Architecture Journalism: Snippets Of Sengalipuram
(1) Street with row housing in agraharam planning style
(2) Entrance of a typical house
(3) Veranda/thinnai, a link between the street & each house
(4) Open to sky courtyard furnished with rattan furniture
(5) Rustic interiors
(6) Surrounding farmlands
Snippets from Sengalipuram:
Sengalipuram (Shivakalipuram) is a village in Thiruvarur district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The village is of a typical Agraharam style and is surrounded by lush green agricultural fields. According to the traditional Hindu practice of architecture and town-planning, an agraharam is held to be the Brahmin neighbourhood of a village. They consist of a line of row houses on either side of the road and the temple to the village deity at the center, thus resembling a garland around the temple. The two rows of houses running north–south on either side of a road, have temples at either end. Agraharams are a study of the times, infusing typical Brahmin culture with traditional architecture.
We had the opportunity to visit and stay at a house in this village, which we have photo-documented here. It has been renovated keeping its vernacular planning & elements intact. A typical agraharam house is divided into three parts - the mudhal (1st) kattu or receiving quarters, the irandam (2nd) kattu or the living quarters with bedrooms, storage & courtyard, and the moonam (3rd) kattu or the utility and other sections of the house including the dining, kitchen & puja room. The central courtyard is covered with iron grills for safety and security. Apart from bringing in natural light and ventilation, it is the nucleus of the house for various gatherings.
The construction is that of brick masonry finished with lime plaster and paint. The roofing system is a pitched madras terraced one, with Mangalore tiles on the outer side and clay tiles & wooden rafters on the inner side. The batten-ledge main door having an ornately carved frame is made of teak wood. The tiles of the interior flooring is finished with a red-oxide coating. At the back end of the house is a semi open cowshed/gaushala, where a couple of cows are being reared.
We had the opportunity to visit and stay at a house in this village, which we have photo-documented here. It has been renovated keeping its vernacular planning & elements intact. A typical agraharam house is divided into three parts - the mudhal (1st) kattu or receiving quarters, the irandam (2nd) kattu or the living quarters with bedrooms, storage & courtyard, and the moonam (3rd) kattu or the utility and other sections of the house including the dining, kitchen & puja room. The central courtyard is covered with iron grills for safety and security. Apart from bringing in natural light and ventilation, it is the nucleus of the house for various gatherings.
The construction is that of brick masonry finished with lime plaster and paint. The roofing system is a pitched madras terraced one, with Mangalore tiles on the outer side and clay tiles & wooden rafters on the inner side. The batten-ledge main door having an ornately carved frame is made of teak wood. The tiles of the interior flooring is finished with a red-oxide coating. At the back end of the house is a semi open cowshed/gaushala, where a couple of cows are being reared.
Mornings were ushered in with the sounds of peacocks and roosters and a cup of filter coffee from fresh cow milk! Fresh vegetables and fruits from the nearby farms were brought and sold at the doorsteps. The day was spent visiting the temples, engaging in conversations with the localites and enjoying the unique charm of the timeless Agraharam!
