INTRODUCTION
Culture is commonly understood to be the sharing of a set of values, beliefs, customs and ritual practices that are subject to change in time and space by a group of people or a community. It includes their institutions, arts, languages, artifacts, and relationships of people to one another. A community evolves from the act of living together in a mutual relationship. (Desai 2007) One of the strongest visible expressions of a community’s culture, values and needs is its architecture. It is a manifestation of their habits and everyday rituals. It is influenced by the cultural forces, environmental constraints, social & psychological needs and their belief systems. (Desai 2007) As a result, the design of a house evolves through a…show more content… The initiation of Bohra faith in India dates back to that time. Though there is no authentic record, it is believed that around the 6th century the Fatimid Calif of Egypt, the ‘Ismaili Imam Al Mustansir Bilah’ sent two imminent Arabs, Moulai Abdullah and Moulai Nuruddin, to Khambat an ancient port in Gujarat. They lived there and studied the local people. They even learned their language. Over time they performed some miracles that encouraged people to convert from common religion Hinduism to Islam. Bohras are understood to have belonged to upper echelons of the Hindu caste system. The word Bohra (also spelled Bohora or Vohra) is derived from the Gujrati vohorvu or vyavahar, meaning "to trade". Dawoodi Bohras use an arabicized form of Gujrati, called lisa-al-dawah, which is permeated with Arabic words and written in Arabic script.
They are a closely knit community and have remained so over a long period of time. They are peace loving, hardworking, and very religious people. Over years they have maintained their separate identity even within the sub-sects of Islamic minorities in…show more content… The houses share the long walls and shorter side is exposed towards the street. Like any other society, the Bohra house has function-specific as well as multipurpose areas. Its key components are Otla (Entrance Platform) on the ground floor; Deli, a transitional space between the Otla and the interiors of the house; Avas, the main living space; Parsal, an extension of Avas; Parsali, the interior family room; Ordo, space for entertaining guests and for sleeping at night if needed; Ordo, a room on the second floor, usually at the back of the house and used for sleeping; Diwankhanu, space used as a family room by the men; Ravas, the Avas on the first and second floor; Katyadu, the attic; and Agashi, the