Understanding and analyzing the changes in housing

typology and practices of Muthuvan Community, Marayoor.

This study explores two major aspects related to the unique housing and habitat practices of the Muthuvan
community in the Idukki district of Kerala. Firstly, it explores the social and cultural aspects of the Muthuvan
settlement life and their concepts of housing. Secondly, the unique architectural tradition that exists among
the Muthuvan community.
AIM

The AIM of this study is to understand and analyze the changes in housing typology and practices of
Muthuvan Community.

OBJECTIVES

● To study the architectural aspects of traditional house construction and housing practices among the
Muthuvan community.

● To analyse the changes in housing typology due to the impact of socio cultural factors on architecture of
Muthuvan community.

● To analyse the use of existing building material and its technique of construction.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. Does the change in housing typology affect the culture and practices of muthuvans in Marayoor ?

2. Are they satisfied with the new typology ?

3. If they are not, why ?

SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS

1. The study will only focus on Muthuvan community and its architecture.

3. The user group of the study is limited to the people of Marayoor

4. The research will include architectural patterns of only Muthuva settlements in Marayoor
METHODOLOGY

● Collection of information about Marayoor which

includes historical context, geographical setting
and tribes of the area.
● Conducting site visit to settlements and
interviewing the local people.
● Understanding the context of regions and
analysing their settlement pattern.
● Organization of various data analysed and
collected in the form of a table
● Analysing how the new housing scheme affects
them
INTRODUCTION

India is one of the richest countries in the world in terms of cultural diversity. The rich heritage therein is
demonstrated throughout from the ethnicity, tradition, livelihood, and also by the architectural typologies.
Several distinct architectural features are seen in tribal settlements of Kerala, which differ by climate,
geological condition, and deep-rooted traditions. They evolved in course of time and were majorly built by
the inhabitants themselves, without any formal training in construction. These houses, built with locally
available materials, were sensitive to the existing environment and took into consideration the limitations
imposed by the climate.

This study explores two major aspects related to the unique housing and habitat practices of the Muthuvan
community in the Idukki district of Kerala. Firstly, it explores the social and cultural aspects of the Muthuvan
settlement life and their concepts of housing. Secondly, the unique architectural tradition that exists among
the Muthuvan community.
 The tribal region of Kerala is a vertical strip of
India, along with
differing concentration along its inland border
Africa, has the
conterminous to the Western Ghats. This region of
largest tribal concentration is similar to the forest concentration
population in the of Kerala. Also when compared to the industrial
world. Tribals, map of Kerala it can be observed that the coastal
represents almost border forms the industrial belt as opposed to the
10% of India’s inland border of tribal concentration.
population.

These castes and tribes have traditionally been

related to the most lowly labour with no
possibility of upward mobility, and are subject to
extensive social disadvantage and
discrimination, in comparison subject to the
wider community, Scheduled Tribes are also
referred to as Adivasis.
• There are 36 tribes in Kerala out of those, Muthuvan community of Idukki district in Kerala
has unique cultural and social practices associated with their housing and habitats
Marayoor is situated 45 km northeast of Munnar and 40 km
from the famous town Udumelpet in Tamil Nadu
• Marayoor has got enumerable ancient monuments which
belong to the Mesolithic to modern period.
• Marayoor has a history that dates back to the Stone Age
civilization that is as old as 10,000 B.C.E.
• Muthuvan community migrated from the plains of Madurai to
the valleys of the Western Ghats, during the Chera Period
• Muthuvan community began living in permanent settlements
during the first part of the twentieth century.
The tribal population in Marayoor still preserves their unique customs and traditions. Muthuvans
are the major tribal group in Marayoor.

● The Muthuvan community lives in small isolated

settlements called Kudi.

● the Muthuvan life is bound by the defined routine

activities around the Kudi.

● A Kudi for the Muthuvan community is a system

where a number of households live with strong
bondage between families and individuals

Their system, social control and sustainable practices, dormitory system and the art of building
sustainable mud houses that they pass through generations are significant components of the life and
culture of the Muthuvan community.

A typical Muthuvan Kudi consists of 50 to 60 houses on an average


Apart from the houses, the essential components of the
Muthuvan Kudi are Chavadi - the male dormitory, a
Kulipura also called Thinna Veed the female dormitory,
guardhouses and a temple.
Traditionally Muthuvans have small houses with only
two rooms. The houses in the Kudi are scattered along
the sloped surface of the hill. The Muthuvans construct
their own houses and the skills and knowledge behind
the construction of the mud houses are passed on from
generation to generation.
In the two rooms of a house in a Kudi, one room is
used as a bedroom and the other is used as a
kitchen. Both the rooms are also used to store their
collection of seeds.
The walls of the mud houses are constructed using
bamboo, mud, and stones. Wild straw is used to
make the roof.
The community, have different prospects, sentiment,
and culture associated with housing, which is
different from the dominant mainstream notion of
houses in nuclear families.
Chavadi
The Chavadi , the male dormitory holds a distinctive role in
shaping the life and culture of the Muthuvan people. The
Chavadi is a single large hall, traditionally constructed with
mud walls and a straw roof with a fire-pit in the centre of the
hall.
Temple
The temple which Muthuvan people call Kovil in
Tamil is an integral part of the Kudi. It is
generally positioned on a prominent mound at
the entrance to the Kudi

Kulippura
The women's dormitory in the Muthuvan community is called
Kulipura or Thinnai Veedu. The Muthuvans construct the
Kuliveedu as far away from their dwelling as possible, facing
away from the rest of the houses. It is often built in the
isolated downward part of the sloped terrain of the Kudi.

Guardhouse
The guardhouses are constructed in strategic spots and are
called Kermadam. In the olden days, the guard houses were
built on top of trees. However, after the Kudi, they began
constructing guardhouses on land using bamboo and
leaves.
The typical Muthuvan settlement consists of eco- friendly, climate-adaptive mud houses and other elements
constructed with sustainable means, which are now rapidly transforming into concrete jungles.

Muthuvan settlements are seen in clustered, linear, polygonal and

irregular cluster patterns.

The settlement patterns of the Muthuvan community have a

greater role in shaping the social bondages of the individuals in
the community.

In majority of the Muthuvan settlements now the concrete houses

built next to their old traditional houses. The new concrete houses
are different in size, volume, and construction.
● Traditional muthuvan hamlet
● cluster pattern
● spatial planning
● Flat topography
● Organically formed shape
● Follows traditional mud construction
● Depend on agriculture
● Follows dormitory system and tradition
● Modernised muthuvan hamlet
● Congested cluster pattern
● No proper spatial planning
● Flat topography
● Mix of both mud and concrete house
● Depend on agriculture
● Follows dormitory system and tradition
● Modernised muthuvan hamlet ● Shared courtyard
● cluster pattern ● cluster pattern
● No spatial planning ● No spatial planning
● Contour topography ● Contour topography
● Houses are linearly arranged in contours ● Houses are arranged without the natural contours
● Follows traditional mud construction ● Follows traditional mud construction
● Depend on agriculture ● Depend on agriculture

● Follows dormitory system and tradition ● Follows sathram and thinnaveedu

Literature
THE CONDITION OF HANDLOOM INDUSTRY AND HANDLOOM WEAVERS IN
BALARAMAPURAM , TRIVANDRUM , A CASE STUDY ON ANALYSING THE CHANGES IN
HOUSING AND BUILDING TYPOLOGY.

Balaramapuram is one of the

panchayats that forms the city of
Trivandrum, the capital of Kerala, India.
It is the most urbanized panchayat in
Thiruvananthapuram district.
The history of handloom weaving in Balaramapuram dates back to about 200 years ago and is associated
with the royal family of Travancore

The then Maharaja Balarama Varma (from 1798 to 1810) brought weaving families from Valliyoor of the
Tamil Nadu state.

Weaving in Balaramapuram goes back to the era of

Balarama Varma (1798 to 1810), ruler of erstwhile
Travancore. His Dewan Ummini Thampi settled
seven weaver families of the Shalia community from
Valliyoor, in Tirunelveli district, in
Thiruvananthapuram to weave clothes for the royal
family.

● There was a pure culture of weavers and carpenters

● There was a unique architectural style
● The settlement was in the style of agraharam
● Stack houses, common shared walls , work area for
weavers,
●
●
Presently, a major portion of
the hand loom clothes
produced in this area is sold to
the Handloom Development
Corporation and Hantex. Due
to the emergence of power
looms in the weaving industry
and drop in the prices of
related items, the inhabitants
of the colony have found it
difficult to persevere in the
same field of activity as a
result of which, the younger
generations are pursuing
higher education and alternate
employment to make ends
meet.
In recent days the sector is
seen losing its relevance in the
industrial scenario of the state
due to several reasons. This
industry is facing severe crisis
due to increased cost of
production, marketing
difficulties, encroachment of
power looms and lack of human
resources. In spite of all the
rejuvenating measurements
from the state government the
handloom sector is still failing
on its own ways. This study
focuses on the problems in this
sector and analysing the future
of this traditional industry.