JOURNEY THROUGH A LENS

Pallon Daruwala captures the poetic beauty of architectural arches in the ancient and intriguing vernacular edifices of western India

- VARUNI MOHAN

Monochromatic arches are seen in the centuries-old Thanmonastery, which is located deep in the rolling hills near the Great Rann of Kutch

There’s something about the symmetry of arches that draws us as much as their structural engineering. We love the classic aesthetic that they add to the overall appeal of edifices—old and new. In this spellbinding feature, Bengaluru-based photographer Pallon Daruwala unravels some of the best archways he’s come across during his sojourns. Among his best shots are a mix of typical and atypical archways seen in the vernacular architecture of residential and public structures in Kutch, Gujarat and Shekhawati, Rajasthan.