By Conrad Prabhu
Old neighbourhoods and date palm plantations are the essence of Al Hamra’s distinctive heritage.
Date palm gardens, mud-and-brick neighbourhoods and burbling streams are the very essence of Al Hamra. A visit to this wilayat is an opportunity for a range of diversions beyond its attractive landscapes Al Hamra is such a distinctive destination because of its traditional brick-and-mud settlements perched on the embankment of wadis, besides its ancient crumbling fortifications and the dramatic profiles of the Hajar mountains. But most of all this tiny wilayat’s special appeal lies in the stunning grandeur of its celebrated landmark — Jabal Shams — often hailed as the Sultanate’s own version of the Grand Canyon. Towering higher than any other mountain in Oman, it is every mountain-climber’s delight although the summit can attract sub-zero temperatures and even icy sleet during winter. You can begin a full-scale tour of Al Hamra with a visit to its old towns located on the foothills of the Hajar mountains. Unlike the crumbling mud-and-brick neighbourhoods of Adam, Nizwa and other wilayats, Al Hamra’s traditional settlements are largely intact with a few still inhabited, albeit with all modern amenities — electricity, water, air-conditioning and so on. In some ways they are unique in their design and layout. Unlike the clustered, communal-style homes of other famous neighbourhoods, Al Hamra’s old towns are largely independent units laid out terrace-style along the slopes of the hills. Several are two or three levels high and linked by narrow stairways built within the homes. Rooms are generally spacious and airy, and designed with a view to keeping the heat out and the cool in. Ceilings are exquisitely painted with Islamic and geometric patterns, and windows adorned with graceful carvings. In the early years of the Sultanate’s modern Renaissance, most of these settlements were abandoned by their inhabitants for the comfort and convenience of modern brick dwellings. But a few people have opted to remain in their traditional homes, which have since been reinforced and strengthened against the elements, and generally refurbished with all the trappings of modern living.
In fact, these traditional settlements are now an important part of Al Hamra’s unquestionably rich heritage. During the Year of Heritage in 1997, local residents staged a series of celebrations amid the picturesque ruins of these settlements. People danced through the narrow passageways of these neighbourhoods, and held folk performances and camel shows. For many older folk, it was an occasion to reminisce the simple joys of life in these settlements, marked by strong bonds of kinship and harmony. For the younger crowd, it was an opportunity to gain an insight into the close-knit fabric of community living that underpinned life in these settlements in bygone times. There’s a certain picture postcard-like quality to these distinctive settlements when viewed with the verdant date palm orchards growing alongside. Bountiful streams fed by mother springs deep within the Hajar mountains nourish these gardens. Scores of watchtowers dot the hilltops. Bountiful streams course through the wilayat’s vast date palm gardens around Al Hamra, attesting to the town’s importance in history. A tour of Al Hamra’s old neighbourhoods offers a flavour of the rich heritage of the wilayat. There are three different neighbourhoods — Western, Eastern and Central — all boasting their distinctive architecture and interiors. The Central Neighbourhood — the biggest by far — consists of a sprawl of multi-storey residential structures built in a tight huddle, separated only by narrow, dusty streets. Constructed entirely mud bricks and traditional saruj, they rest on a huge piece of sloping, volcanic rock. Squeezed beyond a rocky ledge and the lush date palm gardens, the neighbourhood grew vertically, as seen in the multiple floors of each structure. The oldest and biggest of the Central Neighbourhood’s homes is Bait al Safir, a 400-year-old rising four floors high. Covering an entire block, it features five massive wooden door reinforced with iron spikes and studs. Many of the 20-odd rooms along the periphery of the structure are fitted with portals for rifles and muskets. Al Hamra’s old souq, now in poignant ruin.
According to Abdullah bin Hamdan al Naabi, Majlis Ash’Shura member of the wilayat, the Central Neighbourhood was once home to wealthy tribal shaikhs and their families, as reflected in the richly painted ceilings and the relatively luxurious interiors. The well-heeled had a penchant for fine wood imported from India and Africa, for use as beams and in the ceilings. Vestiges of Yemeni architecture and battlemented crowns are also notable features of the architecture of this settlement. A bountiful falaj crisscrosses the neighbourhood, flowing right beneath the homes of the affluent. It is channelled to a huge swathe of date palm plantations overlooking the settlement. An old souq serving all three neighbourhoods now stands in desolate ruin not far from present day Al Hamra town. It was once a bustling marketplace boasting some 50 odd shops with separate auction rings for fresh fish and meat. Guarded by an imposing gateway, the souq stocked a range of local produce, besides imported tinned foodstuff and household essentials, says Al Naabi. A number of blacksmiths offered their services in this once vibrant bazaar. There is charm and tranquillity in these abandoned, yet poignant, ruins. Tourists linger in the atmospheric settings of the souq and the old neighbourhoods to take in their ambience and traditional character. In fact, the local authorities have taken measures to preserve this valuable heritage from encroaching modernity. Since many of these homes are still privately owned, any effort towards protecting these graceful structures must be initiated by their owners, says Sulaiman bin Soud al Jabri, Wali of Al Hamra. However, structures of great historical value cannot be modified, while changes if any, must be in harmony with the traditional character of the neighbourhood. Also accentuating Al Hamra’s appeal is the abundance of flora in the wilayat, thanks to its copious aflaj (water streams). In fact the surrounding mountains ensure an inexhaustible supply of water for the many wadis and aflaj that crisscross the breadth of Al Hamra. A season of heavy rains in the area has led to plentiful water flows through Wadi Ghul and Wadi al Nakhr. This bounteous supply also ensures that Al Hamra’s wonderfully rich heritage in green is nurtured year round.
Getting to Al Hamra From Muscat, take the interior road to Nizwa 170 km away, and then onward to Tanuf and beyond in the direction of Bahla. Before Bahla, a sign points you in the direction of Al Hamra. The town’s centre is about 12 km from this junction (totally 48km from Nizwa). Booming halwa trade in Al Hamra Tourists visiting Al Hamra always make it a point to sample the wilayat’s traditional delicacy, halwa, which is relished for its distinctive flavour. Strong demand for the sweetmeat is at the heart of a thriving cottage industry in halwa-making. Scores of traditional confectioneries have sprouted in Al Hamra town and in parts of the old neighbourhood as well, fuelled by a burgeoning appetite for this greatest of Oman’s traditional confections. Mohammed bin Salem al Abri, one of Al Hamra’s best-known confectioners, operates out of a small facility in one of the wilayat’s old neighbourhoods. A halwa-maker for well over three decades, Al Abri uses traditional ingredients such as fresh Omani ghee, rose water and starch to bring out the rich flavour of his product. Expensive saffron goes into premium varieties of his halwa. Branches from the acacia tree are used as firewood in the confectioning process. Production on a normal day averages around 30kg of the delicacy, but demand can be twice as high during Eid and festive occasions. In fact, the wilayat’s halwa-makers see their numbers swell during festive seasons, with many part-timers taking time off from regular jobs in government or private establishments to produce this much-relished delicacy.
Refrence:Prabhu,Conrad."Al Hamra."Last update:19th October 2003.http://www.newsbriefsoman.inf/features/al_hamra.htm.Information found:27 October 2004.