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ARCHITECTURE WITHIN THE FOLIk TRADITION PDF
ARCHITECTURE WITHIN THE FOLIk TRADITION PDF
ARCHITECTURE WITHIN THE FOLIk TRADITION PDF
II 1 994 6 1 - 7 1
Field Report
ARCHITECTURE WITHIN THE FOLI< TRADITION:
A REPRESENTATION FROM BANGLADESH
s A I F u L H A Q
The roots of traditional Bangladeshi architecture are dug deep into the psyche of the common
people. In a land where poetry and philosophy are inherent in every person, comprehension
of this arch itecture cannot be complete with only a partial analysis or a formal viewpoint. The
social dimension of the architecture and the user's perspective are very important in this
regard. In the case of the traditional Bangladeshi built environment, the user is also th e
designer, builder, landscape specialist, artist and craftsman. However, he or she is not the
concept-giver. To grasp the r easo ns for design decisions, a participatory methodology opens
up new avenues of exploration . This article presents such a view. Its analysis of the
Bangladeshi vernacular archetype from a lay perspective adapts the work of Bangladeshi
Early references to this unusual roof form were seen in The study of social relationships as a methodology in archi-
mosgues built in Bengal during the independent Sultanate tectural investigation was probably first demonstrated by
period, from the mid -fourteenth to the mid-sixteenth century Gottfried Semper. w In his search into underlying similarities
(FIG . 0. 8 Later on , reproductions appeared in the Hindu and relationships , he hoped to uncover some synthetic unity
archi tecture of the region . The Mughals were also influenced in architecture. He started from w.hat Rosemarie Haag Bletter
by rhis provocative bent form, and imported it to their calls a communal prereguisite- the hearth." To Semper, the
capitals, where they incorporated it into their imperial archi- fire represented a social nucleus, a gathering point for the
tecture. The form was also reproduced in many other parts of fami ly and , hence, the "germ of civilization . "'2 From this angle
India, and vivid images and descriptions of these houses made Semper arrived at very different assumptions than were en-
their way into the work of British writers, artists, and photog- tertained in architectural thinking at the time, and the
raphers in the nineteenth century.9 It was through the English acceptance of his theories gave credibility to his methodology.
that the structure spread overseas. Such portentous prevalence In his manner of investigation, the beginning is a non-spatial,
is but an indication of the symbolic value the structure holds social-significance-bestowing component, from which archi-
for the people of Bangladesh. tectural elements stem logically.
In Bengal the bunggolo remained in its original form in the The theory of Semper also established fundamental notions of
rural areas, mostly ignored and unstudied by local professionals, architecture from ideas about the basic hut. These ideas were
for whom Westernization became the sign of progress. The further developed to include the concept of symbols and
little research that was undertaken took a socio-anthropo- meanings which could not be ignored or willfully altered
logical approach, and was related to the layout of the house. without loss of context. His source was a realistic instance
S A I F - U L - H A Q : BAN G LAD E S H • 63
provided by ethnology . From this, concepts of higher archi- Thefolk tradition, on the one hand, is the direct . . . translation into
tecture were evolved. physical form 0/ a culture, its needs and values - as well as the
desires dreams and passions. . . . It is the world view writ small,
Semper's notion of archi tectural beginnings was not far removed the "ideal" environment of a people expressed in buildings and
from t hat of another important architectural theoretician, a settlements. . . . The folk tradition is mUch more closely related to
contemporary of his, Eugene Viollet-Le-Duc. At the end of a the culture 0/ the majority and life as it is really lived. . . .18
fasc inating book dealing exclusively wi th dwellings, Viollet-
Le-Duc writes : "The time has com e for us to say to humanity: Rural vernacular tradi tion has no academic stylistic aspirations.
'investigate th y beg innings : thou wilt thus learn thy aptitudes , For lay people, the word sugges ts something countrified ,
and wilt be able to pursue that path of true prog ress to wh ich homemade, traditional - i.e., the small- tow n dwelling or the
thy destiny calls thee .. .. "" ) dwelling of the farmer or craftsman. Current definitions
sugges t that the vernacular dwelling is usually d esig ned by a
From this point of view, the approac h of architect Rabiul craftsman and not an architect , and that it is built with local
Hussain toward Bang ladeshi arc hi tec ture is both unique and tech niques , local materials, and with the local env ironment in
p raiseworth y. In his 1987 article "Bang ladesher Lokoj Stapatya mi nd . ].B . J ackson wri tes :
o Grihanirman," in Bangladesher Sthapatya Sanskl'iti (Al'chi-
tecttwa f Tradition of Bangladesh), he adopts a participatory at- Such a dwelling does not pretend to stylistic sophistication. It is
titude and presents a picture of extraordinary magnitude. He loyal to local forms and rarely accepts innovations/rom outside the
looks at vernacular architectu re with emotion - not as a region. It . .. is little influenced by history in its wider sense. That
detached spectator or academic researcher, but as an active is why the word timeless is much used in descriptions o/vernacular
19
participant charged with pride and love of the indigenous. H is buildings.
descrip tions are passionate and tend toward the poetic. H e
effortlessly shifts his attitude from that of the architect to that of Althoug hJackson admits that th is concept has been refuted in
the sensitive individual. His vivid descrip tions offolkarchitecture consideration of the European ve rnacular,lO it may still fi nd
provide an important view long missing from the small stock of validi ty in the context of Bangladesh. This is precisely where the
li terature available on Bang ladeshi architecture. Such an attitude ideas of Hussain become relevant. In Bang ladeshi villages life has
is a combination anth ropological investigation and the poetic always been slow, broken onl y by changes of season, celebrations
approach of Gas ton Bachelard. '4 His stance is extremely relevant of the life cycle, or calamities. Major political upheavals have
when discussing the archi tectureofwhat the famous philosopher- mostly occurred at a d istance. Even if the villager has the desi re
wri ter Rabindranath Tag ore has called the emotional and the for imp roved commodities in life , these are mostly thwarted by
deeply p hilosophical citizens of Bangladesh. ' 5 the neglect of formal institutions of society.
Recent research by the author shows that there has been very
little change in this inner theory in more than a hundred
years .') The images , too, have remained remarkably constant
(FIG. 2). Without doubt, Bangladeshi architecture has expe-
rienced a number of transformations and the importation of
outside concepts, ye t certain attitudes deep within the psyche
of the people have remained unchanged. New elements of
experience, knowledge , value, will and behavior have simply
been absorbed into the individual subconscious within the
constraints of collective conditions. Hussain aims not only to
study this identity, but to understand its formalization
through architectural elements .
THE VILLAGE
living on the site in a simple hut, but gradually their require- or a tubewell. Near the kitchen is a small structure which is used
ments increase and their hut becomes insufficient. More when necessary as a place for giving birth. In Hindu homes there
structures are then added, keeping a courtyard, or ttthan, in the is also a hut for the deity nearby.
center. The owner of the house, usually the farmer or his eldest
son, is given the best location beside the ttthan . This is usually When the sun sets, the women go bathing, either in the ghats
the northern structure, which faces south . According to age of the pond or the river. Privacy is needed here, too, and the
and position in the family, each person is assigned other huts. coconut-trunk steps that go down to the water are screened
If there is need for more than four structures, a larger courtyard on both sides by bamboo fencing. Just beside this ghat is a
is creared, with two huts on either side. huge hog-plum or tamarind tree, the fruit being a special
delicacy for expectant mothers. All these elements - water,
Under the open sky, every bit of the uthcm is usable space. The trees, huts and courtyard - are the necessary constituents of
quadrant has many purposes: it is a place to dry clothes or a rural home.
crops, a p lay area for children, a location for elders to converse,
an arena for story-telling or musical events, and a site for Just at the entrance of the homestead is a large hut in an open
ceremonies marking birth , marriage or death (FIG . 4). It is also area, called the katchari ghar (FIG. 6). In the Western sense it
the ring where petty family quarrels occur and where their is a reception structure, and it is sparsely furnished with a few
solution is arbitrated. During the monsoon, when water is benches, one or two chairs, and possibly a wooden chowki 30 A
everywhere, the courtyard may become a pool, and residents small room in the corner is used either as a guest accommoda-
may throw a line from their door and wait patiently for a bite. tion or as a study for children . The cattle shed is nearby , and
It is also here that the chi ldren may float banana leaf rafts or between it and katchari ghar is a series of earthen jars set in
bamboo frames to store fodder. There is also a bamboo-framed other undesirable creatures do not come inside at night. The
structure supporting an earthen container or a huge pail, big front of each hut contains a full-l ength or partial verandah. To
enough so that two or three cows can drink together ftom it. reach the door, one has to climb mud steps and cross it. At one
side of the verandah is a bamboo platform supported by a mud
Goats and their kids may be found anywhere, even under the mound or bamboo stilts . This provides a place for guests to sit,
bench of the katrhari ghar. In front of this hur is a low bamboo for family members to sleep on hot nights, or to store paddy
fence, and within it a flower garden with enchanting smells or jute in heaps .
and lovely colors. Some typical flow ers are marigold, rose,
tube rose, china rose, red china rose, jasmine, cockscomb, and Inside the house there is generally one large space that serves
glory of Japan. A sweet plum or perhaps a guava tree, heavy many purposes; there are few or no partition walls and no
with fruit, is at one side, and at the extreme south is amargosa separate rooms . To one side the bed platform is raised high on
tree . A southern wind flowing through this last comes as a bamboo posts, level with the window so that breezes will cool
comfort to the homestead. Other trees that create a g reen those sleeping there at nig ht. Below it are stored onions ,
entry are the woodapple , coconm, betelnut, and grapefruit. potatoes, chilies, and other small necessities (FIG. 7) . On the
There are also aloe and basak (A dhatoda basira) plants. The other side of the room is a hig h platform, on which are kept
aloe's thick leaf is soothing to the temple and scalp in ho t seeds prepared from the p reviolls yea r for planting in the
weather, while the juice of basctk leaves mixed with honey is a coming season . Sometimes there are also lines of earthen jars
remed y for coughs and colds in winter. Likewise, margosa filled with molasses.
tw igs are used to clean teeth; mottled ebony g ives color to
fishing nets ; j ika (Lamzea grandis) g ives g lue; and schoolchil- Around the walls are bamboo shelves, and below these are
dren use the flat ends of the silk cotton tree's thorns to make hung such items as mirrors, combs, and lamps (FIG. 8). There
play stamps. is also a small closet, a table, and a chair - perhaps of
yellowish jackfruit wood. From diagonal bamboo bracing
N earby are bamboo g roves, which bring a p leasant murmur to may hang a cane or reed swing . In its center may be a colorful
the ears when the wind blows, while the fall en bamboo leaves paper flower or a rattle - somethi ng brought from the m arket
make a soft blanket over the mud. Perhaps there are also for a yo ung child . A sickle, a hookah, or perhaps an old colored
orchard s filled with mango, Indi an blac kberry, litchi , and p icture may be tucked in on the exterior side of the woven
jackfruit trees, and a vegetable ga rd en with eggplant, chilies, bam boo walls, and leaning on another side may be two or th ree
cauliflower, and papaya, and sometimes a scaffold for Ind ian
spinach or cucumber. In the branches of the fruit trees is a
noisemaker to scare birds, with a long rope reaching to the FIGURE 7. (LEFT) I Il/e-
kcttchari ghm'. Scarecrows made with sawdust and straw perch rior view oj (/ /"fIred hilt.
in the vege table garden dressed in old clothes, their painted
faces rivaling the work of any urban ar ti st. Beyond lie the (FAC I N G PAGE)
fie lds, dry and cracked in the sum me r, waterlogged and soft FIGURE 8. (LEFT) B(III1-
progressively in a lifetim e can be all be found in folk archi- RI G HT) After hllildillg
tec ture in an astonishi ngly sim ple manner. Today's institu- to tl c-ertclill height. the
ti onalized architecture does not st rive to fulfill all th ese needs lillie! {{lelll:! eIre dried/or
or be so deeply connected to man. Folk architecture is created ({ day or tll/D .
for all the needs of life - from birth to death. Life and FI GURE IO. (BOT TOM
lillie! hOllse.
THE STRUCTURES
Th e p linths on which dwelli ngs res t are hig h so that struct ures
are not flooded during the monsoon, or that snakes, frogs, or
SA I F- U L - H AQ' BANG LAD ESH • 67
plows of Acacia timber. Sometimes the house may contain an Sometimes mud walls are used instead of posts. Such walls are
extra, portable stove, perhaps in a broken pail, for use during often very thick. In some cases cow dung, chopped straw, or
winter or the monsoons. The stove is also used on special other materials is mixed with the earth to make the walls
occasions , such as at birth or at a time of illness, when it is stronger. Sometimes the stabilized mud is formed into brick-
necessary to heat water or milk. like or square blocks, which can be laid up into a wall. In this
ptocess, after building to a certain height, the earth is allowed
Rural architecture never contains unnecessary or unused spaces. to dry for a day or two before construction continues (FIG. 9).
Construction is simple, efficient and economical. It is not The roof truss with all its covering material is placed directly
possible to create a low-cost structure using high-cost mate- on top of a mud wall. To produce two-story structures, wooden
rials, even by reducing floor area. Bangladeshi village archi- or bamboo platforms may added (FIG. 10). In some areas an
tecture is created using the most readily available building alternative to all-mud walls are thin strips of bamboo woven
materials, and most elements are produced by the resident . together, placed upright, and covered with mud-straw mixture.
eight planes so that water runs off easily. Roof members are To protect the house from strong winds, a piece of bamboo
tied to one another with coconut fiber, jute rope , or metal is inclined against the bamboo posts as a brace. Thick wires
wires. Sometimes cane may also be used. The knots are neat may also be used for this purpose, tied to wedges buried in
and skillful, developed by experience and extremely strong . the ground. Windows are generally kept in the south, east,
Since the roof is pitched, a false ceiling is sometimes made and north sides of the dwelling. Window panels are mostly
inside. This too is done with bamboo or wood, and the of bamboo or wood, and are hung from the top, and doors
resulting attic is llsed for storage. are made of the same materials . Eaves usually project far
68 • TO S R 5.2
outside the wall line to protect the walls from sun and rain .
The pitched roof structure, with its many angled planes ,
resembles a series of little pyramids.
F IG URE II. (LEFD Niche in the thick IIllid wd!. Petlterm <Ire dOlle with fillgers
whe/! the weIll is .r/ill wete
FIGURE 12. (ABOVE) Designs eIre dl.rO done ;11 relief 011 tbe Ill/ld wedls.
naught?" These words can only be uttered by someone who FINAL REMARKS
is truly a descendant of nature. Similarly, "E veryw here is my
home, yet I perish in search." Such philosophy incorporating The premise of this article has been to look at only one aspect
a deep sense of unity with nature is quite rare. But in a land of an all-encompassing study. In this regard, one cannot
where poetry and philosophy are inherent in every person it conclude, but only observe and possibly infer.
is not only natural, but effortless and spontaneous. In the
villages everyone does their own work and is self-sufficient. What can be understood from the foregoing discussion is that
Since they make their houses with their hands and live in nature and man were once in harmony. This relationship not
harmony with nature, it is hardly surprising to encounter only concerned dwelling construction, but it pervaded much
such philosophical apothegms. more deeply into the psyche of the rural people. Speaking
about popular rural songs of Bengal, Tagore has said:
The search for tradition, culture, architecture and art in
newly independent and once-colonized countries is a con- Their religious emotions had its spring in the depth ofa philosophy
tinuing struggle. In architecture this task is extremely that deals with fundamental questions - with the ultimate
perplexing, especially when there exists in a country a meaning of existence. That may not be remarkable in itself; but
contemporary trend of modernism which blindly follows when we find that these songs are not specially meant for some
Western models. In the evolution of architecture once- exclusive pundits' gathering but that they were sung in villages
flourishing folk models are on the verge of decay. This trend and listened to by men and women who were illiterate, we realize
continues perhaps due to the lack of interest and patronage , how philosophy has permeated the life of the people in India, how
2
perhaps because of poverty . But it is extremely important to it has sunk deep into the subconscious mind of the country. 3
learn from the traditional heritage and gain from the accu-
mulated wisdom of the ancestors . If the residual thin stream The other factor of significance is social cohesiveness. This plays
is nurtured , a new and powerful chapter may be added in the a major role in the building process, which in turn influences
question of overall identity. The spread of interest in these social balance. Such observations are enough to draw attention
matters is vital to the task of retaining traditions and distinct to the insufficiencies of partially concluded theories. Social,
ways of existence . In today's context, it is not unreasonable anthropological, political, formal, material, technical, and other
to be undeterred in such an effort. such issues need simultaneous deliberation. Hopefully, in that
direction lies proper comprehension of Bangladeshi archi-
tecture and the formation of an applicable theory.
REFERENCE NOTES 1. Among the scholats who developed thi s PP·17 8-79·
notion are P. Brown, Indiall Arcbitectllre 8. See P. Hasan , "Sultanate Mosque-types of
(Bombay, 1956); and A.D. King, "The Bangladesh: Origins and D evelopment" (Ph.D.
Bungalow ," Part I & II , ArciJitectlfrct/ AJJOC;Cltioll diss., Fine Arts and Middle Eastern Studies,
QlIarterly Vol.) NO.3 (JulylSeptember 1973) and Harvard Universiry, 1984).
Vol.) NO-4 (October/December 1973) . 9. See, for example, G. Michell, ed ., The
2. l.M. Khan, "Alte rnative Approach to the IJ/ctmic Heritage 0/ Bengal (Paris: UNESCO, 1984);
Red evelopmenc of Old Dacca " (Ph.D. d iss., and Brick TelilpleJ 0/ Bengal (Ptinceton: Princeton
Faculty of Applied Sc iences, Katholieke Univetsity Press, 1983). Also, G. Colesworthy,
Universireir, Leuven , 1982); and D.M . Hasan, "A Rared Life ill BCl/gal (reprinted from the 1864
Study of Traditional House Forms in edition; Micrographjc edition, Calcutta, 1984).
Banglad es h" (M .Arch. th es is, Deparrmenc of All rhese books have excellent visual matetials .
ArchiteCture, Bangladesh University of 10. See G. Semper, The Fot(/' EleJllents 0/
Engineering and Technology, Dacca, 1985) both Architectllre ane! other Writingr (Cambridge:
refer to this idea. Cambridge Universiry Ptess, 1989).
3. King, "Th e Bungalow ," Part I. II. R.H. Blerter, "On Martin Frohlich's
4- For a detailed account, see A.D. King, Th e Gottfri ed Sempet," O/J/JOJitiollS 4 (1975), P·147·
Bungalow: The Prodltctioll 0/ a Global CltltMe 12. Ibid . P.147.
(London: Routledge and K egan Paul, 1984). 13. E. Violler-le-Duc, The HabitcltiollS 0/ Mall in
). Ibid. , p.2. all AgeJ, Benjamin Bucknall, trans. (New York:
6. Quote by Francis Buchanan in King, The Benjamin Blom , 1971).
BllIlgc!lOW. 14- G. Bachelard , The Paetin o/Spelee (Boston:
7. A. Vo!wahsen, Livillg Architecture: Islamic Beacon Papetback, 1969).
I"didll (London: MacDonald & Co. , Ltd., 1970), 15. R. Tagore, "The philosophy of our People,"
72 • T D S R 5.2
The Calcutta Review VOLXVIlI NO.I-3 Qanuary- case study for Regionalism in Architecture," in
March 1926). I.M. Khan et aL, eds., "Participants' paper,
16. See Webster's Third International Dictional)'. proceedings of seminar on Archi tecture and rhe
17. B. Rudofsky, Architectllre Without Architects: role of architects in Southern Asia," Dhaka, 1985.
A Short Introduction to Non-Pedigreed Architecture 25. Khana was an astrologer woman of
(New York: Museum of Modern Art, 1964). traditional fame in rural BengaL
18. A. Rapoport, House Form and Cultllre (New 26. Translation by author.
Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1969), p.2. 27. The most important concept about the
19. See J.B. Jackson, Discovering the VernaClllar Bangladeshi joint family is that of a common
Landscape (New Haven: Yale Universiry, 1984). cooking pot. Here food is prepared together for
20. Ibid. the whole family.
21. The term is used to denote a certain 28. The concept of "place" in the sense described
absrraction from the flux of phenomena in direct by Norberg-Shulz is not specifically stated by
recognition of stable relationships. It is an Hussain. However, this is introduced here
emotional quality which, perhaps in a poetic because it is closest to the idea of the author.
manner, imparts a sense of belonging. See e. 29 . A dheki is a husking padd le operated in a
Norberg-Shulz, Genius Loci: Towards a seesaw manner.
Phenomenology of Architecture (New York: Rizzolli 30. A chowki is a four-legged wooden cot.
Publications, 1980). 31. Patterns reflect both human endeavor and
22. See e.G. Jung, Man and His Symbols the love of creation. Patterns, designs, etc. are
(Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1964). characteristic of the folk rradition in Bangladesh
23. See A.D. King, "The Bengali Peasant Hut: and can be seen in many other spheres of daily
Some Nineteenth Century Accounts," in D. life. Noteworthy among them are embroidered
Jones and G. Michell, eds., AARP, (December quilts and rice cakes.
1977)· 32. Tagore, "The philosophy of our People."
24- M.A. Muktadir and D.M. Hasan,
"Traditional house-form in Rural Bangladesh: A All photographs by author.