TRADITIONAL INDIAN HOUSING
- Nishita Chopra
- Oct 15, 2020
- 5 min read
After covering the interiors of the house and what suits one best, this week we take a look at how the different types of traditional houses in India suit us best.
India, being a land of diverse cultures and traditions, each state calls for its own identity. With each direction you look at North, South, East, west; the cultural shift is so diverse with the language change, the clothing, the food and even the weather.
So lets study as to why the local architecture is so different from each state and how it benefits the people of the state. These styles were birthed with the need for architecture for the kind of climate and culture the region demanded but it also slowly accepted its peoples customs and became the traditional architecture of various places that we have come to know today.
Ancestral or traditional homes are still seen, preserved and used in many parts of the country, bearing witness and standing as testimony to the culture of living and staying together.
In this we discuss some traits that are largely found in some different northern regions, namely; Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, North east, Ladakh, West Bengal, Maharashtra.
There are some traits of old homes that are more or less same across different regions. Large double or more storied mansions, pillars, columns and wooden cravings, a central courtyard, a large open terrace and arched doorways are some basic outlines of how an old traditional home looks. However, it is the intricate finer local differences and designs that give each village, town or city its distinct own style.
TRADITIONAL HOMES OF PUNJAB:
Thanks to countless Bollywood movies we know very well that all Punjab houses are surrounded with yellow poppy fields and tractors. These houses are made of baked bricks and for doors there is wooden timbers. a typical Punjab house in a field also includes a cattle shed in its main courtyard. The courtyard is marked with a centrally placed floral arrangement where all ceremonies and rituals are carried out.
The living room is generally in the center and has many charpais laid out and the adjoining rooms are laterally positioned to the main hall. There is more often than not a veranda that runs along the house so the women can get the work done or socialize.
TRADITIONAL HOMES OF GUJARAT:
The houses in Gujarat are hard to stereotype as they have a lot of variety. With the changing weather or history in each part of Gujarat, there is a different traditional housing related to it. the Pols of Ahmedabad, the Bhungas of Kutch, the havelis of Ahmedabad and Bohri homes of Sidhpur.
The most famous of these are the Bhungas of Kutch, found majorly in Rann of Kutch. Typically identified by the conical thatched roof and circular walls. Built from locally available soil, bamboo and straw, the architecture and design is perfect to withstand the harsh climate as well as any tectonic or earthquake activity. This assembly of circular walls and conical roof also protects against sandstorms and cyclonic winds. The interiors are decorated with paintings and mirror works.
The pols of Ahmedabad, have narrow alleyways and are a group of homes that belong to the same caste, or religion of traders. Found mostly in Old Ahmedabad, the pols were gated communities where each family had its privacy but was yet a part of a larger cluster of the same kind.
The Bohra Community of Gujarat have influence over the regions of Kapadvani and the town of Sidhpur. The three to four storied homes have an internal courtyard in the center of the home with rooms and floors radiating on all sides. The tall windows, usually a few street facing as well as the ‘otla’ a pedestal of sorts outside the entrance for evening chit chats is an important social ingredient added into the otherwise personal properties.
TRADITIONAL HOUSES OF WEST BENGAL:
A fun fact, the word 'Bungalow' originated from Bengal. During the British rule, the one or two storey bungalows were adopted by the British as summer retreats. Most of such bungalows in West Bengal have a wide verandah at the front and all follow similar architecture.
Some features that are prominent in traditional Bengal homes are;
hanging balcony
columns running along the balconies
a large central courtyard with the tulsi plant placed in its center and a special puja mandap with apses behind arches where the idols are kept.
The various floors and rooms are well connected to each other via staircases and corridors. They have huge gardens surrounded. The interiors include a typical four poster bed and sandalwood furniture.
TRADITIONAL HOUSES OF RAJASTHAN:
Rajasthan has a blend of Mughal and Hindu architecture and it is very evidently seen from their palaces and forts to carved temples.
Some of the major architectural styles and elements are;
Jharokhas,
Chhattris,
Baodis (step wells),
Johad
Jaalis.
The nucleus of these havelis was the courtyard. The courtyard served as a light well and was very effective for ventilation in such hot and dry climates. The commonly used building materials included baked bricks, sandstone, marble, wood, plaster and granite. Such exquisite carving led to self-shading of the façade hence reducing overall heat gain of the building.
Projections and recessions of jharokhas and jaalis not only induced an aesthetically pleasing building elevation but also, added to the climate responsiveness of the design. The plan of havelis was generally linear with shorter side along the road and longer side as its depth.
TRADITIONAL HOUSES OF ASSAM:
The one important thing for Assam architecture to be kept in mind was the seismic activity.
They have quaint little houses, at the most, one storey high and constructed from material like bamboo and timber with metal sheets or thatch used for the roofing. In fact, the name for these Assam-type houses, Ikra, derives from the reeds used in the walls.
These traditional house designs feature bamboo walls raised by stilts and typically found in hilly regions; this construction was inspired by the frequent flooding and landslides. These houses have open spaces at both ends for people to be seated and have a garden out front for cultivation of their own crops. The kitchen usually lies at the heart of the house in this joint family culture.
TRADITIONAL HOUSES LADAKH:
Traditional houses in Leh are built using stones, timber, mud and mud bricks, and the housing layout reflects their different needs. The Buddhist altar is at the top of the house.
The most used and important room, including the kitchen faces the sun and the houses look impressive with a proper roof parapet as well as the windows and doors have detail carvings. The roofs of the homes are flat, and there is usually a basement to store the food during winter months.
TRADITIONAL HOUSES OF MAHARASHTRA:
Maratha architecture consists of functional spaces with pure clean lines adding dignity to its design. These homes are called wadas. These wadas are built around a courtyard. The main intention was to provide light and ventilation to the inner parts of buildings, which had thick walls with very few openings. Wadas were based on the square grid pattern.
The courtyard is then flanked with corridors or verandas around it which leads to different rooms from them. Fine surface plastering, decorative windows, carved mahirapi arches and, in many instances, facades patterned the exposed brick masonry walls. Rising to two or three floors (few had four floors), these buildings sported a baradwari or a 'watchtower' on the topmost floor.
This style was established and accepted well with the marathas rule and have only been developed from then on.
With the reduction in space, the same concept is still used in the chawls where a courtyard is flanked by one room flats on all four sides for community living.
With the country being so rich and vibrant in cultures and traditions, it makes one want to know the kinds of architecture this country has to offer.
In the coming weeks, we will start focusing on local architecture in different parts of India. Stay tuned because now we are jumping to a new series of Indian Architecture.
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