Tiwa Vernacular Architecture

The Tiwas, erstwhile also known as the Lalung, is a plain scheduled tribe. According to the Karbis, the word “Lalung” is combination of words “la” and “lung” meaning respectively water and rescued while according to their own dialect, “ti” stands for water while “wa” means superior. The Tiwas entered Assam through the North Eastern hilly tract of Assam from their original habitat, the Tibetan Plateau. They are said to be the last Bodo group entering Assam who migrated from Tibbet following the downward stream of the Brahmaputra River. They had their own kingdom known as Hilali or Lali. There were altogether 15 small principalities of the Tiwas in the middle Assam (Das:2015). The important principality of the Tiwas before the advent of the British was the Gobha and the king was known as the Deo Raja, under which there were twelve small Rajas known as the Soto Raja and Pacho Raja. The tribe is mostly concentrate in the districts of Nagaon and Morigaon apart from few settlements in Karbi Anglong, Kamrup, Lakhimpur and so on. The primary unit of the Tiwa settlement is the village while the lowest administrative unit “Buni’ constitute of more than one village.

1) Architecture:

The Tiwas living in plain as well as in the hills construct their primary residential houses on ground. The houses are gable roofed and constructs on raised earthen plinth using natural resources. The houses of Tiwas living in the hills are slightly different from those living in plain. However, the main house is characteristically similar in the construction and lay out.

The homesteads of the hill Tiwas usually consist of only one residential house called nobar / nu-baro or no-paro. However, a second structure called chura-ghar or churano, meant for the accommodation of guests is seen in some instances. The hill Tiwas do not possess the structure of barn in the homesteads. They store the paddy in the main house itself, in packets called maiphur. Maiphur is prepared from thatch through tying with bamboo strands and putting hay inside. The other usual subsidiary structures consist of cages for pig (wa- kadar) and shade for firewood.

However, the plain Tiwas construct different functional architectures in the homestead like the non-tribals. Thus, separate houses like a main house containing the altar (deo-ghar / bar-ghar), a house to sleep (xoa- ghar / maj-ghar), a house called chora-ghar to accommodate guests, barn, byre, etc. are arranged around a central courtyard (khala). The deo-ghar is constructed in the east-west or north-south direction, in between the bar-ghar and the chora-ghar that contains two rooms. The main residential house (xoa- ghar / maj-ghar) possesses two to three rooms. The byre is constructed in the other side of courtyard, facing the maj-ghar. The door of the residential house is kept in the middle of lengthwise side though earlier it was kept in gable side.

2) Bar-ghar / Nobar / Nu-baro / No-boro or No- Paro:

Among the hill Tiwa, the main house called nu- baro / no-boro or no- paro is compartmented into three rooms and possess two verandas on front and back. The house is front gabled, constructed facing the east cardinal direction and rooms are lineally arranged. The façade contains an open porch or veranda called komphor. The house possesses door (darda) in both façade and back. The front door usually remains to the right half of the front wall. The first room is called no- maji that contains the altar post of thunda- phung. It is the main room of the house, where respected guests are received and entertained. The male head of the family use this room for sleeping. The room contains a ledge called pol- chang, attached to the wall by the side of the passage, to keep firewood. The middle room (nukthi) possess the hearth called xar-chal. The partition wall, between these two rooms, is called maje-bare. The nukthi is the room used by the females of the family where entry of male in is restricted. The nukthi contains number of shelves for different purposes. Thus, on the wall near the door, a ledge called lai- chang is constructed to keep utensils. In another side of the room, a shelf called changgari is constructed to keep earthen wears. The room also possess a loft-shelf (shoogari) above the ceiling joist where wine pitchers and different bamboo articles are kept. Moreover, a hanging shelf called changoti is attached above the hearth where different food items are seasoned and roasted. On one of the side of the room, a bamboo chest called khojapha is kept to keep cloth and other valuables. The third and rear room (thinkichal) contains the husking peddle which is used as a store room as well. The partition wall between the second and third room is called mawliya-bare. This room also possesses a shelf called tha- chang to store vegetables. The backside of the house possesses another veranda called camphor-pisa. The no- maji and the thinkichal of the house are also used to store maiphur.

The house constructed for the worship of the Gods and Goddesses through different prescribed rites is called nubaro (Patar B.:2004) . It is said that there remains one nubaro or bar-ghar in each of the group of Mahari (mother clan) of the Tiwa (Patar:2004). The members of the community regard this house as an esteemed, elevated, and higher house. The plinth of this house is kept about 2 feet higher than the residential house. The house contains the kitchen as well as the principal prayer / worship place, which is the centre of their social life. Patar says that the society and culture of the Tiwa developed centring round this nubaro. The house has two rooms and veranda on both front and backside. The first room of the house is known as the “nomaji’ or “namahi’, while the inner chamber is called “nukathi’/ “nuthineng’/ or “nukji’. The outer room nomaji is used to receive the guests while the inner room nukathi is used as kitchen. In the first room of the nubaro, there remains an altar where Gods and Goddesses such as Pha-Mahadeo along with the Ghar-Deo, Bargosani, Bhagavati, Mahamaya, Kalika or Kalikha, Kechaikhati and Kamakhya devi are worshipped. The other room also contains an altar where ancestors are propitiated (Senapati:2015). The altars do not have any idol. Above the altars, there construct two shelves (pabhati), where two toms (paddy containing packet) of rice grain are kept.

This house is usually constructed in the east-west direction, following certain rules, after the construction of the other houses. The site is selected through a ritual for which the Hari (female priest) of the main family prepares a pan full of ju (rice beer) and invites Hela and one person from the clan. Then the Hela keeps some rice along with some dubari (bent grass), basil leaves, and one chicken egg on a plantain leaf and the family members, facing towards east, recalls God of Bar-ghar. Then on the intended site of construction, the egg is hurled down. The place where the egg breaks is believed as the God favoured site for the construction (Patar B.:2004). This house is ideally constructed in east-west direction and prescriptively plants the ceremonially collected thunda- phung.

After the completion of the construction, chants the following mantra:

de gunung tava chhago khrumang chago chudurang
Rabtta, tabtta jya rakha ma rakha
Jela rakha mali rakha
Charivhai charikara pura ramsa
Rajpuri, khechakati phurimachar padalmahi
Tava gunuv pathar phiyale paban kiyane
Nacha liyane pagan kiyane
Nam laidang lun laidang- etc. (Bardoloi:2015:350)

The Thuna-phung is ideally made from gamari (Gmelina) wood or wild bamboo that remains to the eastern side of the house. It is tradition to hang three gourds (deolao) and some ears of rice wrapped in plantain leaf. The “Barjela (Gharburha), the head of the clan, conduct the worships in the nubaro where “Harikunwari’ also plays prominent role. The Tiwas arrange different puja and ritual inside the bar-ghar, ranging from ritual to eat tender betel nut to sradha ceremony, to expiate (praichitta) someone, marriage of someone who elopes a girl, or to uplift someone to a different clan and so on.

3) Construction Technique:

The Tiwa house is an earth-fast and gable roofed structure. The general construction and technique of the house is similar to the non-tribal earth-fast architecture of the state. However, the houses of the Hill Tiwas have a high-pitched roof and the roofs are quite low towards the eaves of the house. However, in the construction of the main house as well in the collection of material, certain traditional norm and ritual are followed. Generally, the construction of the house starts with the planting of post of middle row (mudhe- khunda), followed by the side rows (phalli- khunda). Above the posts, the purlins (mulundi) are placed. Then the ceiling joist (kurfung) is attached. Then above the purlins, common rafter (kechi) is attached. Then lengthwise purlin is added again over it while the Hill Tiwas attach lengthwise member of charas at this point, which rests on poles. Over this, the roof framing is done, using rafter and bamboo splinter, and covered with thatch. Subsequently, the walls of the house are constructed with bamboo splints. The walls of the house are plastered with mud in plains while the Hill Tiwas do not plaster their walls.

4) House-warming ceremony:

Like any other community, the Tiwas enter house after the ritualistic ceremony of house warming. The hill Tiwas perform certain ritual on this occasion. On this day, they lay a plantain leaf in the courtyard and keep egg, rice, pitcher full water, and tiger grass leaves and make a fire with firewood. Then, after prayer and chanting of mantra, the egg is sacrificed to check the favour of God. Then the fire is carried to the nomaji and guests are entertained with rice beer, distilled wine, and betel nut and betel leaves.

5) Other Beliefs and Rituals around House:

There are prevalent various beliefs, taboos, and traditions around the house. The bar-ghar of the Tiwa is a very revered place. The thuna post of the house is especially special place and no people other than Gharburha, Jela, and Harikunwari are allowed to go near this post. People other than Karbi, Kachari, and Koch are not allowed to enter the bar-ghar, (Patar:2004).

Purification of the house of the deceased is a general practice observed across the communities of Assam. Again, it is a common customary practice that a person returning from funeral ceremony is purified in traditional manner. But among the Tiwas, apart from the house of the deceased, the houses of the people who attended the funeral ceremony are also purified. The purification is carried out through sprinkling of basil leaf, bent grass, and cow dung mixed water (Gogoi:1987).

During the ceremony of first sowing of seed called Dhanar Muthi-Loa, the clan Gharburha and Hari lay the leaf of Banmala tree in front of the thuna-khuta after moping the house . Then over the leaves, there keep pounded rice powder dipped in water. Then a bird is sacrificed and offers the blood in the thuna-khuta, as well as on the two hanged pots containing ahu and shali rice. Then the Gharburha sows the seed. On that day, the villagers are called to work in the field. Among the people, one is elected as “Barjela’, who is sent to the owner’s house hanging in his neck some clod of earth while tying his hands to the back. The “Barjela’ thus sent, come to the owner’s house and lay down in the veranda of the bar-ghar. The family then entertains him with wine and a tender fowl. The workers are offered feast at noon and while eating, rice powder mixed water is sprinkled on them with Banmala leaf.

While on the day of commencing reaping of paddy, the Gharburha or the Hari goes to the field, clad in prescribed dress, and reaps fourteen small bundles of paddy ears after offering betel nut to Goddess Laksmi. Then seven of these bundles are wrapped with plantain leaf and bring home keeping over head. These seven ears of rice are tied to the thuna-khuta, using a single bamboo tying strand (tamal / tuwa), twisting the strands seven times around the bundle. However, among the hill Tiwas, the head of the family brings those seven ears of rice through similar fashion on this occasion. On a subsequent auspicious day (Tuesday or Wednesday), the Jela wraps a bundle of five of the ears (mai- che- chiyali) with two plantain leaves and fasten them with a tuwa, twisting the strand five times around the post. This ritual is known as Mai- che- chiyalitiwa, through which Goddess Laksmi is invoked into the house. The mai- che- chiyali is regarded as very auspicious that remains tied in the post throughout the year.

On the other hand, out of supernatural belief about evil spirits and endeavour to protect their houses from such spirits, they carry out certain ritualistic measures to eliminate evil forces from the house. Thus, during the occasion of Malpuja, the people carry a specially prepared bamboo stick (malbari) or trunk of tree sapling in a formal procession and beat the houses of the people to eradicate evil spirits. Tiwas regard a dove that sits on the roof of house and coos, to be the soul of a deceased person who has come to see the dear ones. In such case, they offer some rice to the bird.

There are also rituals associated with the collection of housing material. One such ritual is the Khaplangrawa Puja. The word khaplang means thatch while rawa means to cut. In Khaplangrawa, they worship tiger, whom they believe as the custodian of forest who can create havoc through killing human and animal after cutting and collecting thatch from the forest if not propitiated. This is an elaborate worship, arranged after the month of Kati. For the worship, every household provides a fowl while communally arrange 7 red birds and a pig. Simultaneously, items such as pounded rice, betel nut, betel leaves, tarapat, a reed constructed shed etc. are necessary for the worship.