HILL ARCHITECTURE ALONG

BEAS RIVER

PRESENTED BY :
11613, 11617, 11644, 11645
CONTENTS
1. Introduction
1.1 Location
1.2 Geomorphology
1.3 Climate
1.4 Natural Resources
1.4.1 Rivers
1.4.2 Flora
1.4.3 Fauna
2. Architecture
 Geography of Himachal Pradesh
• Himachal Pradesh is spread over an area
55,673 km².
 bordered by Jammu and Kashmir on the north
 Punjab on the southwest, Haryana on the south,
 Uttarakhand on the southeast and Tibet on the east.
• Himachal is a mountainous region, rich in its natural
resources.
• Elevation ranges from 450 meters to 6,500 meters
above sea level.
• The general physiographic divisions from
south to north are:
1. The outer Himalayas (Shivaliks)
2. The lesser Himalayas (central zone)
3. The Great Himalayas (northern zone)
 Geography of Himachal Pradesh
• The Shivalik range consists of lower hills (elevation — 600 m above
sea level).
• The lesser Himalayas are spotted by a gradual elevation towards the
Dhauladhar and the Pir Panjal ranges.
• The Kangra valley is a longitudinal trough which is at the foot of the
Dhauladhar range.
• The Great Himalayan range (5,000 to 6,000 meters) runs along the
eastern boundary and is slashed across by the Sutlej.
• The Zaskar Range, the easternmost range, separates Kinnaur and Spiti
from Tibet. It has peaks rising over an elevation up to 6,500 m.

http://www.hpforest.gov.in
Mountain Ranges around Beas Basin
• The Shivalik range consists of lower hills
(elevation — 600 m above sea level). The hills of
the region are composed of highly
unconsolidated deposits which results in a high
rate of erosion and deforestation.
• The lesser Himalayas are spotted by a gradual
elevation towards the Dhauladhar and the Pir Dhauladhar

Panjal ranges. The rise is more rapid in the Shimla

hills, to the south of which is the high peak of Beas
church —Chandni (3647 m). North of the river
Sutlej, the rise is steady.
• The Kangra valley is a longitudinal trough which is
at the foot of the Dhauladhar range. Dhauladhar
(which means the The White Peak) has a mean
elevation of nearly 4,550 meters. It has a rapid
rise of 3,600 m above the Kangra valley.
http://www.hpforest.gov.in
Nature of Soil and Minerals found in Himachal
• Some of the common types of soil found in the state
are Sedimentary, brown, as well as brownish grey soils.
• These soils are found in the agriculture rich districts of
Una, Solan, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Shimla, Kullu and
Kangra.
• The state has rich mineral resources spread across
various districts and terrains. Some of the abundantly
found mineral -ore include lead, slate, gypsum, mica,
limestone, salt, clays and iron ore.

http://www.hpforest.gov.in
Forest

http://www.hpforest.gov.in
District-wise Forest Cover (Himachal Pradesh)

http://www.hpforest.gov.in
Flora of Himachal Pradesh

http://www.hpforest.gov.in
Fona of Himachal Pradesh

http://www.hpforest.gov.in
Rivers in HP
Beas River
• The river rises in the Himalayas in
central Himachal Pradesh, India, and
flows for some 470 kilometres (290 mi)
to the Sutlej River in the Indian state
of Punjab.

River Course
• The river rises 4,361 metres (14,308 ft)
above sea-level on the southern face
of Rohtang Pass in Kullu .
• Near Reh in Kangra District it divides into
three channels, which reunite after
passing Mirthal, 300 metres (980 ft)
above sea-level. And then enters Punjab.
Important Tributaries of river Beas
• Awa River :
Rises from the Dhauladhar range in the Kangra valley of Himachal Pradesh. It flows in a South-
Westerly direction before joining the river Beas.
• Banner River :
It is also known as Baner Khad. It is a tributary of the Beas river and drains the central part of the
Kangra valley. The Baner Khad rises as a small snow fed channel on the Southern slopes of the
Dhauladhar range near Palampur.
• Chakki River :
It drains the South-Western part of Himachal Pradesh. The Chakki river rises as a small snow-fed
and rain fed stream from the Southern slopes of the Dhauladhar range. The river enters Punjab near
Pathankot and joins the Beas river.
• Parbati River :
It rises in the snowy Wastes upstream of Manikaran on the foothills of the main Himalayan range in
Kullu district. The glacier which feeds this river discends down from the steep Southern slopes of
the main Himalayas. It joins the river Beas at Shamshi in Kullu valley.
MANALI
MANALI

Manali is situated at an altitude of 2,050m on banks of BEAS River 40Kms from Kullu City

Area : - 7.12Sq. Kms

Temperature in Manali Summer :- 28°c / 20°c
Winter :- 18°c / 1°c
Religion :- Hinduism, Buddhism
Main attraction :- Hadimba Temple, Buddhist Monastery, Manu Temple,
Manikaran Sahib

http://www.manalihimachal.com
 MANALI
FLORA AND FAUNA

Deodar (Cedrus deodara), Oak (Quercus incana), Aesculus (Aesculus indica), Fir (Abies pindrow), Spruce
(Pices smithiana), Bras (Rhododendron arborium), Fig (Ficus spp), Walnut (Juglans regia), Poplar (Populus
ciliata), Pine (Pinus roxburghii) are some of the well-known varieties here.

Barking deer, Musk deer, Snow leopard, Black bear, Brown bear, Himalayn ibex, Porcupine , Eurasian
Sparrowhawk, Himalayan Griffon Vulture, Black Stork Western Tragopan, Koklas, Kingfisher are the popular
residents of the place.

http://www.discoveredindia.com/himachalpradesh/landofthegods/floraandfaunaofhimachalpradesh.html
http://www.superbindiatours.com/HimachalPradesh/florafaunaofhimachalpradesh.html
 Flora:- MANALI

Aesculus (Aesculus indica) Deodar (Cedrus deodara) Fig (Ficus spp) Pine (Pinus roxburghii)

Walnut (JuglAans regia)

Poplar (Populus ciliate) Spruce (Pices smithiana) Bras (Rhododendron arborium)
http://www.discoveredindia.com/himachalpradesh/landofthegods/floraandfaunaofhimachalpradesh.html
http://www.superbindiatours.com/HimachalPradesh/florafaunaofhimachalpradesh.html
 Fauna:- MANALI

Barking deer Black bear Musk deer

Himalayn ibex

Black Stork
Porcupine Koklas Eurasian Kingfisher
Western Tragopan
Sparrowhawk
http://www.discoveredindia.com/himachalpradesh/landofthegods/floraandfaunaofhimachalpradesh.html
http://www.superbindiatours.com/HimachalPradesh/florafaunaofhimachalpradesh.html
CULTURE & LIFESTYLE

OLD LADY BRINGING HER COWS BACK HOME

 • IT IS NO WONDER THAT EVERY
VILLAGE IN THE MOUNTAIN . NO
MATTER HOW SMALL IT MAY BE ,
WORSHIPS ONE OR MORE DEVTAS .
THIS IS PERHAPS THE REASON WHY
TEMPLES OCCUPY SITE THAT ARE
EXPERIMENTIALLY HIGHLY CHARGED
• SO EACH HOUSE HAS A SPECIAL PLACE
WHERE THEY PLACE THER DEVTA

• WOMAN CARRYING GREEN PLANTS

TO FEED THEIR ANIMALS
Almost every home has its own handloom for
weaving the famous shawls of the Beas valley

Finely hand carved wooden balconies and

slate stoned roofs all with a stone courtyard
for washing, threshing, playing, fixing bicycles
and tethering animals
Kath- Kunni Construction
• The design of buildings in this zone is
influenced by the elements of snow fall,
chilly winter and heavy rain fall. The building
materials available in inaccessible areas are
stone and wood. ln this zone, most better-
class houses and even poor ones are built
with stone and wood, without mortar.
• The typical Himalayan house of this region
consists of two or more stories with cattles
in the ground floor, grains in the middle
floor and dwelling in upper floor surrounded
by a deep over hanging verandah which is A Kath- Kunni House
used for various purposes such as living and
storage of fuel wood and fodder.
Kath- Kunni Construction
• The typical feature of vernacular
architecture in this zone is the
projection of upper floor.
• The walls construction is done with
stone and wood without mortar.
• In this traditional Himalayan method of
construction the wooden beams extend
to the whole length of the wall, one
beam on the outside and another on the Typical Kath- Kunni House
inside, the space in between filled up
with stone.
• This type of construction is mainly found
in the higher ranges of Kinnaur and Kullu
districts of Himachal.
Views of Kath- Kunni Construction
 MATERIALS
WOODS
SLATES

STONES
MANU TEMPLE

HADIMBA TEMPLE
History of Hadimba Temple Manali:
MANALI
Hadimba Temple was Constructed by Maharaja
Bahadur Singh in 1553 AD. According to locals and
legendary related to temple, animal sacrifices are still
made here in her honor. They further remarks that the
Hadimb, the brother of Goddess used to rule some
of the sub-mountainous tracts here. And at that time,
Hadimba fell in love with most powerful Bhima who was
one of the Pandava brothers. It is said that Pandavas
happened to step into the territory of Hadimb having
escaped the wax house unhurt. Later on Hadimba's
request, Bhima killed Hadimb and married to her.
However, they lived together for one year and during
the course of time Hadimba also gave birth to a son
who later famous as Ghatokachh. The temple is known
to be 400 years old.
Design
The Hidimba Devi Temple has intricately carved
wooden doors . The earth goddess Durga forms the
theme of the main door carvings. The temple base is
made out of whitewashed, mud-covered stonework.
An enormous rock occupies the inside of the temple,
only a 7.5 cm ( 3 inch ) tall brass image representing
goddess Hidimba Devi. With carved wooden doors and wooden tower, this temple
architecture leaves the visitors astonished.

The elaborately carved entrance is

over 400 years old.
http://www.orientalarchitecture.com/india/manali/manutemple.php
 MANALI
Temple has 24 meters tall wooden "shikhar" or tower
above the sanctuary.
The tower consists of three square roofs covered with
timber tiles and a fourth brass cone-shaped roof at the
top.

3 square roofs made of wood and one cone shape

roof covered by brass
The cone at top is clad in metal
 MANALI
The inner part of the temple is mainly
occupied by a large rock and the base
is made up of whitewashed mud-
covered stonework.

Tempe is beautifully decorated with animal

horns, wooden carvings etc.

The bearing wall are made of

stone covered in mud.
 MANALI
MANU TEMPLE MANALI

Manu Temple is located in old Manali,

at a distance of three kilometers from
the main market. The temple is
dedicated to the Indian sage Manu,
who is said to be the creator of the
world and the writer of Manusmriti.
Though temple is situated in a
congested place, visitors from across
the globe come to visit it. The
charming location of Manu Temple, on
the bank side of river Beas, adds to
its attraction. The temple was rebuilt
in the year 1992, when the vaulted
ceiling and marble floors were added.
Its popularity also lies in the fact that it is the only temple
dedicated to Manu - the creator of human race, in India.

http://www.orientalarchitecture.com/india/manali/manutemple.php
 History of Manu Temple
MANALI
It is believed to be the place where sage Manu meditated after stepping on
earth. Manali has a distinct historical background that is appealing to most
people who visit the pilgrim spot. According to Hindu mythology, Manu sage is
the divine creator of the human race in the world.

A view to main
worship area inside
Manu Temple

Statue of Manu Rishi inside the

Temple

http://www.orientalarchitecture.com/india/manali/manutemple.php
 MANALI
Inside view of Manu Temple... Its made up of Wood and stone , marble is
used for flooring... It looks amazing and most of the temples in Manali
regions are made of Wood with very nice carving.... Deodar wood is
considered as very good quality wood for any construction work

Manu Temple is very well located in Old Manali

Window detail from where whole valley can be seen and have
amazing views of hills on the other side

http://www.orientalarchitecture.com/india/manali/manutemple.php

Temple has many doors on two sides from
where fresh air and light passes inside the
temple to keep it glowing every time
http://www.orientalarchitecture.com/india/manali/manutemple.php
Construction MANALI
The temple is laid out in a square
formation with sides measuring 4.80
m. Over it stand 12 square wooden
pillars, one on each of the four
corners and two placed equidistantly
forming three division on each side.
These pillars are main load bearing
structural components on which the
superimposed load of roof rests. On
their inner side is a one metre wide
path on all the four sides. This path
encloses the sanctum sanctorum,
made of half metre thick wood n
stone four walls in traditional style.
The sanctum sanctorum is 2.15 m sq
chamber and enshrines a stone image
of Manu Rishi.
•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 around 350 temples.
• There are three styles of temple architecture in
the valley:
 Pagoda style
 Shikhara style
 Pahari style
PAGODA 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.
House Architecture
 CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUE

A typical house is built using kath khuni construction

technique

• Lower floor : Cattle

• Upper floor : Residing , Storing and Kitchen

 SLATE ROOFING
ATTIC
WOODEN PROJECTED
BALCONIES
RESIDING & KITCHEN

CATTLE
 KULLU

http://www.mapsofindia.com/
 KULLU
DEMOGRAPHIC

 As of 2011 India census Kullu had a population of 18306.

 Males constitute 54% of the population and females 46%.

 Kullu has an average literacy rate of 81%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 84%,
and female literacy is 77%.

 Kullu has an average elevation of 1,278 m or 4,193 ft).

 It lies on the bank of Beas River

http://www.maplandia.com/india/himachal-pradesh/kullu/kulu/
http://kullu.net/culture/index.html
http://www.himachal.exploreindia.in/kullu
 KULLU
CLIMATE
 December and January during winter observe lowest temperatures ranging from 4°C to 20°C, with some snowfall.

 Annual highest temperature in summer ranges from 25°C to 37°C during May to August.

 Months of July and August are rainy because of Monsoon, having around 15 cm rainfall monthly.

 Climate is pleasant in October and November.

http://www.maplandia.com/india/himachal-pradesh/kullu/kulu/
http://kullu.net/culture/index.html
http://www.himachal.exploreindia.in/kullu
 KULLU
CULTURE

 The people of Kullu believe in simple living

 The people of Kullu are primarily farmers,

 but now the population has also scattered into emerging occupations as tourism and other skillful fields

 More than 70% of the people here are literate. This includes an equal ratio of men and women.

 well known for the seven day festival of Kullu Dussehra

http://www.maplandia.com/india/himachal-pradesh/kullu/kulu/
http://kullu.net/culture/index.html
http://www.himachal.exploreindia.in/kullu
 KULLU
NATURE CONSERVATION

 Kullu is famous for its varied biodiversity.

 It has some of the rarest of animals like Himalayan Tahr, Western Tragopan, Monal and Himalayan Brown
Bear (also known as the Himalayan Red Bear).

 The Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP) is also located here.

 The park was built in 1984. It spreads over an area of 1,171 km2 which lies between an altitude of 1500 to
6000 meters.

http://www.maplandia.com/india/himachal-pradesh/kullu/kulu/
http://kullu.net/culture/index.html
http://www.himachal.exploreindia.in/kullu
Adi-brahma
temple
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.
Bishweshwar
temple
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.
 It is located at an altitude of about 2,460m 14 km from Kullu
KULLU
 The 60 feet high staff of Bijli Mahadev Temple glistens like a
silver needle in the sun.

 The pole is made of Deodar tree in a nearby forest area.

 Once in a while during special occasions the pole will be

replaced by another one made from the tallest Deodar tree
found in the forest.

 The tree is carved in the square shape

 In this temple of lightning, it is said that the tall staff attracts

the divine blessings in the form of lightning.

 It is believed that the priest of the temple has to restore the

Shiva lingam placed inside the temple using butter and sattoo
after every lightning as it shatters to pieces with flash of lightning
http://kullutourism.com/bijli-bijleshwar-mahadev-kullu.php
http://www.go2india.in/himachal/bijli-mahadev.php
Temple Architecture of the Western Himalaya -O.C.HANDA
 KULLU
 One of the fine examples of the pent-n-gable type roof is the
Bijali Mahadev Temple

 This temple is both large and very substantially built being thirty six
feet in length by 24 feet in breadth.

 The lower portion of the walls is of cut stone, no plaster being used
throughout

 At the enterance, which is to the west, there are fancifully carved

uprights that join on the roof, and a good deal of open carving also
surrounds the arched window

http://kullutourism.com/bijli-bijleshwar-mahadev-kullu.php
http://www.go2india.in/himachal/bijli-mahadev.php
Temple Architecture of the Western Himalaya -O.C.HANDA
 KULLU
 the sandhya devi temple inscription belongs to the 1428 AD.

 one of the oldest wooden temples with the exterior view

of the ‘Gabled Roof Type’

 The carvings on the columns are quite native

 The style of carvings is the fundamental folk art of

Himachal Pradesh.

 Well dressed stone four walls and wood work with intricate
and elaborate carving

http://himalayan-fantasy.com/kullu-manali-rhothang-pass/sandhya-gayatri-temple-jagatsukh/
http://trade.indiamart.com/details.mp?offer=6990592312
http://www.kamit.jp/05_wooden/4_himalaya/him_eng.htm
Wooden Temples of Himachal Pradesh -MIAN GOVERDHAN SINGH
 KULLU

 Garbhagriha (sanctuary) and Mandapa (hall) are walled of stone

but surrounded with a wooden open colonnade.

 The temple is crowned with a large 'gambrel roof' a kind of

gabled roof or gabled hipped roof, supported by a line of outer
timber columns and the stone wall.
monasteries

Dechen Choekhor Monastery

palaces

Naggar castle
MANDI
MANDI
 Located in the north-west Himalayas at an average altitude of 1,044 metres (3,425 ft)

 Princely state of Mandi was founded by Bahu Sen in 1200 AD. But Ajbar Sen was the one
who founded historical city of Mandi in 1526 AD.

 The present District of Mandi was formed with the merger of two princely states Mandi
State and Suket (Sundernagar) on the 15 April 1948, when the State of Himachal Pradesh
was established.

 Mandi is built on the banks of the Beas River

 is located in 31o72'N latitude and 76o92'E longitude.

 It has an average elevation of 1044 metres (3,425 feet)

 Two small rivulets, Suketi Khad and Skodhi Khad join River Beas
CLIMATE MANDI
 Mandi features a subtropical highland climate

DEMOGRAPHIC

 Mandi city consists of the municipal council and Mandi planning areas (MPA) under the Himachal Pradesh
Town and Country Planning Act 1977.

 City had a population of 60,387. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%

 Mandi has an average literacy rate of 83.5%, higher than the national average of 65.38% & almost equal to
state's literacy rate(83.57%)
 male literacy is 92%, and female literacy is 75%
MANDI
 Mandi had a very high sex ratio – 1013 girls for every 1000 boys in 2011.

 Population Density in the city is 5446 Persons/square kilometers.

 Mandi has a mixed population of Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims, Buddhists and Christians

CULTURE

 The people of Mandi are informally called Mandyalis.

 Mandi is also famous for the Mandi Shivaratri Fair, a fair held for seven days in the month
of March every year.

 The celebration of Shivratri of Mandi is said to have started in the year 1526 to
commemorate the foundation of present-day Mandi.
Temple Architecture Of Mandi
• Parashar temple
• Riwalsar
• Trilokinath Temple
• Panchvaktra Temple
• Kamrunag Temple, Himachal Pradesh.
 Prashar Temple in Mandi Himachal Pradesh

Built in:14th century

Built By:Ban Sen, the king of Mandi.
it took around 18 years to complete its construction.
This temple has a multi-storeyed wooden structure, built in the pagoda style.
it is made of deodar wood.
located at a height of 2730 m above sea level

http://parasharrishi.com/
http://www.saraswatinadi.com/rishi-parashar-and-ved-vyas/rishi-parashar-and-ved-vyas/
http://www.indianholiday.com/tourist-attraction/himachal-pradesh/temples-in-himachal-pradesh/prashar-temple.html
http://www.templetravel.net/2013/05/prashar-temple-in-mandi-himachal-pradesh.html
Kamrunag Temple, Himachal Pradesh

• Kamrunag is known as the Lord of

Rain in Mandi , Himachal Pradesh .
The temple of Kamru Nag is located
at village Kamrah in Mandi in the
midst of a thick forest.
• According to tradition the offerings to
the deity are thrown in a small lake
nearby. A priest acts as a medium on
behalf of the Nag Devta.

http://www.indianetzone.com/15/kamrunag_temple.htm
 Bhutnath Temple
• The Bhutnath Temple located in
the very heart of the beautiful city
of Mandi in the state of Himachal
Pradesh is as old as the town
itself. It dates back to the 1520s.
• It has a Nandi or God Shiva's bull
facing the ornamental double
arch to the sanctuary.
• The modern shrines that are close
by are brightly painted.

http://www.indianetzone.com/15/bhutnath_temple.htm
Panchvaktra Temple
• This temple had been built on the
confluence of Beas and Suketi
rivulet by Raja Sidh Sen who ruled
Mandi State during 1664-1727.
• There are many other Shiva
temples in the town including
Ardhnarishwar, Mahamritunjaya,
Neelkanth Mahadev, Kameshwar
Mahadev, Raneshwar Mahadev
and Ekadash Rudra.
 Pangna Fort
• t is a tower-like structure on a fifty foot stone platform
• It is just 60 feet high and is built in typical hill architecture in which only wood and stone are used.
• The woodcarvings are decorative and look new and fresh even after so many centuries
• This fort is famous for the wooden carvings and its beautiful architecture.
• Also there is Mahmaya Temple inside the fort which attracts many pilgrims
• situated at a height of 350 meters.
KANGRA
KANGRA
 KANGRA
• Kangra is the most populous district in the state of Himachal
Pradesh.
• The town of Dharamshala serves as the administrative
headquarters of the district.
• Kangra is situated in the lower foothills of Himalayas. Steeped
with sheer religiosity Kangra is famous for the temples.
• The town of Jwalamukhi in Kangra is famous for a prehistorically
temple of Jwalaji, an extremely revered God of the same name.
• The district dates back 3500 years, to the illustrious Vedic times.
Kangra is rich in ancient art, crafts and architecture.
• With a predominance of Hindu temples, the town of Marsur is
famous for the rock cut temples, also known as Himalayan
Pyramids and wonder of the world for being likely contender for
the UNESCO World Heritage Site
Climate :

• The topography of Kangra District is varied, with elevations ranging

from 400m altitude at Milawan to 5500m at Bara Bhangal. The Indora
block of Kangra District lies in a semi-humid, sub-tropical zone where
annual precipitation averages approximately 1000mm with a mean
temperature of about 24 °C,
• The winter lasts from mid-October to March, during which the
temperature ranges from 0 to 20 °C. The winds cause winter rains.
Summers last from April until June, and are hot (temp 25 to 38 °C)
and dry. They are generally followed by a wet monsoon which ends in
autumn
Demographics :

• According to the 2011 census Kangra district has a population of 1,507,223.

• This gives it a ranking of 331st in India (out of a total of640). The district
has a population density of 263 inhabitants per square kilometre
(680/sq mi). Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was
12.56%.
• Kangra has a sex ratio of 1013females for every 1000 males, and a literacy
rate of 86.49%. The native people are the Kangri people and the native
language is Kangri, which is very similar to Punjabi. The traditional dress for
men was the kurta, pyjamas, and a woolen jacket used in winter. Women
generally wear the salwar kameez and with the salwar Kameez girls and
women take chuenni ("Chaddru" in local language.)

www.hpkangra.nic.in
Economy :

• The Economy of Kangra District consists mostly of agriculture and

farming. Tea cultivation plays a vital in the economy. "Kangra Tea" is
famous worldwide for its rich aroma, colour and taste. A few other
industries that have been established in the region, including water
packaging, construction materials, and potato chips.
• The areas of Palampur and Baijnath are surrounded by lush, green tea
estates. Tourism is also an important part of the economy, with Bir in
particular becoming a strong hub for ecotourism and aerosports
KANGRA

Ruined fort
Temple of Baijnath
Temple of Sidhnath
Buddhist stupa known as BhimkaTila
Ruined fort
Lord Eligin's tomb
Vernacular Architecture of
Kangra(HP)

82
Location of
Kangra On Map

83
Location
• 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.

84
 Economy

• 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.

85
TYPICAL HOUSE IN KANGRA - 1
Pitch Roof with Slate Covering

Courtyard Verandah
86
TYPICAL HOUSE IN KANGRA - 2

87
Building Materials

88
Mud, Stone & Sun-Dried Bricks
• 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.

89
Sheesham & Bamboo Wood
• 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.

90
Traditional Builders
• 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.

91
Planning Techniques

• 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.

92
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.

93
• 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.

94
Cultural influence
• 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.

95
Topography

• 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.

96
Planning
• 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).

97
Plan

Ground Floor Plan

(Used as Living, Bedroom
and Kitchen)

First Floor Plan (Used as Storage Area)

98
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.

99
 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.
100
 Masroor Rock Cut Temple :

• Within the Masroor Rock Cut Temple complex,

there are 15 rock-cut temples in Indo-Aryan
style and are richly carved. It is a unique
monolithic structure in the sub-Himalayan
region.
• The main shrine contains three stone images
of Rama, Lakshmana and Sita. The temple
complex is located on a hill and also has a large
rectangular water pond. The temple complex is
believed to be built by the Pandava during
their exile, exact date is not known. As per
records ancient name of the city Kangra was
Bhimnagar founded by Bhima one of
the Pandava brothers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangra_district
 BAIJNATH TEMPLE :
• Architecturally, the temple is very different from other
temples in the state. The style in which the temple is
constructed is Orissan that is entirely different from
Himachal. The ancient Baijnath Temple is constructed in
the Shikhara style and is located within a well-maintained
complex of gardens, lawns and pathways in a single walled
courtyard. There are exquisitely carved floral and images of
deities in the outside of the temple.
In addition, there is a sanctum, which is eight feet square
inside and eighteen feet outside. Over it there is a conical
shaped spire. The sanctum is entered through a small
anteroom and contains a linga called Vaidyanath. The
mandapa or front hall is twenty square feet and four huge
pillars hold the roof of this mandapa. Elevated benches
that together form a passage leading up to the entrance of
the sanctum join the pillars. There is a stately porch
supported by four columns in front of the mandapa.

http://www.indianetzone.com/15/baijnath_temple.htm
THE KANGRA FORT :
 THE KANGRA FORT :

• The Kangra Fort is a fusion of ancient and

medieval form of architecture. It is also
known as “ Nagarkot” and “ Kot Kangra”. It
was built by the founder of Katoch
Dynasty, Bhumi Chand. The rulers of
Katoch Dynasty had ruled the land for
over 2000 years. The Kangra Fort is located
atop of a hill at the confluence of
Banganga and Patal Ganga (Majhi) river,
in the south western outskirts of the old
Kangra town. The location of the Fort is
such that it is inaccessible from three
sides. Kangra Fort in Himachal Pradesh has
shown its great sense of religious
harmony, having the presence of Hindu as
well as Jain temple.
FORT ARCHITECTURE :
• The Fort is spread over a large area from both sides by a 4 km long
outer circuit. Whole of the Fort is guarded by high ramparts and
massive wall of black stones. On the right side of the entrance,
there is a water pond which is called GO-MUKH.
The major attractions of Fort lies in the huge ‘Darwazas’ that is
typical of medieval architecture. All darwazas contain the
inscriptions of names of the King,
who had once ruled this Fort
DARWAZAS OF KANGRA FORT :
A walk through the various gateways is
like a transition form of one period to the
other. The fort is entered through a small
courtyard enclosed between two gates
which are known as Ranjit Singh Darwaza
(Phatak) and only date from the Sikh period, as appears
from an inscription over it
 THE TEMPLES WITHIN FORT :

• A little distant from the Darshini gate

a staircase leads to Lakshmi Narayan
and Shaitala Mata Mandir which are
considered as one of the valuable
monuments, located in the courtyard
of Kangra Fort. They were square
chambers profusely decorated with
beautiful carvings and design, the
ceilings of the temple is uniquely
decorated with bright colours and
patterns. A famous Jain temple is
also located in the vicinity of Kangra
Fort, dedicated to Adinath.
CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL & METHOD IN
KANGRA :
• The orientation of the buildings in this zone is mostly East and South. The
slope of the land is from 0 to 30* approximately. Materials available for
construction are stone slabs for flooring and roofing, stone and earth for
walls and wooden plank supports on wooden joists for intermediate floors.
A typical innovative technique for construction of earthen walls is use of a
bottomless wooden box 0.60X0.90 m, with a height of 0.23 m in which
earth is filled and rammed thus creating 0.23 m layer of rammed earth at
every stage for the construction of a wall which is 0.60 m thick. The
another innovative techniques is the use of locally available slate stone
which are used for sloping roof and are placed on heavy wooden supports
with overlapping of 0.0254 - 0.0308 m. These slates are not fixed to
wooden supports but remain in place by weight only or sometimes they
nailed to the wooden joists/rafters. The slope of roof is confined to
maximum 22.5 degree.

http://www.isaet.org/images/extraimages/P913008.pdf
• ln areas of heavy rainfall such as Dharamshala and Palampur
steeply-sloping roofs and deep verandahs are necessary, the
former to drain off the rains quickly and the later to allow
open-air living during rainy season and for protection of the
walls. Before the British influence, the buildings constructed
in these areas bore the influence of Rajasthan and Mughal
architecture which existed throughout northern India at that
time. However, with the coming of the British the jack-arch
was introduced and Dharamshala-type roofing was evolved
for areas of heavy rainfall using plain or galvanized iron
sheets for roofing

http://www.isaet.org/images/extraimages/P913008.pdf
 A. Traditional Construction Techniques - Mud
Construction :
• Mud construction is prevalent in Himachal
in two types, rammed earth conduction
and sun dried mud brick construction. Sun
dried mud bricks are used in the Kangra
region where good quality of mud is
available from the river beds. The walls
are made of sun dried bricks about 0.60 –
0.90 Mt . thick plastered with mud
phuska. These walls are susceptible to
erosion due to rain thus the buildings are
raised over stone or plastered to avoid
erosion. The floors are made of wood
plastered with mud enabling insulation
(Fig. 2).

http://www.isaet.org/images/extraimages/P913008.pdf
Mud Construction :
 B. Traditional Construction Techniques - Dry
Stone Construction :
• Dry stone construction is common in Kangra
region where slate is in abundance (Fig.3).
However this type of construction is also
common in Kinnaur district where good
quality stone can be quarried. Different sized
stones are placed over each other and
compacted without the mortar. Through
stones are used at regular intervals. A stronger
bond is achieved by interlocking the stone
rather than adding smaller stones in gaps.
Interior surface may be mud plastered. The
stone masonry structural walls take main
lateral and gravity load. The walls uniformly
distribute the load in both orthogonal
directions.

http://www.isaet.org/images/extraimages/P913008.pdf
Thanks