Pastel rows of windows
One of the most unexpected and photogenic sights in Gujarat lies in the old town of Sidhpur (Siddhpur) — street after street of elegant, pastel-coloured havelis built by the prosperous Dawoodi Bohra community in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Unlike the carved wooden havelis elsewhere in Gujarat, these are distinctly European in flavour: ornate plastered facades in pink, blue, green and cream, with arched windows, wooden shutters, balconies, monograms and decorative cornices, lined up in remarkably uniform, harmonious rows.
Earning Sidhpur the nickname ‘the City of Windows’, these mohallas (the Bohrawads or Vohrawads) reflect the wealth, mercantile connections and refined taste of the Bohra traders who built them. They feel almost like a corner of old Europe transplanted to Gujarat — quietly atmospheric and increasingly appreciated by heritage-lovers and photographers, the Bohra havelis are a one-of-a-kind architectural gem.
A living residential quarter, the Bohrawad is best appreciated from the street — admire the facades, photograph the rows, and respect the privacy of the families who still call these beautiful houses home.
A Sidhpur street scene.
From a riverside experiment to the road to freedom
The Bohra havelis of Sidhpur.
Prosperous Bohra traders settle Sidhpur.
They build pastel, ornate townhouses.
Harmonious mohallas take shape.
A unique 'City of Windows' heritage.
Reasons to make the time
City of Windows
Rows of shuttered windows.
Pastel facades
Pink, blue, green, cream.
Uniform rows
Harmonious streetscapes.
Bohra heritage
Traders' refined taste.
European flavour
Unique in Gujarat.
Photographers' gem
Endlessly photogenic.
What to look for inside
Pastel rows
Carved townhouse facades.
Old Sidhpur
The Bohrawad mohallas.
How to spend an hour or two
Walk the mohallas
The Bohrawad streets.
Admire the facades
Pastel and ornate.
Spot the details
Monograms and cornices.
Photograph the rows
Harmonious streetscapes.
Respect privacy
A living quarter.
Pair with Sidhpur sights
Rudra Mahalaya nearby.
Sidhpur’s heritage streets.
Facades, windows and rows
The Bohra havelis of Sidhpur are 19th–early-20th-century townhouses with ornate, European-influenced plastered facades — arched windows, wooden shutters, balconies, monograms and cornices — in pastel pinks, blues and greens, arranged in remarkably uniform rows.
Built by the prosperous Dawoodi Bohra trading community, these mohallas give Sidhpur its ‘City of Windows’ nickname and a streetscape unlike anywhere else in Gujarat. A living residential quarter, they are best admired from the street.
Pastel European-style facades
Arched shuttered windows
Uniform harmonious rows
Dawoodi Bohra mohallas
When to go
Cool and pleasant — the ideal season.
Green and atmospheric after rain.
Hot and dry — start early.
⏰ Walk the Bohrawad streets in the soft morning light for the best photos; always respect that these are people's homes.
Timings & entry
- Residential streets, always open
- Best in soft morning light
- Admire from the street
- Allow 1–2 hours
- Free to walk the streets
- Respect residents' privacy
- Don't enter homes uninvited
- Be discreet with photography
Getting there
By Air
Ahmedabad airport (~110 km).
By Rail
Sidhpur / Patan stations.
By Road
At Sidhpur, Patan district.
In the Bohrawad
PASTEL & WINDOWS
Sidhpur's City of Windows
What to shoot
Rows of windows.
Detail
Pastel facades & cornices.
Streetscape
Uniform haveli rows.
Best light
Soft morning light.
Know before you go
More to see close by
Shankheshwar Parshwanath
Vishnu avatars carved into the stepwell
Rudra Mahalaya
Ruins of a colossal Shiva temple in Sidhpur
Panchasara Parshwanath
An exquisite white-marble Jain temple
Regional Vavs
Carved stepwells scattered across the district
Khan Sarovar
A grand medieval stepped water tank
Patan City Anhilwad
Traces of the great Solanki capital
Where to eat around the ashram
Gujarati Thali
Sweet-savoury full meals.
Dhokla & fafda
Steamed and fried snacks.
Chaat & snacks
Simple market-town fare.
Pure-veg town
Classic North Gujarat veg; Mehsana's milk sweets near.
Bohra Havelis, Sidhpur FAQ
What are the Bohra havelis?
Pastel, European-style heritage townhouses built by the Dawoodi Bohra community at Sidhpur.
Why is Sidhpur the 'City of Windows'?
For its rows of ornate, shuttered-window haveli facades.
When were they built?
In the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Can I go inside?
They are private homes — admire from the street and respect privacy.
Is there an entry fee?
No — the streets are free to walk.
Where is it?
At Sidhpur, in Patan district.
What's nearby?
Rudra Mahalaya and Bindu Sarovar.
When should I visit?
October to March, in the morning.
Related places across Gujarat
Bhavnath Mahadev
Shiva temple & the great Maha Shivratri fair
Tribal Shrines of Aravalli
Lang Library
A historic 19th-century reading hall
Mehsana City
One of Gujarat's great goddess shrines
Narara Marine Park
India's first — corals, islands & sea life
Bhalka Tirth
Where Krishna is said to have left his body
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