Haveli to speak a history lost in time (Micro Research)

Dharampura Haveli

The Heart Of Delhi is now boasting of a new tourist spot with the almost restored Haveli Dharampura, which has open its doors to visitors. A few metres away from Jama Masjid, the haveli sits between Jain temple and New Digambar Jain temple. The area is named Dharampura owing to the presence of a large number of temples.

The beautiful restoration

Historians point out that the three-storeyed haveli was constructed around 1887 AD when construction of havelis by nobles and courtiers was in vogue. They were designed for residential and commercial purposes, with shops on the ground floor and residential space on the remaining floors.

The arcs adding to the beautification

The haveli is essentially a load-bearing structure built with Lakhori bricks. Its wooden joist ceiling had cleverly-designed arches for load distribution and, like other havelis of that time, had decorative features like stone brackets, balconies, jharokha, chauk, chajja, wooden doors and carved sandstone elements.

"When we first saw the haveli, it was in a dilapidated condition and had lost most of its grandeur like the other havelis in Chandni Chowk. There were many families living in it who had altered its original structure and created partitions," says Vijay Goel, who is also the president of Heritage India Foundation.

A closer look of a luxurious bedroom

To keep the originality and exclusivity of this architectural marvel intact, raw materials were sourced from various parts of the country. For instance, the cast iron railings, replica of Shahjahani design were made in Jaipur, the entrance wooden door carved in Shekhawati, brass came from Moradabad and glasswork from Ferozabad. Around 50 specialist masons and labourers were hired to work on the exterior and intricate details. The restoration and conservation efforts took six years to come to fruition.

Beautifully Carved Exterior of the Haveli

The revival of the haveli is a bid to offer glimpses of the dying cultures of Old Delhi and give tourists a fresh outlook when it comes to Chandni Chowk area. The restored haveli will act as a culture-cum-heritage centre. There are plans to enthrall visitors with dance performances and culinary heritage native to

Old Delhi. Visitors will also be able to stay in the haveli and experience life of Mughal times. The haveli will also act as a centre to provide professional assistance to other restorers.