Habitat of bordowa field study report

SYSTEM DESIGN FORSUSTAINABILITY

HABITAT OF BORDOWAA FIELD STUDY

Semester • Jan-May 2015

Department of Design, IIT Guwahati

1 Department of Design, IIT-Guwahati

Course Instructor

Course Objective

Dr. Ravi.Mokashi Punekar

Asst. Prof Sharmistha Banerjee

An introduction to the theory and practice of System Design for Sustainability. Product Ser-vice System (PSS) design for Sustainability. Evolution of sus-tainability within design; Life Cycle Design : methods, tools, strategies, guidelines; System (PSS) design for eco efficiency: criteria, guidelines; System de-sign for socio-ethical sustain-ability (emerging context): crite-ria, guidelines; System design in emerging contexts; Evolutionary transition path; methods and tools for system design (system map, interaction story board etc.), Methods and tools for sys-tem design for sustainability.

The Aim of the project is to study and document the Habitat of the village of Bordowa, 16 km north of Nagaon District in Assam. Bordowa is the Religous capital of Assam, as it is the birth place of the greatest Saint of Assam Shrimanta Shankardev, who propagated the Bhakti movement. As apart of the project we stayed at Bordowa for 4 days and interacted with the local community and people , visited their homes, and documented the entire process interms of videos and photographs. We tried to undestand the dynamics of Bordowa.

Synopsis

As a cultural centre , an Economic hub and as a potential model for sustainable growth.The following report summarises our experiences and observations during our stay in Bordowa.We would like to thank the people of Bordowa for letting us into thair homes and their hearts.

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Students

Shambhavi DeshpandeDorai Raj NathaAayush Jain

Rajib BhakatKunal DregoKulmanali Khilare

Habitat Group

B.Des IVyrB.Des IVyrB.Des IVyr

M.DesIV yrM.Des IIyrM.Des IIyr

110205101102051211020501

1342050191342050101342050

Course Instructor

Dr. Ravi.Mokashi Punekar

Asst. Prof Sharmistha Banerjee


Introduction Habitat

A habitat is an ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular species of animal, plant, or other type of organism.It is the natural environment in which an organism lives, or the physical environment that surrounds a species populationvarious types of places intended for human residence, as opposed to and often in addition to e.g., places of work, study, or entertainment. The term habitat comes from ecology, and includes many interrelated features, especially the immediate physical environment, the urban environment or the social environment.

Demographics of population based on religion.

Bordowa is a village situated in the Nagaon District of the state of Assam. It is best known for its religious significance as the birth place of Srimanta Shankar Dev.It is a place of cultural heritage for the Assamese community. As a result a large no. of tourists come and visit the place through out the year. The population mainly depends upon Agriculture , Sericulture, Weaving, Teaching, Handicrafts etc.

Based on religion the demographics of Bordowa can be divided into Hindus and Muslims as these religious ethinicities dominate the region. the hindu community is found at the centre of the place and muslim majority at the outskirts of Bordowa.

Habitat in Bordowa Demographics

Muslims

Hindus

Satra

The Satra can be defined as the cultural controller, or the habitat controller of the place . It is often cited as controller of all the events in Bordowa.

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With respect to Bordowa we have mainly considered the physical habitat of the place and the social interaction of the people of the place and and within each other. The urban scenario dwals with the built up Infrastructure and economy of that place. This can be the broad classification for the study of the Habitat of Bordowa.

Habitat

Social HabitatUrban HabitatPhysical Habitat

Classification of Habitat

In terms of Religion

Hindus Muslims

The religious divide can be clearly seen between the two communi-ties in terms of demographics and Habitat. Observations:• The land occupancy inthe center of the village is held by the

Hindus. • Hindus are the landlord of the place and muslims work on thair

fields.• The muslims work as field workers and peasents and the hinud

as the landlords.• the main occupations among hindus are: farmers, weavers,

teachers, public service, business etc• Occupation among muslims: Farmers, doctors, vegetable seller ,

business, cobbler, etc.

Classification in terms of Study

• Architecture.• Habitat Plan.• Kitchen.• Domestic Activities.• Cleenliness. • Dress & Artifects.


ArchitectureAssam type house Elevated HouseCemented House

The Assam type house is a typical siting in Assam, the have sloping roofs. the walls and roof are made up of wood frames and beams. The wall surface is made up of bamboo tied together with concrete or mud mixture for outer surface.

The most common type of houses available are the concrete RCC houses. they are normal houses though the front facade is designed ina typical assemese fashion .There are multistorey buildings also upto 2 floor high in this region. The houses are very well ventilated, and have specious room. Windows are provided for maximum sunlight to get in . The houses are designed as per vastu shastra as per the teachings of Srimanta Shankardev.

These houses are generally found on the front lawn of a house. they are mainly used for storing grain , or as a store room. They are very useful during rainy season as the protect grain, cattle and sometimes human from the eminent floods.

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The main building material that is used in building temporary houses are bamboo, soil and wooden frames.The houses thet are made here hav lintels above the window to protect from rainsnad sun. The roofing materials used are Tin, Tali, Concrete and in some cases dried coconut leaves for shelter. The design of the houses are highly inspired from colonial times in the Hindu majority areas. In Muslim majority areas most of the houses found are temporary and are not well maintained.

The front facade of a typical Hindu Household is a triangular shaped entrance as seen in the mentioned figures. Whesreas the Muslim houses have a very plain facade with rectangular beam and intricate designs on them . Window panels found here are mostly wooden frames.


Habitat PlanningThe Habitat in and around the living area is a very well maintaind highly personal place for recreation for the villagers. Sometimes the villagers live as a group sharing the same compound with multiple families, somtimes having a seperate area for the entire family.

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A Typical plan of a house in BordowaA typical Assamese Hindu Household in Bordowa follows a similar pattern in terms of the layout of the house. The Lay out can be divided as per the followings :• The front lawn and back

yard are used for growing fruits,vegetables and flowers.

• A space is allocated for the cattle.

• Granary is situated outside the house or somtimes inside .

• The Kitchen , Prayer room , and toilets are placed outside the main living area so as not to infest germs into the bedroom, This promotes cleanliness.

• A dumping ground is made at the back of thehouse where a pit is digged and the waste is dumped there.

• They are cleaned or burnt when the pit is full. And subsiquently a new pit is digged.

Schematic layout of a typical Assamese house in Bardowa.


KitchenThese are pictures of a typical firewood using stoves to cook food. The kitchen is placed generally outside the main living area, as women should not enter the kitchen during their menstural cycle. The fire wood used with cow dung is a very typical choice for the villagers here. • Most of the Hindu Household

uses LPG cylinders in kitchen• Occationally ony firewood is

used.• In the Muslim dominated

region though , the use of these kind of firewood is extensive.

• The firewood is made by taking thin, long pieces of wood or sliced bamboo , which is then wrapped around with cow dung.

• It is then dried and used as a fuel.

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Domestic ActivitiesThe people in the village are very Independent, and self sustainable because of all the practices and activities they do in their household compound. There is agreat amount of cultural resources in every household. The traditional practices of weaving, Gamucha making , crafts making , carpentry are carried out everyday in each household, making every household a potential small scale industry. Promonent if these are Weaving, Kuhila crafts, loom, fishery ect.


The lawns in the house hold are used for growing various fruits and vegetables, and other cash crops. namely being: Tobacco, Coconut, Papaya, Bamboo, Bnaana, Bettle leaf, Gaurd, Guava, Chilli and other seasonal fruits and vegetables.The manure for the crops are generated from the waste disposal pits backside of thehouse.Basically all the house hold has a kitchen garden. Apart from them seasonal flowers are also grown on the lawns.

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The front lawn also houses the cattles and the granary. Though cattle grazing is not so much prevelent among the Hindu community , it is mosty foubd amonf the Muslims. Cattle is raised as an asset to the

Hen, Duck, Goose,Goat are the prominent cattle raised in Bordowa. Fisheries is one of the most prospering and important industries of the region. As fish is eaten through out the year by the assamese people.

household and is seen as a thing of great value. The milk produced from the cow or egg from hens and duck are mostly used for domestic consumption. If in acces then it is sold to the naighbours. Cow,


CleanlinessWaste DisposalWaterToilets

Toilets are found in almost all the houses of Bardowa. Open Defication is not followed by people around the village. Temopary and permanent toilets are made based on their financial capabilities

Ground Water is mostly used for drinking as well as washing, as ground water is availabe under 20ft of groundlevel. The arsenic and iron content in the water is high.

The kitchen and other household waste produced in the house are dumped into pits dugged behind the house. The village as a whole is clean as the villages are aware of it benifits.

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Dresses & ArtefactsThe tradional dresses are still worn by assamese women woven by their own hand making it one of the most sustainable practices of the village.Hindus:Makhela Chaddar, Kurta , Dhoti, Gamucha, Salwar Kameez.Muslims: Burkha , Saree, Lungi, Shirt, Namaz Cap.


Traditional Artefects include:• Japi• Khorai• Gamucha• Masks for plays• Dhol,Mridanga• Tal • Local Crafts• Kuhila Artistry• Water Hysin furniture• Assamese Jewellery

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Observations & Conclusions • The Residents of Bordowa are very wecoming and peaceful inhabitant.• The overall village habitat is clean and the population is well informed about the benifits of Cleanliness.• The ethnicity of the place is majorly divided in between the Hindus & the Muslims.• The average Hindu population of Bardowa is well educated whereas the Muslim community lacs

behind in this regard.• Hindus are the major Land holders in this region.• The Muslims workers are employed in the fields as workers, and when the crops are cultivated they

get a share of it.• The Batadrava Satra is the heart of the entire village and the village is known for the place.• There are 3 major occations in Bordowa when a major influx of tourists from all over assam and

the world comes to visit. Namely: The Doul Utsav(Holi), Birth and Death aniversary of Shrimanta Shankardev.

• The muslim population stay on the outskirts of Bordowa as dhey are not allowed to buy or retain land inside the village.

• The fast growing Muslim population in and around Bordowa, is a major matter of concern for the local Hindu population and as well as the Satra.

• But there has not been any cases of communal clashes in the village.• Bordowa is slowly emerging as the religious capital of Assam, and it has seen amajor rise in tourist

influx in recent times.• There is a huge scope for the setup of mant small scale industries perttaining to local crafts.• Tourism can also be a game changer in Bordowa's economy if exploited sustainabily.• Overall it is a very self sustained village, plople living in the place are happy and have no complaints.• The teachings of Srimanta Shankardev plays a very important part in every individual of the village,

and they have inculcated his teachings in thair daily life.