Once palatial mansions of the aristocracy, Rajasthan's legendary havelis have opened their doors to foreign tourists. But how do their owners feel about this necessary invasion? Priyanka Sacheti finds out.
Few other Indian states are as striking and rich in history as the princely state of Rajasthan. Literally the land of the kings, the desert state is dotted with hundreds of forts, palaces, palatial homes and havelis -multi-storey ancestral mansions.
Yet the abolition of the aristocracy's privy purses and privileges after Independence has meant that the upkeep of these structures is becoming increasingly difficult.
Rajasthan's booming tourism industry has been largely responsible for transforming these heritage structures into hotels and guest houses. The opportunity to stay in a mansion and relive a bygone era has attracted tourists from all over the world.
In fact, tourism has helped maintain these buildings too. In the 1970s, this trend started with the conversion of grand palaces into hotels -such as the Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur and the Lake Palace in Udaipur.
More recently, haveli owners have also started converting their mansions into guest houses and hotels. And Jodhpur, the state's second largest city, is no exception.
A walk through the narrow arteries of Jodhpur's old city reveals a plethora of signs advertising havelis-turned-hotels or guesthouses -some fakes, others genuine.
One such gem is Pal Haveli Hotel, located near the spectacular Mehrangarh Fort, a Unesco World Heritage Site. Nestled in the heart of old Jodhpur, it overlooks the gate, one of many that once demarcated the city's boundaries.
A grand history
"During olden days, a cannon would be fired at 9pm to (notify people) that gates all around the city were being closed and that people should hurry back to their homes," says Thakur Bhawani Singh Rathore of Pal, the hotel's owner.
"A tiny door set inside the gate was left open for any latecomers; even that door was shut at 10 pm. A guard was then responsible for collecting the keys of all gates and taking them up to the Mehrangarh Fort administrator, who would convey the keys to the Maharaja's suite.
"The Maharaja would rise at 5 am, the keys would be with the gate guards by 5.30, after which the doors would be opened once again."
Such nuggets of history are readily forthcoming from this Rajput aristocrat, who says he is the 16th generation of his clan. And his home, Pal Haveli, which was built in 1847, bears witness to a rich, textured history.
The sitting room, the mardana (male social section) is like a museum, with antique glass chandeliers, stained glass windows and a collection of ammunition, weapons, paintings, silver objets d'art and photographs.
"These valuables were locked away before I decided to bring them out and display them," Singh says.
A query regarding the haveli's name prompts him to launch into an account of his family's history. Originally from Ahmedabad, where his forefathers served its ruler, his family later moved to Marwar (which after Independence was incorporated into the state of Rajasthan).
Here, the family enjoyed a close relationship with the clan that ruled Marwar, the Rathore scions, and the association continues to this day, with the family owing allegiance to the present ruler of Jodhpur, Maharaja Gaj Singh II.
"My forefathers served the state in prominent positions; we were given the jagir (administration) and made Thakurs (lords) of the nearby village of Pal in recognition of their services. Hence, this was named Pal Haveli,"
says Singh.
In the Maharaja's service
History literally lies on the haveli's doorstep -Pal Haveli Hotel lies in the shadow of Mehrangarh Fort.
This close proximity is due to the fact that the Thakur's great-grandfather was responsible for administering Jodhpur at one time -controlling the municipality, judiciary and army -and had to make daily visits to the ruler to update him on the proceedings.
Formerly white, the mustard-yellow haveli features a carved facade with large ornamental gates that open onto a spacious courtyard with neem trees.
In addition to the mardana, the haveli has a zenana (women's social section) and horse stables. One side overlooks the jostling Ghanta Ghar (clock tower) market while the other peers across the emerald waters of the Gulab Sagar (rose lake).
Pal Haveli is classed as a heritage hotel (having existed for more than 100 years) and, after renovation, was opened on August 1, 2005.
"We only used a small section of the haveli while the rest of it was unoccupied," says Singh. "We decided to keep four rooms on the fourth floor for ourselves -my son, wife and I -and converted the rest of the rooms."
His son, Mahesh Karan, has assumed responsibility for running the hotel. "One of the main motives behind the conversion of the haveli into a hotel was to preserve it for future generations," Karan says.
Taking the plunge
He explains that his father was initially reluctant to convert the haveli.
"He was earlier thinking of changing it into a museum before I convinced him it would be better to start a hotel," he says.
Today the hotel attracts a range of foreign visitors through word-of-mouth and the internet. "We are getting a good response, especially as more people are becoming interested in heritage," says Karan, adding that many travel agencies visit its website, www.palhaveli.com.
"The haveli's existence can be traced back to the 19th century through the works of the American artist Edward Lord Weeks, who painted the haveli in 1882 and 1887, commissioned by Harper's Magazine," says Singh, gesturing to prints of the paintings on the wall.
"These prints indicate that it has remained largely unchanged."
"In the first painting, the then ruler, Maharaja Jaswant Singh II, is leaving the haveli after having visited my great-grandfather; he is on his royal elephant as my great-grandfather stands in the portal, seeing him off. The second painting shows the ruler arriving at the haveli while my great-grandfather prepares to receive him."
There are 20 rooms in the haveli with eight more planned as well as a swimming pool, spa and gymnasium.
"The majority fall into the category of heritage rooms, due to detailing such as stained-glass windows," says Singh. Aside from its decorative appearance, stained glass softens the impact of the harsh sunlight.
Pal Haveli is an example of the 'living heritage' concept -it is both a family home and a hotel. It does place certain limits on familial intimacy though, unlike some other havelis where guests freely intermingle with the resident family.
"We are very traditional … for example, we continue to practise social segregation, as in preferring to separately receive men and women guests. Furthermore, my wife chooses to avoid socially mingling with outsiders," says Singh.
Yet the family still strives to provide hospitality with a personal touch.
"I try to maintain personal relations with the guests. I take a stroll twice a day and enquire from the guests if they have any problems," says Singh.
Traditions endure, including rituals such as painting new frescos near the zenana entrance on the occasion of a daughter's wedding.
And while some staff members have been recruited from nearby areas, former retainers still serve the family, including the family chef, who has worked here for decades.
Tradition and modernity enjoy a harmonious marriage. For example, breakfast is served in a courtyard adjacent to the zenana quarters, a trove of precious heirlooms.
"And to think that I was not allowed to enter the zenana after I was 8!" says Singh.
"My life was so rigorously scheduled that I was only permitted to visit my parents at certain times. (I had to) study, sleep, eat and participate in certain activities at certain times."
He says the conversion from a haveli to a hotel hasn't radically disturbed his lifestyle. "We live in our old quarters and are not disturbed by the guests, as their living and dining areas are not adjacent to ours," he says.
At the same time, some retainers have had difficulty adapting to the new mindset of serving hotel guests.
"The transition from serving the family to international guests can be tricky," says Karan. "They often come up to me and say, 'Hukum (a traditional title of respect), this is not done, we cannot do this job!' However, we make them understand that they are working for the betterment of the haveli."
Homey haveli
Another haveli-turned-hotel is Singhvi's Haveli, a 400-year-old residence in Nav Chaukia, one of the oldest parts of the city.
The haveli is a caramel building conspicuous among the jumble of indigo houses. The entrance gates open into a small cobbled courtyard and we take an almost perpendicular flight of stairs to the quarters above.
Its owner, Mahendra Singhvi, says the guest house is full, so he is unable to show us the rooms. Indeed, as he guides us around, we constantly bump into new arrivals, also exploring their lodgings.
One flight of stairs opens into the lemon-walled zenana quarters; this section includes the family's living areas and the recently renovated, glass-enamelled sheesh mahal (glass room).
Another flight of stairs leads us to the third floor, where rooms are clustered around an open courtyard, overlooking the city.
The third floor constitutes the extent of the original haveli, although a fourth floor is being built. We climb up the stairs to the roof and examine the surrounding houses -a mosaic of blues, whites, and browns.
"The Jodhpur royal family gifted this haveli to my forefathers eight generations ago. One of my ancestors was associated with defence in the royal court and received it as a gift," says Singhvi.
We are seated in the zenana quarters beneath an ornately-carved wooden ceiling; open windows overlook the courtyard, inviting the monsoon breeze.
"The haveli was presumably used to house former royal courtiers; it is estimated that it was built during the early days of Jodhpur's development in the 16th century," says Singhvi.
Over the years, the haveli has been maintained with vigilance. The intricate jali work (trellis fretwork carved into stone to facilitate ventilation) and embellished interiors are testament to this. The haveli has shrunk over time, as portions were sold to neighbours.
Yet its grandeur can still be seen in the sheesh mahal, its ceiling and walls inlaid with coloured glass, intricate floral designs and carved alcoves.
Then there's the zenana quarters and the tosakhana, which once was an arms storeroom. Other rooms include the kitchen, servants' quarters, and horse stables.
A necessary transformation
Singhvi says the family turned the haveli into a guest house because of financial difficulties.
"The haveli was officially opened as a guest house on July 22, 2002. Prior to that, I had severely fractured my leg and was in no position to gain long-term employment while maintenance of the haveli premises remained a concern," he says.
"I lived in the haveli along with my wife, younger brother and his family; the decision was then made that we would collectively run the haveli as a guesthouse. It would be a means of employment, ensure proper maintenance of the haveli and retain it for future generations."
He says there are many guest houses in Jodhpur claiming to be havelis, but some are not.
Singhvi's Haveli was constructed from red sandstone and formerly painted indigo blue, like most of the surrounding buildings. This colour demarcated homes of pure vegetarian Brahmin families from others, earning Jodhpur the sobriquet the 'Blue City'.
"I deliberately changed the colour in order to distinguish it from other buildings," Singhvi says. "In fact, many of my guests often ask me about this decision as they are aware that Jodhpur is famous for its blue-tinted houses."
Apart from a few superficial changes, care has been taken to ensure that rooms retain their traditional decor and layout, despite the addition of some facilities. The haveli has 18 rooms, 11 of which are guest rooms.
The cost of these ranges from Rs200 to Rs1,000 per night, with prices higher during peak season (October-March).
The fact that Singhvi and his younger brother's family live in the haveli makes it different from others in the city. The transition from a home to a guest house could not have been easy and Singhvi admits that the first three years of operation posed several challenges for him and his wife.
"We used to double as cooks and serve home-cooked food to our guests, as we only had two employees at that time and they were required to perform other tasks. But now we have seven employees," he says.
"I still encounter difficulty in moving around as my injury plagues me. So my wife takes care of outside errands while my brother's sons take care of the guests."
Family atmosphere
Singhvi's Haveli clientele consists of mostly young budget backpackers, who hail from all over the world.
To illustrate this, Singhvi produces several yellow-paged guest books in which guests have written loving notes of appreciation. He says that his family strives to make the guests feel as though they are staying in a typical Rajasthani home with traditional hospitality.
"It is not unusual to find our guests ambling in to have a chat while we are cooking in our kitchen. The emphasis is to integrate the guests into the family and treat them like family members," he says.
The family serves Rajasthani vegetarian meals in the restaurant, although guests are welcome to prepare their own meals. Guests sit crosslegged, dining at low tables, mirroring the traditional way of eating.
The family's hospitality can be gauged from the guests' parting comments. One visitor wrote: "The Singhvi family has truly opened up their home and hearts to the lucky traveller who arrives here."
The transformation of havelis from residences to guest houses reflects a changing role these buildings play within the community.
No longer crumbling relics of the past, havelis are a source of employment while ensuring that Rajasthan's rich cultural and architectural legacy endures.
