The document summarizes the vernacular architecture of North-East India. It describes the traditional building styles and materials used in each of the seven states. The primary materials include bamboo, wood, thatch and mud. House designs are adapted to the local climate, using features like raised foundations, sloping roofs, ventilation and fireplaces. The architecture reflects the culture and needs of the native tribes. Traditional designs are threatened by modern construction but provide climate-resilient models.

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VERNACULARARCHITECTURE OFNORTH-EAST INDIA
HUMAN SETTLEMENT AND VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE
Submitted by:
Mithilesh Mandal (114AR0006)
Sonakshi Bhattacharjee (114AR0024)
Suchetana Chakravarty (114AR0025)
Under the guidance of:
Prof. (Dr.) Basudatta Sarkar
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY ROURKELA

2. VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE OF NORTH-EAST INDIA
Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Vernacular Architecture of North-East India.............................................................................2
North East India.........................................................................................................................3
Arunachal Pradesh .....................................................................................................................3
Houses of Nyishi tribe-.........................................................................................................5
Assam.........................................................................................................................................5
Meghalaya..................................................................................................................................6
Tripura........................................................................................................................................7
Field fences-...........................................................................................................................7
House fences..........................................................................................................................7
The typology of houses..........................................................................................................7
The Riang house: ...............................................................................................................7
Manipur......................................................................................................................................8
Meitei Yumjao .......................................................................................................................9
Mizoram.....................................................................................................................................9
Zawlbuk House......................................................................................................................9
Nagaland ..................................................................................................................................10
Building materials................................................................................................................10
The primary building construction materials were:.............................................................10
I. Timber- for the structural elements, i.e. posts ..............................................................10
II. Bamboo- for the walls...............................................................................................10
III. Thatch- for the roof material.....................................................................................10
The Sema House ..................................................................................................................10
Gable Roofs-....................................................................................................................10
Segregation of the spaces(figure 9a, 9b)..........................................................................10
The effect of colonialization-...............................................................................................11
Conclusion ...............................................................................................................................12
References................................................................................................................................13

3. VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE OF NORTH-EAST INDIA
Introduction
The Vernacular Architecture in the simplest term is, “architecture without architects”.
It is the pure response to a particular person’s or society’s building needs. The building methods
are tested through trial-and-error by the society of which they are built until their building
methods near perfection (over time) and are tailored to the climatic, aesthetic, functional, and
sociological needs of their given society. The person constructing the structure tends to be the
person who will be using it, hence the architecture will be perfectly tailored to that individual’s
particular wants and needs.
Vernacular architecture is an architectural style whose designs are based on local needs,
availability of construction materials and reflect the local traditions. Vernacular architecture
did not use formally schooled architects, but relied on the design skills and tradition of local
builders.
Vernacular Architecture of North-East India
Figure 1: Map of North-East India
The seven states comprising the North Eastern part of India are Arunachal Pradesh, Assam,
Meghalaya,Tripura, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland (figure 1).

4. VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE OF NORTH-EAST INDIA
North East India
'Paradise Unexplored', that is what the North East India named as. With a rich treasure
of tradition, it is a delight for tourists and pride for the inhabitants. The North East India has its
own vernacular architecture that has developed throughout the ages and has been an integral
part of its cultural background. Built by the inhabitants themselves with locally available
materials, the traditional buildings are time tested, sustainable and sensitive to the micro
climatic conditions and natural calamities, including earthquakes that the North East region is
prone to.The traditional buildings have been replaced by fast growing concrete jungles, which
are not sustainable nor sensitive towards the natural calamities and microclimatic conditions.
The Governments of these states need to be sensitive in drafting the local byelaws and planning
guidelines, which promote or allow incentives for usages of traditional architectural forms and
concepts so that this problem can be tackled meticulously (GMDA, 2006). The first step
towards this journey should be a study of the housing typologies of North East and the basic
underlying design principles, so that they can be effectively translated into modern designs.
Most of the Northeast states have a humid sub-tropical climate with hot, humid
summers, severe monsoons and mild winters. The states of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim,
however have a montane climate with cold, snowy winters and mild summers.
Arunachal Pradesh
The state of Arunachal Pradesh is bio-geographically situated in the Eastern Himalayan
province, the richest biogeographical province of the Himalayan zone. The entire territory
forms a complex hill system with varying elevations ranging from 50m in the foothills and
gradually ascending to about 7000m, traversed throughout by a number of rivers and rivulets.
The tribe found in this region are the Adi tribe. It is”, is a large tribe inhabiting the unspoiled
valleys of the Brahmaputra River during its course in South Tibet. The Adis show a remarkable
sense of artistry and proficiency in weaving. Kebang, meaning ‘village council’, is the
important political institution of the tribe, and works on a highly developed system of
democracy. The Adis too have dormitory systems for young males and females. This reflects
the culture of the tribe. The religion of the Adi is centred on Donyi-Polo, the Sun-Moon god,
who is regarded as the eye of the world. The Adi are also noteworthy for their bridges, cane
suspension bridges are quite a showcase of native ingenuity.

5. VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE OF NORTH-EAST INDIA
Figure 2(a) Figure 2(b)
The typical wooden house-These type of houses are mostly rectangular with mostly
three or four rooms. The plans and sizes vary as per requirements with linear planning, rooms
opening into one another.
The typical layout of a house (figure 3b) consists of sora Ghar, Huwa Ghar and Randhani
Ghar. The Sora Ghar or the drawing room is a public space for gathering, or meeting relatives
or visitors. This room also houses the 'Dhenki' or the pounding machine. This room has a
common central fireplace called 'Jui Hali', over which hanging platforms are kept for storing
household items. The Huwa Ghar or the bedroom is a partitioned space depending on the
number of married sons and family members. The last room is the Randhoni Ghar or the kitchen
space, which serves as the dining area for the family.
Figure 3(a) Figure 3(b)
There is another tribe called Nyishi Tribe. Nyishi is the single largest tribe of the
state. Basically belong to Paleo-Mongoloid stock and speak the Tibeto-Burmese group of
language. Nyishis evolved a joint family system, generally no individual owns properties –
both movable and immovable. Nyishis are expert in handicrafts i.e. weaving, cane & bamboo
works, pottery, blacksmith, wood carving and carpentry etc. Nyishis maintain a high degree of
self-sufficiency in so far as food is concerned. Additional requirements such as cloth, utensil,
salt etc. are obtained through barter trade-evolved since and immemorial, among themselves
and from their neighbours. The Mithun is treated sacred because in almost all ceremonial
rituals, sacrifice of Mithun is compulsory.

6. VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE OF NORTH-EAST INDIA
Houses of Nyishi tribe-
The indigenous house is constructed with Wooden & Bamboo using (Thatch, Chinese
Palm leaves, Cane leaves and Jungle Banana Leaves) as roofing materials whichever is locally
available. The entire Joints are bind with cane ropes
The floor level is raised 2.50 Mtr from the ground level and ceiling level is 2.50m from the
floor level. The plan consists of rear verandah, Common room with fireplace, bedroom, Guest
room, Front Verandah & side verandah. The reinforcement nodes (diaphragms) prevent the
emerging longitudinal cracks from spreading over the entire tube length. The kithcen cum
fireplace “emmi” -the base is constructed with four-bamboo support and on the surface of the
room 4 1 foot wooden blocks on a banana leaf and then soil is applied upto the height of the
blocks, thus the stove can be laid for kitchen purpose.
The Nyishi typology is very flexible and light structure thus resistant to earthquake because of
its lightweight construction. In addition, if damaged in case of devastating earthquake rector
scale there will be less casualty or zero casualty because it will not collapse like rigidly built
brick walling, heavy, and rigid building.
Assam
Assam is a state in north eastern India known for its wildlife, archaeological sites and
tea plantations. Assam comprises the Brahmaputra Valley and the Barak Valley along with the
Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao districts with an area of 30,285 m2
. The Vernacular style of
Assam mainly consists of three important significances-
Hip (or Gable) Roof- for climatic reason
Use of Bamboos as major building materials- for socio economic reason
Higher Plinth level- for topographical reason
Figure 4(a) Figure 4(b)
Other types of traditional houses –
Mud house:
Mud is a mixture of water and some combination of soil, silt and clay. The typical plan
dimensions of these buildings are: lengths between 5 and 10 meters, and widths between 3 and
5meters. The building has 1 to 2 storey(s). The typical span of the roofing/flooring system is
3-4 meters. Roughly, the ratio of the length and width of the house can be expressed as 3:2 or
2:1 The typical storey height in such buildings is 1.6-2.5 meters.

7. VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE OF NORTH-EAST INDIA
Chang house:
This house on raised stilts is an age old structure originating in the Himalayan ranges.
In North Eastern India the tribes living on houses on stilts mainly live in hills amongst thick
vegetation, forest and by the banks of rivers. Traditionally people of the Mishing community
of Assam live in houses on stilts; these houses and the flight of 5-7 stairs leading to these houses
have religious and social beliefs and practices attached to it. The house on stilts is a big hall
with a central kitchen for a large joint family.
Bamboo house:
In bamboo housing system, for main structural member bamboo is used. The brick wall
is used for modelling. And itis rigidly connected with plinth as well as with bamboo. In this
system the wall is made of bamboo strips and it is plastered with mud. The houses are detailed
out to combat the heavy monsoons. The roof of the house is built local grass and can last up to
10 years before it is replaced again. The stilted part of the house is for protection against gentle
floods.
Meghalaya
The tribe found in this region is the Garo tribe, and the traditional style of the houses is
taken seriously. They build functional structures from bamboo, for living, storage, but they
incorporate the aesthetics in it. The culture of the Garo village hosts a dance festival where
girls and boys come together and the girls dance around the boys they want to marry.
The houses (figure 5) in the village are ordered around a courtyard where the dance is
performed, adjoining it is a community house, which it used by the villagers as meeting place
and discussions. The dormitory of the young boys is protected by a flowery enclosure. The
livelihood of the people depend upon the livestock and poultry management.
The buildings are mainly made up of cane, bamboo, reed, wood and mud. The houses are
mostly built on the stilts and the lower space is used as a storage and for poultry. Sometimes,
separate poultry units are also made. The roofs are sloped for extreme climate.
Figure 5

8. VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE OF NORTH-EAST INDIA
Tripura
Tripura is a landlocked state in North East India. Architectural typologies have
developed in the North East as factors of tradition, climate and functionality. The materials
used are locally available materials like bamboo, cane, cane leaves, mud, and lime. Of late,
bricks. Stone chips, rock slabs, surkhi etc. are also used. Sloping roofs are a common
architectural feature in all the architectural typologies because of high rainfall in the North
East. Construction of this type of house generally takes place in the dry season / winters. The
whole community participates in the construction of this type of house.
These houses are generally rectangular in shape and are similar to bamboo Kutchha houses w
ith linear planning and rooms opening into each other. The structure above is formed by hori
zontal members tied across the bamboo posts with jute ropes and using dowel and tenon joint
s. The stilt height is typically 1.50 to 2.00 meters from the ground level. The space below the
stilt is often used to store a canoe for emergency usage during floods.The stilted houses are t
ypically designed to keep out the effects of heavy monsoon.The floor and walls inlays are m
ostly bamboo weaves, which allows the water of floods and heavy rains to pass rather than g
etting stored. The roofs of the houses are made by fixing bamboo trusses over the posts, over
which local grass is laid. The roof height from the weaved floor is approximately 3.50 mete
rs. A bamboo loft is fixed below the roof inside for secure storage of goods in case of floods.
Bamboo being a bad conductor of heat keeps the interiors cool and adequate ventilation thro-
-ugh the permeable floors and wall keeps the moisture content inside the houses low.
Field fences-
The simple open-type field fences are made of longitudinal splits of bamboo with
interlacing horizontal and vertical members spaced well apart. Combinations of whole bamboo,
longitudinal halves, quarters and splits of smaller dimensions are used. The interweaving of
members eliminates the need for binding, thus saving on labour and avoiding the use of any
special binding material. After the binding, cane splits, lengths of wire or some locally available
fibre rope is utilized
House fences
The fences are of the closed type, with the boards woven closely packed together
without any gaps. The plain weave, the twill weave and occasionally a decorative variation of
the twill pattern are used. These fences are usually extended above human height. Whole
bamboo posts support the fence.
The typology of houses
There are three types of houses found in Tripura
1. The Riang House
2. The mud house
3. The combination of mud and bamboo materials
The Riang house:
Riang tribals of Tripura build their houses (figure 6) with bamboo used as the primary
material for construction. In some cases, even the thatched roof is made of bamboo leaves.
These houses are typical hill dwellings, constructed on bamboo slits to create a large horizontal
platform, the floor of the house. Bamboo posts are arranged on a square grid and inclined whole

9. VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE OF NORTH-EAST INDIA
bamboo members strengthen these. The plan of the Riang house is normally a long rectangle,
with a covered veranda in front and an open veranda at the back. A large enclosed room is
located between these verandas. A single roof covers the front veranda. A single log, which is
notched, forms the short ladder at the front of the house.
The architecture of Tripura relates to the socio-economic setup, the cultural identities and a
good climatic responsiveness. A good number of climate responsive design features are
revealed during the study of the housing forms including temperature control, enhancing
natural ventilation, protection from natural calamities such as flood, earthquakes etc. However
certain features that lack in the traditional housing are mostly: fire proneness and termite
infestation due to usage of non-treated bamboo and wood; lack of damp proofing and use of
non-stabilized soil for construction too pose problems like dampness of walls and washouts
during rainfall.
Figure 6(a) Figure 6(b)
Manipur
The dominant tribe in Manipur are the Meitis but the State is also home to Nagas,
Kukis and Rongmeis. Hill tribes and tribes living in the plains usually follow the general
pattern of house architecture prevalent in the North East. Tribes that have settled, such as
the Rongmeis, build houses according to their status.
A common man’s house is made using bamboo, cane, wood and thatch. A house may have a
verandah as a gathering place, sleeping quarters, a kitchen fireplace and outhouses for
livestock.
Houses are usually rectangular with the front part of the house comprising of the living room
being larger than the other sections.
Wooden planks are used as beds in the sleeping room, which incorporates their Vastu.
The bed in the bedroom is usually on the northern side. The fireplace is in the south-east corner.
The kitchen, however, has a fireplace right in the centre of the room above, which are racks to
hang meat and fish that dry over the fire. Sometimes the kitchen also doubles as a sleeping
quarter. A storehouse outside the house is used to store grains, usually built on a platform above
the ground level.

10. VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE OF NORTH-EAST INDIA
Meitei Yumjao
This is a perfect dwelling unit (figure 7b) of an ideal Meitei family, few generations
back. Few people of our generation had the opportunity to live in it, enjoy the essence of it, and
cherish the life style. The complete straw reinforced mud thick wall up to the roof height,
embedding the main load bearing post bamboos with Pungjei in different heights as
reinforcement steel grass rod. The distribution of entire house into different kas –Phamel ka,
lukhumka, ,leimarelka, piba Ka, ningolka, chakhumka, sanamahi laipham, Grain storage space
and Mangolka. It shows specific separate space for specific functions. This reflects the respect,
privacy and identity given to each member of the family and their personal spaces. This is the
origin of our sincerity, honesty, character and culture.
Figure 7(a) Figure 7(b)
Mizoram
The Mizos are the predominant tribe of Mizoram, and usually settled which means they
have a well-organized community and houses that reflect this lifestyle. Hill tribes usually build
houses on top of hills with the house of the tribal chief at the centre. The bachelor’s quarter
known, as Zawlbuk is located close the chief’s house and serves as the centre of activity since
the youth work, learn and train at these centres.
Zawlbuk House
They use wood and bamboo to build tribal houses on sloping land. The houses have
wooden supports and bamboo matting affixed to the frames and to the floor. The rood may be
made of split bamboo covered by thick thatch, leaves or straw. Some houses are built on stilts
with a small ladder for access. Houses are rectangular and the interior is partitioned into rooms
using bamboo screens or mats, with separate sections for married and unmarried members of
the family. A raised fireplace is at one corner next to the front door.
Figure 8(a) Figure 8(b)

11. VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE OF NORTH-EAST INDIA
Nagaland
The region lies in the hilly areas. The tribe found in this region is the Sema tribe; they
build their houses either on the summit of a hill or on the shoulder of a spur. The river Dayang
passes near the valley and the climate is relatively hot in that part; but in higher and colder
regions, a shoulder below the ridge of a range of hills is chosen as a common site for the village.
All the houses in the same village had the same style.All the houses within the same village
had the same style because the Semas were head hunters and the captured enemy trespassers
were beheaded and their heads hung up, so the other tribes could differentiate among the tribes.
The livelihood of the tribe was from the agriculture and majority of the day was spent in the
fields.
Building materials
The primary building construction materials were:
I. Timber- for the structural elements, i.e. posts
II. Bamboo- for the walls.
III. Thatch- for the roof material.
The Sema House
Gable Roofs-
The two bamboos form the gable (figure 9c) which prolong beyond the roof to form
horns called the ‘tenhanku ki’ (snail horns). These were sometimes decorated with bamboo
tassels and imitations of the birds. The decoration of the houses were less than the other tribes
of the North-East. They also used to decorate their houses with the heads of the slaughtered, as
trophies. The gable roofs also gave protection from the sun and rain, especially due to their
extrusion outside the hut. The sloped roofs worked beautifully in keeping the interiors dry. The
steep slope of the roof ensured that no water could seep in through the gaps between the
thatches and enter the house.
Segregation of the spaces(figure 9a, 9b)
The Akishekhoh- This is where they keep the rice pounding tables. The Akishekhoh
is an apse like addition to the front of the house, semi-circular in plan with the eaves brought
down to within 3 or 4 feet from the ground. Animals, dogs, pigs, chicken are also kept here.
The unmarried boys of the household sleep in here.
The Abidelabo- This is where the unmarried girls of the household sleep. Firewood for
the fireplace (Amiphokiboh) is also stored in this room.
The Aküzü abo- The head of the family - the father , in this case chief of the village
and his wife or wives sleep here. Inside the Aküzü abo is the Amiphokiboh (hearth room). The
father’s bed is nearest to the fireplace and the wife’s bed has a separate, smaller fireplace near
her bed.
The Amiphokiboh- ‘Ami’ fire, ‘Pho’ smoke, ‘kiboh’ cover. At the four corners of
thefireplace, are four bamboo posts which support a bamboo shelf. This serves the double
purpose of preventing sparks to reach the roof and an excellent place to dry meat or keep
utensils. In common houses, guests may be entertained here as well. Near the fireplace, a large
window, almost the size of a door is made the trash door. Openings were kept to a minimum

12. VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE OF NORTH-EAST INDIA
to retain as much heat within the house as possible. The fireplace was situated in the living
quarters which helped in raising comfort levels within these spaces.
The azhi bo- Azhi’ liquor, ‘Bo’ place or room. This room is located right at the back
of the house. Rice beer is stored in liquor vats in this room. At the back of the house is a
backdoor, which usually leads to a small kitchen garden.
Figure 9(a) Figure 9(b)
Figure 9(c)
The effect of colonialization-
The British anthropologists first discovered these settlements during the . The exposure
of tribal people to civilization subsequent to those initial visits resulted in the rapid
disappearance of these traditional systems of construction. After independence, such
dwellings almost completely disappeared. The interest shown toward tradition extends only
up to social and cultural levels, leaving architecture in the back seat. The only “traditional”
architecture considered important to retain, merely as objects of fascination, like those in
museums, were the "Morungs". "Morungs" were essentially community built structures
present in almost every village of different tribes in Nagaland. There used to be one such
structure for boys and one for girls in each village. These buildings were used for
community activities. The function of the Morung being the community centre of the
village shifted to the Chief’s hut. This in turn resulted in the Chief’s hut being the largest
of structures in the whole village. The size of the chief’s hut emphasized his importance in
the village society.

13. VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE OF NORTH-EAST INDIA
Conclusion
The architecture of North East India relates to the socio-economic setup, the cultural
identities and a good climatic responsiveness. A good number of climate responsive design
features are revealed during the study of the housing forms including temperature control,
enhancing natural ventilation, protection from natural calamities such as flood, earthquakes,
etc. However certain features that lack in the traditional housing are mostly: fire proneness and
termite infestation due to usage of non-treated bamboo and wood; lack of damp proofing and
use of non-stabilized soil for construction too pose problems like dampness of walls and
washouts during rainfall. Once the construction and design community of North East are aware
of the pros and cons of the traditional typologies, the advanced construction techniques can be
meticulously clubbed alongside to nullify the problems and enhance the advantages, a modern
yet sustainable architecture for the North East region can be effectively created.

14. VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE OF NORTH-EAST INDIA
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1. Archinomy. (2013, September 10). Retrieved September 10, 2013, from
http://www.archinomy.com/casestudies/675/the-sema-naga-traditional-dwelling.
2. Hemant Kaushik, K. R. (2009). Housing Report: Assam type House. World Housing
encyclopedia.
3. Khan, A. A. (2009). Housing Report: Traditional Naga type House. World Housing
encyclopedia.
4. Manoj Kumar Singh, S. M. (2011). Bioclimatism and Vernacular Architecture of
North-East India.(2013, September 10). Retrieved September 10, 2013.
5. Robinson, William. (1841), 2011. A Descriptive Account of Assam. Guwahati:
Bhabani print & Publication.
6. http://guyshachar.com/en/2016/garohillstraditionaltribalarchitecturemeghalayaindia/