ERIC Number: ED304369
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1987
Pages: 10
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
India's Vernacular Architecture as a Reflection of Culture.
Masalski, Kathleen Woods
This paper contains the narrative for a slide presentation on the architecture of India. Through the narration, the geography and climate of the country and the social conditions of the Indian people are discussed. Roofs and windows are adapted for the hot, rainy climate, while the availability of building materials ranges from palm leaves to mud and dung mixtures in the villages to burnt brick and concrete structures in the cities. Buildings in cities and villages also reflect the Indian caste system. The number of courtyards that a house has indicates the owner's wealth just as the color of stone in the past reflected the ethnicity of its occupants. Religions can also be determined by the lotus flower or leaf shape of the windows (Buddhism or Hinduism) or the separate quarters for men and women (orthodox Moslems). Indian tradition forbids visitors to enter a host's kitchen, so they are always set apart from other rooms. Architecture in India's cities is changing as India is modernized. (DJC)
Publication Type: Guides - Classroom - Learner; Non-Print Media
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Center for International Education (ED), Washington, DC.
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: India
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A