWAAD & THE
BOHRA HOUSES
The rich heritage of the Bohra houses of
the “VOHRAWAAD” enclosed within the
fort walls almost gave it a homogenous
image, displaying a wealth of different
styles of architecture right from Colonial,
‘Baroque’ or ‘Islamic’ to Order’s of
Renaissance’ used in the detailing of certain
houses, or with a fusion of characteristics
that reflected either ‘Jain,‘ or ‘Indo-
Islamic’ style. Flanked by two Multi-foil
arched Entrance Gateways or Darwaza’s
were the two ‘Mohallas’ or Main streets.
Running perpendicular to them on either
side were the many narrow‘Sehris’ or by
lanes, some winding and interconnecting
the two mohallas while others terminating
at a cul-de-sac. ( most of these Sehri’s
often deriving names from the surnames of
the people or business they carried out).The
third street namely the ‘Wadi’
approached the peripheral houses on the
outermost limits of the fort wall on one
side, with connecting by lanes to the
mohallas portraying a geometry of crossgrid
network. The pattern of group housing
that emerged due to social and cli-
Streetscape view - Clock tower as Landmark
Streetscape - View of the Mohalla - Climate based Design (Narrow lane vis a vis Bldg.height)
Facade of the mansion with balconies infront - Colonial influence with climate based design.
January 2009 ARCHITECTURE - Time Space & People 41
matic conditions of the region gave it a
physical character which was no different
from many other Bohra settlements of
Gujarat. From Mansion and buildings,
touching each other, which are predominantly
Ground + 2 upper or Garden houses
, the Vohrawaad projected a unified
colonial architecture and interesting
streetscape from different points. The
Dawoodi Bohra mosque ,more than 80
years old ,with a tall clock tower constructed
in an Islamic style, till today
remains an iconic structure and an engineering
feat by itself. Besides, there were
madrassa’s ( schools) , free reading library
& dispensary donated or constructed by
Bohra philanthropists all within the
Vohrawaad. Notably, Kapadwanj was one
of the early few towns to get its underground
drainage system way back in the
last century. The Railway station linking
Nadiad, The Bohra Sanatorium outside
the vohrawaad are a few other notable
ventures carried out by the community.
THE BOHRA HOUSES
Typically most bohra houses in the
Mohallas represented an architectural
vocabulary of colonial style façades, at
times with ‘Islamic or Jain’ influences,
some with intricately carved pillars&
capitals, geometrical or floral motifs in
plaster or wood on frieze and ornate cornices.
The Ground +2 upper or at times
even 3 upper storied houses with an
attic ( dagla) in some cases were predominantly
constructed with Burma
teak framework of posts and beams with
load bearing walls in brick masonry.
while the sloping roof of most houses
were of tin sheets. The Capital which preceded
the bracket turned the columns
and beams into objects of art besides
merely being supports to the superstructure.
The ornate Jharoka’s or covered
window sit-outs being a common
feature which is dominant in all houses
of Kapadwanj even during recent times,
Library & Dispensary at corner location with gable end
Streetfront Facade of Mansion (Colonial - Baroque)
Ornamentation on wooden Column/Post (Baroque)
42 ARCHITECTURE - Time Space & People January 2009
except that materials and mode of construction
have changed.
The layout of a traditional Bohra
house is very simple. It is typically a large
rectangle, with one side abutting the
‘mohalla’ or at times from the ‘sehri’. The
ground floor of the house is divided into
different bays dissecting into public and
private areas. Most of the houses have a
high plinth, often with a verandah on
either sides of the entrance steps called
the otla, which served as a open sit -out.
Situated in outermost part of the house
facing the street is the ‘dehli’ where all the
utilities are placed such as the kitchen,
toilet and a staircase leading to the upper
floors. The next compartment is the
‘chowk’, partly open to the sky to provide
natural light & ventilation to every floor to
the windowless internal areas. It also
served the purpose of extra utility area
besides providing access to other private
rooms. In most cases a ‘panihara’ or
ornate kiosk for drinking water pots
would be placed here. Leading from the
chowk is the ‘pursaal or’ the outer drawing
room which has a formal and informal
seating for the casual visitors. The presence
of a ‘Khaat or swing’ is evident in this
room of every house. The private and VIP
areas, the innermost which also double
up as bedrooms at night are situated
beyond this point and are called the ‘orda’
or the ‘Diwankhana’. In many houses or
mansions the Diwan -khana is planned on
the upper floor. Some sort of carpeting
on the otherwise plain cement flooring
was always a necessity for reciting daily
prayers in the orda or diwankhana.
On the other hand, the Garden Houses
or Bungalows, some with immaculate interiors
& detailing situated on the fringe of
the Fort wall had sprawling forecourts and
backyards, even a fountain in some cases.
They were mainly owned by the wealthy
businessmen and people who had a
important social status. The Garden houses
displayed an awe-inspiring façade with
Jharoka (window sitout) with Baroque ornamentation
Wood ornamentation with Jain influence on the flying brackets & Jharokas.
Garden House or Bungalow (Colonial influence)
January 2009 ARCHITECTURE - Time Space & People 43
their projected canopies over the Jharokas
and intricate metal or wood railings of the
verandahs and staicase. A couple of these
house’s have a basement created with a
well within, which would supply water to
the inmates of the house during the hot
dry summers. Although the internal planning
remained the same except that most
rooms opened out to verandahs facing the
garden. Every house or building of the
Vohrawaad had some unique features in
some form or the other. From Entrance
Doorways with decorative architraves in
wood or Italian tiles bordering it , or multi
foil arch niches in the wall for display to
painted glass shutters of cupboards set
within the alcoves, Pendant or bracket
light fixtures from England or France with
decorative ceilings in lime plaster painted
in vibrant colours which enhanced the
appearance of the otherwise simple clutter-
free interior space. Like Kapadwanj ,a
similar code of architecture and planning
of the Bohra houses is evident also in other
nearby towns and cities of Gujarat such as
Khambat, Sidhpur, Surat with many palatial
mansions having stood the test of
time. Though it is pitiful that these have
not been declared or listed as protected
and Heritage sites giving way to many a
awful looking concrete eyesores in the
vicinity sans any sensitivity to the rich cultural
and built Heritage. ■
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