Thakali architecture

here are the some information about the thakali architecture and their civilization.

1. THAKALI ARCHITECTURE

INTRODUCTION:

THAKALI PEOPLE ARE AN ETHNOLINGUISTIC GROUP ORIGINATING FROM THE
THAK KHOLA REGION OF MUSTANG DISTRICT IN THE DHAULAGIRI ZONE OF
NEPAL..THE NAME OF THE THAKALI DERIVED FROM THE LOCATION OF “THAK -
KHOLA” OF KALI GANDAKI VALLEY.”TUKUCHE” BEING CAPITAL OF THAK -KHOLA IS
THE MOST LATERALLY SETTLED THAKALI VILLAGE.THAKALI ARCHITECTURE IS THE
FINEST VERNACULAR STYLE OF NEPAL.






HISTORY AND ORIGIN:
 THE ORIGIN OF THAKALIS IS NOT CLEAR, ALTHOUGH
THEY CLAIM TO BE DESCEN DENT OF HANSRAJ, THE

2. THAKURI PRINCE OF THE JUMLA - SINJA DYNASTY IN
WESTERN NEPAL.
 THAKALI CAME INTO NEPAL FROM THE NORTH AND
SETTLED IN TRADE ROUTE BETWEEN INDIA AND
TIBET.
 THE THAKALI MERCHANTS LIVE IN THE VALLEY OF THE
UPPER KALIGANDAKI, BUT SOME OF THE
AGROPESTORAL THAKALIS INHABIT THE SLOPE OF
THE ANNAPURNA AND DHAULAGIRI HIMALS.
 THAK KHOLA IS SANDWICHED BETWEEN THE
PASTROL HIGHLANDS IN THE NORTH AND THE
AGRICULTURAL LOWLAND IN THE SOUTH.
 IT IS ALSO THE TRANSITIONAL ZONE BETWEEN
TIBETAN BUDDHIST CULTURE AND HINDU CULTURE .
 THE THAKALIS ARE HIMALAYAN MANGOLOIDS WHOSE
MOTHER TONGUE IS OF THE TIBETO-BURMAN FAMILY.
 THAK-SAT-SE IS THE TRADITIONAL AREA OF THE
THAKALI COMMUNITY, WHICH LIE IN THE SALT
TRADING ZONE ON THE SOUTH OF TUKUCHE
MOUNTAIN, THE VALLEY OF KALIGANDAKI RIVER IN
THE WESTERN NEPAL.







DEMOGRAPHY:
 ACCORDING TO 2001 CENSUS, THAKALI POPULATION OF
AROUND 12,973 CONSTITUTED ONLY 0.06% OF NEPAL’S
POPULATION. AS PER THE 2011 NEPAL CENSUS, THERE
ARE 13,215 THAKALI PEOPLE IN NEPAL.

3. SETTLEMENT:

 THE SETTLEMENT OF THAKALI IS SUPPORTED BY THE
GOMPA, CHORTEN AND TEMPLE.
 THE VILLAGE GATE, PRAYER WALL DEMACRATES THE
SETTLEMENT.
 INSIDE THE STELLEMENT, THERE IS SOME SOCIAL
CENTER, LOW CASTE HOUSE TO SUPPORT THE
AGRICULTURAL LAND AND GARDEN FOR THE
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS.
 THE RECTILINEAR SETTLEMENT OF THE THAKALI IS
DEVELOPED COMMPARATIVELY IN INDEPENDENT LINE
WHICH IS JUSTIFIED BY THEIR LOCATION.
 THEY LIVE IN FAIRLY LARGE SIZED HOUSES.
 IT HAS SINGLE BAND HOUSING AND AGRICULTURAL LAND
BEHIND. GENERALLY THE SIZE OF THE VILLAGE RANGES
FROM DOZEN TO 100 INHABITANTS, COMPACTLY
ORGANIZED IN THE MAIN ROAD. THAKALI SETTLEMENT
GIVES A LOT OF URBAN TASTE.
 GOMPA IS THE RELIGIOUS STRUCTURE AT THE CENTRE
OF THE SETTLEMENT OR NEAR TO THE PRAYER WALL.

4.  IT IS ALSO SOCIAL, CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS
IMPORTANT PLACE, WHERE USED FOR THE LAMA TO
READ THEIR RELIGIOUS BOOK AT THE TIME OF PERSONS
DEMISE AND AT TIME OF BIRTH ETC. THESE ARE
BUDDHIST INFLUENCED.
 THE VILLAGE GATES ARE THE GUARD OF THE
SETTLEMENT. THE MAIN FUN CTION IS TO DEMONSTRATE
THE SETTLEMENT IN THE TRADE ROUTE GIVING A SENSE
OF THE PLACE FOR THE TRADERS, WHERE YOU ARE
GOING.
 IN EVERY CASE BUDDHIST GOMPA AND GATE ARE IN THE
OUTSKIRT OF THE SETTLEMENT.

ARCHITECTURAL CONSIDERATION:
 THIS REGION RECEIVES VERY LITTLE RAINFALL AND IT IS
EXTREMELY COLD DURING MOST OF THE YEAR WITH
TEMPERATURE DROPING SIGNIFICANTLY AT NIGHT. THE
AREA IS ALMOST A DESERT. STRONG DAILY WIND BLOWS.
 DUE TO DRY CLIMATE THEIR HOUSES ARE TYPICAL FOR
THE SEMI DESERT, TRANS-HIMALAYAN REGION.

 THE ESSENTIAL DESIGN FEATURE OF THAKALI HOUSE IS
PRESENCE OF ENCLOSED COURTYARD AND USE OF
GROUND FOR GRAIN STORAGE ROOM/ ANIMAL BARNS.

5.  KITCHEN IS USUALLY LOCATED ONLY GROUND FLOOR,
ABOUNDING IN VARIETY OF SHINY BRASS POTS DISPLAYED
ON SHELVES AROUND THE ROOM.

 THE WEALTHY THAKALI HOUSES USUALLY HAVE SPACIOUS
INTERIOR COURTYARDS ENTERED THROUGH GATE
LOCATED BELOW ELABORATELY CARVED WOODEN
BALCONY.
 IN WEALTHY THAKALI HOUSES, THE SECOND FLOOR
ROOMS ARE ENTERED THROUGH FINE WOODEN GALLERY,
TYPICALLY BUILD AROUND THE ENTIRE PERIMETER OF THE
HOUSE.
 THE UPPER FLOOR CONSIST OF SLEEPING ROOM, FAMILY
CHAPEL ROOM, ADDITIONAL STORAGE ROOMS, AS WELL
AS THE MAIN LIVING QUARTERS INCLUDING ANOTHER
KITCHEN AREA, TYPICALLY CONTAINING A CEREMONIAL
FIRE PIT.
 THE CEREMONIAL, ORNAMENTAL FIRE PLACE IS PUT UP BY
THE THAKALIS ONLY SYMBOLICALY THAT NO FIRE IS
EVER LIT IN IT.

6. 
 STRUCTURALLY TIMBER WOOD ALWAYS BE USED
EXTENSIVELY AND A UNIQUELY CUT AND COLORED T -
POST, SERVING THE FUNCTION OF A CEILLING
SUPPORTING STRUCTURAL MEMBER, IS FOUND IN EVERY
THAKALI HOUSE.
 THE HOUSES HAVE FLAT MUD ROOFS DUE TO MINIMUM
RAINFALL OF THE REGION AND THIS MUD CONSTRUCTION
ALSO HELP TO MAINTAIN THE TEMPERATURE BALANCE
INSIDE THE HOUSES.
 THE FLAT ROOF ACCESIBLE BY CHARACTERISTIC TREE
TRUNK LADDERS IS MULTI PURPOSE SOCIAL SPACE WHICH
IS SUITABLE FOR DRYING OF GRAINS.
 STRUCTURALLY, TIMBER WOULD ALWAYS BE USED
EXTENSIVELY, AND A UNIQUELY CUT AND COLOURED T -
POST,SERVING THE FUNCTION OF THE CEILING
SUPPORTING STRUCTURAL MEMBER, IS FOUND IN EVERY
THAKALI HOUSE.

7. MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY :
 STONE WALL CONSTRUCTION WITH FLAT MUD ROOF AND
TIMBERS ARE USED.

SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONDITION:
 SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC STATUS OF THE HOUSE OWNERS
ARE INDICATED BY THE QUANTITY OF STACKS OF WOOD
PILED ALONG THE WALLS AND ON TOP OF THE FLAT ROOFS
OF THE HOUSE.

8. WATER SPOUT


INTRODUCTION:
A NATURAL SOURCE OF WHICH INCLUDES
HITTI “DHUNGEDHARA” WHICH IS SUPPORTED BY RAJ
KULOS.THESE ARE PUBLIC WATER SOURCES LOCATED IN
CHOWKS. IT IS A CHANNELIZED SPOUT OF WATER SERVING AS A
TAP WITH SHRINE ATTACHED.

0RIGIN:
THE DYNASTIES WHO RULED OUR COUNTRY FROM KIRAT
TO MALLA HAVE GREAT CONTRIBUTION FOR THE
CONSTRUCTIONN OF WATER SPOUTS. KIRAT WE RE FOLLOWED
BY LICHHAVI DYNASTIES (400-950)AD STARTED ITS
CONSTRUCTION AND FURTHER EXPANDED BY THE MALLAS
(1200-1768)AD. LICHHAVI CONSTRUCTED RAJKULOS AND HITTI
WHICH WHERE FURTHER AIDED AT 1994. THE NEWARS WERE
MASTER IN MANAGING WATER SOURCES OF KATHMAN DU. IT
TOOK GENERATION TO CONSTRUCT AND IT WAS COMMUNITY

9. EFFORT WHERE THEY LIVED IN PERFECT HARMONY AND
BELONGINGNESS.




THE RECORDED NUMBER OF NATURAL WATER SPOUTS IN
VALLEY:
CITIES NUMBER
BHAKTAPUR 33
KIRTIPUR 49
MADHYAPUR 49
LALITPUR 47
KATHMANDU 106


PURPOSE AND IMPORTANCE:
 RAJKULOS WERE BUILT TO IRRIGATE THE PADDY IN FIELD
IN RURAL AREA.
 DRINKING WATER AT CITIES.

 HITTIS ARE MORE RELATED WITH THE RITUALS AND
CULTURES.
 IT PROVIDES THE PLACE FOR PUBLIC BATHING.ITS WATER
IS COOL IN SUMMER AND WARM IN WINTER.
 NOWADAYS MORE THAN 10% POPULATION OF KTM VALLEY
ARE DEPENDED UPON THESE SOURCES.

10. SYMBOLISM AND BELIEF:
 MAINLY VARIOUS SYMBOLS OF WATER ANIMALS ARE
CARVED AT DHUNGEDHARA WHICH HAS ITS OWN
CHARACTERISTICS.
 WATER ANIMALS LIKE CROCODILE, FISH, SANKES.
 GARGOYLE IS ANOTHER CARVING OF MONSTROUS
CREATURE IN THE DHUNGEDHARA.
 IT IS BELIEVED THAT RESIDENCE OF SNAKES NEAR THE
WATER SOURCES PURIFY THE WATER AND MAKES IT
DRINKABLE.
 ANOTHER BELIEF IS THAT, THE PRESENCE OF HONEY
HIVES, BEES ARE DANGEROUS NEAR THE WATER
SOURCES AS IT PREVENT THE RESIDENCE OF SNAKES.
 WATER OF SOME OF THE DHARAS HAVE RELIGIOUS
SIGNIFICANCE. FOR EXAMPLE, THE WATER OF THE RIGHT
SIDE OF THE MANGA HITI OF PATAN IS USED FOR DAILY
RITUAL WORSHIP OF THE KRISHNA TEMPLE WHEREAS THE
WATER OF LEFT SIDE OF THE SAME DHARA IS USED FOR
REVIVING HIRNAYA KASYAP.
 VARIOUS RITUALS AND FESTIVALS ARE RELATED TO THESE
WATERSPOUTS.
 GENERALLY SPOUTS HAVE CROCODILE HEAD CALLED
MAKARA, AND FROM ITS MOUTH FLOWS OUT WATER. BUT
IN SOME DHARAS THERE ARE THE HEADS OF COW, GOAT,
ELEPHANT, TIGER AND COCK AS WELL FROM WHOSE
MOUTH AS IN MAKARA, COME OUT WATER.
 IT IS THE SHRINE WHICH CONTAINS MOST OF THE
IMPORTANT IMAGES OF THE HINDU AND BUDDHIST
PANTHEONS SYMBOLIZING ITS HOLINESS.


MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY:
 HITTI “DHUNGEDHARA” IT IS CLEAR FROM THE NAME IT IS
MADE OF STONE WHICH IS HIGHLY CARVED IN SHAPE OF
THE AQUATIC ANIMALS.
 HIITTIS ARE NATURAL UNDERGROUND SHALLOW AQUIFERS
OR SPRINGS THAT ARE LOCATED NEAR AND LINKED
THROUGH AN INTICRATE UNDERGROUND SUPPLY AND
DRAINS LINE THAT USE NATURAL FILLER SYSTEM TO
PURIFY THE WATER.
 THE DENSE BLACK MUD BEDROCK PREVENT THE ACESS
TO THE DEEPGROUND AQUIFERS. THUS NETWORK OF

11. SEVERAL POND WAS CONSTRUCTED AT STRATEGIC
LOCATION TO COLLECT THE WAT ER AND STORE.
 THE MAIN SOURCE OF HITIS ARE RAJKULOLS i.e. CHANNEL
BUILD BY THE MALLAS KING IN MEDIEVAL PERIOD, AND
UNDERGROUND WATER.RAJKULOS STARTS FROM THE
FOOTHILL AND FED WATER SPOUTS LOCATED IN VARIOUS
PARTS OF URBAN AREA OF BHAKTAPUR AND LALITPUR.
 OVERFLOW OF WATER EITHER WENT TO GROUND OR ITV
WAS CARRIED TO THE OVERFLOW SURROUNDING RIVERS.
 WATER IS PIPED THROUGH THE UNDERGROUND CHANNEL
MADE OF BATHUCHA A KIND OF WATER TIGHT CLAY.
BESIDE THIS, THE WATERSPOUTS CARRY LOTS OF OTHER
RELIGIOUS FACTS AND RITUALS. IMPORTANT FESTIVALS LIKE
‘SITHIMKHALA AND MACHHENDRANATH JATRA’.
SITHNAKHA FALLS IN MAY, BEFORE MONSOON AND IS A DAY
TO CLEAN AND REPAIR THE WATERSPOUT . LIKELY
MACHHENDRANAT JATRA IS ANOTHER IMPORTANT. FESTIVAL OF
CITY OF LALITPUR WHEN WH OLE CITY GET TOGETHER TO PULL
CHARIOT AROUND THE CITY TO BRING MONSOON AND LAST
FOR MORE THAN A MONTH.


THE RAJKULOS AND THE HITTIS SYSTEM CONSIST OF 5 MAJOR
COMPONENTS ;
1.THE INTAKE OR NATURAL WATER SOURCES .
2.THE IRRIGATION CANAL ORTHE RAJKULOS.
3.THE STONESPOUT OR HITTI.
4.THE PONDS AND WELLS.
5.THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM.


VISUAL IMPACT:
THIS WATERSPOUT CREATE INTICRATE CULTURAL
LANDSCAPE THAT DEMONSTRATE THE INGEURLY OF
HUMAN INFLUENCE ON THE GEOGRAPHIC FORMATION
OF THE TERRAIN AND THE NATURAL RESOURCES TO
DEVELOP A RICH CULTURE THAT INCLUDES THE
MATERIAL AS WELL AS INTANGIBLE HERITAGE.

12. SOME OF THE HITTIS
1. TUSA HITTI, LALITPUR :
IT IS THE MOST ELABORATED AND
INTRICATE IN DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY. IT IS SUPPORTED
BY THE RAJKULO, PONDS, AND WELLS THAT ARE THE PART
OF THE TRADITIONAL WATER . ARCHITECTURE GROUP
ALONG WITH THE GALS AND JAHDU (DRINKI NG WATER
TAPS ). IT IS PRESENT IN SUNDHARI CHOWK, PATAN.



2. MANGAL HITTI ,LALITPUR
THE EARLIEST HITTI OF LALITPUR IS MAGAL HITTI THAT IS BUILT
IN 507 AD .

13. 3.SUNDHARA PATAN