Introduction (history and definition of vernacular architecture)

Architecture as defined by the Webster’s Student Dictionary is “the science, art, or profession of designing and constructing building or other structure. A style or system of building. Construction or structure generally, any ordered arrangement of the parts of a system. A building or buildings collectively” (Surjeet Publications:1988). As the definition states, architecture is a very complex as well as comprehensive term which encompasses the building, art of building and a vast array of knowledge related with the art. Architecture in general parlance refers the tangible, formal, and material manifestations of the manmade environment and structures developed for varied functional utility. Thus, the architecture is the human defined three-dimensional enclosed space and the technical means of enclosing the space for the purposeful end. However, along with the structure-enclosed space, the architecture is closely connected to its surroundings, the exterior space, as well as culture of the people who possess the building. The architecture emerged from the social relationship, tempered by individual creativity (Guillery:2010). It is especially valid in respect to the traditional and vernacular architecture as it is “the product of a way of thinking” (Leach:1997). Glassie holds that architecture works in space as history works in time. He said, “Architecture intrudes in the limitless expanse of space, dividing it into useful, comprehensible pieces” (Glassie:2000:21). Thus, the architecture is the means of transforming spaces into specific utilitarian conclusion. He said again, “converting space into places through disruption, architecture brings meaning to the spatial dimension” (idem).

The discovery of shelter and gradual development of architecture is crucial in the unleashing of human capabilities and innovativeness. Pawar and Sharma said:

A house is the first material feature that a human group creates in the process of settling. It fulfils man’s fundamental requirement of shelter, symbolizing his attachment to the land and identification with a place. All activities performed in his house conformed to and are a part of the culture of its inhabitants. (Pawar &Sharma:2012:1-2).

Sigmund Freud regards construction of a dwelling as one of “the first three acts of civilization” other than the manufacture of tools and making of fire (Pearson & Ricards:2005) that gradually developed culture and civilization. Thus, Acharya remarked, “for civilized people a comfortable residence is as necessary as food and clothes” (Acharya:1927:5). The importance of architecture is also evident in the remarks of Lethaby, “Two arts have changed the surface of the world, agriculture and architecture.... Architecture is the matrix of civilization” (Lethaby:1939:7). Similarly, Ballantyne said, “buildings can be the most expensive things that the civilization produce.... Buildings keeps us warm and dry, and are closely involved in the practicalities of the living, but “architecture” always has a cultural dimension to it, if we choose to pay attention to it” (Ballantyne:2002). Likewise, Masalski said, “architecture is a valuable, visible document for interpreting and understanding the people of the past” (Masalski:1987).

The vernacular architecture is an important segment of the architectural endeavour of men and “believed to constitute about 90 % of the world’s total housing stock” (Asquith & Vellinga:2005). These architectures are part of the everyday life that bear the “social meaning” and offer meaning analogous to “home”. It is because, the material manifested forms of architecture represents the buildings or houses that simultaneously composes a “home” or “household”. It is because, “house functions as an active agency in the constitution of social groups, thus influencing the way people self-identify and identify others” (Hicks:2005:207). Architecture proved as a forum to symbolise identity, status, authority, religion, aesthetic creativity, and association. There is no doubt that since the time of the first use of nature-constructed shelters in the bowels of the earth, residence played a major role in the development of the human and civilization. The positive and imposing aspects of shelter perhaps sparked the idea of constructing houses by themselves, which was a great stride towards the development of human civilization. Thus subsequently in the Neolithic period and imitating the nature, human started the journey of construction of dwelling with the pit houses as unearthed in different parts of world including in Burzahom, Srinagar of India. This Neolithic site of Burzahom “narrates the cultural sequence of human habitation from 3000 BCE to 1000 BCE” and “the gradual change in the nature of dwelling spaces among early societies” (UNESCO:2014). These dwellings, in fact, were the first workshops and organizations that bestowed far-reaching influence on human development. On accomplishing the demand of shelter, it spurted the budding need and demands for different types of architectures and subsequently catered through innovation and technical progression. Thus, although started as simple shelter, the journey of architecture witnessed the development of varieties of architecture through gradually accumulated knowledge, search for functionality, practicality, authority, aesthetic sensibility, and taste.

The accidental discovery of caves and subsequent realization of the appropriateness of these spaces as shelter inspired the early men to begin the journey of architecture. However, the nature perhaps was the principal guiding stimulus behind the concept, demand, and idea of shelter and architecture. Simultaneously, perhaps there would have any disagreement on probable journey of architecture, plausibly started with simple private or community residential shelters to protect early men from different threats of nature. Feeling of such a necessity by human at the dawn of civilization was instinctual. And along the development of civilization, there developed different kinds of architectures according to the need and demands such as temple or religious architecture, royal architecture, fort apart from domestic architecture. And architecture played a vital determining role in the civilization and “standard of civilization seems to be regulated, amongst other things, by durability, scientific plan, aesthetic construction, and successful finish of buildings, religious, residential, or military” (Acharya:1927:5). Therefore, mention of architecture is to be found in various branches of literature as in the ancient Indian literatures of Vedic, Buddhist, Epic, Puranic, Agamic, historical, political, and even Astronomical literature as opined by Acharya.

Of different categories of architectures, the architectures of domiciles happen to be the major one, which bears vital importance from varied perspectives. The residential architectures do not stand-alone; they are constructed in clusters distributed over a habitation. Pearson and Richards wrote, “philosophers such as Heidegger, MerleauPonty and Bachelard have considered that our relationship to places consist in dwelling and that dwelling is the basic principle of existence” (Pearson & Richards:2005:2). A house provides shelter to protect from different threats but simultaneously it is “stages for social play” and hence “the primary goal of the house is not environmental, it is social” (Glassie:1984). The residential architecture has great socio-cultural values, as “structures are both the medium and outcome of social practices” (Pearson & Richards:2005). Winston Churchill’s remark, “first we shape our buildings and afterwards our buildings shape us” is remarkable and fitting in respect to the vernacular architecture (idem). Simultaneously, the vernacular architecture is a rich and valuable body of folklore.

The architecture that developed by the common folk is often labelled variously as the vernacular architecture, traditional architecture, folk architecture, and so on. However, the term “vernacular architecture” is the most widely accepted one in the present day scholarship that “represent a farrago of building traditions” created not by the formally trained architects (Blier:2006). Regardless of label, these architectures constitute one distinctive component of Physical Folk Life or culture. The physical entity of the architectural is the one aspect of the subject, while the social dimension of the architecture that endows it with cultural implications is the other vital facet of the vernacular architecture. Because, the life and culture of people is deeply interconnected with these architectures, especially in this region. Because it is that constructed space that houses the family, the primary organization and atom of society. It is said that the architecture of India can be evaluated only on the basis of the culture that produced it and which is the perspective of looking at the vernacular architecture of the subcontinent of Asia (Masalski:1987). The remark is apt and fitting in respect to the vernacular architecture of Assam. These often neglected, simple architectures are full of potential and significance from varied perspectives.

The traditional domestic residential buildings are the laymen’s architecture. Upton remarks,

“some people have conceived of vernacular architecture as imitative, in an inferior, old-fashioned, or “provincial” way of elite forms. Others have seen it as competitive with, and ultimately the victim of, high-style architecture. Still others have depicted vernacular architecture as a kind of spontaneous or “natural” architecture that has no relationship to academic styles” (Upton:1983:271).

These are the structures constructed by the non-professional rural folk to meet their need, using the traditional knowledge and locally available materials. Thus, the skills, forms, design, material, expertise &craftsmanship, technique, aesthetic, traditional and scientific outlook and knowledge, contemporary relevance of such architecture, etc are the aspects which need to be addressed in respect to the traditional residential or vernacular architecture.