Abandoned Mansions of Sidhpur

Walking through the dusty, sleepy town of Sidhpur, in Western India, you would hardly expect to turn a corner and suddenly be flanked by a large thoroughfare of bright pastel mansions. The visual—reminiscent of San Francisco’s “Painted Ladies” or a stretch of tiedyed Victorian architectur —becomes even more baffling when you learn that these exquisite structures, known as havelis, have been deserted.

Sidhpur has a significant place in history and Hindu culture but today is best known for this neighborhood of pastry-colored opulence. The homes were built in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries by members of a close-knit Shia Muslim trading community, the Dawoodi Bohras. Nomadic by nature, the Dawoodi Bohras would have spent time abroad, leading to their aesthetic blend of European, Islamic, and Indian influences. The narrow, deep residences have retained these intricate details, which are still on display in the doorways, windows, and interiors.

Due to their binding sense of community, the Dawoodi Bohras settled together, yielding an unbroken line of homes distinguishable only by hue. The houses shared walls and centered around courtyards, allowing for well-lit, well-ventilated shared spaces despite the dry climate.

The bright facades of these mansions are complemented by many Bohra women’s burkas, which come in every shade of the rainbow.

The community travels where trade takes them—which is why occupants migrated out of Sidhpur and on to more prominent, bustling cities. With each generation, old ties to the town have weakened, but most of these grand houses remain in the care of the original owners’ distant relatives, who can be credited with upkeep of the pink, blue, lime, and mint dwellings.

Whether you view Sidhpur as a place of splendor or of desolation, few ghost towns exhibit such dramatic multicolored flair.

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