LOWER BUNGLI - Dhanbaiji Manakji TARACHAND BUNGLI

The Towers of Silence, designated as a Grade IIB heritage site, include the Dhanbaiji Manakji Tarachand Bungli built in 1920. These single-storey structures are closely clustered and consist of a hall, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and dining area, along with a ritual bathing room featuring a stone platform used for washing and clothing the deceased. Funeral rites are conducted in the main hall, where prayers are offered before a sacred fire.

The bungli presents a simple spatial configuration, capped by a timber-trussed roof . Structural analysis indicates a composite construction typology, with externally dressed grey basalt stone walls and internally brick masonry finished with lime plaster. Architecturally, the building is distinguished by expansive openings framed with limestone lintels and protected by canopies supported on timber brackets.

The proposed conservation strategy aligns with internationally recognized principles, emphasizing minimal intervention and reversibility. Restoration efforts will employ original or “like-for-like” materials to preserve the structure’s authenticity while ensuring its continued structural stability and cultural significance.