Vernacular Architecture of Himachal Pradesh - Kath kuni architecture

1. STUDY OF HIMACHAL PRADESH
VERNACULAR
PRESENTED BY:
MEGHA SANADYA (35)
PALLAVI PRAKASH (43)
SHIVANGI NISHAD (62)
JATIN KAUR (29)
KOMAL SINGH (33)

2. What is vernacular ?
• The term vernacular is derived from the Latin vernaculus,
meaning "domestic, native, indigenous"; from verna, meaning
"native slave" or "home-born slave". Hence it means “native
science of building”.
• Vernacular architecture is based on local needs, availability
of construction materials and reflecting local traditions.
• It refers to the type of architecture which is indigenous to a
specific time or place which can not imported or copied from
elsewhere. It is most often applied to residential buildings.

3. About Himachal…
• Himachal Pradesh is predominantly a
mountainous State located in North – West
India.
• The name was coined from Sanskrit Him means
'snow' and achal means 'land' or 'abode’ literally
means "The Abode of Snow“.
• The State has highly dissected mountain ranges
interspersed with deep gorges and valleys.
• The State have been divided into 3 Divisions, 69
Subdivisions.The 12 districts comprising 78
Development Blocks, 3226 Gram Panchayats
and 20960 villages.
• The state has a population of 68,64,602 persons
with literacy rate of 82.80%.

4. Geography :
• The land rises from plains at an altitude
350 meters from mean sea level on the
southwest to an altitude of 6975 meters in
the east towards theTibetan plateau.
• It is located between Latitude 30⁰ 22.40 N
to 33 ⁰ 12.20 N and Longitude 75 ⁰ 45.55 E
to 79 ⁰ 04.20 E.
• It covers an area of 55,673 square
kilometers with density of 123 person per
sq. km.
• The urban area covers only 10.03% of the
total area while the rural settlement
sprawls over 89.97%.

5. Topography :
Topographically, the state can be divided into
three zones:
• The Shiwaliks or Outer Himalayas: It covers
the lower hills of Kangra, Hamirpur, Una,
Bilaspur, lower parts of Mandi, Solan and
Sirmour districts. Within this zone, altitude
varies from 350 m to 1500 m.
• Inner Himalayas or mid-mountains:Altitude
varies from 1500 m to 4500 m above mean sea
level and includes areas such as the upper
parts of Pachhad and Renuka in Sirmaur
district, Chachiot and Karsog tehsils of Mandi
district and upper parts of Churah tehsil of
Chamba district.
• Alpine zone or the greater Himalayas: Has
altitude above 4500 m above mean sea level
and comprises areas of Kinnaur district, Pangi
tehsil of Chamba district and area of
Lahaul&Spiti district.

6. Influencing Factors :
Factors influencing the vernacular architecture of any specific place are –
 Climate:The structure of the building must sustain all the effects caused
by the climate change, rainfall and winds thus the building topology of the
particular area is unique.
 Culture:The cultural background also helps in framing the vernacular of
any specific area.The beliefs and rituals practice by the people, the local
food and living style also plays a vital role.
 Materials: Material used will depend upon the physical condition of that
area.Vernacular is sustainable and doesn’t exhaust local resources. Only
those resources are used which are found in abundance and are non-
exhaustive.

7. Climate :
• There is a huge variation in the
climatic condition due to variation in
altitude.The climate varies from:
 hot and sub-humid tropical (350-
900m) in the southern low tracts
 warm and temperate (900-1800m)
 Cool and temperate (1900-2400m)
 Cool glacial and alpine (2400-
4800m) in the northern and eastern
high elevated mountain ranges.
• The annual average rainfall is
1469mm.

9. Climate Influence :
• Due to the cold climate, the southern
slopes are preferred.The orientation of
the houses is to maximize the penetration
of the sun rays.
• The path of the sun, controls the height of
building, as the sun is needed for each
dwelling unit.
• The structure is a two storey building with
anAttic.
• Low Height of the rooms (2.1 – 2.4 m)
which results in low surface to volume
ratio reducing heat loss from surfaces.

10. Climate Influence :
• Small window size and low ceiling height to prevent heat loss and keep the
interiors warmer.
• Terrace in all around the building should have proper slope for efficient
drainage, in heavy rain fall and snow fall areas.
low ceiling height
Small windows
slope for efficient
drainage

11. Culture :

12. Culture :

13. Culture :

14. Culture :

15. Cultural Influence :
• The major occupation – agriculture.Thus the house consist of many stores
built for storage of grains.
• Service Area forms a separate unit away from the living quarters. Generally,
cow-shed and kitchen forms a separate unit.
• The Indian calendar months of Baisakh, Poh, Magh and Phalgun are regarded
as auspicious for the start of construction.
• Ideally, the main aspect of the house should face east and the rising sun.
• As a general rule the houses do not have a boundary wall.

16. Building Materials :
DeodarWood
• Easily available, one of the strongest Indian
conifers.
• Imparts stability to tall structures.
• This wood is insect and termite resistant and
even when untreated, can withstand long
periods of weather corrosion.
• Used in making posts, beams, window and
door frames, shutters, roofs etc.
• Soft wood, easy to work in absence of high
tech tools.
• Its properties were understood early and its
texture and scent have been prized for ages.

17. Building Materials :
Mud
• Easy availability.
• Good insulation.
• Good binding properties.
• Either mud is filled into the wooden forms and
rammed into the place slowly building up the
wall or sun dried mud blocks are used in the
construction of the wall.

18. Building Materials :
Stone
• Hard Stone: Obtained from
local quarries and used in
building foundation and walls.
• SlateTiles: Metamorphic rock.
Used in roofs of buildings. Has
high quartz content, frost
resistant, absorbs heat and
provides moisture barrier. Low
maintenance, Invulnerable to
rot and insects.

19. Natural Hazards :
• The state experiences the fury of
nature in various forms like
cloudbursts, flash floods, landslides,
snow avalanches, droughts, forest
fires etc.
• Floods are one of the most frequent
natural disasters which the state
experiences every year.
• Himachal Pradesh falls under the
seismic zones IV andV with very high
risk earthquakes of magnitude 8 and
greater.

20. Mitigating Earthquake
• To counter the seismic forces, the
traditional structures usually stand on a
high solid plinth, made up of dry dressed
stone masonry. The huge mass serves as
a dampener pad to the earthquake forces
and the dry construction allows for
vibration and hence faster dissipation of
the energy.
• In higher levels layers of wood and stone
cage are constructed with rubble in
between. It is non rigid and allows the
building to flex with seismic waves and
quickly dissipate destructive energy of
earthquake.

21. • Slope of the ground should not be more than 30º as far
as possible even in rocky reaches to avoid instability
problems.

22. Kath-Khuni Architecture :
• The architectural style which develops from natural and cultural
background of the place is famously known as kath-khuni architecture.
• The origin of the term is explained by O.C Handa as ‘combination of two
local terms: kath and kuni. The word kath is a dialectal variation of the
Sanskrit word kashtth, which means wood, kuni is again a dialectical
variation of the Sanskrit word kona, that is, an angle or armcorner.
• The inherent stability, flexibility, and strength of indigenous kath-khuni
(wood and stone) buildings make them appropriate for this earthquake-
prone terrain.
• The technique articulates local materials in systematic layers, which make
it practical as well as aesthetically gratifying.

23. Kath-Khuni Architecture :
• The widespread technique of kath-khuni construction can be found in buildings of
various scales, from quite large darbargadhs and kots, to intricate and majestic
temples, to modest houses and even small standalone structures like granaries.
• A typical house in Himachal is usually two or three- storey high while a temple may
rise much higher from a single storey to a tower with seven storeys.The method of
construction and elements remain similar in most cases.The level of articulation
and detailing is far more intricate and elaborate in temples.

24. Typical Components :

25. Settlement Pattern :
• The vernacular architecture of hamlets
in Himachal Pradesh also varies from
region to region, depending upon the
climatic factors and the availability
of local materials.
• Factors affecting the settlement has
always been the slope of the settlement
area, ridge and the valley.
• Typically located along the contoured
sunny slope amidst the back drop of hills
and snow clad mountains.
• The traditional settlements appear to
have the ‘color of land’ and almost
ecologically planned.

26. Settlement Pattern :
• The traditional house is in the form of a hut, and a hamlet develops when there
are more than one hut and a small temple, dedicated to the local deity is
gradually added.Thus from a singular structure of a hut, a small settlement is
developed.
• Temple is the heart of most settlements and usually sited at the highest spot.
The surrounding areas of the temple is mainly used during festivals and religious
gathering by the inhabitants.

27. Traditional Houses :
• The houses are oriented with their longest side
facing the valley and their backs against the
mountain, which makes them less susceptible to
seismic forces.
• The variations within the roofs: pure pent - a
four-sided form rising to a single point; pure
gable - a two-sided triangle that creates a
pitched form like a tent; and pent-and-gable
form lends the roof many ways of shedding snow
and rain in many ways while maintaining the
integrity of interior spaces.
• The most common variation in vernacular houses
is the addition of balconies on the fist and second
levels of the house, which can be open or
covered, either partially or completely.These
balconies form a transitional space between the
inside and the outside as well as between levels.

28. Typology of Houses :
• The character of a Himachal vernacular, the
story unit is basically a cuboid .
• The smallest houses are two or three layers
stacked in two or three levels (ground, first and
second floor)
• The size of the house increases by placing
cuboids side by side and then extending up three
levels.
• Each house is determined by capacity. The
capacity is not only the size of the family but
also the family’s socio – economic status.
SINGLE CUBOID VARIANTS
TRIPLE CUBOID
VARIANTS
DOUBLE CUBOID VARIANTS

29. Levels of house –
• A gaushala on the ground level offers both
sustenance and insulation. Sometimes a
secondary mezzanine level in the gaushala
serves to get the fodder of the ground and
closer to the next floor, offering further
insulation. Ladders and trapdoors allow people
access to the gaushala space during cold
weather.
• The middle level of the house is used to store
practical items. If the house is large enough, it
includes an indoor granary.This middle zone
acts as a buffer between the living areas
upstairs and the smells of cattle downstairs.
• The top level usually houses cooking and living
spaces and, sometimes, formal spaces to
entertain and welcome guests.
• Other transitional spaces in vernacular houses
include the plinth at the ground floor and
balconies on the upper floors.
• The stone used in the walls are chiseled and
well dressed.The walls are constructed with
stacking wooden framed on each other.
• The rooms on the upper floor are made of
beautifully carved local wood.

32. • The powerful historical leaders of the villages build
grand houses that reflected their status in the
community. These structures were known as
darbargadhs.
• The darbargadhs was built using kat khuni construction
techniques with much larger spaces.
• Darbargadhs have enclosed groups of stacked cuboids,
still following the conventional orientation of facing the
valley and the mountain but also including enclosed
courtyards or narrow street like open to sky spaces and
towering cuboids at the highest point, for significant yet
personal local deities.
• The entrance for the people of these princely houses is
separate from that of their animals.
• The balconies of Darbargadhs are very elaborate,
enclosed and carved with local flora, fauna and deities.
• The structure comprises of excluded spaces and a
unique layout.
• They contain all elements of a vernacular house with
added attraction of an interior temple.
DARBARGADHS OF KHANET VILLAGE AND
KOTKHAI VILLAGE
Darbargadhs :

33. Palaces :
• The major palaces of the state are located in jubbal, rampur bushair,
naggar, chamba and kumarsain.
• Kumarsain palace is about 100 km beyond shimla is about 100 years
old
• It incorporates various styles of hill architecture such as traditional,
features from Hindu temples, Buddhist monasteries and even from
Islamic structures of the plains.
• A pergola roof to highlight main entrance coexists with domical roof
tops over the main halls.
• Palace is built in local materials and roof forms have to be perforce
sloping – so as to ward off climatic elements.

34. Granary :
Two main types of granaries:
Independent (freestanding) buildings
Granaries within the houses
The size and the scale of the granary is in direct correlation to the volume of the content to be stored.
In Himachal Pradesh houses, the prime criteria in creating spaces is personal security and comfort for
daily living.
Granaries on the other hand are for food security and the storage of work from the past, for life in the
future.
Granaries, with their associated local small temples, are the intersection between houses that
guarantee the communities’ habitation and large temples that possess the communities’ shared beliefs.
In socio-economic terms, the granary is the content and container of the community.
A granary is a storehouse for grain or animal feed. In ancient or primitive granaries, pottery is
the most common use of storage in these buildings. Granaries are often built above the ground
to keep the stored food away from mice and other animals.

35. These are independent free
standing wooden granaries with
stone tile roof.
These wooden granaries with
stone plinths and roofs in
Sundagaon are a part of a cluster
of family buildings.
The communal wood and stone
granary is a cluster of three independent
Kath-Khuni storage buildings and three
small folk temples in old Jubbal.
TYPES OF INDEPENDENT GRANARIES
INDICATION OF STORAGE AREAS, AUKTA GRANARY, OLD JUBBAL VILLAGE
GROUND FLOOR
PLAN
FIRST FLOOR
PLAN
CROSS SECTION
The blue colour
indicates where the
storage spaces are
throughout the building
plans and sections.

36. TEMPLES
Himachal Pradesh, amid the Himalayan mountain range, is a land of
the Gods, Hindu temples, of many types. from the rock hewn ancient
forms brought from the plains of India, are found in this spectacular land
of the Himalayas.
The temple is where the past intersects with the present through belief,
historical time. It is an explanatory workshop of the greatest craftspeople
and artists as well as sincere efforts of the ordinary local people.
The wooden temple here refers to the type of temple where wood is used
as the primary material of construction for the structure. Stone is used
only in temple’s foundations and roofs as slabs and slate stone shingles
similar to the independent granaries.

39. Construction practices
FOUNDATION AND PLINTH
Stone plinth is filled up to a meter from the ground level.
The trench is relative to height of structure.
• For a two-storey house, depth is 0.6-1 meter.
• In case of tower temple, its as deep as 3 meters.

40. Construction practices
WALLS
 The walls are constructed with alternate courses of
dry
masonry & wood without any cement mortar.
 Wall courses:
• Two wooden wall beams are laid longitudinally
parallel to each
other with a gap in between.
• The space b/w two members is filled with rubble
stone & edge is
secured with kadil(wooden nail).

41. Construction practices
WALL PUNCHERS
• Windows are provided in walls with
solid plank shutters on 4 sides & are
usually very small.
• The same window has floral carvings
on outer face with small opening.

42. Construction practices
ROOFING
• Roof is constructed out of wooden
beams followed by
purlins & rafters, topped with slates
or wooden shingles.
• Slate stones also weighs down the
structure against
strong winds.

43. Construction practices
FLOORING
• Ground floor is raised above the
stone plinth & finished with
adobe(clay). It functions as an
insulating at the same time
remains warmer than stone
finished surface

44. Constructing a house :
PLANING
• Ground floor: Cattle shed and storage
area are provided.
• First Floor: Living Area along with
kitchen.
• Low Height of the rooms (2.1 – 2.4
m), keeps interiors warmer from heat
released by individuals, also low
surface to volume ratio reducing heat
loss from surfaces.
• Plinth area is 5m x (13.8+0.45)m
• Inner walls thickness is 4 inch and
outer wall thickness is 9 inch.

45. Constructing a house :
WALLS
• Made of alternate courses of dry
stone masonry and wood without any
cementing mortar.
• This Kath-khuni style of layering and
inter locking timber and stone
provides strength, stability and
flexibility (Earthquake resistant).
• These heavy walls allow a very good
thermal insulation by providing high
time-lag of more than 8 hours. This
makes the interior of the house cooler
in summer and warm in winter for
maximum part of the year

46. Constructing a house :
WALLS
• Above the plinth walls are strong with alternating stone layer,
as the wall rises up it is only the wood frame that is stacked
above another wood frame. This distributes mass optimally.
• Interiors of wall are finished with mud plaster and lined with
wood on account of its good insulation and binding properties.
• Resist sliding or overturning during land movement.
• Dry masonry construction allow stones to undulate within a
flexible wooden frame work to allow energy of earthquake to
disperse.
• Tapering in buildings as they rise which prevents toppling
during earthquake

47. Constructing a house :
FLOORING
• In the ground level mud & cow-dung were
used for flooring above the plinth made of
random rubble masonry. The upper floors are
made of timber planks and timber-joists.
ROOFING
• Pitched roof with locally available timber.
Slate used for roof covering. Below the roof
a ceiling is constructed with timber. This attic
is used as a storage space and abode of the
god.
• The light-weight roof construction and the air
between the roofing and attic-floor provided
a very good thermal insulation against the
passage of heat.
• Low pitched roof provides a good solution to
drain off the rain-water from the dwellings

48. Constructing a house :
BALCONY
• It provide a good sun-space or
solarium.
• Sunny courtyard to perform
various activities during day
time.
• Kitchen made of mud, placed
at center which helps in
keeping the indoor warm.

49. Vernacular of Kullu :
INTRODUCTION
• In Kullu, elements of nature shape the spatial order and man has to
adapt himself to these forces.
• Over the ages it has evolved unique traditions of art and
architecture with foreign influences.
• In the post independence period it has been marked by almost
complete break from traditional and colonial style of architecture.

50. Vernacular of Kullu :
GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES
• Altitude : 1,278 m
• Latitude : 31° 20‘N to 32° 25'N
• Longitude : 76° 56‘E to 77° 52'E
• Climate : Cold
• Maximum Temperature : 38.8° C
• Minimum Temperature : 5.2° C
• Average rainfall : 80 cm

51. Vernacular of Kullu :
LOCAL MATERIALS
• Availability of forests implies high preference to wood for construction
purposes.
• Due to the Beas river passing through the district, mud is available
easily.
• Since it is hilly area, stone is available in abundance.
CLIMATIC INFLUENCE
• Low ceiling height for warmer interiors.
• Small size windows to prevent heat loss.
• Sloping roofs for efficient drainage in heavy rainfall and snowfall areas.
• Use of wood mainly for building purposes to keep the living warmer
and comfortable.

52. Vernacular of Kullu :
ARCHITECTURE OF HOUSES
• Double storey houses with pitched
roof, oriented towards South to reduce
heat loss.
• Linear arrangement of rooms,
connected by a verandah or balcony
on both the floors.
• Timber and stone are used widely as
both have high thermal capacity and
low conductivity.
• Inner walls thickness is 4 inch and
outer walls thickness is 9 inch.

53. Vernacular of Kullu :
TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE
• Himachal Pradesh is a land of the
Gods.
• Hindu temples of many types are
found in this spectacular land of the
Himalayas.
• This valley of Kullu has 368 temples.
• There are three styles of temple
architecture in the valley:
Pagoda style
Shikhara style
Pahari style

54. Vernacular of Kullu :
TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE –
SHIKHARA STYLE
• It refers to the rising tower over
the sanctum where the presiding deity is
enshrined and is the most prominent and
visible part of a Hindu temple of North
India.
• Bishweshwar temple (Bajaura), Shiv
Temple (Naggar), Gauri Shankar Temple
(Dashal), Shiv Temple (Jagatsukh) are
built in this style.
• Of these Bishweshwar temple, Bajaura is
the largest stone temple in the valley.

55. Vernacular of Kullu :
TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE –
PAGORA STYLE
• These are rectangular stone and wood
structures with successive roofs, placed
one over the other making them in some
cases look like multi-storey edifices.
• Hadimba Temple (Manali) , Tripura
Sundri Temple (Naggar) and Adi
Brahma Temple (Khokhan) are
examples of such architecture.

56. Vernacular of Kullu :
TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE –
PAHARI STYLE
• Pahari style is a mixture of all
other temple forms.
• Bhuvneshwari Temple and
Bijli Mahadev Temple in Kullu
are excellent examples of
this form of temple
architecture.

57. Vernacular of Kullu :
MONASTRIES
PALACES

58. Vernacular of Kullu :
CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES
 Rammed earth technique
 Adobe construction
 In the former style, the mud is filled into the wooden forms and
rammed into the place slowly building up the wall.
 In the later style, sun dried mud blocks are used in the construction
of the wall. The roof is kept flat and comprises a closely packed layer
of sun twigs supported on wooden beams and joists and resting on
the wooden columns.

60. Vernacular Architecture
Of Kangra(HP)
6
0

61. Location of
Kangra On Map
6
1

62. Location
6
2
• Kangra is located at 32.1°N 76.27°E.
• It has an average elevation of 733 metres (2404 ft.)
Climate
• Humid, sub-tropical zone.
• Annual rainfall is between 900–2350mm.
• Winter temp. ranges from 0 to 20 °C.
• In Summers hot (ranges from 25 to 38 °C) and dry.

63. Economy
6
3
• The Economy of Kangra District consists mostly of
agriculture and farming.
• Tea cultivation plays a vital in the economy.
• Industries like water packaging, construction
materials, and potato chips.

64. Verandah
TYPICAL HOUSE IN KANGRA - 1
Pitch Roof with Slate Covering
Courtyard 6
4

65. TYPICAL HOUSE IN
KANGRA - 2
6
5

66. Building Materials
Mud, Stone & Sun-Dried Bricks
6
6
• Easy availability.
• Good insulation.
• Good binding properties.
• Mud mortar is used as the joining material. Sun dried
mud Bricks are used in the construction of the wall.
• Hard Stone: Obtained from local quarries and used in
building foundation and walls.
• Slate Tiles: Metamorphic rock. Used in roofs of
buildings. Has high quartz content, frost resistant,
absorbs heat and provides moisture barrier.

67. Sheesham & Bamboo Wood
6
7
• Easily available, one of the strongest.
• Imparts stability to tall structures.
• This wood is insect and termite resistant and even
when untreated, can withstand long periods of weather
corrosion.
• Used in making posts, beams, window and door
frames, shutters, roofs etc.(Sheesham).
• Soft wood, easy to work in absence of high tech tools.
• Its properties were understood early and its texture
and scent have been prized for ages.

68. Traditional Builders
6
8
• Traditional Artisans are employed. There
knowledge is transferred orally from master artisan
to apprentice. Mostly people procure materials
from their surroundings and build houses with the
help of relatives and neighbors. This has fostered
an empirical knowledge of construction material,
tools and technology and all of these are reflected
in traditional building techniques.

69. Planning Techniques
6
9
• Factors that govern the planning are
• climatic conditions,
• cultural influences,
• topography(heights),
• More: orientation, traffic movement, available
usable spaces, sources of water supply, natural
drains and paths.

70. Climate Influence
• Due to the composite
climate, The orientation of
the houses should be such
that, penetration of the sun
rays max in winter & min. in
summer.
• The path of the sun,
controls the height of
building, as the sun is
needed for each dwelling
unit.
7
0

71. • Small window size and low ceiling height to
prevent heat loss and keep the interiors
warmer.
• Site susceptible to high winds, storms, floods
and landslides should be avoided.
• Roof in all around the building should have
proper slope for efficient drainage, in heavy
rain fall.
7
1

72. Cultural influence
7
2
• The house which constitutes many stores has been
built for storage of grains which formed the back bone
of the agrarian family.
• Generally cow-shed and kitchen forms a separate unit.
• The Indian calendar months of Baisakh, Poh, Magh and
Phalgun are regarded as auspicious for the start of
construction.
• Ideally, the main aspect of the house should face east
and the rising sun.
• As a general rule the houses do not have a boundary
wall.

73. Topography
7
3
• Area falls in the region of high to very high seismic
hazard.
• Unlike plains, here a new dimension or a height
variation to the ground poses additional problem.

74. Planning
7
4
• Ground floor: Kitchen and Living area
• First Floor: Generally Storage area.
• Low Height of the rooms (2.1 – 2.5 m), keeps
interiors warmer from heat released by individuals,
also low surface to volume ratio reducing heat loss
from surfaces.
• Inner walls thickness is 6 inch and outer wall
thickness is 12 inch(Adobe Bricks).

75. Plan
Ground Floor Plan
(Used as Living,
Bedroom and Kitchen)
7
5
First Floor Plan (Used as StorageArea)

76. Flooring
• In the ground level mud
& cow-dung were used
for flooring above the
plinth made of random
rubble masonry.
• The upper floors are
made of timber planks
and timber-joists and
bamboo.
7
6

77. Roofing
• Pitched roof with locally available
timber. Slate used for roof covering.
Below the roof a ceiling is constructed
with timber. This attic is used as a
storage space.
• The light-weight roof construction and
the air between the roofing and attic-
floor provided a very good thermal
insulation against the passage of heat.
• Low pitched roof provides a good
solution to drain off the rain-water from
the dwellings.
7
7

78. VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE
OF
DEVIDHAR VILLAGE

79. LOCATION
Locality Name : Devidhar ( देवीधार )
Tehsil Name : Chauhara
District : Shimla
State : Himachal Pradesh
Language : Pahari and Hindi, Punjabi
Elevation / Altitude: 2086 meters.
Above Seal level
• Distance from Major Places:
• Delhi To Devidarh: 454Km
• Chandigarh To Devidarh: 210 Km
• Manali To Devidarh: 156 Km
• Shimla To Devidarh: 149 Km
• Mandi To Devidarh: 54 KM
• Sundernagar to Devidarh: 41 Km

80. ECONOMY
In Devi Dhar village out of total population, 117 were engaged in work
activities. 98.29 % of workers describe their work as Main Work
(Employment or Earning more than 6 Months) while 1.71 % were
involved in Marginal activity providing livelihood for less than 6 months.
Of 117 workers engaged in Main Work, 63 were cultivators (owner or
co-owner) while 28 were Agricultural labourer.
CLIMATE
Devidarh climate is very cool all over the year, winter is very harass due to cold
wave, heavy snow fall occur during the month of December and January.
Temperature varies from -7 to 30 degree over the year. Summer is the best
time to visit and explore Devidarh.

81. TRADITIONAL BUILDERS & LOCAL
MATERIALS:
• The construction of houses is largely done by hand and by the resident
himself, sometimes with the help of other residents from the same or nearby
village while special artisans are employed for construction of temples or
religious structures.
• Usually the entire construction is carried out manually with limited tools and
the use of power-driven technology is minimal and was introduced only
recently.
• It is the close interdependence between people, materials, making and
environment that has created a lasting architectures specific to the needs,
climate, place, and culture and that evokes a sensation that is special and
spiritual, beyond the materiality.

82. LOCALLY AVAILABLE MATERIAL
• The primary materials of construction are wood
and stone for wall and plinth, topped by slate
shingles.
• Wood is predominantly from of Cedrus Deodara
(Deodar/Devidar) an endemic species to Western
Himalayas and one of the strongest of Indian
conifers.
• It has straight veins and grows upto 50 metres.
Being very durable, it is used in structural work of
all kinds.
• These materials (stone, wood and slate) are
locally available and possess specific properties
that make them excellent choices for building
construction from sustainability and performance
perspectives.
Himachal Pradesh is rich in timber that is
especially strong and long-lasting and is
therefore the predominant material of
construction. Deodar is easily recognizable
with its long trunk, spreading branches and
dark green foliage. Cross-section of deodar
tree

83. VERNACULAR OF DEVIDHAR
The supervision of temple construction
is headed by a master craftsman who
is chosen by the village head with
consensus of the residents; he is often
identified as the vishwakarma,
according to the Hindu belief system.
Above are photographs from the
temple construction site at Devidhar
village.

84. INDEGENIOUS CONSTRUTION:
KATH-KUNI
• Typical construction begins with
preparation of the ground; the trench is dug
relative to the height of the structure, which
is then filled with loose stone blocks which
rise up to make the plinth.
• The raised podium provides the stability to
the house or tower and also protects the
building from snow and ground water.
• It is followed by construction of double-skin
wall made with alternate courses of dry
stone masonry and wood without any
cementing mortar. It involves laying two
wooden beams longitudinally parallel to
each other with a gap in-between.
• Loose in-fill material is packed as filler and
the external and the internal skins of the
walls are held together by cross braces or
dovetail called maanvi.
Kath-khuni wall is
constructed by laying
two wooden wall beams
longitudinally parallel to
each other. This defines
the width of the wall.
The edge members are
lap jointed and secured
by a kadil (wooden nail).
This arrangement of
alternating stone and
wood add flexibility and
has proved to be a good
safeguard against
frequent seismic
tremors.

85. Wall construction at Devidhar village, images shows the dry masonry
construction with in-fill and lap jointed members at the corner.

86. INDEGENIOUS CONSTRUCTION:
CANTILEVER BALCONY
• The next space integral to the house is the
cantilevered balcony, projecting either on one or
all sides of the structure, which rests on the
wooden beams fixed in the wood-and-stone
walls.
• A wooden roof frame tops off the structure and
is covered with locally available slate tiles.
• The basic structure of the balcony is secured in
walls and details such as parapets, fascia
boards and panels are incorporated later.
• Balconies used to be open but with the passage
of time, various forms of enclosures are now
observed.
• The supporting wooden posts also support the
roof structure, in many cases are molded and
richly carved. Corner detail: Wooden members are
notched and lap jointed so that they
intersect at the corner and further
supported by cantilevered member
fixed at one end in the wall.

87. WOOD CARVING
• Wood carving is an integral part
of kath-khuni built forms and is the
oldest craft of Himachal and still
thrives in a number of valleys. The
quality of wood carving reflects high
level of intricacy and skills, as well as a
highly developed aesthetic sense that
fluidly integrates and expresses motifs
based in folk tradition and religious
references.
• The jhalars (wooden pendants) along
the roof edge, motifs on panels and on
walls and balconies, door frames and
windows all are intricately carved.
• Wood-carving is also seen in kath-
khuni houses, though usually not as
elaborate as that in temples in
Himachal, rude carving on the door
frames, balconies and ridge can be
seen in many houses.

88. In temples, the exposed surfaces of
wooden beams along the width and
cross-section at the corners provide
manifold options for creative
woodworking details and carvings.
The decorative motifs range from
floral, animal, mythic characters, or
narratives of epics as discrete
elements or in a running freeze. The
carvings may be done directly on the
wooden beam or on a panel that is
then fixed on to wooden beams. The
end sections of wooden beams at the
corner sometimes jut out and are
finished in carvings, at other times
they are finished as beautifully carved
volutes.
Wood-carving on the openings at temple at
Devidhar and Summerkot. The wall punctures such
as doors and windows are the most ornamental
elements in hill architecture. The sizes of the
openings are relatively small and are articulated
within the horizontal tie beams.

89. WOOD JOINERY
• Details follow regular geometric curves, other follow free
toothing patterns. These wooden joints in all likelihood
without the use of nails flex just enough to rock with the
earthquake tremors but otherwise remain tightly locked
together.
• The various kinds of joints seen are the lap joints at
balcony junctions, extension joints in the wall beams, ‘z’
joints in the floor boards, maanvi (double dovetailed joint)
in the wall, splice joint with wedge in structural walls. All of
these evolved out of a functional need and yet are highly
expressive.
Details of joinery. The joinery reflects
sophisticated skills of indigenous
craftsmen. The strength of these joints
lies in the interlocking method of
connection where the wood itself
prevents movement.

90. VERNACULAR OF SOLAN

91. Vernacular of Solan :
INTRODUCTION
• Solan district is one of the twelve districts of Himachal
Pradesh state (created on 1 September 1972) in northern India.
The district occupies an area of 1936 km² and lies between
Chandigarh and Shimla.
• It is located 46 kilometres (29 mi) south of the state capital, Shimla.
• The place is named after the Hindu goddess Shoolini devi. Every
year in the month of June, a fair celebrating the goddess is held,
featuring a 3-day mela at the central Thodo grounds. Solan was the
capital of the erstwhile princely state, Bhagat.
• It is known as the "Mushroom city of India" because of the vast
mushroom farming in the area as well as the Directorate of
Mushroom Research (DMR) situated at Chambaghat.
• Solan is crowned as the "City of Red Gold", in reference to the
bulk production of tomatoes in the area.

92. Vernacular of Solan :
GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES
• Altitude: 1,600 metres (5,200 ft)
• Latitude: 30.92°N
• Longitude: 77.12°E
• Climate: Cool
• Maximum Temperature:32 °C (90 °F)
• Minimum Temperature: −4 °C (25 °F)
• Average Rainfall: 1413mm
• Solan Planning Area covers 3343.00
hectares = 33.43 km2 hectares of
land(Largest city area in Himachal
Pradesh).
Location of Solan district in Himachal Pradesh

93. Vernacular of Solan :
EVOLUTION FROM HISTORY:
• The history of Solan goes back to the era of Pandavas.
According to local folklore, Pandavas lived here during their
exile.
• In 1815 British won Baghal state (now Solan) from the Gurkhas,
Gurkha fort or Arki Fort is still standing tall on a mountain near to
Solan city and it is one of the popular historic tourist attractions
of Solan.
• The town has been a capital of the princely Baghat State. The
word Baghat is derived from Bau or Bahu, meaning "many",
and Ghat meaning "pass".
• Initially the state headquarters of the Baghat State was located
at Bhoch in the Bhuchali pargana, but the headquarters of the
state was shifted to Solan after the construction of cantonment
over here.

94. Vernacular of Solan :
CHRONOLOGICAL EVOLUTION FROM HISTORY:
Establishment of a cantonment area at Solan by Britishers
Establishing Solan brewery in 1855 due to availability of excellent quality mineral water.
Shifting of the headquarters of Baghat State from Bhoch to Solan.
Start of Kalka-Shimla rail line in 1902.
Start transportation activity on Kalka-Solan-Shimla road.
The urban local body i.e. Municipal Council Solan came into existence in 1950.
Solan became an independent district on 1 September 1972, and the town of Solan became the district
headquarters.

95. Vernacular of Solan :
HERITAGE:
• Solan became an independent district on 1 September 1972, and the
town of Solan became the district headquarters.
• Solan cantonment is still the best and the most well planned part of this
area hence buildings are made in a planned manner.
• The church in Solan cantonment is a heritage building with beautiful
wooden and stone carvings, it has elegant sloping roofs plus arches
reminiscent of the British architecture.
• Some important heritage of Solan:
 Shoolini devi temple
The Church in Solan cantonment.
 The Solan railway station, one of the Highest railway stations in the world.[7]
S.E., PWD office which used to be a durbar hall of Baghat State.
Jatoli Temple (5 km. far from Solan on Rajgarh Road).
Mount Karol in Chambaghat, Solan.
Mohan Shakti National Heritage Park (in Hart, 12 km from Solan)

96. Vernacular of Solan :
LOCAL MATERIALS:
• Solan Planning area contains Chil, Deodar, Ban and
Kail, mainly deodar and pine trees in the city
• Oak forests are also at higher elevations around moist
locations.places like chil is the most predominant one
for different species of vegetation.
• Besides this natural or indigenous vegetation there is
ornamental and alien plantation too. It consists of
silver oak, jhakranda, bottle brush, weeping willows,
kachnar and grasses.
• Slate stone shingles are available in abundance.

97. Vernacular of Solan :
TRADITIONAL HOUSE OF SOLAN:
Factors that influence the traditional houses:
Climatic response to the envioronment.
Cultural pattern of the inhabitants.
Adaptability of the house according to the
social lifestyle.
Locally available construction material.
LOCATION:
• Located in village Basal, Solan.
• Built on a gentle hill slope with a water channel
running beside.
• Was built around 1923 and the main
occupation of the family was to store grains
• Belong to Agrarian family.
South view
Site of the village showing less population

98. Vernacular of Solan :
LAYOUT OF THE HOUSE:
• The house has been built such that the
cow-shed and kitchen
• form a separate unit, away from the living
quarters.
• The living quarters basically include
bedrooms and stores for storage of
grains.
ELEVATION:
• The sloping roof as seen in the traditional
dwelling is a common feature in all the
houses in the area as is compact
planning of the house.
• Since the climate is very pleasant they
have added open spaces open spaces
throughout the house egs. Balconies.
PLAN
ELEVATION
the house includes compact planning so it can b seen that there is a
opening infront of opening i.e. they have used cross ventilation as an
element

99. Vernacular of Solan :
ELEVATION:
• In addition to the sloping roofs and open
spaces the house is provided with large
arcaded openings.
SECTIONS:
• The house which constitutes many stores
has been built for storage of grains which
formed the back bone of the agrarian
family.
• Boxes of various sizes can be found.
ATTIC AS STORAGE SPACE:
• An interesting part of the house is the
attic which is used to store corn which
forms the staple diet of the people.
ELEVATION
SECTION

100. Vernacular of Solan :
ATTIC AS STORAGE SPACE:
• The two windows on the sides ventilate and dry the corn at the same
time protecting from the rain.
• Although the main function of the attic is to insulate the house, it serves
as an excellent storage space.
• There are two objectives of adding an attic on the floor-
1. a floor above keeps the below floors cool.
2. The second objective is that it helps to store grains.
The attic is provided with a jaali ventilator so that it
keeps the room ventilated.
The timber truss which
covers the first floor roof
is effective in insulating
the house as well.

101. Vernacular of Solan :
BUILDING MATERIALS:
• All the building construction material used is
locally available like the stone and sand of
which the walls are made, the timber is also
readily available.
• The staircase used to reach the first floor of the
house is made of timber, with stone slabs also
introduced.
BUILT FORM:
• The built form of the house constitutes about
60% of the plot area.
• The house in its totality forms a compact unit.
• As a general rule the houses do not have a
boundary wall.
The house as seen from south side.
The cow shed and north side elevation of
the house.