UNESCO
MORVI
all photographs (except as marked) © by Randolph Langenbach / UNESCO, 2001
Click on photos to enlarge
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1) Morvi Main Bazaar, the street from the main gate to the City Palace (BEFORE EARTHQUAKE). Photo by Hemen Sanghvi courtesy of INTACH. 2) Same Street after earthquake. The tower on the gateway at the head of the street provides one of the few recognizeable elements left after the earthquake, and post-earthquake demolition.
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The Morvi Darbargarh (City Palace) was very badly damaged, with large sections having been collapsed. 3) This view shows the street facade with the section to the left of the main entrance having collapsed. 4) The courtyard at the main entrance shows the collapse of the section on the left.
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5-6) The Palace Main gateway remained standing, but damaged, while the palace buildings to the left of it were collapsed. The water tank stands as a conspicuous example of town planning without regard to the heritage and historic urban environmental values of the Maharaja's Main Palace interface with the Main Street of the town. The water tank was apparently undamaged, as were most water tanks in Gujarat.
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7-9) Morvi Main Bazaar looking west away from the Palace towards the entry gate to the town center showing the widespread destruction of what had been a remarkably coherent classical (post-British Period) design. It is reported that post earthquake demolition of damaged structures was carried out with little regard for preserving what could have been restored.
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10) This view shows a house immediately behind the Main Street which survived intact with massive destruction of houses around it. Again, as in Anjar, it is an example of a masonry building with balconies which may have contributed to its stability.
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11) The second city palace, the Mani Mandir, in Morvi (also named the Willingdon Secretariat). This view is a panorama composed of two photographs. Damage is extensive, but limited to the displacement of stones in the upper part of the massive structure.