IMP BIKANER as Case Study

7/24/2019 IMP BIKANER as Case Study

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Chapter 10

Bikaner as case study

The di st r i ct of Bi kaner l i es al most at t he nor t hern

most edge of t he deser t . I t i s bounded on t he nor t h

east by Ganganagar di st r i ct by t he di st r i ct of

Chur u on t he east , J odhpur and Nagaur on t he sout h

and J ai sal mer on t he sout hwest . I t l i es al ong t he

Paki st an bor der on t he west .

The di st r i ct t akes i t s name f r om i t s capi t al , t he

ci t y of Bi kaner , t he set t l ement f ounded by Rao Bi ka

i n 1488. I t i s sai d t hat t he spot on whi ch t he ci t y

st ands was t he bi r t hr i ght of a J at cal l ed Ner a. Who

onl y gave i t up on condi t i on t hat hi s name was

l i nked wi t h t hat of Bi ka and hence t he wor d Bi ka-

ner . The sur f ace of t he count r y i s f or t he most

par t cover ed wi t h undul at i ng sand hi l l s, var yi ng i n


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hei ght f r om 10m t o over 30m. The l and i s as dr yt as

a deser t can possi bl y be, wi t h no per enni al r i ver s

or st r eams. Two sal t l akes exi st : Chhapar i n t he

sal t near Suj angar h, and anot her at kunkar ansarabout i t ei ght y KM nor t heast of Bi kaner . Of Frace

wat er l akes, t he most not abl e i s t hat of Gaj ner ,

30km sout hwest of t he capi t al ci t y.

On t he banks of t he l ake i s a pal ace and a gar den

bel ongi ng t o t he mahar aj a. The l ake i s f ed by wat er

f r om t he r ocky count r y t o t he west , and i n about

700m l ong and 500m wi de.

The cl i mat e of t he ar ea i s dry and gener al l y

heal t hy, t hough char act er i zed by ext r aor di nar y

ext r emes of t emperat ur e. Dur i ng t he summer t he,

heat i s i nst ance; hot wi nds bl ow wi t h gr eat f ur y i n

may, J une and par t of J ul y. sever e sandst or ms are a


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common f eat ure of t he ar ea. These ar e made even

more severe by t he i nt ense and power f ul sun. On t he

ot her hand, sever e col d i s exper i enced dur i ng t he

wi nt er . I t i s, t her ef or e, nat ur al t hat t he house i sof t he r egi on have t o be bui l t t o r espond t o such

ext r emes of cl i mat e. To t he nor t h of Bi kaner , t he

houses are const r uct ed out of st one as wel l as mud.

Rect angul ar r ooms ar r anged i n geomet r i c pat t ern

ar ound t he cour t yar d const i t ut e t he basi c pl an

f or m. al l maj or Spaces ar e r ect angul ar , wi t h f l at

st one sl abs or r ough wood r oof s, except f or one

ci r cul ar ( ki t chen or st or e) space wi t h a coni cal

t hat ched r oof .

The wal l s ar e ei t her const r uct ed out of sun baked

mud br i cks or undr essed st one, pl ast er ed wi t h mud.

The vi l l age Houses have t wo or t hree cour t yar ds.

The out er cour t has a hi gh and st r ong compound wal l


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f or and pr ot ect i on agai nst t he sandst or ms. The

i nner or cent r al cour t i s t he pl ace ont o whi ch al l

r ooms open. And i t i s t he hub of act i vi t i es. The

r ear yar d i s wher e t he f odder i s st or ed. Thei nt er i or of and t hese bui l t spaces i s used onl y

when t he cl i mat e i s speci al l y sever e. Semi open

space l i ke ver andahs ar e used most of t he t i me.

The r oom whi ch i s accessi bl e f r om t he out si de

maybe used as a vi si t or s r oom or as a shop. The

pl ay of wal l s of di f f er ent hei ght s set on var i ous

pl anes gi ves t he mai n f aade an appear ance

char act er i st i c of t he ar ea. Openi ngs i n t he wal l sar e smal l and f ew i n number . The mud pl ast er ed

wal l s are pai nt ed whi t e at t hese openi ngs and t hi s

makes t hem l ook l ar ger . The bl ank sur f aces ar e

pr ovi ded wi t h an el ement of cont r ast and


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decl ar at i on. Thi s t echni que of decl ar at i on i s ver y

si mpl e but nonet hel ess ef f ect i ve. I t t r ansf or ms t he

si mpl e masses of t he wal l s i nt o wor ks of ar t . Si nce

t he f l at i nt er i or sl ab i s usabl e, a sol i d stai r i spr ovi ded, whi ch f or ms an i mpor t ant vi sual el ement

wi t hi n t he cent r al cour t . The ci r cul ar f or m of t he

ki t chen or st or e hel ps i n br i ngi ng some var i at i on

and f l ui di t y t o t he over al l f aade.

Example

House of Jalwali village

The smal l er vi l l ages nor t h of Bi kaner epi t omi ze t he

t r ue I ndi an vi l l age. The mai n economi c act i vi t y of

t he deser t r egi on i s agr i cul t ur e and dai r y

pr oduct s. The f ar mer s Pr oduce mi l l et and ot her

gr ai ns f or t hei r own consumpt i on as wel l as t o

sel l . These vi l l ages show ver y f ew si gns of

pr ogr ess. Occasi onal l y, some vi l l ages near t he bus

r out e ar ea ar e seen t o have mor e moder n f aci l i t i es,

l i ke el ect r i ci t y. I t i s i n t he i nt er i or vi l l ages

t hat one f i nds some of t he most beaut i f ul mud f orms

i n an undi st ur bed, ver nacul ar , ar chi t ect ur al

envi r onment .


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The vi l l age of J al wal i i s si t uat ed i n t hi s r egi on

on an uneven t er r ai n. Here t he Houses ar e compact l y

gr ouped wi t hi n a net work of nar r ow meander i ng

pat hs. Gener al l y, each of t hese hoses has a pr i vat e

i nner cour t yar d and a semi - pr i vat e out er cour t yar d

f or t he cat t l e. The most si gni f i cant and t ypi cal

f eat ur e i s t he ent r ance gat e of t he t hese houses,

and al so t hei r uni que gr ai n and ot her st or age j ar s

made of mud.

The st r eet s of t he vi l l age j al wal i ar e def i ned by

t he l ong boundar y wal l s or hedges of t he out er

cour t yar ds of t he hor ses. An occasi onal ent r ance

gat e enl i vens t hese wal l s or hedges. The var i ous

si zes and shapes of t hese ent r ance gat es symbol i ze

t r ansi t i on and pr ocl ai m i ndi vi dual t er r i t or y and

i dent i t y. The st r uct ur e of t hi s el ement houses and


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suppor t s t he ent r ance door . The mud Wal l s of t he

boundar y ar e hei ght ened at t hi s poi nt t o cover t he

door way i n t he shape of an ar ch, a t r i angl e or a

square. A f ew i nches maybe pr ovi ded f or l amps.

The sel ect i on of t he f or m of t hi s el ement i s al ways

speci al and i ndi vi dual , and means a l ot t o t he

r esi dent s. Any si ngl e st r eet i s dot t ed wi t h a

number of ent r ance el ement s and i s made i nt erest i ng

i n t hat manner .


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The house sel ect ed here i s ent er ed t hr ough one such

gat e. I n t he pl an f or m, t he houses have and

envel opi ng qual i t y wi t h t he i nner cour t yar d as a

nucl eus. The mud wal l s of t he r ooms and t heenci r cl i ng wal l s, wi t h t hei r numer ous st or age

el ement s, ar e t he f i r st envel op ar ound t hei r

pr i vat e open t o t he sky domai n. The out er envel op

encl oses t he open space f or ani mal s, t he r ooms f or

vi si t or s, t he st or age ar ea f or f uel wood and ar eas

f or ot her , l ess pr i vat e act i vi t i es. The ent r ance

gat e i s The mai n r ef erence poi nt . The guest r ooms

are i n one cor ner and are away f r om t he mai n house.

These i ndi cat e The need f or pr i vacy i n l i ne wi t h

soci al cust om. t he t wo smal l r ooms have a pl at f or m

i n f r ont of t he guest r ooms. These r ooms mi ght al so

be used f or st orage pur poses or t o house ani mal s

dur i ng condi t i ons of sever e heat or col d. The f l oor

of t hi s cour t i s l ef t unf i ni shed and i s of t en l ef t

i n i t s nat ur al condi t i on.


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The mai n house i s ent er ed t hrough a smal l openi ng

i n a l ow mud wal l , separ at i ng t he t wo cour t yar ds.

Two r ect angul ar r ooms on t he t wo si des and one

ci r cul ar J hompa r i ght acr oss t he ent r ance sur r ound

t he i nt er nal space whi ch i s open t o t he sky. The

ci r cul ar J hompa has a coni cal t hat ched r oof . The

r ect angul ar r ooms have f l at r oof s. Symmet r i cal l y

pl aced r ooms emphasi ze t he ent r ance door of t he

ci r cul ar J hompa when obser ved f r om t he gat e. I t i s

al so t he seat of t he head mal e member of t he

f ami l y. The vi ew of t he ent r ance f r om t he J hompa i s

i mpor t ant , bot h vi sual l y and soci al l y.The ci r cul ar J hompa i s t he mai n l i vi ng space whi l e

t he rect angul ar r ooms ar e f or chi l dr en and members

of t he f ami l y. On t he t wo di agonal wal l s l i nki ng

t he rooms, ar e seen gr ai n st or age uni t s of var i ous


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si zes, bui l t of mud. Si nce t hey ar e hand made, t he

hei ght s, dept hs and wi dt hs of each di f f er f r om one

anot her .

The si zes of t hese grai n st or age uni t s ar e sucht hat access t o t hem i s possi bl e onl y f r om t he

out si de, as i n t he case of a l ar ge bot t l e. A

st or age uni t i s never ent er ed i nt o. The coni cal t op

i s cl osed once t he dr i ed gr ai n i s pl aced wi t hi n and

i t i s t hen l ocked.

Guda Bishnoiya,Jodhpur district

Guda Bi shnoi ya f al l s under j odhpur di st r i ct as

si gni f i cant pl ace, wor t h vi s i t i ng.

Thi s vi l l age i s j ust 22km f ar f r om J odhpur ci t ybei ng very much di scussed and wi del y popul ar hol ds

t he maj or shar e i n t he ar chi t ect ur e of mud. Thi s

vi l l age I t set l ong t he bank of f amous Guda l ake.

Wher e t he maj or i t y bi r ds come ever y year .


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A Vi si t t o Guda Bi shnoi yan r ef l ect s t he per f act way

t o appr eci at e and r espect Bi shnoi cul t ur e, wr aped

i n mud. Thi s i s t he pl ace where anyone can come t o

know how t he vi l l ager s ar ound l i ve and pr ot ect t henatur e and envi r onment . The at mosphere i n t hi s

whol e regi on i s so admi r abl e t hat anyone bei ng

Vi si t or coul d be easi l y absor bed i n t hei r own

cul t ur e.

Construction techniques

The compl et e const r uct i on i s i n t r adi t i onal st yl e.

And Bui l t wi t h nat ur al l y avai l abl e sur r oundi ng


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mat er i al l i ke, mud, t hech, bamboo and l i me. Houses

ar e made of l ocal mat er i al s and pl ast er ed wi t h cow

dung.

Beaut i f ul pai nt i ngs have been done i n t r adi t i onalst yl e by l ocal woman ar t i sans.

Pai nt ed wal l s

The f ur t her cover i ng of houses i s done wi t h

t hat ched r oof s. Each house i s made and i ndi vi dual

dwel l i ngs uni t s whi ch has opened t he sky

cour t yar ds. The houses ar e ar omat i zed by guggl e

col l ect ed f r om l ocal f or est . The mat er i al chi ef l y

ut i l i zed i s sun- dr i ed mud br i cks and pl ast er ed wi t h

mud on i t .


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Rees and st eams mi xed wi t h mud t o pr ovi de st r engt h

Local l y avai l abl e mud


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The sunken spaces

Ent r ance t o a hut


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Wal l const r uct i on wi t h j al i s

erviewOv

aj ast han coul d be cal l ed as a compl et ed

ge ar e:

e nat i ve pl ace.

ot hi ng eveni ng.

No t r i p i n R

one wi t hout a vi si t t o guda bi shnoi yan.

The wi del y vi si bl e f eat ur es of t hi s vi l l a

. Mud ar ound t he ent i r e r egi on.

. Deser t wi l d l i f e.

. Demoi sel l e cr anes.

. Cr af t sman shi p of t h

. Shepherds and f armers.

. Beaut i f ul mor ni ng and so


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Thi s vi l l age show sl ow si gns of progress but i t i s

da bi shnoi yan coul d be consi der ed as an i deal

ver y much f ul l of beaut y and nat ur al scenar i o.Occasi onal l y, some vi l l ages near t he bus r out e ar ea

ar e seen t o have mor e moder n f aci l i t i es, l i ke

el ect r i ci t y. I t i s i n t he i nt er i or vi l l ages that

one f i nds some of t he most at t r act i ve mud f orms i n

an undi st ur bed, ver nacul ar , ar chi t ect ur al

envi r onment .

Gu

exampl e among t he st udi ed i n t he case st udy because

of f aci l i t at es mor e of t he sur r oundi ng peopl e

t our i st wi t h i t s appear ance. Al t hough i t i s a

vi l l age but cont r i but es a l ot i n maki ng any mud

pr of i l e mor e r i ch.


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( Faci l i t at ed hut wi t h beaut i f ul ext er i or and

i nt er i ors )

Chapter 11

conclusion

Mud ar chi t ect ur e i n t r adi t i onal const r uct i on met hod

cont i nues t o t hr i ve i n most of t he Thi r d Wor l d, and

gi ves t he vi s i on of or i gi nal i t y.

The day i s comi ng when ar chi t ect ur e wi l l be f or

l i vi ng, and not mer el y a spect at or spor t , because


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i t bei ng accept ed i bn many spf er es of const r uct i on

, st i l l unknown t o many .

The most humbl e mat er i al of so cal l ed mat er i al ofur al const r uct i on can br i ng t he new wor l d of mor e

appr eci at i on an so wi t h t he hope of t hi s awar eness

bui l di ng wi t h mud has become an i mpor t ant f act or i n

pl anni ng new devel opment .

Mud depi ct s t he t r ue and pr oduct i ve l i nk bet ween

t r adi t i ons and moder ni t y. because of i t s appl i cat i on

i n t he anci ent ci t i es and vi l l ages and vi vi d use i n

moder n i nt er i or s.

The cl assi cal and beaut i f ul ar chi t ect ur e of I ndi a

has been wel l document ed and saved, but t he

t r adi t i ons ar e t hr eat ened by t he new demands f or

change and devel opment . But st i l l t he i mpor t ance of

t hi s t echni que of const r uct i on can not be aoded

because MUD ARCHI TECTURE has i t s own beaut y.

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IMP BIKANER as Case Study