ARCHITECTURE IN

HILLY REGIONS
VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE

CONCLUSION

Climate responsive buildings can improve human comfort and in doing so improve the human condition, in all parts of the
world. Scientific knowledge provides us with the tools and methodologies needed for passive low energy-climate responsive
buildings, and intelligent design dictates the strategies needed to implement such knowledge on the ground. Climate
responsive design substantially reduces the economic and environmental costs of buildings to individual, regions and
Learning from traditional wisdom of previous generations through the lessons of traditional buildings can be a very powerful
tool for improving the buildings of the future. This traditional architecture has stood till today. It commands deep interest
and respect as it represents and reveals the many faceted realities of the people living in different climatic zones of Himachal
Pradesh.

In the end it is concluded that the traditional and vernacular buildings are ecological sensitive, climate responsive designs.
Any change in these designs should aim for human comfort and aesthetical needs and these sustainable designs help to save
culture at the lowest possible ecological cost. The traditional construction method and process provides thermally
comfortable shelter to the occupants by giving due considerations to local climatic conditions. Traditional construction
techniques in hills are dictated by the climatic constraints and the availability of the materials. The most common building
materials used is wood, stone and mud bricks. And now the places which got connected by motorable roads, certain new
techniques have been evolved by using local materials for the construction of the buildings suiting to local climatic
conditions. Any new development should respect the site and adhere to the local needs.

INTRODUCTION TO THE STATE:

HIMACHAL PRADESH is a state in Northern India. It
is spread over 21,495 sq mi (55,670 km2),[7] and is
bordered by Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab
on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttarakhand on
the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on
the east.

GEOGRAPHY

Himachal is situated in the western Himalayas.

Covering an area of 55,673 kilometres (34,594 mi),[7] it
is a mountainous state with elevation ranging from
about 350 metres (1,148 ft) to 7,000 metres (22,966 ft)
above the sea level.
The drainage system of Himachal is composed both of
rivers and glaciers. Himalayan rivers criss-cross the
entire mountain chain. Himachal Pradesh provides
water to both the Indus and Ganges basins. The
drainage systems of the region are the Chandra Bhaga
or the Chenab, the Ravi, the Beas, the Sutlej and the
Yamuna. These rivers are perennial and are fed by snow
and rainfall. They are protected by an extensive cover of
natural vegetation

CLIMATE

Broadly, Himachal experiences three seasons:

1.Summer
2.Winter
3.rainy season
Summer lasts from mid April till the end of June and most
parts become very hot (except in alpine zone which
experiences a mild summer) with the average temperature
ranging from 28 C (82 F) to 32 C (90 F).
Winter lasts from late November till mid March.
Snowfall is common in alpine tracts (generally above 2,200
metres (7,218 ft) i.e. in the Higher and Trans-Himalayan
region).

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

PEOPLE AND LIFE STYLE

Himachal pradesh is a multi religion, multicultural as well as

multilingual state.A majority of the population Hindu, but
Muslims ,Sikhs and Christians are also there , Buddhists
migrants of Tibet which are in lahaul spiti and dharmshala
region of state , which brings impact of Buddhist architecture.

The typical house is constructed of clay bricks and the roofs are
of slate. in some areas the slate roof is also replaced by timber.

Map showing the earthquake vulnerability of

himachal pradesh.

VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE OF
THE REGION
Architecture in HP is highly evolved and
functional.
It is a clich example of Vernacular
Architecture. (Grown out of the land, fulfilled local
needs, uses local materials, drew on local culture)
Over the centuries, building methods had
successfully discharged domestic, temporal and
religious requirements.
The most elementary form of hill architecture
is still found in the old temples. These temples
are widely scattered everywhere all along the
mountain slopes and in the valleys.
Layout plans and construction of buildings is
much more complicated in hills is much more
complicated than in plains.

The State of Himachal Pradesh has a treasure

of traditional architecture. This traditional
architecture has stood the test of time. This art
and architecture has mostly grown out of ageold cultural heritage and numerous religious
beliefs.

MAJOR CHALLENGES

Frequent and Seismic Tremors.

Problems of soil erosion and land slides.
Suitable orientation on the hill slopes.
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

MATERIAL USED
Basic materials used for
construction were:
1. Wood
2. Mud and stone

WOOD:

MUD AND STONE

Dedar wood is generally used because:

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

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.
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.

CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES

In certain regions the construction system constitutes the

erection of a timber frame work of uprights, beams and
braces with dressed stone blocks as an in-fill material without
any cementing material.
Over the walls, a frame of the timber rafters and purlins is
laid out for the pitched roof. The roofing on top is with slates
as the material. The walls of the interior are usually finished
with the mud plaster.
Another material used is mud, on account of its easy
availability, good insulation and the good binding properties.
In some parts of the western Himalayan region comprising
Upper Kinnaur,Lahaul- Spiti and Ladakh, the architectural
style is different. Stone remains in use but its usage is
restricted to the plinth. The locally available mud is used for
the super structure.

TWO TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES

ARE USED HERE
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.
Stability of the structures is a much desired quality,
required for the hill regions. Lying in the seismic zone
4 and partly in the high intensity seismic zone 5,
faced with extreme climatic conditions and steep hilly
terrains, the available indigenous technology is an
appropriate response.
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.

A
TYPICAL
VERNACULAR
HOUSE
OF
HIMACHAL
PRADESH

TYPICAL HIMACHAL HOUSE

The long walls of the house are parallel to the mountains and
the gaushala door faces the valley.
The house has a high plinth so that the cows may remain cool
during summers warm during winters.
In the lower part of the gaushala walls, only stone is used at base
level. In the upper part of the wall the kath khuni method of
layering wood and stone begins.
The entrance to the living quarters is parallel to the gaushala
door and is approached by a wooden staircase at the side of the
house leading to the enclosed first floor balcony.
The first floor has rooms for fixed storage and unique feature of
mini granary integrated in the centre of the structure. It is
hidden from outside view.
The second floor is used for cooking, cleaning, living and
entertainment of guests. To one side of the entertainment
room is the kitchen and the other side is the living room.
There are a variety of open and closed wall units in all these
area. The walls of the kitchen are plastered with mud plaster.
The vent in the kitchen connects to the roof or half attic.
The rooms on the third floor are made of beautifully carved
local wood. The balconies have a corner built in wooden bench
and extended cubical spaces such as washrooms.
The stone used in the walls are chiseled and well dressed. The
walls are constructed with stacking wooden framed on each
other. While on the second floor, the stacking of wooden frame
is seen with an infill of rubble.

SINGLE CUBOID VARIANTS

DOUBLE CUBOID VARIANTS

TRIPLE CUBOID VARIANTS

Design considerations in hills require extra sensitivity and care because of the delicate nature of terrain and
ecosystem. Unlike plains, here a new dimension or a height variation to the ground poses additional problem to
the entire exercise.
Physical Planning
The planning on the hills is very restrictive as compared to the plains. The major factors that govern the
planning are topography, climatic conditions, orientation, traffic movement, available usable spaces, sources of
water supply, natural drains and paths.
Gentle slopes are required so that the cost of site development is lessened. The roads for traffic movement are
of gradual gradient. Less excavation is required to be done to maintain the ecological balance.
Slope of the ground should not be more than 30 as far as possible even in rocky reaches to avoid instability
problems, especially during severe earthquakes.
Suitable clearance around buildings is necessary. Foundation of any part of building should not rest on filled
up ground. On hills there should be clearance of about 40 in case of soil, soil mixed boulder, fractured rock
zone, soft rock zone having outward dip, so that any slip, if occurs may not hit the building.
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 stress is also laid on the preservation of the green cover. The site should be developed in such a way that
felling of trees is avoided as far as possible.
Site susceptible to high winds, storms, floods and landslides should be avoided.
Since the inner side of the cut slope may have higher bearing capacity, building should be so oriented and
planned so as to enhance that higher load comes on inner side. Where the site seems to undergo unequal
settlement, the site should be so planned and designed that the higher load comes on harder part of
foundation and soil.
Terrace in all around the building should have proper slope for efficient drainage. During the site development,
terrace may be cut at 1:30 to 1:50 slope and may be trimmed at suitable slope after the completion of the
building work.

Architecture of houses , pattern of small settlements

Temple architecture
Palaces
Granaries

BASIC ARCHITECTURAL
STYLES
Satluj Valley Architecture (Kath Khuni Style)- (Rampur,

Rohru,Sarahan, Kinnaur)
Ravi Valley Architecture (Thathara Style)- (Chamba, Bharmour, Pangi)
Kullu Architecture - (Kullu valley)
Dhajji Dewari - (Shimla and nearby villages,hamirpur , kangra)
Spiti Valley Architecture (Mud)- (Lahaul, Spiti, Upper Kinnaur)

SATLUJ VALLEY ARCHITECTURE

INTRODUCTION
:The vernacular architecture of the sutlej valley.
Constructed out of local deodar wood and slate
stone.
Slate absorbs heat and is impermeable to moisture.
Deodar is able to withstand exposure to moisture and
adjust to climatic and seismic changes.
It is an example of seismic design in earthquake
prone mountainous region of himachal pradesh.

AREAS UNDER INFLUENCE:

1.Rampur
2.Rohru
3.Sarahan
4.Kinnaur
CONSTRUCTION STYLE:
Kath khuni style of construction

KATH-KHUNI CONSTRUCTION
INTRODUCTION:

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 .
In the well built structure, the wood is very carefully arranged, the
beams with thickness around 30 cms in depth extending over the
whole length of wall abeam on the outside and another beam
on the inside, the space in-between is filled with stones.

TECHNIQUE:

The base of the structural wall is two parallel layers of

stones installed flat. Depending on the size of the
stone the gap in middle is filled with an infill of
random rubble.
The larger stones are stacked up on the outer edge
and the corners of the wall to provide stability.
the wall is constructed by layering both wood and
stone . the materials are stacked horizontally, in
alternating rows, parallel to the ground.
As the construction proceeds vertically, the height of
the stone layer decrease and ultimately it is only the
wood frame stacked on another wood frame that
completes the structural wall.
Slate tiles rest on the wooden framework and cap the
building.

SLATE TILES RESTING ON

WOODEN FRAMEWORK

WOODEN FRAMEWORK

ALTERNATE
LAYERING OF STONE
AND WOOD

STONE AT THE BASE

FOUNDATION:

Locally Available Stone Is Used For Foundation.

Trench Is Dug About 900mm In Depth And 900mm In
Width. This Trench Is Then Filled With Large
Slabs(dry Stones) With Approximate Width Of
900mm.
The Similar Courses Go Up To 100 To 200mm Above
Ground Level Forming The Plinth Of The House.
In some cases where the ground is hard enough no
trenches were dug for foundation just a layer of stones
up to a height of 300mm is laid for plinth.

WALL SYSTEM:
WALL SYSTEM: All The Walls Are Load Bearing And Of Thickness 600mm.
Construction Material: Walls Are Made Up Of Stones And Wood Of Deodar ,Rai And Perman Tree Without Any
Mortar. These Walls Are Then Plastered With Mixture Of Mud, Cow-dung And Kail Wood Powder Or Wheat
Husk.
Above The Raised Plinth Of Stones Wooden Beam Of 200mm Thickness Is Laid Spanning Over The Entire Length
Of Wall. Over This Beam A Framework Of Wooden Logs Are Created Which Are Later Hand Filled By Stones.

WOODEN SKELETON EXTERNALLY N INTERNALLY BEFORE STONE INFILL

WOODEN SKELETON EXTERNALLY N INTERNALLY AFTER STONE INFILL

FLOOR TYPOLOGY:

Wooden flooring is done in these structures.

ROOFING SYSTEM:

The Roof Slope Was In Between

Gentle Gradient 22.50 To Steep
Gradient Of 450 .Some Of The
Structure Having Roofing Of
Tibetan Style, Slight Curve Was
Found In The Slope Of Roof.
Salte is used as covering
material due to local availability.
Pent And Gable Roof Style

SECTIONAL VIEW:
Kathkuni house comprises of four primary
components:
a stone plinth, which creates the base of the
house,
wood-and-stone structural walls forming the
core of
the house with floors as an insert,
cantilevered wooden balconies acting as the
second
skin to the house,
an overhanging slate tile roof fixed to the
wooden framework, which caps the entire
structure.

WOOD CARVING:
Woodcarving As Ornamentation Of The Kath-khuni
Built Forms, Is One Of The Oldest Crafts Of
Himachal Pradesh. Ornamentation Of Large Wood
And Stone Built Forms Is An Artistic Testament To
The Sustainable Natural Resources Of The Great
Deodar Cedar Tree And The Peoples Ability To
Create Visual Narratives. Woodcarving Is A Form Of
Folk Art That Enables The Local People To Express
Their Culture Whether The Motifs Are Abstraction
Based On Nature, Spiritual Awareness, Or The
Replication Patterns Found In Local Flora And Fauna.

CLIMATE RESPONSIVE
FEATURES
The interior surfaces finished with wooden planks or mud
Help in insulation.
Small openings of doors and windows prevent heat loss.
Balconies act as buffer spaces between main structure and
harsh climate Help in maintaining interior temperature.
The heat from the animals bodies in the ground floor keeps
the living spaces warm.
Trap doors and vents in roof promote air circulation.
The curvilinear gable or pent-and-gable roof allows snow to
settle on the roof acting as the insulation during harsh winters.
These details keep interiors cool in summer and warm in
winter.
Wood and stone walls not only resist the racking forces of an
earthquake, but are also configured to resist sliding or
overturning.

RAVI VALLEY ARCHITECTURE

INTRODUCTION
:Chamba is situated on the north western part of Himachal
Pradesh.
The territory is wholly mountainous from altitudes ranging from
about 2000 to 21,000 feet above sea level, the inhabited area
reaching upto 10,000 feet.
A fascinating Hindu town with cultural and physical heritage.
So sheltered by snow-clad mountain barriers that its monuments
escaped destruction at the hands of invaders, which is why it still
remains one of the best preserved heartlands of the Himalayan
arts.

AREAS UNDER INFLUENCE:

1. Chamba
2. Bharmour
3. Pangi
CONSTRUCTION STYLE:
Thathara style of construction

OBJECTS OF INTEREST:
OLD TEMPLES
Bear a strong resemblance to Rajput temples (shikhara stylefrom which the design was probably taken).
Mostly dedicated to Lord Shiva and Vishnu and goddesses.
Elaborate and ornate carvings on stone and wood.

CAST METAL WORK

Done from the Bronze age period.
Presence of minor copper mines in Chamba.
Alloy compound- brass commonly used for casting metal
ware. Huge plates used
for wall decoration.
Temple cupolas made in copper and brass- golden kalasa or
vessel on top.

WOOD CARVING
Door panels, decoration under the eaves, and huge wooden
statues.
Main doorway including the door posts richly carved with
traditional motifs. One or
two niches to hold lamps at night made near the front door.
Wooden cantilever construction- Protruding wooden
verandas.

GADDERAN ARCHITECTURE
INTRODUCTION
: Traditional Architecture in locally available materials - Dry stone masonry and random rubble construction - supported

and intersected by wooden beams and rafters have the ability to absorb a lot of shocks from earth quakes.
The old aged wooden houses, raised multi storeyed on thathara walls.
Use of wood in construction of thathara style walls is lesser than its consumption in kath-kuni walls common in rest of
Himachal.

FOUNDATION
Rarely goes beyond 30 cm in the ground.
Large heavy stone slabs well packed together.
On the foundation so raised, pillars (thatharas) erected on corners or in
between forming a grid.
THATHARAS
Thick and roughly hewn wooden planks, (45 cm length x 40 cm width x
4 cm thickness) placed on the edge of two sides, with a gap of about 40
cm that defines the thickness of the walls.
Over it, same arrangement is repeated, but thatharas are now placed
across. The process is repeated until proposed height is obtained.
The hollow space within the pillar is filled with hand packed stones.

GADDERAN ARCHITECTURE
WALLS
The thatharas are connected with each other by horizontal planks, spaced one to one and a half metre apart vertically. The
intervening space is filled with dry irregular stone pieces.
Later, exposed faces of walls are treated with mud-cow dung plaster.
At times, the gaps between the thatharas are covered with thick and roughly hewn wooden planks. Such wall is known as
farque.
Sometimes, dhajji wall is also provided between the thatharas. To make dhajji wall, framework of wooden battens, braced
with the wooden diagonals, is made between the thatharas.
The farque and dhajji walls are preferred for upper storeys only. Being light weight, they exert much less load on foundations.

FLOORING
The floor of the obra is made up of rough flat stones. The gaps between stones filled with mud and cow dung mixture.
Upper floors made by spanning joists and beams on the walls. The post is known as thumbi. Thick wooden planks are laid on
these joists. Sometimes, thick layer of mud and cow dung mixture is applied over the wooden planks.
ROOFING
They employ age old method of supporting roof rafters (nhas) on the wall plates (kanaran) on the sides and the ridge pole
(baranda). Over them, thick slates of irregular sizes are nailed. The roof is projected considerably beyond the supports to protect
the exterior of the building from direct effect of snow and rain.

The lowest floor called obra - necessarily used for cattle and
storage of fuel and fodder.
Small holes called tohlu left on the side walls for ventilation.
The upper floors generally residential.
The first floor called obri, second floor- bhor and third floormandeh.
At times, third floor kept open on two sides to give it a
verandah type appearance, and is called sal.
No window to the outside, but only a small entrance door
called dwari on obra. Thus these multistorey houses look more
like castles than dwellings.
Independent kitchen on each floor.

Sectional 3-D view of a gaddi house

KULLU ARCHITECTURE
INTRODUCTION
:This style is similar to Kath Kunni style with slight
variations.

AREAS UNDER INFLUENCE:

1. Kullu
2. Manali

CONSTRUCTION STYLE:
Kath Khuni style of construction

DHAJJI DIWARI

AREAS INCLUDED:
Areas of Western Himalayas like
1.Shimla
2.Hamirpur
3.Kangra
4.Kashmir
MATERIALS USED :
Wood, Stone
TYPE OF LABOUR REQUIRED :
Skilled labour

DHAJJI DIWARI

AREAS INCLUDED:
Areas of Western Himalayas like
1.Shimla
2.Hamirpur
3.Kangra
4.Kashmir
MATERIALS USED :
Wood, Stone
TYPE OF LABOUR REQUIRED :
Skilled labour

DHAJJI HOUSE IS A PATCHWORK OF

TIMBER AND STONE.
When a frame is deformed, the stones of the infill
have to move away.
When the stones and the boards have to move, they
rasp against each other. This friction dissipates
energy.
But Dhajji wall is only strong if:
All joints are well executed.
Timber is well protected from water.
The infill are done properly.
In a ordinary house, an earthquake
first makes: One big crack, then
another big crack and finally the
wall collapses.
In a dhajji house many small
cracks appear and only
small parts fall out, but the
wall does not collapse.

FINISHING DETAILS
Mud plaster:
A good mud plaster mix is made of one third of
clay, two thirds of sand and a fair amount of
pine needles or straw.
Apply the plaster in several layers not exceeding
0.5 each. If you make the layers too thick. they
will crack.
For paint use white wash (lime).
Dont use synthetic paint, it doesnt adhere
properly on mud plaster.
Effective response to extreme cold strong winds
or high earthquake zone.
Easy maintenance by common persons.
Economics in relation to peoples spending
capacity.

SPITI VALLEY ARCHITECTURE

INTRODUCTION
:Spiti is a cold desert where the monsoon rain never
comes. It is characterized by stark beauty, narrow
valleys and high mountains
It is a collection of rooms and a labyrinth of corridors
that do not follow any defined plan, but seem to have
grown over the years.
Gompa -acted both as a monastery and as a fort.
Houses rare paintings and religious & beautiful
scriptures
4,116 meters above mean sea level and 12 km. from
Kaza by road
oldest and the biggest monastery of Spity dominating
Ki-Village
Inhabiting 300 lamas undergoing on religious training

AREAS UNDER INFLUENCE:

1. Lahaul
2. spiti
3. upper kinnaur)
CONSTRUCTION STYLE:
Mud construction

MUD ARCHITECTURE

Wall typology:
Wall system : Load bearing
Construction materials : roughly dressed stones, sun baked mud bricks and clay

Construction methodology:
Technique- 1 Rammed earth technique, wall thus formed is known as Gyank.
Technique- 2 Sun dried adobe blocks of size 15x22x30 cm known as peu.

The rough surfaces of the wall are made smooth with finishing coat of mud plaster (a special variety of mud clay
known as Markula).This clay has water resistant quality.

Seismic resistant/vulnerable features : In case of taller buildings, the base of the walls is given thicker than the top

Roof typology: Flat roofs

Roof System: Materials : Mud and Timber

Construction methodology : Rough logs are spanned across the room of the wall over which planks available is
placed. Due to scarcity of wood, it is common to lay poplar or willow sticks and knitted twigs closed to each other
as substitute for the planks over it rammed earth is spread to complete the roofing.

Floor system: Materials : Stone, Mud and Timber

Durability/maintenance: As the roofs are flat, it is essential part of their chores during the winter that they remove
the snow regularly with wooden spades from the roof top.

TEMPLE
ARCHITECTURE
HIMACHAL PRADESH

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 temples foundations and
roofs as slabs and slate stone shingles similar to the
independent granaries.

GABLE ROOF

PENT ROOF

GABLE AND PENT ROOF

PENT- ROOF OR CHALET STYLE

The square or rectangular wood and stone temples
with pent roof are the most ancient in Himachal
Pradesh.
In size these structures differ considerably, while they
all have only one common feature, that is the finely
cut large and excellent stones, that constitute their
base.
Most remarkable among these temples are Lakshana
Devi temple at Brahmaur, Shakti devi at Chhatrari in
Chamba.
The usual pattern is a square resting on a raised
platform of stone. The building itself may be entirely
of wood or of the wood and stone. It generally
consists of a central cellar with an open verandah
around it, and is covered with a pent roof of wood,
which either slopes on two sides from the central
ridge, or on four sides from the top

NAGARA STYLE
The Nagara temples in Himachal Pradesh broadly follow the
overall form and design of the typical Indo-Aryan stone
temples, found in Orissa and Khajurao areas.
Some minor modifications were made in the form of these
temples of the plains to adapt them to the climatic
conditions of the hill areas.
The series of monolithic temples of Massur in Kangra
district are the earliest specimen of the Nagara design (Figure
4).
There are a number of seventh century Nagara type temples
at Brahmaur, such as Manimahesh and Ganesha built by
Meru Verman ( 680-700 A.D).
The famous Lakshmi Narayan temple of Chamba is a group
of temples with Nagara style.

TEMPLE CASE STUDY

Shakti-Devi Temple ,Chhatrari Village , Chamba

GRANARIES
VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE

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.
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
The communal wood and stone granary is a cluster of three
intersection between houses that guarantee the communities
independent Kath-Khuni storage buildings and three small
habitation and large temples that possess the communities sharedfolk temples in old Jubbal.
beliefs.
In socio-economic terms, the granary is the content and
container of the community.

These are independent free

standing wooden granaries
with stone tile roof.
VARIOUS TYPES OF
INDEPENDENT
GRANARIES

These wooden granaries with stone plinths and roofs in

Sundagaon are a part of a cluster of family buildings.

True to the conventional construction system of the villages, the granaries and small temples were constructed in KATHKHUNI method.
The organization of the buildings in the cluster is roughly circular.The granaries are on the one side and temples on the
other and open ground in the middle.
The granary is composed of two cuboids stacked on each other with a pent-and-gable roof.
The entry to the granary interior space is through first floor open balcony embracing all sides of the building.
The door to the granary is accessed by the organically stacked stones making a stairway to the open balcony.
This cantilevered balcony without a parapet, leveled at the average shoulder height of the villager, becomes an active
interactive space between the people sitting on it and the ones in the open ground during the festival.

The door in the center of first floor defines its

interior storage organization.
Leaving the open space open and unobstructed,
the inbuilt storage boxes are articulated in inverted
U shape around the periphery.
This central space has four trap doors in wooden
floor allowing access to the four storage units at the
ground level.
The granary also offers a space and environment
that is conductive for the honey-bees to make
beehive in niche near the entrance on the first
level.
The finally cut wood used for the container of the
granary is of a high quality.
Lap joints, housing joints and tongue and groove
are all used as a part of wooden detailing to create
an airtight container.
Mud plaster is used in the interior spaces to further
seal the joints and make them impenetrable.

Beginning at the ground floor plan, first floor

plan and cross section of the granary, these
illustrations shows the use of spaces with
reference to a human.
The things to be frequently used are stored at
the first floor while the ones that have to be
retained for a longer period are stored at the
ground floor.