VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE

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RURAL RAJASTHAN
It is difficult to divide the desert region into distinct zones and
to group the house form in each zone within generic classification.

But in general, the residential architecture shows little variation

in northern and southern parts of Rajasthan.

Evolving out of social and physical context and due to local

acceptance of its validity over a period of time, they have become the
traditional type of habitat of the people.

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The major contextual forces shaping these settlements are climate,
available materials, technology, life style and culture.

The settlements in all these regions have similar characteristics

with minor variations because the influencing factors are almost the same
except the life style and culture.

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General features of Rajasthan Rural Dwellings

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1. Randomly organized settlement without a regular street
pattern.

Compactly grouped houses

within a network of narrow

meandering paths in undulating

and uneven terrain.

A cluster accommodating different

communities has closely knit dwellings,

which are introvert in character.

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 2. Circular(south) and rectangular(north) dwelling units

Jalwali House

Dulmera House

Roopsi House

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3. High mud walls or thorny hedges as protective measures.

Streets of this village are defined

by the long boundary walls or
hedges and the main door is
accommodated in these walls at
specific points.

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4. Outer and inner courtyards for private and semi public activities.

Central courtyard -
key element of the
house and the
surrounding rooms
open into the court.

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5. Mud, stone, thatches and reeds are
the most commonly used materials.

Houses are constructed of uncaused

rubble masonry, bound with mud
mortar.

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URBAN RAJASTHAN
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Haveli
- defines the private space of the people.

- is a continuously evolved built form.

- may have single to multiple courtyards.

- has distinct segregation of activity / spaces.

- men remained outside and the women spent the

entire day indoors.

- has a separate space for servant / guests areas

and cattles.

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• Any medieval dwelling with a courtyard or a bigger
mansion could be a Haveli. These are symbol of status
of the owner.

• Developed in 16th century by thakurs and jagirdars who

needed to differentiate their dwellings from the common
man and associated with power.

• Havelis range from a simple, single courtyard, small

structure with minimal decorations to huge, palatial
complexes with multiple courtyards. A higher status of the
owner or an increase in family size resulted in an increase in either the
scale of the haveli or the number of courtyards.

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 PLAN AND SECTION OF A
TYPICAL HAVELI IN
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1. Main Entrance (Toran Dwar)

2. Seating Space (Gokha)
3. Outer Transitional space (Outer Poli)
4. Outer Court (Outer Chowk)

5. Reception space (Baithak)

6. Inner Transitional space (Inner Poli)
7. Inner court (Inner Chowk)
8. Semi covered space (Tibari)
9. Room (Sal)
10. Staircase (Nisherni)
11. Water storage space (Parinda)
12. Kitchen (Rasodo)

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 Main Entrance (Toran Dwar) and
Seating Space (Gokha)

Reception space (Baithak) Outer Court (Outer Chowk)

Outer Transitional space (Outer Poli)

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Inner Transitional space (Inner Poli) Inner court (Inner Chowk) Semi covered space (Tibari)

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Room (Sal)

Staircase (Nisherni) Water storage space (Parinda)

Terrace pavilion (Pedkala)

Kitchen (Rasodo)

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• A Haveli symbolizes generation who articulated their life
style that includes architecture, customs and manners,
arts, crafts and music.

• Two types of havelis are seen in Rajasthan:

Rajput Type: Asymmetric, non axial, less ornate and

more sprawled out.

Marwari Type: Regular square and rectangular plots,

symmetric and axial planning and great emphasis on
ornamentation.

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RAJPUT HAVELIS:

The origin of havelis in Rajasthan was due to Rajput Thakurs.

The Havelis of Rajput:

- are palatial residences with minimum three courtyards, an

outside one for the servants and stables, mardana for the men to
receive guests and an innermost one or zenana for the women.

- have lavish spaces compared to the mughal palaces.

- were designed with defence in mind, hence have fewer

openings and are more fortress like as compared to others.

In later stage of evolution, the design of British Bungalow type

was adopted by the Rajputs.

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MARWARI TYPE:

The marwaris were always on the move from one town to

another, which resulted in the number of havelis that are spread
all over Rajasthan.

These havelis are located at prestigious positions on the main

commercial streets of a town.

They are mostly fraternal clusters with a collection of single

courtyard havelis, opening into a common forecourt.

Baithak in the front portion served as their work place.

The havelis are richly decorated and the facade are richly
ornamented with jharokhas-whether it is jali (lattice) and stone
work in Jaisalmer or paintings in Shekawathi havelis.

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