Periyaveettil S. Chandrasekharan, a farmer of Guhanathapuram, is a firm believer in the virtues of traditional architecture. He has used indigenous and locally available materials to construct his two-storey structure of mud, stone, and sticks. The only materials from outside are the tin sheets on the roof.
What’s more, Mr. Chandrasekharan has built the house single-handedly.
He learnt the nuance of traditional house construction from his father, using cross-tied sticks, filling the gap with stones, covered with a mixture of clay and lime plaster.
Strong
“The mud structure is strong and sturdy, like a cement building. The stones and wooden stumps, like steel, make a strong frame. This is our traditional style of house construction,” he says adding that the small mud houses are strong enough to withstand attacks by wild elephants.
This style of construction is traditionally employed by the Muthuvan tribe.
Mr. Chandrasekharan began the construction work nearly a year ago. He plans to hold the housewarming ceremony on April 10. “It took me a long duration, as I did almost the entire work by myself. A few Muthuvan workers from the Kulachira area and my wife helped me in my efforts,”' he says.
The idea of a new traditional house was born from sheer needs. “My two children, Shreela and Sreerosan, needed a warm and peaceful place to study. The unfinished cement structure where they live now is not conducive to extreme weather conditions, he says. “The warmth of fire from a hearth stays in the mud structure during winter, and it is quite cool indoors during the scorching summer months,’’ he says.
Mr. Chandrasekharan, helped by his wife, Latha, constructed the mud house phase by phase. There is a flight of wooden steps (to be covered in mud) that leads to the first floor. He says they collect the clay from near a water source and mix it with lime plaster to make a strong mixture. “You can even construct a multi-storeyed structure using the clay from here as it has some natural ingredients to make it strong when dried,” he says.
“Since we don't have the money to pay wages, we together (along with his wife) did the entire work. It took one year to finish it, but it is our dream house,” he says.
