Scribd
Upload
233 views

East - Arch. of Bengal

The traditional dwelling of the Bengal region is called a bangla. A bangla is a thatched hut with a distinctively curved roof, built using materials like mud, straw, or mats. These huts were used temporarily for occasions like marriages or meetings, but also more permanently as peasant housing. Traditional bangla homes had characteristics suited to the hot, humid climate like use of temporary materials, scattered layouts to allow air flow, and roofs shaped like domes or with sloped sides and a curved central ridge. Wealthier families had multiple huts for different uses and family members. Colonial bungalows were more permanent structures built on large plots with enclosed outdoor spaces.

Uploaded by

V.K.Jeevan Kumar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
233 views

East - Arch. of Bengal

The traditional dwelling of the Bengal region is called a bangla. A bangla is a thatched hut with a distinctively curved roof, built using materials like mud, straw, or mats. These huts were used temporarily for occasions like marriages or meetings, but also more permanently as peasant housing. Traditional bangla homes had characteristics suited to the hot, humid climate like use of temporary materials, scattered layouts to allow air flow, and roofs shaped like domes or with sloped sides and a curved central ridge. Wealthier families had multiple huts for different uses and family members. Colonial bungalows were more permanent structures built on large plots with enclosed outdoor spaces.

Uploaded by

V.K.Jeevan Kumar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 13

Bengal Architecture

The traditional dwelling of Bengal region is referred to as Bangla.

A bangla is a thatched hut, generally built with a distinctively


curved roof. The walls were made of either mud or bunches of
straw or mats, tied to each other and to the bamboo frame to
form walls.

These huts are constructed for some special occasion, like a


marriage, a meeting place during the hunt, etc,. In general, it
represents a place for rest or recreation.

The ‘bangla’ was also used more permanently. In the late 19th
century, the term described the common hut of the Bengal
peasant, which had a sloping roof on two sides and two gable
ends.
The general characteristics of settlement in Bengal region

are:

- Main occupation of the people is agriculture.

- The spaces of a Bangla displays the occupation and the life

style of the people.

- A single dwelling consists of multiple units forms a cluster

- A village consists of number of such clusters located in random

organisation without a regular street pattern

- The houses are scattered to allow air movement between

them as the region is having hot and humid climate


- Temporary materials such as thatches, kuss (a sweet smelling

grass), leaves and reeds were used to construct the huts initially

which facilitate easy construction of these structures.

- Mud and wooden members were used later .

- The size and type of hut varies for different caste groups.
ARTIST BUNGALOW:

At the lower end of the scale, the family of an ‘artist’(Bengal


Peasant), owned two huts, one for sleeping (7cu. x 5cu.) and
another shared for cattles (cows) and for cooking purposes.

Finally, for a common


labourer, his wife and
two children, the
dwelling consisted of
one hut (8cu. x 6cu.)
with very little furnitures
or possessions.

It was usual for a separate building to be set apart for the female
members of the family.
Bamboo huts with curved roofs and
long – drawn eaves basically take
two shapes:

• The Chauchala type, having


four sides, and

• The Dochala type, having


two sides with gable ends and a
central curved ridge.
Chau-chala roof

The chauchala roof has a


covering on four sides which
are more or less curved, in
some domical, in others, a
flat, but they never make a
straight pyramid.

The coverings have eaves drawn out lower down to a point at


each corner, thus making the roof-base curved like the segment of
circle.
Dochala roof

In some dwellings, where the sides were not of even length the
roof had a simpler shape, with four sloped faces joining at the
apex. But instead of forming a pyramid, the longer sides of the
roof would join to form a ridge line which is normally curved.
There was another type (third form) which was similar to the
second, but the roof was divided into two sections with a
clerestory between for light and ventilation.

This last form represents a clear advantage in a hot humid


climate, where breeze is at a premium and indirect day lighting is
ideal.
Ath- chala type

Later, chau-chala type houses were having four more projections


on all the four sides so as to cover the verandah all round the
house, which is square. (Starting point for the colonial Bungalows).
THE HINDU BUNGALOW:

A wealthy Hindu family had a group of ten such huts, for various

purposes and family members, the average size of each being

about 10 x 8 cubits; ( 1 cubit = 18 - 22 inches or 45 – 55 cms).


THE COLONIAL BUNGALOWS

The bungalows are built in a large plot which is well defined by


means of enclosure wall, leaving enormous space for outdoor
activities.

They have extroverted planning.

More permanent materials such as mud, sun dried


bricks, wood and tiles were used.

The bungalows were


divided into individual
spaces to accommodate
various functions.

You might also like