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Apart from Junagarh Fort, Jain
temples like Bhandasar temple,
Neminath temple, Adeshwar temple
are simply adorable. Carvings find
best expression in Bikaneri havelies.
Such havelies or residential houses do not exist
anywhere in the world. They
are the pride of Bikaner, says great
author and philosopher, Aldous
Huxley. They are situated in narrow
lanes in the old city. Splendid abodes
can be seen in the midst of streets
that look serpent like and peaceful.
They stand spreading magic
around. Their jharokhas (casements),
entrances, latticed windows,
divankhanas, Gumaharias or basements,
are exotic. The red stone
gives a look that is like
a red carpet forcing one
to look and admire.
The
havelies
were the
residence
of wealthy
merchants
who had a
fancy for beauty and art. Nine
months in a
year they lived
in far off land
to earn mono.
and then came to
this city to rest
and enjoy and
build havelies and
live in them, show
their wealth and status,
their love, fascination
for architecture
and colours. The oldest
haveli is perhaps four hundred
years old but most of
them are hundred years in
around it. Jali or stone with
holes create unbounded
beauty.
The most famous cluster
of havelies is the Rampuria
Group of Havelies. Built by
Balujee Chalva under
instructions from Rampuria
family its carvings show surprising
skill. The Patwa
havelies were built earlier
and emphasized on exterior
decoration and minute carvings
on jaisalmeri stone
while the Rampuria havelies
were built of dulmera stone.
The jaisalmeri stone is yellow
in colour. The dulmera
stone is red.
Another
cluster of
havelies which attracts the
onlooker is the cluster of
Daga Chowk havelies. A
salient feature of these
havelies is the fact that they
are scattered like the scattered
clouds.
The European influence is more evident in the haveli
of
Bhairondan Kothari. Its
exterior is not so attractive
or artistic but once you
enter it you are
just enamoured
with its charm, it
excels in marble work. It
imparts fasci-n
a t i n g beauty to its floors.
Marble
tiles are
studded in
the floors
of the
haveli. Marble magic is evident in every corner. |
