Traditional homes of the mid-hills

The almost unconscious ability of humans to coalesce as groups and then create systems of interaction and stability seems to have been a part of our evolutionary process. Why did man decide to create settlements? How did this alter the interaction of man and his environment? Various theories have been put forward — the need for security from others (which included species of humans that were still a step away from evolving as homo sapiens), the worship of common totems and forces, or the ability to pool resources for a common goal are some of the ideas that have been expressed over the years. Building and architecture form core features of this process. Like true folk architecture all over the world, Himachal Pradesh’s indigenous architecture once seemed quite immutable. It had grown out of the land, fulfilled local needs, used local materials, drew on local culture and within its own frame, was evolved and functional. Over the centuries, building methods successfully discharged domestic, temporal and religious requirements.

An arable piece of land, pastures, a forest and its produce at hand and a water source reasonably free from seasonal fluctuations lent itself for a village or even a town. This, in turn, led to some form of stability and varied architectural forms. The complexities of morphology, cultural assimilation or exclusivity and resource divisions by caste or status were to follow. The higher castes and important people would have their houses in the best positions, while the lower castes would normally be at the fringes and yet, the interdependence was considerable.

The role of the village deity, devta, was at the core of establishing and maintaining social relationships. Through him, the ruler established his legitimacy and through the devta, the people carried their grievances to the ruler. He was the repository of grain kept for an emergency and was the final sanction giver of loans for weddings or deaths.

As we move through the years, migration seems to have been the main reason for the settling of the area that is now Himachal. These migrations also brought their architectural influences — for example, many ‘shikhara’ or ‘latika’ style temples can be dated to just after the fall of the great empires of North India (the Guptas or that of Harshvardhan), and the migration of artisans who often moved up the river valleys.

It was in the pre-colonial period that one of the most remarkable forms of construction evolved. This was the ‘kathkuni’ style: ‘kath’ (wood) and ‘kuni’ (corner). Its singular characteristic remains the complete absence of diagonal and perpendicular members in construction. A mesh of interlocking — horizontally placed — wooden sleepers is created. These slabs of wood vary from 6 inches to over a foot in thickness and their length determines the dimensions of every plinth. The ends are mortised or dovetailed. In this solid frame, dressed or raw stone — shale, quartzite or grey sandstone — is packed without the use of mortar. This lacing owes most of its character and strength to the presence of ‘deodar’, Himalayan cedar forests in the area. This wood, even when untreated, is insect and termite-resistant. It can withstand weather corrosion for long periods.

Using the basic elements of this design, variations have been created. The residential form is often single or double-storeyed, and normally, cattle are housed in the lower floor with the family occupying the chambers on the first floor. Temples and the famous ‘towers’ of these hills can be several stories high. These towers, which normally functioned as both temples and ‘thakurdwaras’, the semi-sacred residences of the local chiefs, typically have the shape of a gabled mushroom. Over a stone plinth, which could be several feet high, the lower section rises with unswerving plumb.

Using wooden cantilevers, the upper section balloons over the lower stem and houses the deity’s chamber. This also acts as a canopy and offers some protection against snow and rain at the ground level. Often enough, these structures had to discharge defensive functions and their height and solidity gave them a level of impregnability. More often than not, staircases are absent and the upper floors are connected by notched logs and trapdoors. Internally, the ground floor will stick to dry stone walls. The rooms above are normally plastered with a mixture of pine needles, clay and ash. The resinous quality of the scented pine needles adds the virtue of being a partial disinfectant and repellent of insects. Windows are tiny and doors require a stoop to enter.

Chimneys are absent in the older homes and smoke could only worm its way out through the roof boards and slate tiles. The roof, invariably draped with slate or with slabs of quartzite, moves with a wide obtuse angle at the edges. This transforms itself into a sharp acute angle to finally hold the ridge beam. Embellishments in the sacred structures come from carvings on the beams, lintels and eaves boards and unusual wooden tassels that dangle from the fringes.

Elaborate rituals accompany the construction. Ideally, the main aspect of a house should face east, the direction of the rising sun. Given the topography, this is not always possible, and a northern or western orientation is acceptable. The ‘goor’ or ‘chela’ or ‘mali’, the principal worshipper and oracle of the local deity, played a major role in the site selection and in placing the foundation. He would pray either at the site itself or over a sod or stone brought from the place where the house was to be built. He then divined an auspicious time for the start of construction. Along with the master builder (‘chanahara’ or ‘thavi’), the person who is building the house would go to the site well before dawn. Prayers would be offered. The attempt was to lay the first line of stones before light and allow the corner stone to merge with the others so that the key stone remains secret.

Similar rituals were followed when the main door-frame of the house was fixed and the ridge beam placed. The ridge beam, normally a complete tree trunk, was accorded singular tributes. In temples, this may be brought from a specific ‘sacred grove’.

Walls of rammed earth, ‘mathkanda’, are popular all over Himachal and in the treeless tracts of the Trans Himalaya, some stunning architecture has been created on seemingly insurmountable sites. These adobe (in situ sun-dried slurry or sun-dried mudbrick) structures have formed both homes and substantial monasteries. This form, along with raw stone packing, is still used extensively, especially in rural areas.

— The writer’s book, ‘Heritage Himachal’, has been published by INTACH in collaboration with Aryan Books International