POL

The word Pol is derived from the Sanskrit word patroli, meaning "entrance or gate". These are the multiple quarters of the old city, the oldest of which are 300 years old or more. A sort of miniature fortress built by the Hindus or Jains to protect themselves from other religious communities, they constitute real labyrinths. There are more than 6,000 of them in the city, spread between the Jami Masjid and the Sidi Bashir Mosque. Many secret passages connect them. Each pol contains a temple, a bird feeder and houses of character, now inhabited by artisans. The old houses offer visitors carved wooden facades and balconies, chiseled doors, of great beauty. The most beautiful of them, is that of Khariya. Many of these houses are in a pitiful state or even in an advanced state of dilapidation. Let us hope that the inscription of the pols in the world heritage of Unesco will allow to save them. The task is immense, because they are extremely numerous. But it is a unique heritage in India and very few big cities have managed to preserve a worthy portion of its old districts. It emanates from this whole a melancholic atmosphere... and village. You will come across many cows, children playing in the street, old people sitting on the front of their houses... A guide is essential if you want to discover the best kept secrets of these hidden neighborhoods.