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STUDY OF RURAL ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING: CASE STUDY OF KELSHI

VILLAGE IN KONKAN, MAHARASHTRA PAPERS

Conference Paper · April 2015

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 National Conference10 – 12April 2015IIT Roorkee

STUDY OF RURAL ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING:

CASE STUDY OF KELSHI VILLAGE IN KONKAN, MAHARASHTRA
PAPERS

Prof. Narkhede Parag Govardhan1 (BKPS College of Architecture, Pune )

Asst.Prof.Sonal Khobragade2 (College of Engineering, Pune)

Abstract

The paper deals with the Study of Rural Architecture and Planning of Kelshi Village in
Konkan, Maharashtra. The paper discusses the planning, land-use, social and economic
structure of the village, the rural housing, services and amenities. Also, it deals with the
study of response to climate and geographical settings and the cultural differences of the
village. Kelshi is a rare example of comprehensive rural planning by the local people and
efficient administration by Panchayat system.

Key Words: Rural Architecture, Land use, Climate Responsive, Comprehensive Planning

1. Introduction

Kelshi is a small but prominent village nestled in the hills of Sahyadri, on the coast of
Ratnagiri. Originally, it was called as Kardaligram which changed to Kardali, later to
Kaelsi, and finally changed to Kelshi.

1.1 Social formation of the village

In Kelashi, communities are spatially distributed. The upper class is located at the front
while the lower class is at the rear side of the village. All the other important areas and
bazaars are located at the centre of the village.

2. The economic base/ structure of the village

The peculiar geographical position accounts for its comparatively poor development in the
spheres of agriculture, trade, industry and transport. The district has four power houses,
and the electricity they generate is not sufficient to satisfy the needs of even the towns
where they are located. The general backwardness in the transport system is caused by the
prevalent topographical conditions which discourage further development of transport.

2.1 Industries

Mangoes and cashew-nuts are the most valuable products of this region. There are three
factories in the southern part of the district engaged in the decortications of the cashew-
nuts.

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2.2 Fisheries

Since the district has a large coast line of about 250 miles, fishing is one of the most
important industries of the district. There are about 120 coastal villages engaged in fishing
out of which Kelashi is one.

2.3 Agricultural activities and its role in rural economics

Monsoon season (June- August) is considered to be the best for planting evergreen fruit
trees. Trees, planted in spring establish roots in summer; start growing as the weather
warms up and during the rains put up vigorous growth. Variety of Vegetables is cultivated
in Kelashi along with fruits like Banana, Mango, coconut, Supari.

3 Rural housing typology

Typical house in Kelashi follows extrovert plan with Majghar (inner room) at the centre. It
is rarely planned around a courtyard. Majghar is a multipurpose room meant for private
activities and is surrounded by rooms on three sides. It also has an inner core which
requires maximum security and insulation from heat which keeps it cool throughout the
year.

Figure 1. Kelashi-Land Use

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Figure 2. Kelashi- Settlement Distribution

Individual household units are reflection of the lifestyle and day to day activities. Most of
the families own a patch of land on which fruits and vegetables are cultivated. This need
skilled labours and storage place. Since, the day chore mostly includes farming related
activities, cattle sheds, storage rooms; utility room, servant’s room, use of setbacks as
stacking space etc. have direct impact on house design as well as festivals. It dictates the
care of outdoor spaces as much as indoor spaces.

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Figure 3. Plan of typical house in Kelashi

The type of house changes with its

location and the economic status of
the family. Although the basic plan
remains the same it differs in terms
of elevation and the type of material
used. The houses in Kelshi are
basically concentrated around
Ubhagar Ali and Sathe Ali.

Figure 4. One of the types of house in Kelashi

They are built using Laterite stone, timber for the rafter, post etc.; Mangalore tiles as the
roofing material while some of them are cement plastered and painted. The houses are

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mostly single and in rare cases double storied. The geometry of the house in its plan and
elevation is rectangular in shape. The planning of houses protects the house from direct sun
radiation and also the air which is entering the house from outside is pre-cooled due to the
verandah. All the houses have large window openings for cross ventilation and to welcome
natural sunlight. The height of the rooms is 3.5m. Houses at Kelshi have more plinth height
so that during rainy season the storm water does not enter the house.

Kitchen and padavi (Verandah) plays an important role in the plan of a typical house.
Cooking, cleaning, powdering grains, etc. are some of the activities performed by women
in these areas. Each house has an open plot on the rare side which is used for farming.
Hence, all grains, fruits, vegetables, etc. are stored behind in a store room.

4 Rural services:

4.1 Water Supply:

Most of the hoses have wells. Common overhead water tank is also available near Bapu
Ali. Water is pumped to overhead water tank and is supplied to public taps at various
junctions of the village.

4.2 Drainage facilities-

Septic tanks and storm water drainage system

is designed for individual house. Storm water
drainage runs from one side on the road.

Figure 5. Drainage facility at Kelashi

4.3 Electrical and telephone lines

Both electrical and telephonic lines run along the roads. They are placed at approximately
around 36 to 40 m pole to pole distance.
Transformer is located at the center of the
village at Sonar Ali.

Road and transportation

Roads are not designed for vehicles, though
they are 4 to 8 m wide. They are mainly used
by the pedestrians.

Figure 6. Road condition at Kelashi

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5 AMENITIES

5.1 Schools :-

G.P school and junior college is the one and only Marathi school in Kelshi. It has got
subdivisions like pre-primary, primary school and high school for both girls and boys,
junior college of arts and commerce. These subdivisions are located at different locations.
High school and college are located near Mahalakshmi temple and primary and pre-
primary are located near panchayat office. High school and college have got big premises,
in which open area is considered as playground area. It also has a covered stage which is
used for their annual gatherings as well as it is given on rent for marriages and other
functions in the village.

5.2 Health Facilities :-

 Primary Health centre:

This hospital is run by Zilla Parishad Ratnagiri. It is a ten bedded hospital with Operation
theatre , two wards- maternity and general ward. Total area of the hospital is around
1300sqm. There are two doctors on duty of which one is residential.
 Veterinary Clinic
There is one doctor on duty. Clinic has provision of storage of medicines. Since Kelashi is
a village, the medicines are imported from Dapoli. Total area of the clinic is about 36sqm.

5.3 Post Office :-

It is centrally located in front of the Panchayat Office. There are three postmen on duty.
Apart from the main administrative works other works are carried out such as accepting
telephone bills, light bills, insurance policies, MIS NSC etc. Total area of the post office is
about 270sqm.

5.4 Bus stand :-

The ‘paar’ near the market chowk itself is used as bus stand.

6. Climate responsive architecture at Kelshi

6.1 Climate :

Four distinct seasons can be identified at Kelashi. The summer season is from March to
May, the south-west monsoon season is from June to September, the post monsoon season
from October to November and the winter season is from December to February.

The average annual rainfall for the district as a whole is 3188 mm. The temperature rises
slowly from March, and it is at peak about 38ºC to 40ºC in the month of May, October and
November. Night temperatures are the lowest in January. Owing to the proximity of the
sea, the district is on the whole very humid. Winds are very strong and are mainly Westerly

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or South Westerly during the monsoon. In the rest of the year, winds blow from directions
between North and East in the morning and between West and North-West in the
afternoons.

During the pre and post monsoon months the district experiences very strong winds,
sometimes reaching more force, particularly near the cost. Heavy ‘rain’ in association with
cyclonic storms develops in the Arabian Sea and move in close proximity to the coast.
Thunderstorms are common in the post monsoon months and the latter part of the hot
season.

6.2 Climate responsive design and materials used for houses :

Houses are good examples of vernacular architecture. Use of locally available materials is
predominantly observed in construction of various structures. This region receives a very
heavy rainfall and so the houses have sloping roofs.
The Kunbi generally lives in a small house with mud and gravel walls and a thatched roof
held up by wooden posts let in at the corners and the gables. The rafters are generally
bamboos, and the thatch of bundles of rice straw and coarse grass. A Maratha house is
generally with sun-dried brick walls, tiled roof, and a front verandah. The floor
smoothening is carried out every-day carefully by using cow dung. Brahmins, Bhandaris
and Muslims live in well built houses raised on stone plinths. The walls are masonry or
burnt brick work and roofs are tiled. The wood work in the roof is generally substantial and
well built. The village Mahar usually lives in small roughly-built thatched mud-hut. But
pensioners and other high class Mahars generally live in Maratha style house. The houses
of the richer classes, one, two, or three stories high, have walls of Laterite or black stone,
bricks, either with cement or chunam plaster or pointing and tiled roofs. According to the
means and size of the owner’s family, they contain from eight to fifteen rooms. Most of the
structures are climate responsive.

7. Response to geographical setting

7.1 Geography :

Kelshi is a monsoon land with great contrast in nature, of heights and plains, of wet and
dry seasons, of forested and cultivated stretches, of bare lateritic plateau surfaces and
intensely tilled valleys. Consequently, the population is thin, economically backward and
culturally isolated. Population residing in the village is mostly dependent on Agriculture.
The common feature of inadequate means of sustenance prevail both in town and country
side. Hence, the population migration in search of employment is often observed from
Kelashi to cities like Mumbai.

7.2 Rain Water Disposal :-

During Monsoon, Kelshi receives heavy rainfall. In the older parts of the village, the roads
provided are of 6m out of which 3m (1.5m on each side of the road) is provided as a gutter.
Due to natural topography of the village, the water from the higher parts gets collected into

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the gutters which take it into the Arabian sea. Sometimes, water logging is observed due to
newly constructed narrow gutters.

8. Cultural differences
8.1 Mahalaxhmi temple :-

The Gramdevi of Kelshi is Goddess Mahalaxhmi, brings

prosperity to the village. Navratri is an important festival in
Kelashi. People from different villages come together and
participate in the festival.

Figure 7. Mahalaxhmi temple at Kelashi

8.2 Yakub Baba’s Urus :-

The Yakub Baba’s Urus is celebrated through the week
by the people, even the Hindus participate in this festival
enthusiastically.

Figure 8. Yukub Baba Tomb

8.3 Narali Poornima :-

The ‘Koli’ families celebrate this festival on the beaches. A small procession of ‘Ekwira’
Goddess is carried on in this festival.

8.4 Paar :-

The ‘paar’ or the chowk in the village is the oldest gathering space. Previously all the
informal meetings, monthly panchayats meetings, discussions were held under the ‘paar’.
It used to also act as a court of justice where the elderly people use to gather and solve
issues or disputes in front of the villagers. Now the ‘paar’ is the heart of the village. The
weekly bazzar (market) starts from the ‘paar’. The State transport stop is located under the
‘paar.’

9. Conclusion:

Despite of the cultural differences of the village, Kelshi is a rare example of

comprehensive rural planning by the local people and efficient administration by
panchayat system. Vernacular construction techniques and materials prove Kelshi as a
good example of climate and geography responsive Architecture and Planning. The
occupation of Fishing and Farming supports the local economic base. Kelshi is surely an

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ideal module of Rural Architecture and Planning to be followed by number of villages in

Konkan Area.

10. References

1. Inferences from actual visits to Kelshi based on information from local people and
Gram Panchayat.

2. India, Government of (1884) - Gazetter of The Bombay Presidency Ratnagiri

District.

3. India, Government of (1954) - Gazetter of Bombay State – District Series Ratnagiri

District.

4. Spatio- Enomic Development Record (May-June 1999) “Planning and Development

of Tourism”Series : Vol.III. Vol.VI

5. Spatio- Enomic Development Record (July-August 1997) “National Tourism

Policy” Series : Vol.IV. No.VI

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