CHAPTER 6
(A) TAMBAT ALI
Introduction
Pune City has been referred to as Queen of Deccan by
many visitors. It is also known as the cultural capital ofMaharashtra. It has evolved over a long period of time and ithas the unique distinction of having a rock cut cave temple ofshiva, known as Pataleshwar. This temple is located now rightin the middle of the City. The later development was basically inthe Kasba Peth area, which was the earliest development along
the river MuIa.
During the period of Peshwas who established their seat ofpower in Pune around 1730 A.D., they invited people from
different areas and practicing different professions to come
forward and settle in Pune. They were to start their business
and profession providing all the activities needed for a capital
city.
These neighbourhoods where people from one profession
settled and carried out their activities were called as 'alis'. The
settlers were offered land at concessional rates and this was the
pattern of patronage followed in aII the princely capital all over
India. Ali is a street or a group of streets inhibited by people ofone particular community, which carried out professions likepottery, coppersmithy, carpentry, etc. These neighbourhoods or
alis are named according to the professions, which were carriedout in that area. Tambat Ali, where brass and. copper vessels
were manufactured. Burud Ali, where basket weavers reside
and carry on their trade, etc.
History & Morpholoev
Hundreds of artisans and craftsmen who carry on the rich
tradition of our culture, Iive in the ali. They work in the ground
floor area or in the partly open and partly covered rear portion of
their residence. To an outsider these residences may appear
congested and non-conductive to the creative process of the
craftsmen. But best artifacts and objects were created in these
alis. The need for a modern environment for better output is
weII understood for mechanical production of a modern plant.
However, for a traditional craftsman with his simple tools a
homely environment was appropriate.
Tambats are part of an age old social system known as
'Bara Balutedars'. These are craftsmen working and dealing in
utensils of copper,bronze, brass, etc. Copper is known as'tamba'
in Marathi from which the name 'Tambat AIi' has evolved. The
Bara Balutedars were supposed to cater to the needs of the
urban society.
In the early period the system was based on barter where
people would exchange goods for goods or goods for services. Ifsomeone wants to get a copper vessel then he would go to the
Kasar or coppersmith and provide the old material. The Kasar
would then prepare the utensil by adding any new metal ifnecessary as per the need of the patron. The person would take
the utensil and give the Kasar a bagful of grains as
remuneration. The age old system has not changed as yet,
except that the remuneration is paid in money. People go to the
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shop, give the old away and take the new ones. Valuable
antiques and artistic artifacts of copper, brass, etc. were lost
through melting.
The Tambat, previously known as Kasar (derived from
'Kansya' which means bronze) is considered a son of
Vishwakarma (the creator of the earth and mythological
architect) having also the name'Twashta', whose other sons were
Maitha (the carpenter), Manu (the blacksmith), Daivadnya (the
goldsmith) and Patharvat (the sculptor).
Mythological & Literary Background
On invitation of the Peshwas the Tambats came some 400
years ogo, when Pune was being established as their
administrative headquarters. The Tambats came from regions
like Thane, Colaba, Ratnagir:i, etc. Before the Tambats this
neighbourhood was occupied partly by Brahmins and jewelers.
The initial arrival of the Tambats attracted the new arrivals to
this area and thus the Tamb:rt Ali was formed. This area was
also used at the time for the stables of the Peshwas' horses.
Initially there were about 200 Tambats in the Tambat AIi
who had their residences and work places in the same premises.
The practice continues even today and can be referred to as the
living heritage of this City. This profession saw a boom uptill as
Iate as the start of this century. The inl'ention of stainless steel
and plastic has spelled a decline of this profession. The neglected
profession is now seeing a revival and new interest in items like
'Ghangal'(water vessel) used for interior decoration in modern
houses, hotels, etc.
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The earlier residences of the Tambats were not built as per
their requirements. This made them cumbersome to operate,
hence they purchased new plots and built houses which were
suitable for them. Later on, increasing family size and the
business made the available space inadequate and the need for
new work place was felt. This was amply taken care of by
extending the existing structure. But this was not possible later
due to lack of funds and lack of space. The nature of extension
became temporary and more open to the sky. Growing family
created pressure on available space. The houses then encroached
on their verandahs, the front and the back open spaces, and in
some cases even on the roads. This incremental growth has led
to formation of an interesting mosaic of open spaces interlinking
roads and work places. These places can be very organic,
aesthetic and vernacular in stvle.
The 1961 floods destroyed many of the brick structures
along the river bank. R.C.C. was used in some places instead of
Ioad bearing walls and timber. This created new building
facades which are different in character and contrast with the
brick and timber structure. There are road widening lines in this
area which have been implernented in any newly constructed
building. This widening, along with the heights, proportions of
doorways and windows in the new structures, are discordant
with the character of the precincts. It is the human proportioned
scale of the earlier buildings that gives them that intimate touch
which is missing in the new R.C.C. structures.
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Localities having Traditional concentration of rambats
Locality:
The Tambats today reside in Tambat Ali in Kasba Peth.
This is easily accessible from Shaniwar Wada through
Yadnyawalkya Ashram Road and by subsidiary roads from
Kasba Ganapati. This lies just before Pawale Chowk, a very wellknown Chowk in Kasba Peth.
Most of the Tambats today are residing in Tambat AIi inKasba Peth. It is the oldest part of Pune. Even during the
earlier period many professional craftsmen came and settled
around the Shaniwar Wada and hence in Kasba Peth many
craftsmen like Tambats, Kumbhars reside. OId descriptions and
records make interesting reading even today.
Brass and copper workers number 2320 mostly live in the
Kasba Peth, Shukrawar Peth, Vetal Peth, Budhwar Peth,
Ghorpade Peth and Rasta Peth. This number includes
approximately 810 tambats or makers of large articles, b00
jingars (connected with horses), 50 casters and 960 Kasars. The
hereditary copper brass and beII metal workers in Pune, the
Tambats, Jingars, Otaris and Kasars are all quite easy going
people, who speak colloquial Marathi and mostly live in single
storeyed houses.
Works/Activity Area
The tools which are required for the Tambat in making the
utensils are simple and very fundamental.
Jingars (brass casters) have sixteen main tools and
appliances: an airan (anvil), four kharuais (bar anvils), four
hatoudas (hammers), a sandsi (a pair of tongs), two pairs of
scissors together, five yearly renewed kansis (files), a shagda
(vice), bhatas (a pair of bellows), a karuol (saw), a sandhan (an
iron bar) with one end smoothed to serve or an anvil, a randha
(flat iron rasper), 15 cm x 1.2 cm with one end bent and
sharpened used for scraping and polishing pots.
A samta (porer), a gaj (a 60 cm scale), a square iron tray on
tas, a palm leaf fan or hadpano used in fanning the five worth %
d and two or three crucible catchers or chyaks. The chyak is an
iron ring about 90 cm round with two long iron bars fastened at
equal distances apart. Over the ends of these bars a second ring
about 50 cm across is passed and moved up and down the bars so
as to increase or reduce the space above the base ring. In
working the chyak the base ring is lowered into the furnace so as
to surround down the bar till the crucible is tightly pressed
between the bone and can be drawn out of the furnace.
Process:
The process of making utensils is as follows:
In making brass, beII metal or ltase and white metal or
pancharasi, the alloy is melted in a pit about 90 cm round and
120 cm or 150 cm deep. At the bottom of the pit a bellows tube is
firmly fixed and over the bellows tube are laid three or four flat
bottomed dome topped crucibles or pots about 45 cm high and a
30 cm round. The crucible which is called n1,u,s, is made by brass
makers themselves of powdered broken china, flint and ashes.
After putting some borax or sauag into the crucibles to serve as a
flux, if brass is to be made, they are filled with broken pieces of
copper and zinc and with closed by an air-tight plug. Charecur,
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dried cow dung cakes and wood are neaped over the crucibles.
The fire is lighted and with the help of the bellows is blown to awhile heat. The men know the time generally four to five hours,
which the alloy takes to form. When the metal is ready each
crucible is grasped in the chyak and lifted out of the furnace. ontaking it out the side of the crucible is bored by the point of a nail
and the molten metal flows into shallow clay trough where it isleft to cool. When cool the solid mass is dragged from the trough
by a sandsi (pair of tongs), Iaid on the'dagad' (stone) and beaten
to the required thinness. To form metal sheets, whether local or
imported into the required shapes, the sheet is laid on the floor
and the workman traces on it with a pair or compasses the pieces
required for the upper and the under parts of the vessels to be
made and cuts out the two pieces with scissors or with a chisel.
The metal is then softened in the fire and hammered and again
softened and again hammered. The alternate hammering and
heating being repeated three or four times tilI it is beaten into
shape. The two pieces are then soldered with brass, borax or
sauag and chloride of ammonia called 'nausagar'. The men work
in groups (bands) of five or six dividing the labour, some make
the rough outline of the shape, other shapes the neck, a third set
from the lower pieces, fourth solder the shaped pieces and a fifthpolish the whole. AII the polish which the Tambats give is arough scrubbing with a mixture of powdered charcoal and
tamarind pulp, followed by beating with a small hammer tiII the
whole surface is covered with hammer marks on facets. This lastprocess gives that typical sound and the quality to this area.
Articles:
The main articles which are made bv the Tambat are as
follows:
Traditionally, copper and brass articles made in Pune can
be arranged under fourteen groups, those used in the kitchen,
those used in eating and drinking, those used in storing and
carrying water, articles used in serving betel, musical
instruments, measures, lamps, dishes and vessels used inworship, images, peasant jewelry, toilet requisites, appliances
used in the drinking hall but not for eating or drinking,
miscellaneous ware and toys.
Today, only a few of the above varieties are manufactured
because of lack of demand.
Buildine Tvpoloey
As Tambat AIi is the oldest part of Pune City, the area is
congested. Some of the houses in this area are residential-cum-
workshop. The old buildings were constructed in teak wood
column and mud walls, mud floors, etc. The khano system of
bays was used in the construction. Balconies and sajjas are also
present. The front area adjoining the road is mainly used as
working area which comprises of two parts. First, the area
where the melting process takes place, and the second, space
where hammering or shaping process of utensil takes place. The
optimum space required for one workshop with simple tools is
about 450 cm x 600 cm with a minimum of 24O cm x 300 cm. Aminimum of three people work per workshop, mostly from the
same family. The room next to working area is used for sitting
and cooking activities respectively. Usually, sleeping area is on
the first floor. The staircase leading to the first floor is from
working area or the open space which is at the back side.
The other type of buildings was 'wad,a'type where the
dwelling units were constructed around a central open space
with a verandah separating the dwelling unit and open space.
The central open space in addition to providing light and
ventilation, houses the common amenities like water storage and
adjoining washing place was used as a working area.
The introduction of R.C.C. material after the 1961 floods
did not change the facades of the buildings as the masking did
not change and the details like grills, doors, verandahs, etc. did
not change.
The builders using the most popular style of construction,
apartments, flats, on entirely new fagade and materials is
introduced in this area. This is the contrast to the existing style
of construction and Iiving style. This style of construction is not
suitable for the current working platform of residence and
workshop. Also influx of other people of this area may oppose
the workshops as the noise level is high. The R.C.C. also is not
sound absorbing hence it may also increase the decibel levels of
the area. R.C.C. was not an environmentally sensitive and
pleasing structure like the one in mud, timber and bricks.
Land Use Survey
As it is seen that there is mixed land use, i.e. residential
and commercial in this area. This is the congested, and older
part of the city. It is seen that there are about 36 shops of
various kinds in this locality mainly of mixed uses. There is very
little purely commercial use in this area. This area has littleaesthetic viewpoints.
The main occupation of these people is making articles of
copper. So it causes nuisance of sound to the adjoining
residential areas.
There is only one primary school in this area. There are no
bus stops provided for the passengers. There is only one library
and four temples in this area. No organized open space or
garden is provided in this area.
Existing Land Use Percentage
Residential
Mixed
Commercial
Public
Open
Road
32.O
28.0
5.0
13.5
7.5
14.o
Total 100.0
Amenities in the Area
In Tambat ali area there is only primary school that isRajmata Jijabai Primary School and one library of the Tambat
people, called Twashta Kasar Sanstha Library which is also run
by the Tambat Samaj. For the health of public there are four
clinics and one proposed Chandak Hospital which is under
construction. For the worship and prayer there are four mandirs
(temples) in Tambat ali which are as follows: Shri Gurudev Datta
Mandir, Shri Kalika Devi Mandir, Shri Ganesh Mandir and Shri
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Hanuman Mandir. For the day to day needs of the people
various shops exist such as one flour mill, one laundry, two
bakeries, two cloth shops, three electrical and electronics shops,
five grocery shops, two wheeler repair shops, one hair cutting
saloon, one dairy, one photo studio, five building material shops,
one telephone booth, three tailoring shops, one metal utensil
shop, three medical stores, two bicycle shops and one glass
trader.
Utilities & Services
(a) Water Supply:
Water supply for domestic means is supplied by the Pune
Municipal Corporation. Source of water supply is through
private tap. The diameter of pipe is 15cm and 7.5cm. For
domestic purpose the standard requirement is about 135
lit/capitalday, but the water supplied by P.M.C. is 2lO
Iit/capita/day. The water supply by P.M.C. in morning is 5.00 am
to 10.00 am and in the evening it is 5.00 pm to 10.00 pm. and is
adequate.
(b) Drainage & Sewerage:
P.M.C. has provided two dry refuse containers for
collection of dry refuse. The sewage of the area is carried out by
underground sewer line which is provided by P.M.C. There are
122 inspection chambers provided at regular interval. Finally
the sewage is treated in sewage treatment plant.
(c) Electricity:
The electric supply to the area is done by Maharashtra
State Electricity Board. M.S.E.B.) Substation is located in Kasba
Peth. There are L2 MVA distributor transformers and the
capacity of the substation is 22 kV x 11 kV.
(d) Telephone:
There are adequate telephone connections in this area.
The cables are provided underground. Private lines and
coverage of mobile exist.
Traffic Survey
Parking: There is no parking space available in Tambat
AIi. The place where the Tambat Haud was located, has now
been demolished and that space has been used for parking. But
the space is not sufficient for parking. So the parking is done by
every individual in front of his or her house.
Traffic: There are mainly five modes of traffic. These are
autorickshaws, two wheelers, bicycles, trucks and cars. The
main mode is two wheeler and bicycle; autorickshaws, cars,
trucks standing in descending order. Bus facility is not available
in this area.
Traffic Count for I Hour
Particulars No. ofVehicles
Equivalency ConversionFactor to PCU
1. Two wheeler
2. Bicycle
3. Autorickshaw
4. Car
5. Truck
206
LT4
100
6
2
0.5
0.5
1.0
1
3
103
57
100
6
6
Total: 272
Pedestrian Way: The flow of the pedestrian is normal inthis area. Beside one main street there are four pathway for the
pedestrians. There are no footpaths provided for pedestrian in
this area and hence there is no safety to the pedestrians.
Aesthetic Survey
Different methods are used for aesthetic survev. We have
used Kevin Lynch method.
Kevin Lynch had found out that major and minor elements
of image formation are Path. Edge, District, Nodes and
Landmarks. While surveying these elements should be
considered.
Elements of City Imase
Element Major Minor
1. Path
2. Nodes
3. Landmark
4. District
5. Edge
Path: Tambat Haud Path is the major path in this area
and there are other minor paths in this area.
Edge: There is no river frontage in this area.
District: District is an area with a separate atmosphere.
The areas are recognizable by common character, visual identity
and may be used as exterior reference if visible from outside.
Minor District is named when thematic unity does not establish
striking contracts with other parts of the city. In such cases
traditional association of name can play such part. By this
definition the whole Tambat Ati itself represents the district.
Landmark: Landmarks are points of reference. They are
external as well as physical objects as building etc. In this area
there are two main landmarks, viz..
. Twashta Kasar Shri Kalika Devi Mandir
. Twashta Kasar Samaj Library.
Nodes: Nodes are the points or strategic spots into which
an observer can enter. These are intensive foci of activitv and
are primarily functional.
In theory every ordinary street crossing is node but
generally it is not of sufficient prominence to be a node as more
than incidental crossing cannot be considered nodal center. A
strong physical form is not always necessary for nodes. InTambat Ali there are six such nodes based on the activitv
pattern.
Buildine Tvpoloey
The old buildings were constructed with teak wood
columns, brick walls with mud mortar and mud floor, etc.
Balcony and Chajjos are used extensively.
The other type of buildings were 'utada'type, where the
dwelling units were constructed around a central open space
with verandah separating the dwelling unit and open space. The
central open space in addition to providing light and ventilation
is used for water storage tank and as washing place.
After the 1961 flood a new construction material was
introduced: R.C.C. The new material hardly brought new
building form, but was responsible for different spanning than
the 'Khan' and hence bigger rooms were possible. The
introduction of this material did not much change the facades of
the buildings as the brick work did not change and also the detail
like grill, doors, windows, etc. were not altered much.
Most recently in Pune the lucrative property prices are
tempting the owners to sell their properties. The builders are
using the most popular style of construction, i.e. 'apartment'
flats. This is resulting in an entirely new fagade and, a different
plan and materials are introduced in this area. This is incontrast to the existing style of construction and living style.
This new type of construction is not suitable for the current
working style and needs of residents.
The arrangement of a residence and workshop functioning
together in a low one storey structure is lost in a block of flats.
The R.C.C. construction is also not sound absorbing and hence
there is the problem of noise that remains unsolved.
Age of Building Percentage
Above 90
Above 60Above 30
Below 30
8.0
2t.550.017.5
3.0Under Construction
Social & Economic Survey
Social Survey
The lack of buyers from urban area and resulting general
financial crunch has affected the people socially and economically
and hence these people have come together to form a 'sanstha,
named as Twashta Kasar Sanstha. This sanstha has not been
really formed to do anything to improve the economic status ofthis community, but has done some remarkable work in social
area.
It is a tradition to pay half yearly taxes to the ,Mata, (the
Kasar Kali Mata). This had enabled the reconstruction of temple
and has provided the area with an import;ant religious landmark.This also provides space for small social functions. The sanstha
has also constructed a library for the benefi.t of poor and needy.
There is also a study haII for 25 students as the noise level inthis area is intolerably high.
Along with this group the sanstha arranges many other
social and cultural activities like blood donation camp, free
education to the needy, medical camp, Anath Mahila Fund, etc.
This area is generally a socially viable unit of the citywhich functions as a part of ther whole.
Economic Survey
The Tambats are artisans and craftsmen. These people d.o
not know much about business. The old system of the buyerbringing the material and paying for the labour has not changed
much. Due to this limitation there is no elaborate system ofagents and middlemen buying the finished goods and selling
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them in the market. AIso this system keeps the craftsmendependent in terms of cash for capital investment. Due to this,these people do not buy raw material for themselves and prepare
the goods on their own. The demands of the major wholesale
buyer is of extreme importance and all the work is done in returnof meager labour charges. As the design is done as per the buyer
and this has made the household industry a declining industry.It is seen that the average income per family which is totallydependent on this work is about Rs. 80,000 annually. The
marketing system and lack of capital has kept the community
generally in economic stagnation.
This has made the younger generation to search for the
new types of employments. some of them have started runningautorickshaws, some have started the business of auto-electricals
and many have found permanent jobs in the industry where thiscommunity is preferred in jobs pertaining to casting, moulding
and sheet bending or pressing.
This has increased the economic life style of the community
but has reduced the available work force.
Information through Interviews
Observations made
In Tambat Ali besides the people of the Tambat samaj,
there are people of different castes with different traditions. The
decline is due to less demand of the product of brass and
introduction of stainless steel and plastics. So, the new
generation shifts towards other employment avenues.
The new generation is not ready to carry on theirtraditional occupation as it is a hard work, Iess income and no
new sources for their upliftment.
As there was lack of education among the people, most of
them were cheated by the businessmen from other communities
such as Gujarathis, Sindhis and Marwadis. So the new
generation is trying to educate themselves.
At present the people are unable to start new business due
to poor economic conditions and hence they have to work as per
the order of the businessmen.
As the plinth height of houses is very low, at the time of
floods the water enters the house.
The houses are very small, i.e. of two rooms, the first room
and the open space is used for workshop and the second one is for
kitchen.
Initially, the volume and flow of traffic was less, so the
houses were constructed touching one other and congested, but
due to increase in population and the flow of traffic some change
is needed.
One of the persons interviewed told that if the government
arranged an exhibition of their articles that could give them
profit, they would really participate in it and continue to work
and prosper.
Income & Expenditure
The total expenditure of Pune Municipal Corporation for
the city according to 1997-98 financial budget was Rs. B5o crore.
This has been taken as an example. out of this Rs. 1b0 crore is
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provided for the development works in the city like road
widening, renovation of road, road maintenance, repairing of
water supply lines and sewer lines, etc. There are a total I24wards under P.M.C. Hence the expenditure for development for
each ward is found out as:
Expenditure for one ward = Total Expenditure
No. of wards
Findings & Conclusion
1. As the area is near Mula-Mutha river and the entire area
is sloping towards North and the East, during heavy
rainfall the water enters the houses. Hence the plinths
should be constructed high in the future.
2. High noise level is another problem of this area. A general
complaint of loss of hearing is found. The new building
materials are not helping in solving this problem. Sound
absorbing new materials should be tried out to reduce the
noise pollution without changing the appearance and
character of the structures.
A good amount of other amenities are found in and around
the area including a municipal school and a clinic. The
basic commercial needs like bakery, general store, repair
shops, etc. are found in the vicinity.
The presence of alternative wide roads is a blessing and
comparatively a very low amount of traffi.c is still flowing
on these roads. Mostly the people living in this area leave
this area in the morning and they are coming back in the
event, which represents the major traffic. There is no bus
3.
4.
5.
route through this area although there is one located
nearby.
The overall encroachment on the limited open space is amajor problem. Lack of vehicular access to each building is
another. This has led to utilizing large road areas for
parking and as of now this is not a major problem.
However, with the increased ownership of two-wheelers
and four-wheelers in Pune, congestion problem or parking
problem is likely to arise in this area.
A lack of initiative in bringing in funds and new designs to
maintain an even keel in the business is posing a problem
for survival of this profession.
The character of the precinct should be maintained,
considering that this has a tourist potential.
6.
7.
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CHAPTER 6
(B) TAMBAKHU ALI
Introduction
Tobacco as a product had a wide usage and governmental
patronage in the past. Many of the noble families had their own
special requirements and flavours for the hukkahs or the hubble-
bubble pipes which were offered in their household. This was
determined by the tastes of the noble. Use of hukkah was very
popular in the Moghul and Rajput courts in the north and hence
it became a practice among the Marathas and the Peshwas. Itinvolves many objects and products as weII as rituals. To be
offered the smoke of the hukkah was treated as a symbol of
friendship.
AII this created the necessary demand and the need of
people engaged in the manufacture of the hukkah-tobacco
mixture, tobacco mix for the snuff as well as tobacco in other
form.
Tobacco was also used in the pan or beetle leaves or only as
a flavoured product for chewing. The last two uses of tobacco as
snuff and for chewing still continue among the weaker section of
the society. However, due to the knowledge of the side effects of
tobacco in any form, as well as the factor of time required for
preparation of hukkah or chillim their use has almost vanished
among the elite. Use of hukkah involves elaborate preparation,
considerable time, and assistance. There is a need of an
attendant to look after the coal fi.re, the change of water, the
mixing of the tobacco, etc. There are no nobles with time and
attendants to enjoy the hukkah..
The advent of machine made cigarettes and mass produced
bidis has also reduced the market for local tobacco products.
These are basically made in factories or in big workshops. The
market for tobacco products which are custom made still exist to
a limited extent. Poona Snuff with special flavours was famous
all over the State of Maharashtra. Today the market is
shrinking because of the clear health hazard associated with the
prolonged use of tobacco.
A day may come when tobacco and tobacco products will no
Ionger be demand. Thus this is one Ali and trade which has
clearly lived its time and could close up and area used for other
products. Socially it is necessary to identify such trades by the
researcher and recommendations made well in advance
regarding the alternative activities and the professional training
required for it. The town planners and urban designers have to
think of the alternative land uses which can be located in such
changing zones.
How the conservational aspect needs to be handled is aquestion for the urban designers. One of the .suggestions is toput such products and the production techniques, etc. in a crafts
and traditional profession museum which can be located in an
appropriate part of the city. Pagadband Ali will be the other AIiwhich has to be recreated in such a museum.
Tambakhu AIi has been in existence for the past 250 years
approximately. It is formed along the street dividing Shukrawar
Peth and Budhwar Peth.
Tambakhu AIi is surrounded by Subhansha Road, on its
East, Mirza Galib Road on its South, Traxrni Road on its North
and Bhutkar Road on its West. This AIi stretches from Bhagwan
Adinath Chowk to Thakurdas Chowk. It also has Honaji Bala
Street in its vicinity. The Tambakhu Ali crosses Bohri Ali toform Bhagwan Adinath Chowk. So it is close to the Bohri AIi.
Even though it is known as Tambakhu Ali, the main
profession here was processing tobacco. It has changed into snuff
making. Today there are very few establishments remaining
that are purely into snuff making. The other have been
displaced and some have converted their snuff making trade into
grocery shops.
History & Morphology
Tambakhu AIi was established in the Peshwa regime in
1725. At that time tobacco was used for filling Chillims or
Hukkahs, as stated earlier. The workers in this trade were
mainly Marathas.
But for the last sixty years, i.e. from 1937-38 the main
profession of tobacco making has been converted into snuff
making. The traders get more and more profi.t by directly selling
the processed product. At earlier times there were in all 13
establishments. Among them the well known trading families
were Malpani, Shah, Vitekar, Pathare and Renavikar.
There were in all 300 persons employed in these
establishments. The main raw material tobacco was brought
from Nipani and Belgaum and the sales were distributed aII over
Maharashtra and parts of Hyderabad.
Today there are only four establishments remaining thatare purely into snuff making. The others have been displaced
and some have converted their snuff making shops into grocery
shops.
Historical Buildings & Monuments
Harihar Mandir
This temple was built in 1944 by one of the wealthiest
traders in the snuff making business. Mr Pranlal Balkisan
Malpani. The temple has a Shitling, representing the fusion of
Vishnu, Shankar and Brahma (trimurti).
Mhalsakant Mandir or Khandoba Mandir
This temple was constructed in 1906 on the occasion of
Vijaya Dashmi in Vanvase Wada. The owner was one Mr Vishnu
Balvant Bhave and the temple is still in possession of Mr
Grahanarayan Raghunath Bhave, the grandson. This temple is
situated on the Honaji BaIa Path which starts from Tambakhu
Ali.
Work Activity & Area of Trade
Tambakhu AIi has been in existence for about 250 years.
From around 1937-38 the main profession has been converted
into snuff making and selling. Some of shops are located in
Budhwar Peth and Raviwar Peth.
Today snuff making process is not done in or around the
shop area. The shop is used only for trading and storage of snuff.
As the actual snuff making process is displaced, it has taken
with it all the workers community, i.e. Maratha community. The
wealthier Gujarati community has taken over the actual trade.
The process involved in preparing snuff is burning and
grinding tobacco and treating the powder with various perfumes.
The main raw material required, i.e. tobacco is imported from
Nipani of Belgaum. The sales of the processed product, i.e. snuff
is distributed in all over Maharashtra and parts of Hyderabad.
The traders are doing wholesale as weII as retail trade.
They do wholesale business and also deal with local customers.
The profit margin is very large'. Due to this reason, the Gujarati
community was attracted towards this business. Some of the
traders also sell grocery along with snuff and tobacco.
Typical Establishment & Household
Tambakhu AIi consists of many old buildings. These
buildings are constructed in wood, with cantilevered balconies.
These buildings are three or four storeys high. The front part of
the ground floor is used for commercial purposes. The rear part
is used for storage.
The buildings have considerable British and Maratha
influence but they also show traces of Persian style. This has
been the influence of Bohri Ali. The continuity of the building
fagades is broken in between by some newer structures that are
constructed in R.C.C.
The upper residential floors have a continuous cantilevered
balcony which also serves as passage to the various rooms. Some
small traders have their houses on the floors directly above their
shops. Wealthier traders have bought the whole building and
have given the ground floor shops on rent to small traders.
Existing Land Use
The area under the influence of Tambakhu Ali is about
0.96 Ha. The ground floor areas facing the road are under
commercial use as it becomes easier for loading and unloading.
As the time goes by, the shopkeepers in Tambakhu Ali are
changing their trade of selling only tobacco or snuff. Today some
of them are also selling grocery, cutlery, stationery, etc. Most of
the buildings are under the ownership of wealthy Gujarati
traders. They have their shops on the ground floor. The upper
floors that are used for residential purpose, are given on rent,
while the owners themselves are staying elsewhere in a less
congested and less polluted area.
Some of the shop areas are used as telephone booths.
Some parts of the upper floors are in use as godowns. Two of the
plot areas, namely 1532 and 1533 are used for constructing a
temple, i.e. Harihar Mandir which is the only public area in
Tambakhu Ali.
The approximate land use analysis is given below:
Land Use Area in Ha % Total area
Residential
Commercial
Re sidentiaVCommercial
Open space
Public
Road
0.235
0.00
0.35
o.024
0.029
o.t2
31.01%
0.00
46.r7
3.t6%
3.82%
r5.83%
Amenities in the Area
The following amenities are present in and around Tambakhu
AIi:
School
There are no schools in Tambakhu Ali, but Agrawal Hindi
School, near Badhai Ali, serves the residents in Tambakhu AIi.
It is a primary and high school with a capacity of 500 students.
Police Station
A police station is situated at the western end of Tambakhu Ali,
i.e. in Eknath Kashinath Thakurdas Chowk.
Theatre
A theatre called as Nityanand Theatre is situated on Honaji BaIa
Road.
Temples
There are two Hindu temples in and around Tambakhu AIi. One
Harihar Mandir forms a part of Tambakhu AIi. The other
Mhalsakant Mandir is near to Tambakhu Ali, situated on Honaji
BaIa Road.
Telephone Booths
There are two telephone booths present on the street along which
Tambakhu Ali has formed. They both have the facilities of STD,
ISD and local telephone calls.
Bank
There are two banks in the vicinity of Tambakhu AIi. One of the
banks, Muslim Cooperative Bank is on Saifee Street and the
other bank, Dena Bank, is on Subhansha Road.
Post Offrce
One post office is present on Subhansha Road. It serves the area
of Tambakhu AIi, Badhai AIi and Bohri Ali and the area
surrounding these olis.
Public Toilet
There is one public urinal situated on the junction of Honaji Bala
Road and Tambakhu Ali.
Utilitv & Services
The following services lines are observed in Tambakhu AIi.
Drainage Lines
The drainage lines are laid underground along the roads. They
are located at the centre of the road width. The drainage lines
are provided with manholes at, equal distance. The drainage line
starts from Eknath Kashinath Thakurdas Chowk and at the end
gets connected to the line running along Saifee Street. The slope
is from West to East.
Water Supply Lines
The water supply lines are laid underground and along the road.
They run parallel to the sides of the road.
Electric Supply Lines
The electric supply lines for the buildings run overhead from pole
to pole. At certain points they happen to be very close to the
upper floor residences. Therefore, there is a possibility of
accidents.
The electric supply lines for the street lights run underground.
Storm Water Drain
Storm water drains are very few. Their number is inadequate.
Most of the storm water drains are choked up due to the entry of
large amount of garbage. AII these drain points are needed to be
cleaned at frequent intervals.
Traffic & Transportation
The road width in Tambakhu Ali has not remained continuous
over the years. The width changes from 6m to 7 .6m and at some
points 5.8m. This has happened because of the encroachment
done by the shopkeepers.
The parking is provided on both the sides of the road. Therefore,
the effective road width decrerases to about 3 to 4.5m. which is
highly undesirable. Further the road is two-way road. So there
is a problem of frequent traffic jams.
The two junctions or Chowlzs at both the ends of Tambakhu Aliface frequent problem of traffic jams. The roads meeting at these
junctions are all two way roads and having parking on both
sides, even if their width is not sufficient to handle this kind of
traffic load. Therefore, they have become a source of nuisance to
the pedestrians.
The roads are also used by PMT buses as well as trucks and
tempos. Due to congestion and limited road width they have to
drive very slowly. Therefore, there is traffic blockade happening
everyday.
Even though the traffic load is high, the road surface is insatisfactory condition. It is made up of tar.
There are no foot paths provided for the pedestrians. AII the
pedestrians use roads. This causes increase in the congestion.
The analysis of traffic volume surveys at Eknath Kashinath
Thakurdas Chowk or junction is given below:
Description No./hr PCUFactor
PCU o/o tototalPCU
Two Wheelers
Bicycles
Jeep, Car, Rickshaw
Hand-cart
Bus, Truck
435
260
290
8
8
0.5
0.5
1.0
6.0
3.0
2t7
130
290
48
24
30.60
18.33
40.90
6.00
3.38
Aesthetic Survey
Talking about aesthetics in Tambakhu Ali, we have seen many
structures. Some of them are built about 150 years ago. Many of
them are in a good condition. Some of the old buildings are
converted into new commercial shops and rear side of shops for
storage purpose. The buildings are mainly planned for mix land
use, i.e. ground floor for the commercial purpose and the firstfloor for the residential purpose.
The details of the buildings, like doors, windows and galleries are
well designed, which play major role in enhancing the aesthetics.
The road is somewhat wide and straight forward but the
irregular shape of each shop creates a visual hierarchy while
passing through the road.
The aesthetic survey of Tambakhu Ali is carried out, according to
Sir Kevin Lynch technique. Therefore, the aesthetic elements
should be considered with respect to the following points:
Path
The major path in this area is Subhansha Road which runs from
Lal Bahadur Shastri Chowk to Sonva Maruti Chowk.
The minor paths are Saifee Street and Honaji Bala Road.
Node
The two major external chowks are Eknath thakurdas Chowk on
west side and Bhagwan Adinath Chowk on east side. Tambakhu
AIi is situated in between these two chowks.
It also has Honaji BaIa Road in its vicinity.
District
The whole Tambakhu AIi has its unique characteristics, i.e. the
traders are doing tobacco business. Today tobacco trading has
been converted into snuff trading. The ready made snuff is
stored in shops and store rooms. Hence it is like district in the
old core of the Pune Citv.
Landmark
There are two Hindu temples in and around Tambakhu AIi. One
Harihar Mandir forms a part of Tambakhu Ali. The other
Mhalsakant Mandir is near to Tambakhu AIi, situated on Honaji
BaIa Road.
A public toilet is situated on the junction of Honaji Bala Road
and Tambakhu Ali.
There are also two telephone booths present on the street along
which Tambakhu Ali has formed. These booths have facilities of
STD, ISD and local telephone calls.
A theatre called as Nityanand Theatre is situated on Honaji BaIa
Road.
Buildine Typology
Tambakhu AIi consists of many old buildings. These buildings
are constructed in wood, with cantilevered balconies. The
buildings are built in two, three or four storeys. They get light
ventilation from the front street. The ground floor is used for
commercial purpose whereas upper floors are used for residential
purpose. The ground floor shops have extended verandahs in the
front. The rear part is used for storage purpose.
The buildings have British and Maratha touch but some of them
also show traces of Persian style. The continuity of the building
fagades is broken in between by some new structures, which are
constructed in R.C.C.
The most of the old structures are of load bearing type. They are
constructed with timber frame and consist of Tulai (beam), lugs
(columns) of Sheesum, sag, etc. that are used as major structural
,/1 / (l\
members. The walls are made of burnt brick masonry. The
thickness of wall varies from top to bottom. AIso the upper
residential floors have a continuous balcony which also serve as a
passage to the various rooms. The rich traders have bought the
whole building and have given the ground floor shops on rent to
small traders.
Some of the buildings are aesthetically good and strong. The
analysis of building age is given below:
Age of Building Percentage
Above 90
Above 60
Above 30
Below 30
Under construction
19.57
30.43
2L.73
28.46
0.00
Social & Economic Survey
From the time of its formation, Tambakhu AIi has been in the
control of traders from wealthy Gujarati community. These
people are thorough professionals and very tactical. With their
shrewd thinking, they have increased their business by leaps and
bounds.
They are friendly but sweet talkers, a quality which is very
helpful in their profession.
Being part of the city centr€r, Tambakhu Ali, with about 260
years of history behind it, has become very congested today. The
same trader who was staying on the upper floor of the shop, is
giving it on rent and staying elsewhere, where there is less
/1 Er|\
congestion and pollution and traffic. Thus Tambakhu Ali has
turned into a work place for him.
Today the traders have changed their main product tambakhu to
snuff due to high profit margins. An average snuff trader can
earn about Rs. 20,000 per month with his own cut at around Rs.
10,000 to Rs. 12,000 per month. Further, some traders have also
started selling grocery which has turned their business into a
more profitable one.
Even though there has been campaign all around the world
against the use of tobacco, people still use it. Therefore,
Tambakhu AIi will remain in erxistence for vears to come.
Information through Interviews
The following people staying in Tambakhu Ali were interviewed:
Mr Trimbakdas Malpani (Snuff trader)
Mr Jagannath Agrawal (Snuff factory owner)
Mr Vishnu Balwant Bhave (Trustee of Mhalsakant
Mandir)
Mr Chimanbhai Mehta (Snuff trader).
The people interviewed are mainly traders. They are happy
about the location of their place of business, as over the years the
commercial importance of the locality has risen considerably.
As the majority of traders' families are staying elsewhere the
problems are not of much concern to them. The traders complain
about the traffic jams and congestion as it creates difficulties in
their business hours.
1.
2.
3.
4.
//1 tr 1\
They are overall happy about the services like water supply and
drainage.
Income & Expenditure
Total income of the Pune City is Rs. 29,853 lac. 33% of the
income is spent on establishment and 67%o (Rs. 2,000 lac) on
infrastructure development and maintenance of I24 wards of the
city.
Tambakhu AIi forms a part of Municipal Ward No. 123. Each
ward is allotted Rs. 161.29 lac. Out of thts L2.5o/o (Rs. 20.15 lac)
is used for various utility services, civic amenities, D.P. proposal
implementation, NaIIa cleaning and maintenance of roads, etc.
Findings & Conclusions
1. High congestion and pollution has made the living
conditions in Tambakhu Ali miserable.
2. Parking on both sides of roads has considerably reduced
the effective road width. This has given rise to frequent
traffi.c jams.
3. There are no traffic signals at the junctions of the road.
The two way traffic on the roads has made crossing of the
roads very difficult.
4. The parking facility in the area is insuffrcient.
5. Absence of foot paths in front of shops has made the
shopping activity very problematic.
6. The area is devoid of open space. The rear sides of the
buildings depend on very narrow backside pathways for
tight and ventilation.
7.
8.
overhead electrical lines are a big nuisance and present a
constant danger.
some of the buildings present architectural characters thatare worth preserving. From the architectural point of
view, the area has a very good potential for conserving as a
historical precinct.
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