Heerabad's (Hyderabad) Dying Havelis

Pakistan inherited not only the structures of Gandhara, Mughul, Sikh or the British period, it also inherited a vast collection of havelis, mostly built by rich Hindus of Sind. Unfortunately, only some of them are left today, and even those face extinction.

I visited many havelis in Heerabad area of Hyderabad. In some I was allowed to enter, in others I wasn't.

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The first haveli that I saw from outside (but wasn't allowed in) had the stone carved that said "1936". It must have been yellow in colour, originally. Today, however, it has been white washed. There are no particular external boundaries in these types of Havelis, so the door that opens to the road lead you directly into a room after passing a short passage.

In around 1930s bricks used in construction were far thicker and more solid than those used today. The carving in stone was common, with various patterns including but not limited to, flowers, petals, and even animals.

But in all havelis I visited I did not see any human figures. I could not gauge why human and animal figures were absent from construction. After all Hindus were the builders, and according to their belief system there is nothing wrong with such figures.

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A much larger Haveli which I visited was named after its owner as D. Watomal Building. I could not find its date of construction. Two families occupy the premises today. One is the Urdu speaking family from Ajmer Sharif. Its owner's son Shakir allowed me in. His family occupies the ground floor while there is another family, who occupies its first floor. The ground floor has all the past luxuries, like the tiles, heavy wood that supports the roof, and excellent tiles that make up the huge roof cover.

The rooms of this Haveli are spacious with roof reaching up to 20 feet or above. The floor tiles are in excellent condition, and some of them have exactly the same design patterns as at Mohatta Palace. Unfortunately, the entrance area tiles have been replaced by the ugly cement work. I pointed this out to the inhabitants and was told that it's easy to wipe clean cement floor than the old tiles. Similar stories I have been told many a times by various inhabitants of old buildings.

As with other colonial era construction work, bad repair work, done in patches, combined with lack of funds, has taken its toll on this charming haveli. One of the roofs has partly caved in leaving the entire roof of that room vulnerable. It is dangling and anytime it may fall. And even if the inhabitants finally decide to repair it, we know that the original will be lost forever.

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Adjacent to Watomal building is a haveli, now almost fallen to pieces, whose name isn't visible from ground level. The date of construction is 1921. That makes it one of the oldest havelis in Heerabad area. Its owner Mr. Liaqat personally asked me to visit it. Unfortunately, part of this haveli has been pulled down and converted into a high rise building. The part that wasn't pulled down finally fell during last, heavy rains in Hyderabad. Only one roof has been left intact with two heritage fans (Made in England) of 1962. They are still in running condition.

The outer walls are strong. The main entrance has a beautiful carving done all over it, still stands. The door is not the same old one, but is new and probably made of cheap plank.

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Another haveli, belonging to Mr. Tufail, is in the adjacent gully. This haveli is in prime condition. Almost all roofs and walls, down to the pre-1947 wooden cupboards and a wash basin are intact and are in running condition.

All floors are polished and shine brilliantly. Nothing it seems has been replaced with modern gadgets. I was particularly surprised by the condition of the top floor. The open courtyard has two mosaic peacocks. I was surprised by this find, but was impressed by its condition, nevertheless.

In the same Haveli, there is also a Tai-Khana (a room constructed below the ground level as a "cooler" room that acts as an antidote against Hyderabad's severe heat). This room is next to the main entrance and the only way to enter it is through a small window. You are bound to miss it until you are told that it is one of the "hidden" rooms of this haveli.

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I also saw a haveli that belongs to Amin. He was busy so we didn't go inside. By the description of the owner everything save one room has been changed beyond recognition. That one room is the top room and can be viewed from the road. It is built from red bricks and blue tiles, which run across its upper length. Its beautiful arches remind one of the Churches of the bygone era. Christian impact is highly visible, blended with prevalent building preferences of Hindus.

Faisal, a resident of Heerabad, told me that he used to live in the haveli across the road. But then, out of the blue, his father pulled it down to build a new house. He feels sad about it. He told me that he simply adored his haveli, but today it is gone. Sure enough, he hates his new home. And there were many other people who related similar, sad stories. If this rate of destruction continues - and it is likely that it will - we will loose yet another tradition, a way of life to crass consumerism.

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This article was first published in Friday Times (Lahore-based weekly) on 14th July, 2006.

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