VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE OF HIMACHAL PRADESH

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▪ Himachal Pradesh is a state in Northern India.

▪ It is spread over 21,495 sq meters and is bordered by Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the south, Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on the east.

▪ Himachal Pradesh is known to be abundant in natural beauty .

▪ Hindus make up 95% of the state population, making it the most Hindu state (proportionally), in India . It is least urbanized state in India with nearly 90% of population living in rural area .

▪ The history of the area that now constitutes Himachal Pradesh dates back to the time when the Indus valley civilisation flourished between 2250 and 1750 BCE. Tribes such as the Koilis, Halis, Dagis, Dhaugris, Dasa, Khasas, Kinnars and Kirats inhabited the region from pre-historic era.

General information about the place

Geography , climate

Himachal is situated in the western Himalayas . It is a mountainous state with elevation ranging from about 350 metres to 7,000 metres above the sea level . There is great variation in the climatic conditions of Himachal due to extreme variation in elevation. The climate varies from hot and sub-humid tropical in the southern tracts to cold, alpine and glacial in the northern and eastern mountain ranges with more elevation .

Broadly Himachal experience three seasons; hot weather season, cold weather season and rainy season. Summer lasts from mid April till the end of June and most parts become very hot with the average temperature ranging from 28 °C to 32 °C .Winter lasts from late November till mid March. Snowfall is common in alpine tracts .

Flora and fauna Himachal has great variety of flora and fauna which differs with elevation

•Lowest elevation - tropical and subtropical dry and moist forests •Haryana and U.P border – thorn shrubs and deciduous forests •Rising into the hills – western Himalayan broadleaf forests and subtropical pine forests . This forests contain various deciduous and evergreen oaks , spruce , deodar blue pine and chir pines . •Uppermost elevations – alpine shrubs , alders , birches etc … Many flowers like tulips , marigolds , lilies , carnations , roses are also abundantly found Himachal Pradesh is a well known habitat to a variety of animals. There are around 1200 bird and 359 animal species in the state. This includes Leopard , Snow leopard , musk deer etc…

State of Himachal Pradesh has a treasure of traditional architecture. This traditional architecture has stood the test of time. This art and architecture have mostly grown out of age-old cultural heritage and numerous religious beliefs . The ancient art and architecture of Himachal Pradesh have survived in the form of metal sculpture, wood carvings, stone carvings, paintings, traditional residential settlements and temple architecture . Layout planning is complicated due to constraints of hilly terrain for construction of buildings and roads beyond certain degree of slope. It is further complicated due to the following: -Difficulty of getting suitable orientation on the hill slopes.

-Problems of soil erosion and land slides. -Existence of tall shoddy trees and dense forest area, which obstruct the winter sun required for the buildings. -Limitations on the height of the building due to earthquake risk. -High cost involved in the site development due to the cutting and the filling process. -Non-availability and transportation problems of construction materials

Culture

Himachal was one of the few states that had remained largely untouched by external customs, largely due to its difficult terrain. Himachal Pradesh is a multi-religional , multicultural as well as multilingual state like other Indian states. Some of the most commonly spoken languages includes Hindi, Punjabi, Pahari, Dogri,Mandeali, Kangri and Kinnauri . There are also tribal population in the state which mainly comprise Gaddis, Kinnars, Gujjars, Pangawals and Lahaulis.

Himachal is well known for its handicrafts. The carpets, leather works, shawls, paintings, metal ware, woodwork and paintings are worth appreciating. Local music and dance reflects the cultural identity of the state. Through their dance and music, they entreat their gods during local festivals and other special occasions. Apart from the fairs and festivals that are celebrated all over India, there are number of other fairs and festivals, including the temple fairs in nearly every region that are of great significance to Himachal Pradesh.

KATH KHUNI HOUSES

House is a space inhabited by people and their stories . Each vernacular house in himachal has got its own character . Houses are usually cubical units staggered above or next to each other . Smallest houses are single cuboids stacked in 2 or 3 layers . Each house is built according to the family capacity and its socio-economic status. In each level of the house and in each season , spaces are used in a pattern that makes the village a cohesive unit . Balconies are entirely built of wood and is an integral part of each settlement .

PLANNING

Features

Kath khuni is a indigenous wood and stone construction technique employed by all types of vernacular built forms which can be seen in Sutlej valley of himachal . Both practical and aesthetically pleasing Uses local materials in a systematic process of layering. Walls are made of deodar (a mountainous cedar wood) and limestone with rubble acting as insulation . plinth is entirely constructed of stone . Slate shingles which rest on these wooden framework complete and cap the building as the roof tiles . They are fixed to wooden framework using metal nails . These shingles protect the structure from rain , snow . One peculiar feature is projecting carved stone in one or more corners . studies say that it can be either for a structural purpose or might have some cultural significance too .

Section showing construction details of a typical kath khuni house

In warm sunny days most of the works are carried out outside in balconies corridors etc whereas in cold winters activities are performed within the warmth of the wood and stone walls. There are transitional spaces which are connecting links between interior personal rooms and shared spaces . These spaces include plinth at ground floor and balconies at upper floors and also vertical connections like stairs and steps The plinth at the ground floor extends from the structure to the tip of the overhangs . The case is same even for balconies . The plinth extension is found only on 3 sides and the rear side facing mountain has stone layering in order to prevent the sliding of rock and rubble into the house .

In the harsh mountainous terrain , cator and cribbage construction is quick and efficient . The construction does not require skilled carpenters , stonemasons or any specialized tools . The method adopted is energy efficient , low cost and climate responsive too . The rubble masonry between wooden planks act as insulation and keeps the interiors warm in cold winter days and cool in summers . Kitchens have inbuilt furniture and places for storage . Attic spaces are also found in all the houses as storage of grains has to be considered compulsorily .

I N T E R A C T I V E S P A C E S

(Right)Wooden work which can be seen in door and window frames usually . Local artists working with wood (left top and bottom)

Granaries

In Himachal Pradesh , the importance of food grain storage and agricultural products are given great importance. Food in this region can be considered to be precious commodity due to extreme climate . So building of granaries is also given great importance . Granaries are of 2 types -free standing granaries -granaries inbuilt within houses Size and scale of granaries directly correlate to the volume of content stored . Granaries are mostly associated with temples in the region . They are usually composed of cuboids either single or multi storied with balconies on all the 4 sides which act as an interactive space for the people working there . They are usually covered with gable roof . Walls have small openings for cultivating bees .

Plan and section of a typical granary

Wooden and wood and stone temples

Being a state with maximum Hindu population , Himachal has its own unique style of temple architecture . There are many types like rock hewn ancient temples , kath-khuni temples , folk temples in granary clusters etc… Temples in Himachal are combination of works of greatest craftsmen and artists as well as sincere efforts of ordinary local people . The construction technique is very similar to the kath-khuni houses with stones used in foundations and roofs in the form of stone shingles . Entrance doors , pillars , entablatures are very finely decorated with wooden carved panels by the local craftsmen. Various festivals , rituals , local animals and plant motifs are depicted using carvings.

Wooden carvings in temples .

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