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.