CHANWAR

PLAKHI WALON
ELECTIVE
CONSERVATION
KARPAGALINGAM S
1WS19AT014
CONTEXT
• The Chanwar Palkhiwalon-ki-Haveli is located in the ancient township of Amber.
Founded in 1036, Amber was once the seat of power in Rajasthan, containing many
temples and numerous grand haveli (mansions) with ornamental gardens.
• But when Raja Jai Singh II, who ruled from 1699 to 1743, chose to shift the capital
to the newly-founded city of Jaipur, Amber was abandoned, leaving the impressive
buildings to fall into a state of ruin.
• By the 1980s the historic buildings had been long neglected and many were
crumbling. They faced further destruction as people were using the ancient structures
as a source of building materials for new houses. Meanwhile the infrastructure and
resources of Amber were also under pressure as a result of an influx of people. In
addition, uncontrolled development was destroying the layout and beauty of the
town.
 BUILDING HISTORY
• The Chanwar Palkhiwalon-ki-Haveli is centuries old and was originally the home
of a family of palanquin bearers. A stone and lime-plaster structure in a mixture of
Rajput and Mughal styles, the building has ornate balconies and intricately carved
decorative features.
• When Amber was abandoned in the eighteenth century, the Chanwar Palkhiwalon-
ki-Haveli was, like the other mansions, left to decay. By the time the restoration
project began in 1990, the building was almost in ruins.
PROJECT HISTORY
• In 1987, the members of the Jaipur Chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art
and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) began a process to revive Amber through
heritage conservation and restoration. The members of INTACH wanted to protect
the ancient township and its historic ruins but at the same time believed that
conservation could only be effective if the heritage fabric was relevant in the day-
to-day lives of residents.
• They therefore sought to initiate actions which would enable built heritage to play
a part in the community's life and in the town's economic development.
• A masterplan was prepared for the conservation of the historic 5 township of
Amber in 1988. Within the framework of the plan, it was decided to restore one
monument as a pilot project.
• INTACH at first planned to restore and convert a haveli for use as a School for
Building Conservation, with the view to eventually making the town of Amber a
centre for heritage preservation. Complications arose, however, when the plans for
the school were abandoned and the original building chosen for the project was
instead donated to a leprosy hospital.
PROJECT SCOPE AND FRAMEWORK
• The restoration project set out to return the
Chanwar Palkhiwalon- ki-Haveli to a usable state.
• The project was envisaged as a means of
generating employment opportunities for local
craftsmen with traditional skills and emphasis was
placed on ensuring community and craftsmen
participation in design and construction decisions.
• The project was also seen as a catalyst for
reestablishing civic pride and appreciation of
heritage by the Amber community. It was hoped
that the project would demonstrate the relevance
and establish the cost of using traditional
techniques and materials in a contemporary
context.
METHODOLOGY AND MATERIALS
• The restoration project set out to return the Chanwar Palkhiwalon- ki-Haveli to a
usable state. The project was envisaged as a means of generating employment
opportunities for local craftsmen with traditional skills and emphasis was placed on
ensuring community and craftsmen participation in design and construction decisions.
• The project was also seen as a catalyst for reestablishing civic pride and appreciation
of heritage by the Amber community.
• It was hoped that the project would demonstrate the relevance and establish the cost
of using traditional techniques and materials in a contemporary context.
• This emphasis on traditional materials, technologies and skills led to a vigorous
interchange of ideas between the tradespeople involved in the project and to the
revival of many forgotten designs and vernacular techniques.
• Stone carvers, for example, carefully recreated elaborate pillars, canopies and eaves
with details that cannot be found in modern buildings. The long- abandoned process
of making araish (refined lime plaster used as decorative wall finish) was re-
introduced.
• The traditional builders, led by the chief mason, Premchand
Saini, took the lead in reconstructing the masonry structure, re-
plastering the walls and reconstructing the roof of the haveli. The
roof was recreated with slabs of local stone and the ceiling was
rendered with lime plaster.
• The walls were colour-washed in what was believed to be the
original shade of the building, soft terracotta, with white
detailing. Design input was provided by the project architects,
and suggestions from visitors to the work site were even
incorporated if found appropriate.
IMPORTANT ISSUSES
• Restoration work began without any particular reuse in mind for the building.
After its restoration the owners of the mansion made a conscious decision not to
put it to any commercial use until a conservation-oriented set of by-laws for the
development of Amber was accepted and implemented by the government. These
by-laws were not implemented, however, so after over four years of waiting the
owners decided to convert the haveli into a museum of block printing and
traditional textiles.
• In addition, the project managers realized that most traditional materials were
much more durable than contemporary materials and simple, time-tested methods
are often better in the long term than fashionable new innovations. Using
vernacular materials in restoration strengthened the ruins more effectively, since
they were more sympathetic with the original building fabric in both chemical and
aesthetic terms.
PROJECT SUBSTAINABILITY
• The restoration project led to a greater interest in protecting and restoring the
ancient structures of Amber. With the revival of traditional skills, there is now
increased capacity among local people and craftsmen to bring these buildings back
to life, ensuring the sustainability and viability of the heritage fabric of this
historic town.
 PROJECT IMPACT
• Since the restoration of the Chanwar Palkhiwalon-ki-Haveli
the town's heritage buildings are no longer seen merely as
sources of construction materials for new structures, but
rather as tangible cultural elements that deserve stewardship.
It has encouraged other haveli owners in Amber to attempt the
restoration of their own properties as well. Citizens now
voluntarily report encroachments on ruins to the INTACH
office and local authorities. Such cooperation is integral to the
conservation of not just one building, but the whole ancient
township.
• The project was a learning opportunity for all involved. For
the professionally-trained architects, it proved to be a chance
to reevaluate their skills and to gain a deeper understanding of
heritage buildings and traditional techniques. At the same
time, the project enabled craftsmen to develop their skills and
strengthen their confidence and pride in their work. One
tangible result was the creation of employment opportunities
for local craftsmen
INFERENCE
• As work progressed, it became apparent that the ruins were structurally much
stronger than they had appeared to be and that even the most dilapidated-looking
buildings could be restored.
• Project helps to understand heritage buildings and technique of construction.