Round-topped Zanzibari doors: The Indian legacy carved into Stone Town’s heart

Unguja. A walk through the alleys of Stone Town reveals more than just coral-stone buildings—it offers a glimpse into centuries of cultural fusion.

Among the most iconic symbols of this rich heritage are Zanzibar’s elaborately carved wooden doors. Of particular note are the round-topped, Indian-style doors—a striking architectural legacy of the Indian diaspora, especially Hindu and Jain merchants from Gujarat, who settled in Zanzibar during the 19th and early 20th centuries.

These arched masterpieces, commonly referred to as “Gujarati doors,” are not just grand entrances. They are layered expressions of identity, heritage, and wealth, blending Indian symbolism with Swahili craftsmanship to form one of the island’s most treasured architectural forms.

A doorway to the past

Records show that the round-arched Indian-style door emerged in Zanzibar in the mid-1800s, as trade and migration brought Indian merchants to the island's shores.

 Sultan Barghash, who ruled from 1870 to 1888 and spent time in exile in Bombay, played a pivotal role in promoting Indo-Islamic architectural influences upon his return.

Under his patronage, ornate arched doors became fashionable, most notably in the construction of the Beit al-Ajaib (House of Wonders), which included 13 grand Indian-style doors.

Crafted primarily from teak—often imported from India—or local hardwoods like mvule and mbambakofi, these doors combined durability with artistic elegance.

Each one was handmade by expert Swahili and Indian carvers, using hand tools to create deep-relief floral patterns, symbolic motifs, and decorative brass studs.

Often, they featured carved semi-circular arches, or lunettes, above the door frame filled with vine scrolls, floral arabesques, or latticework (jali) that allowed light and air to pass through.

Symbolism etched in wood

Far from being purely decorative, every element on these doors carries deep symbolic meaning. Among the most common motifs are lotus flowers and rosettes, which symbolize purity and the cycle of life, while tree-of-life patterns reflect themes of growth, abundance, and spiritual vitality.

Carved chains or bead-like patterns often suggest unity or allude to trade connections, central to Zanzibar's mercantile history. Fish motifs, which occasionally appear at the base of door frames, are traditionally linked to fertility and prosperity derived from the sea.

One of the rarer but notable symbols is the carved pineapple, representing hospitality—a motif famously featured on the door of Capital Art Studio, a historic Indian-Zanzibari photography studio located in Hurumzi.

Interestingly, these doors are also gendered in Swahili tradition: the right-hand leaf is called mlango dume (male door), and the left, mlango jike (female door). Some doors feature wicket gates within the panels—practical features derived from Indian shopfronts, allowing for partial opening during business hours.

Cross-cultural craftsmanship

Though Indian in origin, these doors are distinctly Zanzibari in execution. Indian motifs were reinterpreted by local artisans (fundi carvers), who incorporated Swahili design elements such as carved chains or Arabic-influenced symmetry. In turn, Indian patrons often adopted Swahili architectural practices, resulting in an Indo-Swahili hybrid style.

While Arab-style Zanzibari doors are usually flat-topped with calligraphic inscriptions in Arabic, the Indian-style doors are marked by their rounded arches and exuberant floral carvings. Arab doors emphasized geometric patterns and religious text, while the Indian doors celebrated organic forms, reflecting Hindu and Jain traditions.

Some buildings even fused the two. It is not uncommon to find an Indian-arched doorway bearing Arabic inscriptions—an architectural metaphor for Zanzibar’s historic multiculturalism.

From status symbols to cultural relics

These doors once signified prestige. The bigger and more elaborately carved the door, the higher the homeowner's status. Today, they serve as historical markers of the communities who helped shape Zanzibar.

The former Hindu Girls’ School (now the Tanzanite Museum) in Shangani boasts one of the finest surviving Gujarati doors, complete with a lunette inscribed in Gujarati and English.

Other examples remain on merchant houses along Kenyatta Road, Bazaar Street, and Cathedral Street. One legendary door in Kajificheni features carvings of a lion and a peacock—iconic symbols of Indian royalty and divinity, rarely seen in Islamic art.

But time has not been kind. Of the 800 elaborately carved doors that adorned Stone Town by the late 19th century, fewer than 50 Indian-style examples are believed to remain today.

 Weathering, neglect, and the illicit antiques trade have stripped the city of many of its wooden treasures, as doors were stolen and sold overseas during the 20th century.

Preserving the legacy

The surviving Indian-style doors of Stone Town are more than architectural features—they are living documents of Zanzibar’s Indian Ocean cosmopolitanism. They represent centuries of migration, trade, faith, and artistry, all carved into wood and brass.

In an age where globalization often erases cultural distinctions, these doors stand as a reminder of what can happen when cultures meet—not in conflict, but in creativity.