WEST BENGAL - INDIGENOUS AND COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE.
- Malika Vaidya
- May 16, 2021
- 5 min read
The Art and architecture of the Bengal region, which consists of present-day Bangladesh and the state of West Bengal, has a long rich history. It blends the indigenous elements of the various powers that ruled over it. The architecture includes ancient urban architecture, religious architecture, rural vernacular architecture, colonial townhouses and country houses, and modern urban styles. The bungalow style is a notable architectural export of Bengal.
TRADITIONAL BENGALI HOUSE
Traditional Bengali architecture uses brick and timber for construction as good stone for building was not locally available.
The plan form of a typical house consists of a long veranda which connects rooms aligned around a central inner courtyard. The courtyard acts as the core gathering space for the family all year round while also serving as a passive climate control element. Several techniques such as steep roofs to protect against the thrust of the wind and high plinth to protect against the floods are used to make the structure climate responsive. The thatch roof is projected beyond the walls and supported by stone pillars to form a veranda and to protect against the rain.
The region is also famous for its roofing styles which include the jor-bangla, do-chala, char-chala, at-chala, and ek-ratna. The do-chala type has only two hanging roof tips on each side of a roof divided in the middle by a ridge-line. The rare char-chala type has two roof halves fused into one unit which forms a dome-like shape. The at-chala type has eight roof corners.
There are different types of houses found in the Bengal region based on the construction material and roof used:
· Gacher ghor – house made of wood
· Basher ghor –house made of bamboo
· Tiner ghor- house made of tin.
Based on roof –
· Narar- chani or chaal (roof)-roof of straw(khord)
· Tiner – chani-roof of tin.
· Patar –chani/ chaal-roof of big leaves
· Choner-chaal- roof of big grass.
The mud used for the construction of such houses is of soft type known as atel mati. The more affluent had double-ceiling houses (dutala ghar) with the inner ceiling of mud plaster supported by wooden or bamboo planks. This construction made it fire proof and insulated against the summer heat and winter chill.
EARLY CIVILISATION AND BUDDHISM
Urbanisation in the region can be dated to the era after the decline of the Indus Valley Civilisation. The Bengal region was part of various trade routes through the sub-continent with its trade links extending as far as Persia. Evidence of an organised urban civilisation can be found in the archaeological sites of Mahasthangarh, Paharpur, Wari-Bateshwar ruins, Chandraketugarh and Mainamati.
The pinnacle of ancient Bengali architecture was achieved under the Pala Empire, which was the last Bengali and Buddhist power in the Indian sub-continent. Buddhist Viharas, Temples and stupas were built under the empire, the most famous of which is the Grand Vihara of Somapura.
A quadrangular structure consisting of 117 cells and a traditional Buddhist Stupa at the centre, the Somapura Mahavihara was an important intellectual centre for Dharmic traditions. The complex was dominated by a Hindu-Buddhist temple with a cruciform basement, terraced structure with inset chambers and gradually dwindling pyramid form, reminiscent of the temples of Burma, Java and Cambodia. It is believed that the Somapura Mahavihara was a model for the architects of Angor Wat in Cambodia.
TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE
Before the Muslim conquest in the 13th century, the Bengal region was a Buddhist and Hindu stronghold. Most of the Hindu temples built before the conquest are small and in ruins.
The Jain and Hindu temples of Bengal lack the mandapa besides the main shrine and the temple unit consists of only the shrine and the Deul (Shikhara) above it. The temple architecture is similar to the Kalinga architecture of Odisha where the term ‘Deul’ is also used for the superstructure.
The revival of temple architecture started 17th century onwards with the unique roofing style which was closely related to the paddy roofed traditional building style of rural Bengal. This can be observed in the architecture of the Char Bangla Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and built by Rani Bhabani. The temple is unique for its ‘Char Bangla’ term which indicates the number of structures built in the form of a typical Bengal village. Each temple has three arched openings with three Shiv Lingas. The temples are famous for their terracotta sculptures that depict the tales from daily life or Hindu mythology and facades decorated in rich ornamental brickwork which create interesting shadow patterns.
The availability of rich soil from the delta resulted in the extensive use of brick and terracotta for building in the region. The outer walls of many temples were covered in terracotta reliefs. The temples in Bhisnupur built during the 17th and 18th century by the Malla dynasty are remarkable examples of temples in terracotta bricks with a variety of roofing styles. The Rasmancha temple in the area, has a length and breadth of 26.5m and a height of 14.5m. The altar of the temple is made of laterite stone while the upper part is constructed with bricks which looks like a pyramid. The middle part is inspired by the Bengali huts while the arches resemble Islamic architecture.
In later temples, small towers which were straight sided with conical roofs, rose from the centre or corners of the curving roofs and were known as Ratnas.
INDO- ISLAMIC MOSQUE ARCHITECTURE
The influence of Indo-Islamic architecture in Bengal can be seen from the 13th century with the oldest surviving mosque built during the Delhi Sultanate. But, the most important element of Islamic architecture in Bengal is the mosque architecture of the independent Bengal Sultanate from the 14th to 16th centuries. The style includes curved chala roofs, corner towers and complex floral carvings which are inspired by the indigenous vernacular architecture of Bengal. The mosques of this era feature multiple as well as single domes, richly designed mihrabs and minbars. Clay and terracotta are used widely while stone is used scarcely for construction. The style includes gateways and bridges, and is widely spread across the region.
The spread of Mughal architecture in the form of forts, havelis, gardens, etc took place in the region under the Mughal rule. The mosques built in the region developed a distinct provincial style while the do-chala traditional roof was borrowed by the Mughals to construct buildings in North India.
COLONIAL BUNGALOWS OF BENGAL
The stamp of colonial architecture introduced by the British cannot be ignored in the Bengal region. The British occupation saw Kolkata emerge as an important city due to its strategic location from trading viewpoint. This led to construction of many structures influenced by the vernacular style adapted to colonial living which resulted in a strong Indo-Saracenic movement.
While the rural areas featured country houses, the urban cities had many architecturally significant structures that showcased the imperial power of the Raj. The Victoria Memorial, the General Post Office and the Metcalfe hall in Kolkata are some prime examples showcasing the power of the Raj. While the Victoria Memorial is a classic example of Indo-Saracenic architecture in the region, the GPO and Metcalfe hall showcase the European revival styles with their Corinthian and Ionic columns with leaf-like motifs and a domed roof.
The colonisation by the British led to the emergence of the Bungalow concept which arrived as an alien house form in the typical Indian setting. A typical bungalow consisted of a low, one storey spacious building with a symmetrical internal layout and a veranda all around, situated in a large landscaped compound. This concept countered the social construct and gender-oriented community of India.
The wealthy Bengali merchants and the rising middle class adopted the European Bungalow in an Indian setting with an eclectic blend of colonial taste and Indian ideologies. The Indian Bungalow did away with the veranda running all around the house and replaced it with an internal courtyard which adhered to the gender roles and social construct of the society. The décor was influenced by the Art Deco movement and the roofing was done in red clay tiles.
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