ENTRANCE DOOR & CHAUKHAT - ABSTRACT

An entrance is the focal point of most of the home’s façade

and the main door is the most valuable asset, designed with a
fine lockset and creative knocker.
In recent times, most of the doors are design for showcasing,
not considering its cultural importance.
In Cultural History there are several types of doors, such as
Egyptian Tombs, Greek and Roman Doors, Mughal Darwaza,
Maratha Dwar etc.. Every culture has different importance and
meaning for entrance way.
This paper describes the cultural importance of DOORS AND
CHAUKHAT of two places in Maharashtra:
1. Traditional Doors of Pune.
2. Chaukhat of Shani Shingnapur.

Chaukhat (Threshold) – A small raised platform at the

entrance / the doorsill. Mostly made of stone, or piece of
timber, which lies under a door, especially of a dwelling
house, church, temple, likewise.

Not keeping a Chaukhat is a major fault according to vastu as

it invites negativity in the house.
Doors are considered as the main source for energy to enter
any premises. Position of the door, its angle, shape, size, color
and design has major impact on overall energy of the property.
Wood is considered as a good and holy material for the
entrance door as wood is bad conductor of heat. It’s the first
thing to hold when someone arrive and the last thing to touch
while leaving.
So its easy to understand why most of the people prefer there
doors to be made of wood. No other material matches the
warmth of wood.
Chaukhat & the doors had major significance in the past
which has been fading in recent times.
The idea of threshold always had a special significance in
traditional architecture of India and Pune is not an exception.
It signifies the transition of space from public to private6 . It
connects inside and outside; external and internal; open and
enclosed. This spatial element has been associated with
metaphysical ideas because of which two opposite worlds
come together. Wada often has platforms at the entrance
from the street. It was locally called as ‘osari’. A verandah like
space which has two platforms on each side of door, with
pillars supporting the upper floor.

Doors:
In old Wadas, the dominating feature of the external facade
was the large entrance doorway made of wood. This main
entrance doorway had a smaller doorway within called the
Dindi Darwaza.Only the small doorway, dindi, kept open for
regular use. This was obviously for security reasons and
making enter someone’s domain in a very humble manner.
The doorway also had a carved strip at lintel level with
auspicious symbols known as the Ganesh patti.The fixtures
were of iron.
Vishrambaug Wada shows the main door with large size,
having dindi and iron fixtures. Main door of Dhepe Wada has
been in accordance with size, material and aesthetic of the
older structure. Style of dindi Darwaza retained to recall the
feel of old Wada and symbolism characteristic has continued
by placing Ganesh patti at apex of entrance in Dhepe wada.
Door as a stylistic element with characteristic has been picked
in Dhepe Wada.