8/9/2019 Indian Vernacular -A Rich Tradition

1/3

| Poetry | Blogs | BoloKids | Writers | Contribute | Search | Contact | Site Map | Advertise | RSS

http://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=Kabirhttp://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=NewPoetryhttp://blogs.boloji.com/http://www.bolokids.com/http://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=Writerhttp://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=Contributehttp://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=Searchhttp://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=Contacthttp://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=SiteMapmailto:rk@boloji.net?Subject=Advertise%20on%20bolojihttp://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=RssFeedhttp://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=NewPoetryhttp://blogs.boloji.com/http://www.bolokids.com/http://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=Writerhttp://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=Contributehttp://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=Searchhttp://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=Contacthttp://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=SiteMapmailto:rk@boloji.net?Subject=Advertise%20on%20bolojihttp://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=RssFeed

8/9/2019 Indian Vernacular -A Rich Tradition

2/3

"#$

*iary

hts

age

Architecture

The Indian Vernacular : A Rich Tradition

byAshish Nangia

What is the vernacular/ *oes it &ean the architecture o0 villages and re&ote settle&ents! or is it si&pl

opposition to the 1&odern2 or 1designed2/ ,hese 3uestions! especially in the conte4t o0 (ndia! are not ea

,he vernacular can be si&ply de0ined as

7of, relating to, or characteristic of a period, place, or group ;especially : of, relating to, or being the common building style

of a period or place 8

,hough this de0inition is better applied to Western culture! &ore so in the conte4t o0 9orth A&erica! 5

o0ten denotes pioneer construction and architecture! or the shingle style! or even the 0orest constructionthe Roc+ies6 ,he 1vernacular2! in (ndia! denotes lo5 cost! traditional village and s&all to5n settle&ent

is carried out 5ithout the help o0 architects and pro0essionals! 5here building activity is regulated by a

stretches bac+ 0or &any centuries! in &any cases6

:ernacular settle&ents in (ndia o0ten ta+e on the shape and 0or& that is dictated by the cli&ate they are

cultural nor&s that they are designed to preserve and protect6 .or e4a&ple! village settle&ents in the heat given o00 by &ulch

house above 0urther?6 (n Kerala! village houses are slope;roo0ed 5ith Mangalore tiles and thatch to dra

rain6 (n Assa&! the sa&e houses are o0ten built on stilts! the better to counter the o0ten da&p ground6 (n

on the outside 5alls helps to cool do5n the su&&er heat6

http://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=Categories&CategoryID=78http://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=Categories&CategoryID=9http://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=Categories&CategoryID=10http://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=Writers&WriterID=266&CategoryID=10http://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=Categories&CategoryID=78http://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=Categories&CategoryID=9http://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=Categories&CategoryID=10http://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=Writers&WriterID=266&CategoryID=10

8/9/2019 Indian Vernacular -A Rich Tradition

3/3

; See &ore at httpFF5556bolo@i6co&Finde46c0&/

&dGContentHsdGArticlesHArticle(*G#"I"sthash6$M0avn6dpu0

Houses near enares showing settlement patterns in harmony with the en!ironment"

,he list could go on! but in each case 5e see that vernacular architecture in (ndia2s diverse regions has

5ay o0 responding to the cli&ate and the environ&ent that is sustainable! sho5s an intelligent approachcli&ate! and is a delicate balance o0 social and cultural 0actors through spatial vocabulary such as 5all

and se&i;private and private spaces6

Cli&ate! o0 course! is a predo&inant 0actor in deter&ining the 0or&s o0 vernacular architecture in (ndia

varies 0ro& the scorching sun in the 'angetic plains to the tropical conditions o0 the south! 0ro& the dr

Spiti and Leh to the perennially da&p conditions in the northeast o0 the country6 ,his variation in cli&

o0 0or&s 0or vernacular architecture6

Apart 0ro& cli&ate! geography too is a deter&ining 0actor6 'eography! once again! can vary 0ro& the h

-i&alayas and Kash&ir! to the 0lats o0 the *eccan and the south! 0ro& the da&p ground o0 Assa& andearth o0 Pun@ab6

Vernacular #onstruction in $erala"

,he third 0actor is the availability o0 &aterial and the types o0 &aterial available6 (n 'oa and Karnata+

red laterite stone &a+es this the &ediu& o0 choice 0or vernacular construction! and in north (ndia a cla

sunburnt bric+s and &ud &ortar a co&&only used &ediu&6 Ba&boo construction can be 0ound in the

tiled 5ith the so;called 1&angalore2 tiles in the south6 Si&ilarly! a plethora o0 sandstone &ade &edieva

0a&ous 1Pin+ City2! and a si&ilar stone 5as used to 0ace Mughal buildings in the #th century6

An interesting theory holds that &aterials could also vary according to the caste syste&6 White stone isby Brah&ins! red by$shatriyas! yello5 by Vaishyasand blac+ stone by %hudras6 While these classi0

history in the ne5 (ndia! there is &uch to be gained by evaluating these clai&s &ore closely6

:ernacularis& in architecture has been upheld as a &odern value! a tradition to be observed 5hile desi

.ollo5ers o0 vernacularis& as a building tradition have been &any a&ongst the &ost 0a&ous internat

been that o0 -assan .athy >#D"";#DED?! 5ho in his nu&erous pro@ects in %gypt replicated and rediscov

traditions o0 the region that 5ere thought to be dead! giving the& a ne5 &eaning and relevance6 Si&ilathat &ost avid o0 Modernists! rediscovered the &agic o0 the vernacular in his later pro@ects such as the

the &onu&ents at Chandigarh! and the chapel at Roncha&p6

http://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=Categories&CategoryID=25http://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=Categories&CategoryID=28