Uttarakhand Houses and there Structure

Uttarakhand Houses and there Structure

Uttarakhand lies in the northern part of India and extends from the Tons- Yamuna river in the west to Kali river in the east. The west boundary of the state is bound with Himachal Pradesh and formed by Supin, Tons and Yamuna. The southern extend lies in the plains of western Uttar Pradesh while to the North is the region of Tibet. Uttarakhand is frequently visited by tourist, pilgrims, hermits, writers, naturalists and environmentalists as it is a treasure of natural beauty, diverse flora and fauna and a home to sacred temples and monasteries. There are many ancient temples and buildings in the region which were constructed over a period of time under the influence of the local culture, topography, materials available, geo-climatic conditions, and seismic activity. The Garhwal and the Kumaon regions have different local languages, culture and traditions. The building styles have also evolved independently in both the regions due to such differences.

Kumaon Region

Uttarakhand Houses and there Structure - This region comprises of the districts of Chamoli, Dehradun, Haridwar, Pauri Garhwal, Rudraprayag, Tehri Garhwal and Uttarkashi. The characteristic features of the traditional architecture found in this region are dictated by the immense availability of stone and timber in the areas. The walls are typically made of stone while timber is used for the structural purposes and the slates are used for roofing. The floors are made of wooden planks or mud, for insulation and occasionally stone slabs are also used.. The buildings are placed along the contours in the stepped terraces with large openings in front of the building and the waste drains in the rear part. The orientation of the houses are kept towards the east, south and west directions to get the benefit of the maximum direct sunlight. To receive sunlight at the rear part of the buildings also, the height and the spaces between them are graded. The most unique feature of the Kumaon building typology is the interior space organization and design. It is same irrespective of the economic class of the owner or the status in the society. The difference is only in the decoration of the entrance (Kholi) and slight variation in the sizes of the rooms and wood carvings. The sloping roof of slate and the intricate wooden carvings on the doors and windows give coherence and unity to the elements of the building. There is usually no change in the design of the houses even when two units are placed together.
Uttarakhand Houses and there Structure - The design of the typical traditional house i.e. the 'Kholi' has the entry from the centre of the house dividing the house into two parts. Over time, both the parts have evolved into two separate units on either sideof the stairs. The ground floor is called 'Goth' and is meant for cattle, fodder and storage. This helps to give warmth to the upper floors where the people reside. The living areas on the first floor have a sitting area in the front (Chakh) and a multi-purpose middle room (Majhala) with a central wooden non-structural pillar. The kitchen is in the attic or top floor which is approached by a wooden ladder and is ventilated through the holes in the roof slates. For storage, the space below the stair landings are used as stores (Kotharis) and loft above the chakh. To conserve the natural warmth in winters the height of the floors especially of Goth, kitchen and lofts are kept very low. Openings are kept very small for the similar reasons.

Typical house from Kumaon region

Typical house from Kumaon region

Uttarakhand Houses and there Structure - These compact traditional buildings are visually harmonious with their surroundings but they lack in the basic sense of the interior- exterior spaces relationships. This is apparently because of the cellular compactness of the utility spaces. The spaces even have inadequate light and ventilation.

2. Garhwal Region

Uttarakhand Houses and there Structure - This region comprises of the district of Almora, Bageshwar, Champawat, Nainital, Pithoragarh, and Udham Singh Nagar. The houses in this region are placed after careful site selection usually enroute to the pilgrim centers, near sources of water and in the areas which provide protection from the cold winds in winter. The traditional houses are built along the contours of the hills and are generally of two or three floors, having a rectangular plan.
Uttarakhand Houses and there Structure - The living and cooking areas have low height and are provided above the cattle space, fuel and fodder space to provide warmth in winters. Approach to the living areas on the first floor is through the staircase on the side of the house. The balcony mostly 75cm in width in front of the house forms an integral part of the building. Construction materials like stone, wood and slate are used extensively as they are locally available and easy to handle using manual tools, equipments and manual labour. A wooden structural frame is made and locally available stone is infilled for making the walls. The beams and columns made of timber are intricately carved to improve the aesthetics. Floors and ceiling of the building are also made from the wooden planks. The sloping roofs are made with slates and are supported over wooden trusses. The 'Kothar' or the grain storage structure symbolizes the affluence of the family and is located near the house. These are wooden structures placed 1.0m above the ground level with a small gap all-around the rectangular structure to keep it isolated so that the grains do not get damaged easily. At some strategic locations, 7-8 storied tall wooden structures were made with timer frames called 'Sumers'. These structures dominate the skyline and served as emergency shelters, watch towers, place of village diety and as a landmark for the town. Such structures are more than 200 years old and have sustained the seismic activities of the region. Sumers have a modular form and were made flexible enough to bear the tremors of an earthquake, with the floor to floor height extending from 1.5 to 1.8 m. In Garhwal region, the overall settlement and the built-forms incorporate multi-utilization of the stepped slopes cut through the hills, and is governed by the close relationship between the man and nature.