Some Indispensible Auxiliary Components of House

The Assamese traditional houses incorporate some additional members that are auxiliary but indispensible elements of a house. Thus, the houses, especially the main house of the homestead usually have a veranda, annexed in the facade of the house.

Since the main door remains in the lengthwise side of the house, this veranda is attached on lengthwise side. The loom is generally established in one side of this veranda, while few wooden furniture like a bench, chair, or some low stools are kept here for sitting.

In front of the main door in the veranda, there erect a 4 /5 feet high wall, leaving a gap in the upper part of the wall. This mud-plastered wall, known as dena-bera or as kapli-bera, used to function as a screen or curtain to the main house, when no curtains were used in the houses. Simultaneously, an internal partition wall of chest-height is also called dena-bera. Sometimes, a dena-bera of knee-height is also erected in front of the annexed kitchen or main fireplace, which demarcates as well as restricts easy entry into the area. The approach roads also possess one to three bamboo made, un-plastered walls that too act as the screen to the courtyard. These walls in the approach road, known as the kapli-bera, are erected few feet above the ground that blocks direct view of the courtyard and ensures privacy.

The traditional houses invariably possess a loft, usually all over the floor area. This bamboo splint made loft is sometimes plastered with mud. This attic floor is used to store different items that also insulate heat and falling of thatch bits.