THE SEVEN SISTERS – Sustainable Architecture of North East India
- Malika Vaidya
- Jan 24, 2021
- 5 min read
The north east region of India is a small sized region having one of the highest biodiversity densities in the world. Its formidable terrain consisting of mountains, hills, rain-forests, river, and jungles, remain comparatively unexplored resulting in a lack of infrastructure. But, the lack of infrastructure has helped preserve the vernacular style of housing both unique and traditional to the local tribes.
The north East region consists of seven states
· Arunachal Pradesh
· Assam
· Manipur
· Mizoram
· Meghalaya
· Nagaland
· Tripura
Collectively known as The Seven Sisters. The north east region is physio geographically categorised into the Eastern Himalayas, the Patkai and the Brahmaputra & the Barak valley plains.
ARUNACHAL PRADESH
Arunachal Pradesh is a relatively new state, formed in 1987, prior to which it was referred to as the North East Frontier Agency (NEFA). The name ‘Arunachal Pradesh’ literally means the land of dawn-lit mountains and its scenic mountainous terrain is testimony to the name. It falls under the Eastern Himalayas physio geographical zone.
The traditional tribal housing of Arunachal Pradesh makes use of locally available materials such as bamboo, wood, palm leaves, etc resulting in an architectural style which is unique, eco-sensitive and sustainable to the region.
The Adi Tribe
Staying true to the name 'Adi' meaning man of the hill, the tribe inhabits the unspoiled and often unexplored valleys of the Brahmaputra river. The tribe has a remarkable sense of artistry which is showcased in their weaving and their noteworthy cane suspension bridges.
The houses of the Adi tribe are constructed using bamboo, wood, cane, and dry leaves are used as thatch to cover the roof. The house is raised well above the ground on stilts as the valley is prone to frequent floods. They are either constructed on plain ground or on a sloping area. The raised floor is constructed by tying wooden beams on the stilts. No nails are used in this form of construction. The bamboo and cane are tied together using flattened bamboo. The space below the slits is used to keep farm animals and as a storage area.
The Nyishi Tribe
One of the largest tribes inhabiting the region, the Nyshis were residents of the ‘hilly area’ of Arunachal Pradesh and were known to show no obedience to the Ahom kings of Assam. The tribe is known for their expertise in handicrafts i.e weaving, cane and bamboo works, pottery, wood carving etc.
The tribe has evolved a joint family system where no individual member owns property, whether movable or immovable. A Nyishi house is constructed with wood and bamboo while using thatch, Chinese palm leaves and banana leaves as roofing material depending on their local availability. The bamboo and wood are bound together using cane ropes.
The floor of the house is raised 2.5m above ground and the roof height lies 2.5m from the floor level. The plan consists of a front, rear and side veranda with bedrooms and guest room. The common room contains the fire place which also acts like the kitchen.
Both the Adi and Nyishi tribe typology is very flexible and light weight due to the use of Bamboo and wood as construction material. It is also very earthquake resistant. In case of seismic activity, the loss of life and damage to property is minimised due to the use of bamboo and wood.
Longevity is the only disadvantage in this form of construction as a house built using the above material, though sustainable, lasts for about 10-12 years with the replacement of roofing material every 3-5 years.
ASSAM
The state of Assam is a naturally green state with never ending monsoons, leading to the adaptation of climate-oriented architecture in its local built forms. The vernacular built form consists of three main characteristics, namely, use of bamboo, hip or gable roof and raised plinth level. Bamboo is used as it is abundantly available as a local building material. Assam being in the seismic zone, experiences frequent earthquakes. Use of lightweight material such as bamboo prevents big economical losses. The gable roof prevents water logging during the heavy monsoons. Since, the area is prone to heavy monsoons and floods, the high plinth level protects the house from flooding.
Some of the techniques used in vernacular style of construction include the use of trusses, bamboo joints such as lap joints, scarf joints or horned joints and interlacing of bamboo in the construction of walls.
Typical features
The walls of the building are made of timber framework with panels infilled with ‘Ikara’ – a local weed growing wildly in river plains and lakes in Assam. These weeds are cut in size to the panel and laid vertically as infill. After the Ikara is laid, the panel is left to dry for a few days. It is then plastered on both sides in mud mortar. The final coat is a mix of mud and cow dung. A typical building is two storeys high with a timber staircase connecting the floors. The building is symmetrical on both sides with open spaces on the front and rear sides.
From an architectural perspective, the vernacular style of construction embodies the best from a topographical, socio-economic and climate outlook. But, the plugging of stilts directly into the ground without a foundation has led to sinking upto 300mm in many cases.
NAGALAND
Nagaland is located on the Eastern margin of the Himalayan range and is home to a multitude of tribes. The original inhabitants are called Nagas and are known for their settlements to be inaccessible as they are located on hill slopes or on the highest point of a hill slope.
Sema Tribe
The Semas were head hunters, hence, an enemy trespassing would be caught and beheaded and their head would be hung up. But, the lifestyle of the Sema tribe was an agrarian one.
A Sema village is usually built on the summit of a hill or on the shoulder of a spur. A good way to identify one Sema tribe from the other would be to look at the houses. All houses within a village were built in the same style. This was to ensure that one could identify which tribe a particular village belonged to from a distance.
Bamboo, wood and thatch were the main materials used for construction in the vernacular style of architecture in Nagaland, and a Sema house was no exception. The interior of a Sema house was divided into four main parts, namely.
· The Akishekhoh or the front room
The room houses rice pounding tables and acts as an addition to the front of the house. Animals like dogs, pigs and chicken are kept here and it doubles up as the sleeping quarters for the unmarried men of the household.
· The Abidelabo is a narrow room between the Akishekhoh and the Amiphokiboh (hearth room) where the unmarried girls of the household sleep.
· The Akuzoabo is the sleeping quarters of the head of the family and his wife.
· The Azhibo is the room where rice liquor is stored in bamboo jugs.
Some of the other features of these dwellings were smaller openings to trap the heat inside, placement of the fireplace in living quarters to elevate comfort level, steeply sloped roofs to avoid any rain water retention and seepage and smaller scale of living spaces.
The vernacular architecture of the North East region is both highly functional & sustainable, and takes advantage of the topographical, climate and socio-economic factors of the region. The style of architecture has slowly been declining due to the influx of modern materials which are more durable compared to the locally available alternatives.
References:
https://www.slideshare.net/SonakshiBhattacharjee/vernacular-architecture-of-north-east-india
https://www.slideshare.net/AbhishekSharma592/vernacular-architecture-of-assam
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