The Art Deco movement in the context of Architecture entered India (primarily through Mumbai) about a decade before its Independence. Globally, the Art Deco movement globally represented an age of industrial production, technological advancement and the use of reinforced concrete. Since its emergence in India, Art Deco has significantly contributed to the urban fabric of several cities across the country. A diverse range of building types have been influenced by the Art Deco style and its symbols, imagery and motifs that often adapted/modified Western styles with local settings to produce unique designs. While one finds extensive documentation and research related to Art Deco buildings present in larger Indian cities such as Mumbai, Hyderabad and Chennai, influences of this movement on the architecture of other regions of the country remain largely undocumented. In Gujarat, apart from major cities like Ahmedabad and Vadodara, Dharmaj has an invaluable repository of Art Deco buildings that are predominantly residential in nature. The town showcases multiple international influences on its built fabric due to the long history of outmigration from Dharmaj to diverse parts of the world. The Art Deco style is one such external influence that also presents strong evidence of association with the Indian freedom struggle.
