VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE

RAJASHTHAN

VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE

MADHU SAGAR
SHREYA WADEKAR

Source – THE MUD ARCHITECTURE OF INDIAN DESERT

 • State – Rajasthan
• Area – 27,244 km2
• Coordinates – 27o 11’ – 29o 03’ N
71o 54’ – 74o 12’ E
• Altitude – 238 mts above MSL.
• Population – 6,42,550
• Density of Population – 78 per km2

POPULATION LITERACY
MALE-LITERATE
MALE-RURAL
(40%)
(8,21,434)
MALE-ILLITERATE
MALE-URBAN
(12.6%)
(4,19,367)
FEMALE-LITERATE
FEMALE RURAL
(25.3%)
(7,42,119)
FEMALE-
FEMALE-URBAN
ILLITERATE (22.1%)
(3,81,017)

RAJASTHAN 08/06/2017 3
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Averag
23.0 25.5 31.8 38.2 41.7 41.6 37.8 36.6 36.7 36.2 30.7 25.3 33.76
e high
(73.4) (77.9) (89.2) (100.8) (107.1) (106.9) (100) (97.9) (98.1) (97.2) (87.3) (77.5) (92.78)
°C (°F)
Averag
5.6 8.8 15.0 22.1 26.8 28.8 27.7 26.8 24.7 19.1 12.1 6.9 18.7
e low
(42.1) (47.8) (59) (71.8) (80.2) (83.8) (81.9) (80.2) (76.5) (66.4) (53.8) (44.4) (65.66)
°C (°F)
Averag
e preci
5 7 10 7 31 46 106 71 34 4 3 1 325
pitation
(0.2) (0.28) (0.39) (0.28) (1.22) (1.81) (4.17) (2.8) (1.34) (0.16) (0.12) (0.04) (12.81)
mm
(inches)
Averag
e
precipit 0.8 1.0 1.5 0.9 2.6 3.2 6.6 5.6 3.0 0.6 0.3 0.5 26.6
ation
days

• Summer max. temperature – 48oC

• Summer min. temperature –28oC
• Winter max. temperature – 22oC
• Winter min. temperature – 4oC
• Rainfall – 25 cm.
RAJASTHAN 08/06/2017 4
 JUNAGARH PALACE LALGARH PALACE GAJNER PALACE

BIKANER CAMEL SAFARI GAJNER WILDLIFE SANCTUARY GANGA SINGH MUSEUM

DESHNOK TEMPLE SADUL SINGH MUSEUM

RAJASTHAN 08/06/2017 5
 The Bikaner district lies almost at the northern-most edge of the desert.
 It is bounded on the north-east by Ganganagar district; by the district of Churu
on the east, Jodhpur and Nagaur on the south and Jaisalmer on the
southwest.
 It lies along the Pakistan border on the west.
 The surface of the place is for the most apart covered with undulating sand-
hills, varying in height from 10 meters to over 30 meters.
 The land is as dry as a desert can possibly be, with no perennial rivers or
streams.
 Two salt lakes exist : Chhapar in the south near Sujangarh, and another at
Kunkaransar about 80 kms north-east of Bikaner.
 Of fresh water lakes, the most notable is that of Gajner, 30 kms south-west of
the capital city.
 On the banks of the lake is a palace and a garden belonging to the
Maharaja.
 The lake is fed by water from the rocky country to the west, and in about 700m
long 500 m wide.

RAJASTHAN 08/06/2017 6
 The climate of the area is dry and generally healthy, though characterized by
extraordinary extremes of temperature.
 During the summer, the heat is intense ; hot winds blow with great fury in May, June
and part of July.
 Severe sandstorms are a common feature of the area.
 These are made even more severe by the intense and powerful sun.
 On the other hand, severe cold is experienced during the winter.
 It is, therefore, natural that the houses of the region have to be built to respond to
such extremes of climate.
 To the north of Bikaner, the houses are constructed out of stone as well as mud.
 The walls are either constructed of sunbaked mud bricks or undressed stone,
plastered with mud.
 The village houses have 2 or 3 courtyards.
 The outer court has a high and strong compound wall for protection against the
sandstorms.
 The inner or central court is the place onto which all rooms open and is the hub of
activities.

RAJASTHAN 08/06/2017 7
 The rear yard is where the fodder is stored.
 The interior of these built spaces is used only when the climate is specially
severe.
 Semi-open spaces like verandahs are used most of the time.
 The room which is accessible from the outside may be used as a visitor’s room
or as a shop.
 The play of walls of different heights set on various planes gives the main
façade an appearance characteristic of this area.
 Openings in the walls are small and few in number.
 The mud plastered walls are painted white at these openings and this makes
them look larger.
 The blank surfaces are provided with an element of contrast and decoration.
 This technique of decoration is very simple but nonetheless effective.
 It transforms the simple masses of the walls into works of art.
 Since the flat interior slab is usable, a solid stair is provided, which forms an
important visual element and fluidity to the over-all façade.

RAJASTHAN 08/06/2017 8
 The smaller villages north of Bikaner epitomize true Indian village.
 The main activity of the desert region is agriculture and dairy products.
 The farmers produce millet and other grains for their own consumption as well
as to sell.
 These villages show very few signs of progress.
 Occasionally, some villages near the bus route area are seen to have more
modern facilities, like electricity.
 It is in the interior villages that one finds some of the most beautiful mud forms in
an undisturbed, vernacular architectural environment.
 The village of Jalwali is situated in this region on an uneven terrain.
 Here, the houses are compactly grouped within a network of narrow
meandering paths.
 Generally, each of these houses has a private inner courtyard and a semi-
private outer courtyard for the cattle.
 The most significant and typical feature is the entrance gate of these houses,
and also their unique grain and other storage jars made of mud.
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 The streets of the village of Jalwali are defined by the long boundary walls or
hedges of the outer courtyards of the houses.
 An occasional entrance gate enlivens these walls or hedges.
 The various sizes and shapes of these entrance gates symbolize transition and
proclaim individual territory and identity.
 The structure of this element houses and supports the entrance door.
 The mud walls of the boundary are heightened at this to cover the doorway in
shape of an arch, a triangle or a square.
 A few niches may be provided for lamps.
 The selection of the form of this element is always special and individual, and
means a lot to the residents.
 Any single street is dotted with a number of entrance elements and made
interesting in that manner.

RAJASTHAN 08/06/2017 13
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 In the plan form, the houses have an enveloping quality with the inner
courtyard as the nucleus.
 The mud walls of the rooms and the encircling walls with their numerous
storage elements, are the first envelope around their private open-to-sky
domain.
 The outer envelope encloses the open space for animals, the rooms for visitors,
the storage area for fuel-wood and areas for other, less private activities.
 The entrance gate is the main reference point.
 The guest rooms are in one corner and are away from the main house.
 These indicate the need for privacy in line with social custom.
 The guest rooms have platforms in the front.
 These rooms might also be used for storage purposes or to house animals
during conditions of severe heat or cold.
 The floor of this court is left unfinished and is often left in its natural condition.

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 The main house is entered through a small opening in a low mud wall,
separating the two courtyards.
 Two rectangular rooms on the two sides and one circular jhompa right across
the entrance surrounding the internal space which is open to sky.
 The circular jhompa has conical thatched roof.
 The rectangular rooms have flat roof.
 Symmetrically placed rooms, emphasize the entrance door of the circular
jhompa when observed from the gate.
 It is also the seat of the head male member of the family.
 The view of the entrance from the jhompa is important, both visually and
socially.

RAJASTHAN 08/06/2017 16
 The circular jhompa is the main living space while the rectangular rooms are
for children and members of the family.
 On the two diagonal walls linking the rooms, are seen grain storage units of
various sizes, built of mud.
 Since they are hand-made, the heights, depths and widths of each differ from
one another.
 The sizes of these grain storage units are such that access to them is possible
only from the outside, as in case of a large bottle.
 A storage unit is never entered into.
 The conical top is closed once the dried grain is placed within and it is then
locked.

RAJASTHAN 08/06/2017 17
 At Jalwali, these storage units stand out due to their shapes and the architectural
composition of their forms.
 Unlike other places, where single storage units were found, this village had many
units within one house, perhaps due to the prosperity of the local farmers or their
need to protect themselves from draught.
 The functional and sculptural storage units have two openings, the larger one near
the top and the smaller one at the bottom.
 The upper opening generally has a lockable shutter.
 The lower opening is small and used for the daily quota of food grains.
 A cotton rag is used to plug it.
 The walls of the storage jars are 15 to 20 centimeters thick, with stone or wood on
base, and the jars are propped up from the floor on fixed stilts.
 They are replastered every year before new grains are stored.
 The hand made storage units are never identical.
 Such variations of detail add to the beauty of these mud houses and give them a
highly personalized look within a generic order.
 However, the surface treatment differs.

RAJASTHAN 08/06/2017 18
RAJASTHAN 08/06/2017 19
Jaislmer is a former medieval trading centre in
the western indian state of india , situated in the
Area: 5.1 km²
heart of thar dessert. Known as the “GOLDEN
.CITY” it is distinguished by its yellow sandstone Elevation: 225 m

architecture. Weather: 18°C,
Dominating the skyline of the city is jaisalmer fort Wind N at 18 km/h, 40%
a sprawling hilltop citadel. Behind its massive Humidity
: 65,471 (2011)

walls stand the ornate Maharaja’s palace and
intricatly carved jain temples.

RAJASTHAN 08/06/2017 21
 Male
literacy
Female
litracy

RAJASTHAN 08/06/2017 22
 Tourism is a major industry in Jaisalmer.
 Jaisalmer is one of the most preferred event organizing destinations in
Rajasthan.
 Jaisalmer is also known for its leather bags made from the camels in the
district.
 Jaisalmer is connected to rest of rajasthan by buses provided by rajasthan
state transport corporation and other private bus operators.Airport is
currently inactive.
 Jaisalmer is connected to rest of india.There are daily trains between jaipur
and jaisalmer. Jaisalmer is connected to delhi by jaipur route.Additionally
there exists a luxurious train palace on wheels for tourists

RAJASTHAN 08/06/2017 23
 While Jaisalmer may always have been remote, it is filled with many artistic
structures and monuments of local historical importance.
 Jaisalmer's medieval mud fortress and walled township make it a popular
tourist destination. The surrounding desolate landscape evidences a stark,
austere beauty.
 Camel safaris through the nearby desert dunes are popular with tourists;
competition for business is fierce.
 Prices range wildly and one has to bargain for everything, hotel rates included.
 A few quiet days spent wandering around the town and the surrounding desert
can be a wonderful way of unwinding from the chaos of larger Indian cities

RAJASTHAN 08/06/2017 24
 Khidrat is a small village situated 60km
from Bikaner.
 The main activity of these people was
agriculture and dairy.
 It is often seen in the village that woman
folk wear the same colour of clothing in
khidrat the colour was maroon red to
compliment the brown and muddy
nature of the soil.
 mud replastering is done Every year after
it rains, for farmers nature establishes the
cycle.
 After the damage caused by rain and as
they are comparatively free the damage
done to their houses is repaired and the
houses are replastered.
RAJASTHAN 08/06/2017 26
The village of Khidrat spreads over
both sides of road with mud jhompas
and three layer of thatch clearly being
visible on one side and other with tin
and country tile rectangular roofs .
 The later type of house shows an
early stage of contemporary house
development.
 The older side of the village with its
clusters of circular jhompas has
about 50 houses loosely positioned

RAJASTHAN 08/06/2017 27
Three kinds of plan formation are observed in
this village
 In the larger houses the the inner courts are
for the people and outer for the cattle
 In the second category the houses are
without courtyards for animals and the
animals rest outside the inner court wall
 The third category of houses has two
jhompas with ottas but without coutyards.

The inside and outside of the house are

strongly defined by an emphatic entrance.
The most special element in these houses are
the conical thatched roof .
 .

RAJASTHAN 08/06/2017 28
 In unbearable summer days the
jhompas with its 3 layered thatched roof
keep the inside environment cool.
 The materials used in making the thatch
are the main twigs from jowar , bajara
or millet from their agricultural
production
 The gates of these houses are generally made
of natural logs. The log branch is often fixed
to another similar forked one so they are
locked together .
 These rough logs are about 15-20 cm in
diameter and are heavy to lift .
 These gates are placed to keep the animals
away , a large stone bowl filled with water is
placed just outside the entrance and the roof
is constructed with hay.

RAJASTHAN 08/06/2017 29
Typically, each house has open courtyard around
which 5-6 jhompas are posted.
 A low wall defines the court
 The outer boundary walls are defined with weed
hedges on vertical stone strips.
 Walls are mud platered
 The personal rooms are small where the courts
are large
the people built only to the minimum extent so
they wasted very little . By scooping out
depressions or adding projections they created
little thick plastered niches which held oiled lamps
for their deities.

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In the village the caste system is very much prominent . Each sector of caste have their own
specific dwellings inside the village.
Brahmins stayed together but away from harijans and so on.

The houses of lower caste people are comparitely well maintained

Better designed and maintained with paint , several factors act in the favour of these craft-
oriented people who value hard work.
They have plenty of time they are talented and gifted artisans both embleshing their home
and themselves
They bring joy and happiness to their otherwise isolated life.

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 MADHU SAGAR
SHREYA WADEKAR
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