The grand old havelis of Rohtak

Sunit Dhawan

Characterised by earthiness and famous for its rewari, the historical town of Rohtak in Haryana has relics of ancient and medieval settlements, besides some magnificent structures of architectural significance. Giving a peep into the rich cultural heritage of the town are the grand old havelis of the town, which is often referred to as the political capital of the state.

The ornate facades with images carved in stone, massive wooden door sets, cusped arches, vaulted roofs, sandstone pillars, hanging balconies, besides beautiful embellishments of these havelis stand as proof of a magnificent past.

Though many such havelis have been reduced to ruins owing to the lack of maintenance over the past few decades, some of these stand tall as glorious specimen of the old world charm.

“The havelis of Rohtak date back to the Mughal era. Some well-to-do residents of the area probably got impressed with the construction of the Red Fort and Jama Masjid in Delhi and constructed their own havelis,” observes art-historian and writer-photographer Rajkishan Nain.

He notes that garhis, sprawling old settlements established by prominent residents, were succeeded by havelis with the advent of time and reduction in land-holdings.

The historian laments that successive governments have, however, failed to conserve the glorious heritage of the state.

Pradeep Bhagat, former Principal of the Chandigarh College of Architecture, who has studied the havelis of Rohtak district, points out that the havelis present an efficient combination of aesthetics and utility.

“The havelis have a well-defined orientation which facilitates proper ventilation in terms of air and sunlight. These are beautifully designed and have adequate space to entertain guests and visitors at the entrance while ensuring privacy of the women of the family. There are ample storage spaces and provision of water,” he states.

The master architect remarks that today’s architects can learn a lot from the artisans and masons who built the havelis. These structures, which have withstood earthquakes and other natural calamities, stay warm in winters and cool in summers without any artificial heating or air-conditioning system.

“Unlike the dull and drab modern-day buildings, the walls of havelis were adorned with paintings, frescos and other art works,” he says.

Noted historian Ranbir S Phaugat, who has been documenting the cultural heritage of Haryana for nearly three decades, rues that the region’s heritage structures are decaying due to lack of conservation and maintenance. “It is shameful that the state has no resources for scientific conservation of havelis which are withering away with time. These heritage buildings should be listed properly, conserved and maintained,” he asserts.

The historian opines that a majority of havelis in Rohtak were built by local residents belonging to Muslim, Jain and Agarwal communities between 1870 and 1945. Most of these havelis are located on the Railway Road, Naya Padao, Civil Road and Babra Mohalla in the old Rohtak town.

Apart from Rohtak town, several towns and villages, which were part of the old Rohtak district, also have splendid havelis.

“These include Beri, Dujana, Dighal, Birdhana, Jhajjar, Machhrauli, Salhawas, Maatan, Majra (Dubaldhan), Kahnaur, Nigana, Kalanaur, Rohad, Farmana, Meham, Sonepat, Sisana, Rohat, Bhatana, Zafrabad, Kakroi, Sanghi, Khidwali, Behalba, Bhaini Chanderpal, Madina and Dabauda,” says Phaugat.

Dr Rajendra Sharma, Professor of Political Science at Maharshi Dayanand University in Rohtak, who has a keen interest in history and antiques, feels that disintegration of the joint-family culture and lack of interest towards cultural heritage among the occupants of havelis has led to the demolition and commercialisation of these heritage buildings. Endorsing his views Vipin Goyal, an antique-collector, observes that the owners of several such havelis are ready to sell these and shift to modern houses.

Architectural marvels

Climate control: Apart from being breathtakingly beautiful, the havelis had inherent climate-control mechanism characterised by two-feet-thick walls made of lakhauri bricks plastered in lime mortar, high ceilings and appropriate and effective ventilation.

Water-harvesting mechanism: The havelis had adequate provisions for water like water-tanks and wells, and some even had water-harvesting systems to collect rainwater from the roof and conserve it in the well or tank on the ground for future use.

Quake-resistant buildings: These age-old havelis have witnessed numerous earthquakes and natural calamities but have stood the test of time owing to their substantial foundations, wisely chosen construction material and efficient designing.