Roshandan
A roshandan (Hindi/Urdu: रोशनदान or روشندان) is a feature of many dwelling structures in North India and Pakistan that is a combined skylight and ventilating window.[1][2] Roshandans are usually located high on a room's walls, and often on top of windows. They are essentially smaller windows that swivel open when needed. Smaller roshandans are sometimes called roshandanis. The high location of roshandans means that, for part of the summer (except for the months when the Loo winds blow in the region), they can be kept open to allow heated air just below the ceiling to escape while retaining relatively cooler air inside.[2] In wintertime, they are kept shut and used purely as skylights.
Etymology
The term roshandan literally means "that which has/admits light" in several North Indian and Pakistani languages.[3] Though the word roshandan is often translated to ventilator in English in the Indian subcontinent, this is incorrect literally speaking.[3]
References
- Thomas George Percival Spear; Margaret Spear, India remembered, Orient Longman, 1981, ISBN 978-0-86131-265-8,
... The bungalow was a typical north Indian one, with a large central room lit only by skylights (roshandans) and a number of others opening out from them ...
- Pavan K. Varma, Sondeep Shankar, Mansions at dusk: the havelis of old Delhi, Spantech Publishers, 1992, ISBN 978-81-85215-14-3,
... Thirdly, while obviating direct sunlight, it had to allow some light and air to enter through overhead roshandans ...
- Centre for the Study of the Civilizations of Central Asia (Pakistan), Journal of Central Asia, Volume 19, Centre for the Study of the Civilizations of Central Asia, Quaid-i-Azam University, 1996,
... Roshandan means, -'that which has light'. The translation in English of such an architectural feature is usually 'ventilator'. ... Therefore the correct name for this oriental architectural feature is 'Roshandan' and not ventilator ...