VISITOR PAVILION 1 - JAMSHETJI RUSTUMJEE SETHNA MANDAP

JAMSHETJI RUSTUMJEE SETHNA MANDAP

The Towers of Silence, classified as a Grade IIB heritage site, includes the Jamshetji Rustumjee Sethna Mandap at Doongerwadi, which has been conserved to enable non-Parsis to respectfully participate in funeral ceremonies. The mandap features an open-plan layout with a timber-trussed roof, combining Art Deco architecture with Assyrian-inspired details, notably in the column capitals. The timber roof trusses being in a sound condition a simple augmentation of waterproofing membranes was undertaken and roofed over using Mangalore tiles.Conservation efforts addressed structural fatigue and material deterioration using context-sensitive methods based on original construction logic. A key intervention was the installation of stained-glass windows symbolising Zoroastrian beliefs on death and the soul’s journey. A corner of the pavilion was adaptively reused to house a scaled dokhma model and interpretive panel, supporting education and cultural awareness within the site.