The Evolution of Pre-Modern Housing in Skardu, Baltistan

May 2013 The Evolution of Pre-Modern Housing in Skardu, Baltistaan by Muhammad Taseer Hussain  THE EVOLUTION OF PRE-MODERN HOUSING IN SKARDU, BALTISTAN Abstract This research paper is an attempt that revolves around the issues of changes in settlement patterns in Skardu, Baltistan. These changes in many cases that reflect the general process of evolution of a civilization from darkness to light. I've presented one of the many types of traditional houses found in Skardu, Baltistan, and have attempted to explain its design features/elements in accordance to their origin and how they eventually ended up in Skardu, Baltistan. Traditional methods of house building are usually not adapted to represent new values but are actually replaced with imported house designs. 1. Introduction This research paper revolves around the process of change. A process of development, triggered in the Baltistan region since the inception of the Silk Route which later has been transformed into the Karakoram Highway. This development process, is probably the most significant catalyst in an ongoing process evolution and change. The magnitude of the results reached ever corner and affected almost every aspect of the Balti society and environment. When entire generations witness such a massive event that creates enormous changes, it triggers a never ending process of evolution and change, a process which in most cases, has an un-traceable origin. My humble contribution emphasizes on the process of evolution in pre-modern housing in Baltistan - a gradual shift from a closed space to an open one. I'm fortunate enough to hail from Pakistan, a country that has managed the preserve various models of urban development. Lahore to this date has its walled city standing tall. Most historians agree that the settlers in the Himalayan Region (Baltistan), came down from the Northern Tibetan plains to the hills. This gradual process has been well documented and observed since 3-4 B.C. The most significant and obvious indicators of this migration process are the Buddhist Rock Carvings found in caves, boulders and rocks in various areas of Baltistan, usually found around water reservoirs dating between 3 BC - 5 AD. The second most significant indicator being their native Tibetan Language left behind, now known as Balti, which has become part of the creed of the society of Baltistan. It is worth mentioning that Baltistan has witnessed 3 major changes in their native script, since the time before civilization to date known as; 1. Brahmi Script (3 BC - 5 AD) 2. Tibetan Script (6th century onwards) 3. Persian Script (14th century onwards). (Muhammad Yousaf Hussainabadi: Baltistan per aik nazar - 1984, Balti Zabaan - 1990) It is believe that the earliest settlers came down from (Tibet) north to the Himalayan & Karakoram Range around 1st Millennium BC. An evolutionary process where symbols of change travelled from plains to hills. This article is an attempt to document the journey across the Himalayas & Karakoram Range in an effort to lead us from cave to courtyard of pre-modern housing. 2. Religion in Skardu, Baltistan A reference has to be presented inevitably about the early religion of Tibet, which later on was brought to Baltistan by its earliest settlers from Tibet. Sir Alexander Cunningham has provided a detailed account of the spread of Buddhism in Tibet, he writes; "The religion of Tibet is a modified form of Indian Buddhism. This faith was introduced into Ladakh during the reign of Ashoka around 2000 years ago. Previous to the occupation of Tibet by Khri-Tsampo in 250 B.C, there is nothing known of its history, except for the fact that the people were of the Bon or Pon religion, which was epicurean atheism. The great spread of the Bon or Pon religion, locally known as 'Bon Chos', Chos meaning religion, can be best appreicated by the traces of its former existence in the widley distant regions of Arakan and Ladakh. Thepeople of Arakan give a long line of fifty-five princes as their earliest sovereigns, a dynasty which must have reigned for at least 600 years. In Ladakh, the great monastery of Lama Yurru is still called Yung-druny-Gonpa or the "monastery of the mystic cross". Buddhism was the prevailing religion of Ladakh from the conversion of the people by Ashoka's missionaries down to 400 A.D." The Buddhist traditions continued to be practiced right upto the early 14th century A.D in Baltistan - well documented in Khaplu, which is connected to Laddakh through Shyok Valley. It is crystal clear from the scholarly writings of Cunningham that in 400 A.D, the people of Tibet and Baltistan practiced Buddhist religion. The presence of one sculpture of Buddha in Hargissa Nullah and another in Parkuta Nullah, are undeniable evidence of this fact.  It is worth mentioning that all the ruling families of Skardu belong to the Turkish ethnic origin, although they now speak the languages of the sub-region where they live. These Turkish tribes migrated here soon after the Arab conquest of Central Asia in the 8th - 9th Century A.D, in an attempt to preserve their Uiger Shaman Buddhist beliefs. Later in history, they were converted to Islam in this very region. 3. Comparison of Balti (Archaic Tibetan Script) & Ladakhi Script Language Family Sino-Tibetan Tibeto-Burman Tibeto-Kanauri Bodish Tibetan Ladakhi Balti Balti Here is a simple comparison of the Balti and Tibetan language Ordinary Balti Ladakhi (Tibetan) Meaning Ata Aba Father kho - He rgashay liakhmo Beautiful paynay painay Money bila bilo Cat 3. Caves in Himalaya (Nepal - Baltistan): First Millennium B.C to First Millennium A.D It is believed that almost 3000 years ago, settlers from western Tibet settled in the Northern Himalaya. There were probably waves of immigrants to inhabit the valleys (2800 to 4000 m high) of a dry area which had to be developed as an oasis culture based on irrigation. The hills were wooded, but the climate must not have been much different. The immigrants decided to live in the caves that could easily be carved out of the all pervasive conglomerate from the glacial period along the cliffs created by the rivers. These immigrants or additional waves of settlers built clusters of earth rammed structure at a later stage. It can be safely assumed that since the beginning of the era cave systems and clusters of built structures existed side by side for centuries. It would be too simple to judge the move cave to cluster as a process of evolution. The findings at hand presently would not support such a simplistic approach. The historical process certainly was more complex: Different traditions existed side by side and when the large clusters houses were built by the end of the sixteenth century, the caves were abandoned or reduced to storerooms. The question is: Why did people in early times decide to create caves? Did the cave represent a rational or functional answer as a reaction to climate or external threats? Or did the geological conditions invite people to recreate traditions brought from their place of origin? These were traditions that produce the most archaic form of house and home, whose organic shape creates the most conservative traditions. In many cases people act as if under a spell when they continue a building process which appears unreasonable. The immigrants arriving in the Himalaya must have been accustomed to cave-building. They found favourable geological conditions to carry on well-established traditions. As they entered the cave networks of up to a dozen chambers through a small "hole", people experienced darkness as opposed to the blazing sun of the high mountain desert. Darkness most probably was not something deficient to be overcome by a torch - but a rather positive quality which provided something we today might term "comfort". People were "embedded" in a darkness that provided the feeling of being enclosed. In the confined dark space people were "safe" from an unordered continuity of open space, which extended from one ridge to the next from one peak as the seat of a mountain god to the next. And the fire of hearth represented the sun of the interior, around which people were organized in social and ritualistic terms. 5. Tibetan Architecture Tibet has produced one of the world's most unique and easily-recognizable forms of architecture. Nevertheless, systematic study of Tibetan architecture is still a comparatively unexplored field.  Architectural Features Tibetan construction activities can be traced back over 1300 years, when the first Buddhist temples were built in central Tibet. One of these, the Lhasa Jokhang, still exists and yields important information about the origins and early development of Tibetan architecture. The colors of the Tibetan stone houses are simple, yet well coordinated, and usually comprise primary colors such as yellow, cream, beige and maroon-set against the brightly colored walls and roofs. The walls are created out of coarse stones and have windows of various sizes-in a descending order from the top of the wall. Strangely, the roof of Tibetan houses is flat, because the climate of Tibet is dry, windy and sunny. The flat roof can help Tibetan people collect the rare rainfall.   Another design feature, always present in Tibetan houses, is the enclosed courtyard with usually a fodder barn and an animal shelter on the ground level. The most effluent families constricted themselves into large houses with spacious interior courtyards entered through tunnel like gates located below often elaborately carved wooden balconies. The floors of these houses included the necessary animal barns, grain storage rooms and servant quarters. Architectural Features in Laddakh Laddakh is known as the Little Tibet. It is a cultural satellite of Tibet, that is part of Indian and is in fact one of India's most remote regions. Located in extreme north-western corner of India, it lies in the rain shadow of the High Himalaya. Receiving only fraction of monsoonal rains but found in elevations that average 12,000 to 14,000 feet above sea level, the landscape is desolate, a high altitude desert. The Laddakhi culture has well adapted to its harsh climate and the house design reflects the environment. The houses have slightly inclined walls, almost fortress-style in character, and are built of adobe brick. Roof is flat and serves as storage for fodder and firewood. Roof joists or the horizontal timbers that run across between the tops of the walls, characteristically left exposed on the inside, support the roof deck that’s paved with adobe brick and rammed earth. House in Tibet Kitchen of Tibet House Kitchen of Tibet House Adobe Brick Laying in Tibet House Ceiling Pattern of Tibet House Traditional Construction Technology used in Laddakh - Tibet Walls: Stone - Adobe (Mud) Bricks Ceilings: Wood Interior Construction: Mud Shelves - Wooden Frames 6. Baltistan Architecture Skardu Skardu is the urban center of Baltistan and is one of the oldest settlements in the district. The climate of Skardu, like the rest of the districts in Baltistan, is characterized by moderate summers and severe winters. In peak winters, the temperatures can drop below -10 to -20 C. Traditional Architecture of dwelling unit of Skardu Two Level House Usually families live in joint families, which means that several generations are living under one roof. A typical family therefore requires a substantial living area. In addition, they also require space to keep domestic animals and to store grain and fodder (cattle of livestock) over the winter. The houses in Skardu are built on two levels. The lower level is used as an animal pen and store for grain and fodder. This is usually not more than 5 feet high and is usually built of undressed stone masonry, which may or may not be plastered with mud and often reinforced with a wooden frame to make it earth quake proof. Alternatively, it may be made of mud-bricks too. Traditional Two level Dwelling in Skardu, Baltistan The upper level is the living area and typically comprises of about 4-5 rooms, including a large kitchen. The width of the rooms is invariably about 12 feet, but the length may vary from 12 - 22 feet. Usually there are an equal number of small and large rooms. One of the larger room is used for entertaining guests and for holding religious gatherings, particularly in the month of Muharram. Another large room is used as a kitchen. The kitchen has to be large because the cooking is done on wood stove which takes up a lot of space. Moreover, since this is the warmest room in the house, it may be used as the primary living space in winter. A covered verandah connects the various rooms and it may sometimes incorporate a little courtyard that is open to the sky. The verandah may also be used for storing firewood and for leaving snow or mud-covered shoes, when walking into the house. A Reconstructed Traditional House in Skardu The plan below shows a small house with just three rooms. Two of these are large and one is small. One of the larger rooms accommodates the kitchen. The rooms are connected by a central space that is open to the sky. Plan of a traditional house in Skardu with a Central Courtyard Since this is a single storey-house, the animal shelter and grain store are built adjacent to the living rooms on the same level. One the inside, the finishes are simple. There is usually a concrete floor, covered with rugs. The roof structure is often exposed, but may sometimes be concealed by a fabric false ceiling. The tradition of sitting on the floor can be observed everywhere in Baltistan. Traditional construction technology of Skardu, Baltistan Good quality mud is available in the villages at the base of the valley, but have not been transported to higher settlements. Stone is readily available everywhere. In the past, walnut timber was used to build cribbage columns that were tied together with timber beams, or cators to produce an earthquake-resistant structure. In recent years due to the depletion of hardwood forests, this practice has been abandoned. It is now extremely expensive and beyond the reach of the common man to build in this way. Traditional Earthquake resistant dwelling of Baltistan Nowadays, the timber structure used for dwelling units in Skardu is composed of simple posts and beams made from the wood of popular trees. Popular trees grow very high, very quickly and are therefore ideal for long-span beams in addition to being economical. Traditional dwelling of Skardu - Baltistan The house is built on a stone plinth that is typically 3 foot high. Alternatively, it may be built upon the animal shelter that is usually 5 feet high. In this case, the timber posts are taller, running from the base of the shelter to the roof of the living quarters. These posts are normally 5" in diameter and are embedded in the mud-brick walls that are one foot thick. The mud-bricks are simple to make and can be fabricated by the house-owners themselves, using a simple mould. The dimensions of a traditional mud-brick are 6" x 6" x 12". If this brick is purchased in the village, it costs 5 - 6 Rupees per piece, but in the urban center it can cost more than twice as much. Traditional Mud-brick of Baltistan The living rooms are normally 8 feet high and covered with a timber roof composed of popular rafters. The rafters span across the short side of the rooms, resting on 8" diameter beams that laid on top of the mud-brick walls, extend about a foot outside on each end. The rafters have to therefore be about 16' long in order to span across the 12' wide rooms. These rafters are 5" in diameter like the posts. Traditional Ceiling in Skardu - Baltistan These rafters are placed at c/c distance of 18 inches. They are then covered over with timber slats or with branches and reeds. This is followed by a layer of grass and leaves and a final layer of mud to finish the roof. On the underside, the timber rafters may be exposed or concealed by a false ceiling of timber boards or fabric. Traditional Interior Ceiling of Baltistan The windows and doors are also made with the wood of the popular tree and are normally painted. The mud walls are also plastered with mud and then coated with lime. The floors are finished in rammed earth and covered with carpet. These houses provide a higher degree of thermal comfort in summers and winters. Chief Materials The people of this region build their houses with sun-dried mud-bricks, using timber from popular trees for structural members like posts, beams and rafters. The mud-brick walls, which area foot thick, keep the interiors warm in winter and cool in the summer and are an appropriate response to the climatic context of the region. Traditional building materials of Skardu are ; a. Mud b. Stone c. Timber 7. Monuments in Balistan Islam reached Baltistan from two directions - Kashmir and Kashghar. Early vague references in Arab accounts to Balor and Tibet have left no recognizable trace in the region. The whole land resounds with the mission of Sayyid Ali Hamadani and his disciples and in many places erection of mosques is attributed to him. Hence the earliest Muslim structural remains could go back to this period of 14th century A.D. As Sayyid Ali Hamadani came here from Kashmir, probably with the craftsmen from Kashmir, it is possible to trace sufficient influence from Kashmiri architectural style. Here is a list of some of the Monuments, Mosques & Forts in Baltistan that have been preserved to date and presented with their timeline. Skardu i. Kharpocho Fort & Mosque - 1766 A.D - Mughal Style Architecture ii. Palace of Raja of Skardu - 18th Century - Late Mughal Architecture Kwardo iii. Ziarat of Mir Sayyid Ali Tusi at Kwardo - 1761 A.D - Late Mughal Architecture Gambah Skardu iv. Khanqah of Sayyid Ibrahim - Gambah Skardu - 1717-18 A.D - Late Mughal Architecture Shiger v. Khanqah of Mir Yahya - Shiger - 1614 A.D - Sikh/Kashmiri Architecture vi. Astana of Mir Yahya - Shiger - 1632 A.D - Local and Kashmiri Architecture vii. Ambariq Mosque - Shiger - 1314 - 1384 A.D - Kashmiri Architecture viii. Chhaburunjo Mosque - Shingrung - Not Known - Assumed to be Late Mughal/Kashmiri ix. Rajas Palace - Shiger - Not known - Late Mughal Architecture x. Palace Mosque - Shiger - 1696 A.D - Late Mughal Architecture Kiris xi. Tomb of Mir Najmuddin Saqib - Kiris - 1719 A.D - Late Mughal/Kashmiri Architecture xii. Khanqa-i-Mualla - Kiris - 1706 A.D - Late Mughal/Kashmiri Architecture xiii. Tomb of Sayyid Mir Mukhtar - Kiris - 1718 A.D - Late Mughal Architecture xiv. Tomb of Sayyid Jalaluddin Muhammad Masum - Kiris - 1767 A.D - Late Mughal Architecture Thagas xv. The Astana of Mir Arif - Thagas - 1655 A.D - Late Mughal/Kashmiri Architecture Khaplu xvi. Jami Mosque of Chakchan - Khaplu - 16th Century A.D - Buddhish/Kashmiri Architecture xvii. Khanqah of Sayyid Muhammad - Khaplu - 1712 A.D - Late Mughal/Kashmiri Architecture Conclusion The saturation of Balti traditional houses is evident in recent shifts in dwelling traditions and practices. As observed and documented in recent changes in the more urban and accessible centers of Skardu, Shiger & Khaplu, the identity and substance of Balti architecture is at a critical juncture. Here, fast-track concrete buildings often define themselves as regionally distinct using little more than “Balti-style” construction methods. This appropriation of style may be seen as serving the wider political aims of The Great Leap West; it may also be seen as deriving from exposure to the pressures and politics of the globalization of space and place. “Modernity” in this context may be understood as involving a marked shift from local process to the importation of global products. A number of overriding agents have been influential in this shift: the developmental of the Karakoram Highway; the opening of the region to global economic and tourist markets, bringing new pressure for infrastructure development and cultural conservation; and the equating of a specific culture/aspiration with particular building decoration, which raises questions concerning social, cultural and national identity. In the architecture of the traditional rural dwelling, an increasing awareness of individual style difference seems to be accompanying these general shifts. As a result, the form of tradition is becoming more self-conscious. It may also be gradually separating from the implicit process (or tradition) of dwelling. References Baltistan in History: Banat Gul Afridi Muhammad Yousuf Hussainabadi: Baltistan per aik Nazar Muhammad Yousuf Hussainabadi: Balti Zaban Muhammad Yousuf Hussainabadi: Tareekh-e-Baltistan ISLAMIC ACHITECTURE - The Wooden Style of Northern Areas: Professor Emeritus & Dr. Ahmad Hasan Dani Islamic Art & Architecture: Ernst Kunhel, Translated by Katherine Watson HISTORY OF MANKIND - Cultural and Scientific Development - Volume 1: Jacquetta Hawkes & Sir Leonard Woolley The Story of Gilgit, Baltistan and Chitral: F.M.Khan The Influence of Globalization on Local Home Interiors in Skardu: Muhammad Taseer Hussain Why Was it so Dark in Kak? From Darkness to Light - Thoughts about a Process of Change in Housebuilding in the Northern Himalaya: Niels Gutschow A brief Introduction to the Architecture of Kalasha, Chitral by John Harrison Vanished Civilizations: Published by The Reader's Digest Association Limited: London . New York . Sydney . Montreal Baltistan - Ladakh by Abbass Kazmi The Lhasa Jokhang - is the World's oldest timber frame in Tibet? by Andre Alexander The Temples of Lhasa: Tibetan Buddhist Architecture from the 7th to the 21st Centuries (review) by Cazebon, Jose Ignacio Baltistan ki Deeni aur Roohani Tareekh: Ghulam Hasan Hasnu Traditions of Appearance: Adaptation and Change in Eastern Tibetan Dwellings by Suzanne Ewing Traditional Tibetan Architecture Published by Tibetan Heritage Fund A Travelers Sketchbook - 3 Houses that fit their Climates Perfectly by Rajat Shail Traditional Architecture of Qumrah, Baltistan by Zain Mankani & Muhammad Mehdi Hyder