Faces of India – 319 Bikaner Haveli Owner, Rajasthan

Faces of India

a series through which I intend to portray the various characters of my country whom I met during my travels. I bring back souvenirs, frozen moments from my travels, why not some memories of people I have met and interacted during the travels. Faces of India is a weekly series in my blog since MARCH 2011. See more here…

Bikaner Haveli Owner

I have a Bikaner haveli owner for today’s faces of India series. His haveli is among the cluster of those beautiful mansions of Bikaner left in sheer neglect. Few haveli owners like him rent out their haveli for display to tourists. It is worth visiting the haveli for a glimpse of how life was lived there once.

Once grand and beautiful mansions, they are slowly reducing to dust out of sheer neglect. Most of the owners have moved abroad leaving their mansions in the hands of not so interested caretakers. The mansions have breathtaking carvings, sculptures and designs in Dulmera red sandstone. Some of them are being dismantled and if this continues Bikaner old town will loose its charm.

Visits by tourists to such heritage homes help contribute to responsible and sustainable tourism.

Take a virtual tour of these mansions: Rampuria Haveli Tour through Historic Center of Bikaner