GURUNG

ARCHITECTURE

Ashish Parajuli
069/B.ARCH/05
 OUTLINES
INTRODUCTION
TRADITIONAL SETTLEMENT
EXAMPLE OF SETTLEMENT
PLANNING OF GURUNG HOUSE
MATERIAL USED
PHOTOGRAPHS
 INTRODUCTION
Gurungs one of the major
ethnic groups of Nepal

Occupied the southern

slopes of Annapurna and
Machhapuchre Himalayas
in central west Nepal

Live between two

ecological zones the low
subtropical valleys and the
alpine highlands
 Population distributed mainly in
the Kaski, Lamjung, Syangja,
Tanahu, Gorkha, Parbat and
Manang districts

Traditional occupation
wassheep herding, trans-
himalayantrade and farming

Gurungs live in mountainous

highlands and grow maize,
millet, barley and potatoes
TRADITIONAL SETTLEMENT PATTERN
Geographical factors had great influence on the
settlement patterns
Villages are found at the height of 2000 to 3000 meters
with compact settlements
Houses constructed in the varying levels on the hill
slopes
Cluster of houses ranges in number from 20 to 100,
and sometimes even more
 GHANDRUK VILLAGE
Traditional settlement composed of different caste
group mostly inhabited by Gurungs
Oldest settlement in Kaski region
Compact Settlement as main characteristics of Gurung
Society
At earlier times, oval shape building(Ghumaune ghar or
Gol ghar made of straw and wood) found in Ghandruk
Lack of wooden materials lead to RCC buildings
 PLANNING OF GURUNG HOUSE
Ground floor

Consists of wide verandah ,

kitchen and store and sleeping
zone within one enclosed space

Kitchen consists of fireplace

agenu located at the center
position of the room at
lowerlevel than the kitchen

One corner of the room used for

storage of homemade alcohol
 A platform provided for vessel containing water
called jurato nearby the entrance
Sleeping zone is provided near the agenu
Another sleeping room attached to the verandah
Every house consists of a movable or fixed grinder
jato anda dhiki in verandah
Front portion of the pidhi used for living or gathering
space as well as for guest sleeping zone
 First floor
Used for storage of food
materials like rice, corn, millet
and other valuable rituals like
goods , money and ornaments
Sometimes also used for sleeping

Courtyard agan
Used for drying the crops and
also for straw and other
agricultural products
Consists of one cattle shed
goth nearby the house also used
for firewood collection
 Some houses also consists of
small house called dhansar
Consists of two floors, ground
floor is used for animal shed if
they have large number of
animals

Roof
Slope roof with projection for
rapid flow of water
For roofing purposes ,thatch (khar
) is used which needs timely
maintenance
Later slates and CGI sheets can
be seen replacing the traditionally
used thatch
Aagan as threshold space
Discrimination of the caste system is prevalent

Only people of higher caste were allowed to

enter the house with the permission of the

owner
Lower caste people were not restricted to the

aagan
MATERIAL USED
GROUND FLOOR GOL
PLAN GHAR

LONGITUDINAL SECTION
SECTION
 MATERIALS USED
made of stone, mud, timber and thatched with fine slates
Walls coated with a clay plaster both inside and outside
Upper walls are frequently coated with lime, except for ban

at window height
Repainted each year at the time of the Dashain festival
SLEEPING AREA STAIRWELL

FIRE PLACE AGENU

THANK YOU