Many years ago, a man from Greece came to the ancient city of Pataliputra. He was sent by the court of Greece as an ambassador to India. Like any foreigner on a visit, he wrote about his time in the grand capital city of Magadha, mentioning, among other things, the many imposing gateways that protected the city from every direction.
Made with wood and metal, the doors of Pataliputra attracted the attention of Megashtenese, and rightfully so. Doors are the first thing that we see when we enter a place and the last thing that meets the eye upon leaving the space.
Acting as a connecting element and a protective shield in buildings, doors have always been an important part of Indian sacred architecture, viewed beyond their utilitarian value. Let us look at the history of doors in India and how they went on to become a part of modern decor.
Sanchi Torana (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Before the door became, well, just a door, the ancient Indian architecture had its predecessors known as “Torana”. Now, the word Torana refers to the decoration hung from the top of the doors, but in ancient times, it was the gateway that marked a sacred spot, a passageway, or a waterbody.
Lofty structures made with wood and stone were initially kept unornamented, but later, exquisite sculptures and designs were added to the Torana. We find the mention of Torana in the context of royalty and power in the case of a Chola ruler’s inscription, who captured the “Makara-Torana” of a Chalukya ruler after the war, as a trophy.
Large parts of structures, including the Dwarapala (door guardians) were often taken away by the winning king, as a symbol of his power and as a way to make the losing king feel powerless- for he was not able to protect the “gates” of his city.
The importance of doorways can be understood from the fact that Hindu gods and goddesses such as Shiva and Tarambika (a form of Durga, also known as “Toraneshwari” or protectress of the Torana) were worshipped as the protecting deities of the door. Even today, we find icons of Ganesha, Lakshmi, Shiva, and Durga, etched on the doors, to protect the residents of the space from any ill that may come from the outside.
Brihadeshwara Temple Gopuram (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
During the medieval period, the gateways of temple towns and royal cities, especially in the South, grew into massive structures that were no longer restricted by utility. Gopuram, an integral part of the Dravida temple architecture, is a great example of how doors flowered into majestic structures, ornamented by images of gods, goddesses, and scenes from Hindu epics and Puranas, making them into a towering visual universe, that symbolized the power and devotion of the royal dynasties that constructed these doorways.
Buland Darwaza (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
In the north too, mighty doors were added to the forts, palaces, and royal cities, made with huge logs of wood and metal, embellished with spikes to keep the enemy out. The doors in northern (and southern) Indian forts acted as a line of defense against attacks, a strategically important part of the royal architecture and synonymous with the formidability of the ruler.
Names like Hathi Darwaza (elephant gate) are found in many forts across India as well as historical monuments like Buland Darwaza, literally the “infallible gate”, are examples of the political and cultural value of the gates.
Dvarapalas or the door guardians in ancient Indian temples are revered beings, who protect the sanctity of the place, standing on the sides of the doorways. In the Hindu temples, they are the embodiment of the active, fierce powers of the deity, often depicted as warriors, with fangs, flaming halos, and hair, carrying weapons to scare away any enemy or negative energy.
Door Guardians on Each Side of Temple Doorway (Source: MAP Academy)
Jaya-Vijay, the Dvarapalas of Vishnu’s Vaikuntha Loka are probably the most popular pair of door guardians in Hindu culture. Texts mention other pairs of Vishnu’s Dvarapalas also such as
1. Chanda and Prachanda
2. Dhatru and Vidhatru
3. Bhadra and Subhadra
Shiva’s Dvarapalas are depicted similarly to the descriptions of Virbhadra, an aspect of Shiva, with wide eyes, a flaring nose, and fierce facial expressions. Shiva’s door guardians have been mentioned in the following pairs-
1. Nandi and Mahakala
2. Herambha and Bhringi
3. Durmukha and Pandura
4. Sita and Asita
In ancient Indian temples made during the Gupta period, the divine river goddesses, Ganga and Yamuna have been sculpted on the doorways, standing with pots of purifying water in their hands, as guardians and protectors, as well as a sanctifying presence on the threshold of the temple. The doors are thus a place fit for the divinity, the sacred, and the powerful. No wonder it is one place in Indian homes that is decorated beautifully during festivities and rituals.
We have mentioned Torana, the door hangings made with mango leaves, neem leaves, flowers, wool, thread, mirror, and various other objects, hung on special occasions or throughout the year to beautify and protect the doors in Indian households.
During seasonal changes that coincide with major festivals such as Navaratri, one can see traditional Indian homes preparing for the celebrations by cleaning and adorning their homes, including the doorways with leaves and flowers that keep illness, insects, and ill-energies out.
Sacred symbols such as Swastika, Om, and Shreem (the syllable of Lakshmi) are also hung or painted on the doors, to bring a positive and auspicious aura to a space. In many regions of India, the ground around the door is cleaned and decorated with Rangoli, and the sides of the door are adorned with sacred signs made by hand, using vermillion, rice, and turmeric.
On the festival of Naag-Panchami, many traditional families use cow dung to paint figures of serpents on their doorways, as a prayer to the Naaga-Devata, the divine serpent, asking them for protection and blessings.
In modern architecture and design, doors have become sleek, and minimal with a great focus on how well they blend with their surroundings. But as we go down in the pages of Indian history, the doorway was meant to stand out. Today, antique doors crafted in the traditional manner are a collector’s treasure.
Decorated with cultural motifs, hand carved in sturdy wood that has a vintage appeal, complemented with the timeless feel of iron and brass, Indian antique doors are popular among lovers of traditional Indian interiors as well as people who cherish the craft of India, using the doors as a centerpiece in the overall decor of their space.
The process of crafting a door is a blend of mathematical precision and the asthetics of an artist. The process begins with picking a sturdy and beautiful wood piece, which is usually teakwood and other such material, that remains the same with minor wear and tears for decades.
Once the wood has been obtained, the carver begins by cutting it and polishing it to give it a simple rectangular or square shape, from which different sections of the door are cut out, for individual work to be done on each piece.
The woodworker using tools such as a hammer and a variety of nails slowly carves the wood into small panels for the large door. Once each piece is completed, they are joined together using wooden and metal nails and fixtures.
Carvings as per the requirement of the buyer are done on the door, which range from ornamentation floral designs to images of Hindu gods and goddesses. In case colors are involved, the woodworkers or the painters color the doors and give a layer of lacquering to them to increase the luster and elongate the age of the wood.
For an antique finish, polish is avoided or done in a way that enhances the natural texture and color of the wood used.
The whole process is a long one, which requires focus and years of learning the measurements and make of the pieces. The woodworkers have to stay sharp in order to avoid injury and craft grand antique doors that look like a piece of history in your home.
An antique wooden door is an investment. It brings an alluring vintage appeal to your space, with wood’s earthy beauty and the craftsmanship of India, which only increases in value over time. You can choose to add a vintage wooden door to the architecture of your home or you can pick one as an unusual and striking interior decoration element.
If you have an idea about what kind of wooden door you want to purchase, well then, go find your favorite from the collection of antique Indian door. But if you are just intrigued enough to know more and want to do a bit of window shopping before making up your mind, or you just want to appreciate the beauty of vintage wooden doors, here is our curated list of 4 types of antique doors for home and decoration, that you can browse through-
One can never go wrong with an artistic balance of wood and brass, creating a blend of earthiness and luxury. This vintage door from Rajasthan showcases the traditional craft of door making, where embellishments and utility are well-balanced. The grandeur of the door comes from hand carvings on the top and sides, giving it an antique charm, while the brass fittings in the body promise the longevity of the door.
The traditional appeal of wooden doors is one thing that attracts the eye of the collector. This comes from the designs of the door, inspired by historic Haveli and palace doors. One popular feature of these structures is the double-framed doors, also known as “Kivaad” locally. This double-framed door gives you an idea of the elaborate beauty of this design.
The first frame is a latticed pattern, adding an intricate, ethnic appeal to the structure. The second layer is a hard-wood component, with metal embellishment, iron chain, and brass knockers. The lintel is adorned with stylized floral vines emerging from two sides, a symbol of the wish-fulfilling creeper in Indian culture, which brings auspiciousness and abundance.
In modern times, when many prefer simple and sophisticated interiors, it might seem like a daunting thought to go for a colorfully painted wooden door, with various motifs and images all over, but if you love colors and do not shy away from a pop of colors in your home, then a vintage painted door could be the masterpiece you need in your space. A rich color palette, with traditional motifs, gives the wood a splash of eye-catching elements that can make the door stand out, as it welcomes your guests with a promise of a heavenly interior.
The connection of doors with divinity has been mentioned in the previous sections. A door with images of deities as protecting and auspicious icons is a popular, traditional element in Indian architecture, seen usually in temple doors, but also in gates of big houses.
This Ashtalakshmi hand-carved door offers a look at the power of a door as a guarding and sanctifying feature of any space. The images of the eight potent forms of Lakshmi, that protect 8 kinds of wealth in life are strategically placed in individual sections on the door, carved like arched sanctums for the goddess.
The curving vines that surround the icons are floral offerings and use of the Kalpa-taru or wish-fulfilling creeper motif in connection with Lakshmi, who herself is a bestower of wishes. The topmost section is embellished with images of Lakshmi-Ganesha-Saraswati, a popular trio in Hindu culture who bless the devotees with a well-rounded and fulfilling life. The handles of the door are made of metal, crafted like two royal elephants standing guard at the gateway.
Doors are an unmissable part of your home. From the first knock to the goodbyes, the doors are a constant presence in your interactions with the world. The value of the door was understood as early as during the Harappan civilization when the construction plans included proper placement of doors in different sections of the houses.
With the change in time, the make and meaning of the door changed, as it went from a part of the architecture to a piece of art itself. Today, as the simple wood and metal doors are a component of your house, the more antique and artistically made doors have been given the place of decoration, as a symbol of craftsmanship and culture.
The collector worships the aesthetics of the door just as the locals worship the powers of the door. Handcrafted doors as an element of decor and pieces of artistic value can be an uncommon choice, but it is exactly because of this atypical beauty, that antique Indian doors are an article of decor to watch for. With this, we close the doors of our discussion!
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