the Havelis of Bikaner – Dinesh Maneer

The pink city Bikaner really gets the pink color when we start walking around the old city . When we cross the station road and walk east we see the pink Kote gate bottle knecking the city traffic . The pomps, peeps and the chaos will immediately make you feel that it is old city. Walk past the market area you will hit the old residential areas with very narrow lanes between the pink havelis . The fine detailed carvings on the wall of the Havelis suddenly put you in to vintage mood .They make you think how Bikaner used to be when once the wealthy merchants who built these buildings lived here !

But just like rest of the world they are also changing. Though the walls carry amazing patterns for art just below them , on the sides of the lanes the drainage carry hoards of plastic and filth. Few Havelis are protected under the government are abandoned by their rich owners who live in Kolkata now. Some are kind enough to keep a caretaker but no one knows how long this can continue. And the unprotected ones are turning to buildings with flat cement walls mocking the havelies around them. Some are even turned in to guest houses , schools , shops ,offices .

A angry owner says ” Because of the pollution and increased population these walls are deteriorating fast. Maintaining them is very expensive . Getting permission for replacing a broken wall is a lengthy process and many are not ready to do it. And these havelis don’t earn money, I have to do the same work to look after my family !”

Whatever, but they are beautiful. Walking between these havelis will take you to another world. Between these Havelis the noise of the traffic , the playing kids, school children, the cows, the camels ,honking motorbikes, chatting girls , the fruit seller, cards playing elders, the gossips of the ladies, the peeking people still make us go back here again and again.