Pajaghar Typology (c): Plastering and Colouring of Wall

The traditional Kutcha or Assam type typologies of houses are extensively mud plastered. Though in some occasional instances, bamboo reinforced cement mortar walls are seen, but generally mud is the common plastering material. The mud is prepared in a special way for plastering. For the purpose, there dig a pit of some 4 /5 cubic feet on the ground. Subsequently, good quality sticky clay, if available ant-hill soil, is dumped in this pit along with cow dung, rice husk and add water and ideally leave this way for few days. Then, the items are mixed thoroughly through treading and stirring with a spade in-between, to make a fine-grained sticky slime. The walls are then plastered in thin layers with this paste, alternately from the both sides. Usually, the womenfolk do the plastering job with hand. Once the layer dries thoroughly, a second layer is applied over this, dried-to-crack, previous layer. Once the successive layer also dries, the walls are moped finally with a tuft of decomposed plantain trunk fibre or a piece of old cotton cloth smeared with the watery mud.

Usually, no colour is applied in the traditional mud plastered walls. Rather, they usually remain in the natural colour of the mud available in the locality. However, when there is some auspicious occasion like marriage, then the walls of the houses are usually white washed. In such case, normally the lime is applied in water medium. Sometimes, there mix indigo powder or green colour with the lime. However, no colour is generally applied in the bamboo post, doors or windows. Conversely, the walls of the Assam type houses are extensively white washed and the timbers are coloured with black earth colour (maita tel).