Pols or Pol Houses are quaint honeycomb-like community dwellings seen in the old city of
Ahmedabad, generally enclosed by a wall and protected by huge gates. These 18th century buildings are inhabited mostly by extended family members or people practicing the same trade.
The Pols stand out in their architectural finesse and appeal – its richly carved woodwork and stone facades nurtures within its folds, unwritten pages of history and the warmth of communal harmony. Narrow lanes crisscrossing these neighborhoods terminate in squares characterized with the presence of community wells and carved wooden ‘chabutaras’ for feeding pigeons. Numerous Jain and Hindu shrines dotting these lanes testifies the amicable life these communities traditionally enjoyed.
Mhurat Pol, Mandvi-ni-Pol, and Lakha Patel-ni-Pol are the notable among them.
