Kashmir architects resurrect 4 heritage techniques using local materials that are just right for the climate

In Kashmir, traditional wood-carved windows, doors and cupboards are once again both markers of wealth and great for insulation. (Photo credit: Imad clicks via Pexels)

Nestled in the mighty Himalayas, the Kashmir Valley is known for its unparalleled beauty, as well as its diverse and rich heritage. Over the years, however, Kashmir's wood and earth (often rammed earth) structures and vernacular building practices started to give way to more concrete and so-called modern architecture. Often, these new building techniques were transposed on Kashmir with little thought to sourcing the materials locally or fortifying the homes for conditions specific to Kashmir, like the 40-day harsh winter that typically sends residents indoors to seek warmth.

This is starting to change now, with architects, climate activists, locals and historians advocating a return to tradition. Zareef Ahmad Zareef, 82, a Kashmiri poet, argues traditional building methods are not only a continuation of the architectural heritage but also sustainable, weather-resistant and, most importantly, suitable for the high seismic zones like Kashmir.

“Before constructing a house, people must give a thought to the harsh climatic conditions of the region. Traditional design is still relevant today, and architects should use some of its features to create homes suitable for the health and wellbeing of people,” Zareef tells Moneycontrol.

Kashmir falls in seismic zone V, a high-risk, earthquake-prone zone. The weather in the region also changes drastically, with July being the hottest month and January the coldest. The months of December and January record sub-zero temperature followed by moderate to heavy spells of snow - houses and buildings in Kashmir traditionally have sloping metal roofs to clear the snow.

Street scene in Srinagar, in the early 1900s. (Image: Raphael Tuck & Sons, London via Wikimedia Commons 4.0)

While the trend to build and renovate buildings - including homes - with concrete began in the cities, it has percolated to the rural areas too in the last couple decades. With Kashmir witnessing repeated earthquakes, floods and extreme weather events, some architects in the Valley are coming around to see the usefulness of local building materials and techniques - not only from the point of view of aesthetics and economy, but also in terms of the functioning of the house, its strength and resistance.

Here are four traditional architectural styles that are making a comeback in Kashmir:

Hammam: Cement and concrete have many limitations when it comes to insulating homes against Kashmir's severe 40-day winter chill - Chillai kalan. Hammam, a Turkish heating system brought to India by the Mughals during the 17th century, is making a comeback as a tried-and-tested and sustainable method to heat new Kashmiri houses.

According to Zareef, earlier there were only public Hamams in Srinagar's Hamambal, Saraf Kadal, Maharaj Gunj, and Saraibal areas, but now almost every new house has one Hammam.

In Kashmir, only specialised masons make Hammam, a room lined with lime mortar with a two-tiered floor, with the upper tier made of limestone blocks. The hammam’s "sub" floor is hollow and consists of a wood-fired furnace to generate heat which is conducted through the floor, warming the space and occupants in it. The smoke generated from firewood is piped through a chimney and a copper tank is placed above the fire pit, for supply of warm water.

Initially, hammams, believed to be of Turkish origin, were restricted to Masjids (mosques) and shrines but now architects put a hammam in almost every new house. Hammams can also be a boon during heavy power outages in wintertime .

Wood wall panelling: Old houses in Srinagar’s downtown area were built with a wooden framework, to aid in insulation and regulating the temperature inside the house. Almost every traditional house had a wooden balcony attached with a room called dub.

Other traditional construction techniques include the Taq, masonry-bearing walls with horizontal timbers embedded in them, and Dhajji-Dewari, or half-timbered houses - both were considered earthquake-resistant construction styles.

The new cemented concrete houses are also adorned with wood wall panelling to make rooms fit for Kashmir’s harsh winter. Carpenters make wood panelling on walls, ceilings and some even change the marble or cement surface with wood flooring.

These days both readymade as well as made-to-order wood panelling is easily available in Kashmir. The wall wood panelling is polished to make the walls look more attractive and brighter.

Kashmir walnut wood carving has a GI tag. (Photo via Wikimedia Commons 2.0)

Khatamband is the art of crafting ceilings by putting together walnut or deodar wood pieces into geometrical patterns. It is one of the legacies of Kashmir’s traditional architecture. The incredible art is said to have been brought to Kashmir by Sufi saint Mir Syed Ali Hamdani, who visited Kashmir in the 14th century along with Khatamband artists and followers from Iran.

Earlier, Khatamband decorative ceilings were restricted to shrines, mosques and houseboats, but in recent years Khatamband has become a status symbol in the Valley with the ultra-rich commissioning its use in wardrobes, walls and ceilings.

Another reason why people are returning to Khatamband is because it retains warmth during winters and has a cooling effect in the summers.

Only skilled carpenters are able to create Khatamband. In 2011 Khatamband also received Geographical indication (GI) tag, a recognition that the product can only be made in that territory, where a given quality, reputation or characteristic of the product is essentially attributable to its geographic origin to the product to preserve the art in Kashmir.

Homes in Srinagar. (Photo credit: Imad clicks via Pexels)

Woodcarving: In Kashmir, traditional wood-carved windows, doors and cupboards are both markers of wealth and great for insulation. The distinctive heritage craft of wood-carving has seen resurgence in Kashmir mainly during the past two decades. The interiors of new houses are decorated with expensive artwork. The window panes and doors of new houses are wood-carved besides putting furniture made of walnut in the rooms.

Craftsmen, locally known as "naqqash", use walnut wood and carve it to make roses, lotus, iris, bunches of grapes, pears, chinar and other designs.

Walnut being a tough and durable wood was used in traditional royal houses, palaces, shrines and guest houses. The wood-carved doors and windows not only give the new houses an appealing look but also gives them a traditional touch.

Inside the houseboats on Srinagar’s Dal lake and Nigeen lake, wood carvings depict Chinar trees and other cultural aspects of Kashmiri life. Walnut wood carving is believed to have been introduced to Kashmir by Sufi saint Sheikh Hamza Makhdoomi (RA) during the reign of Zainul Abdideen in the 15th century, to boost the Valley's economy. Before the rise of militancy in Kashmir in 1989, wood carved objects from the Valley were in great demand in the international market, with foreign tourists mainly involved in the trade.