TRACING TRADITIONS

FIELD OBSERVATION
Traditional housing style of Kodavas(Coorg) and their sociological
and cultural influence on the architecture.
Supriya Pawar

11AR10040

Content
1. Coorg - Introduction
2. Kodava culture and people
3. Architecture of Ainmane
4. Orientation and Space system
5. Spaces and built components of
Ainmane
6. Sociological aspect of Ainmane
7. Similarity to traditional housing of
Kerala
8. Conservation of Ainmqne
9. Significance of Ainmane
10. Imperfections in modern context
11. Ideas for restoration
12. Conclusion

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I sincerely thank Mrs. Neha Sharma and Mr. Nitin Ganapathi for their
cooperation and support. Without their help this project would have been
possible. I would also like to thank Mr. Atri Shah, architect, Shibanee and Kamal
Architects in guiding me in this project. I would also like to thank my professors for
providing me the opportunity and imparting me the knowledge which helped me
do justice to this project.

COORG- LAND OF BEAUTY AND VALOUR.

odagu, known popularly as Coorg to the thousands of tourists that flock to

this serene hill station throughout the year, is famous for its spices and the
valour of its people. The kodavas, as the locals are called, with their customs,
traditions and their unique physical attributes, stand apart from their neighbours.
But hidden behind the limelight of much commercialised spices and coffee plantations of Coorg, are the marvels of traditional architecture in the form of
Ainmanes, the traditional Kadava homes.
These homes showcase the fact how architecture shapes human livesand
how the customs of its residents shape the architecture. with the passing years the
ainmanes that are still left in the area are slowly heading towards deterioration
and are in crying need for conservation and restoration.
On my short trip to Coorg along with my senior architects from office I made
an effort do a detailed observation of the built and un built spaces of the
ainmanes, how they are closely associated with the daily life and customs of the
kadavas and how the architecture falls short to meet up to the demands of the
present. The study was done mainly through visual study and recording through
sketches and photographs. Also one of the resident families was gracious enough
to give us a detailed tour of the house and also share their insights as users and
also from a historical point of view.

KODAVA CULTURE AND PEOPLE

Group of Kodava men dressed in traditional attire

Firstly Mrs Neha told me about Kodavas, the native people of Coorg.. The
dominant group are its indigenous called Kodavas and other ethnic groupsArabasha and Kodava subgroups.Kodavas (freehold farmers, rulers and
militiamen), and off late arabasha (farmers) from Sullia region also, who were
freeholder farmers in sulia (a part of Kodagu in the 17th and 18th centuries)
moved towards Kodagu after the massacre of kodavas (Through Treachery by
Tippu and Hyder ali)in Somavaerpet, Bagamandala, Kushalnaga and parts of
Piryapatna (Present day mysore region founded and ruled by a kodava
paryaraja,Parya meaning elder in kodava)for agricultural activities in kodagu due
to wars with Tippu and Hyderali before there death in recent past.They speak
Kodava(Coorg) Language which has been influenced by Tulu, Malayalam, Tamil
and Kannada languages.
Kodava oral traditions are very rich, some of the traditional folk songs have
been compiled into the Pattole Palome . The Kodavas revere ancestors, arms and

worship a number of deities, besides the River Kaveri, some of them

being, Igguthappa, Bhagwathi, Muthappa, Mahadeva, Bhadrakali, Subramani
and Ayyappa. Very similar to the Kodavas in religion, culture and language are
the Kodava Peggade (Kodagu Heggade), the Amma Kodava, the Airi (artisans),
the Meda (craftsmen and drummers) and the Kembatti (labourers). The highly
elaborated social system of Kodavas of Coorg ensured that the immovable
property of an Okka, the Fundamental unit of Kodava Society, descended from
one generation to another generation without being split up in process. British
policies over a period of time brought about en end to the system. This, along with
the spread of Western educational practices, led to the rise of nuclear family,

reflected in domestic architecture in the increasing prevalence of individual

homes and plantation bungalows.
Kodava people celebrating their harvest festival

ARCHITECTURE OF AINMANES
The traditional houses of Coorg are called Ainmane. The term Ainmane
is believed to be derived from Ayyangada mane, which means the house of
Ayyas( respected elders or ancestors) or house built by ancestors. The primary
traditional built form of Kodagu is a complex of structures(including the main
house, granary, Thekaimada or ancestral shrine and the outhouses or

extended wings known as ale pore) with varying significance, functions, and
Impervious to the passage of time, its built fabric maintained on account
of the ritualistic meaning embodied in its spaces, while changes in lifestyle
and social association have most visibly transformed the outlying
structures.
historical development. The main house has tended to be most
Elevation and section of a Ainmane

ORIENTATION AND SPACE SYSTEM

The people of Coorg, known as Kodavas confirmed to mainstream Hindu

custom in regarding east,the direction of the sun god Surya, as auspicious- as a

result the ainmane faced east. The south was associated with Yama, the god of
death, and hence was considered was considered inauspicious. Consequently,
no values ascribed to particular cardinal directions. This practice was also
followed within the house. Orientation and climatic context were thus codified
through ritualistic practice in the Vaastu Shastra. In the design of the main
house and its related structures, their influence can clearly be discerned in the
distribution of functional spaces, as Kodagu society by the early seventeenth

century had established socio-economic ties with the neighbouring regions of

Malabar in erstwhile north Kerala and south Canara.
Different spaces around Ainmane

SPACES & BUILT COMPONENTS OF AINMANE

Site plan with approach path

The Coorg houses are generally situated close to paddy fields on a

sheltering slope of Bane land surrounded by clamps of mountain trees. The
position and type of building very much resemble those of the Nayars of
malabars and Cochin. The approaches of the ainmanes strongly mark the
design of fortification and tradition points back to a time of general feuds, when
chief fought with chief, and clan with clan. Deep Kadangas or trenches with
high embankments still testify to the memorials of the warlike state of affairs in
former times.
1.

Oni, a narrow winding lane, forms the approach pathway to the house from
the fields, often carved out of sloping lands and retaining walls.
Architecturally, the oni is a very important feature of the complex, providing,
through a calculated sequence of ancillary structures, a key vantage point
from which to approach and view the ainmane. In the past the oni was
known as mummadak oni, meaning pathway with three turns This was a
defensive device, so that attackers would not get a clear line of vision to
the house. Oni is paved with rough stones and overgrown with shady
trees.Houses are situated in the middle of plantation, far away from the
public road.

2.

Fore-court- The oni culminates in the fore court (patti) of the house. The
court is not formally walled in and is usually flanked by ancillary structures to
the north and east and occasionally also to the south, while the west end
fronts the plinth of the Ainemane. A constant feature is an open space
defined by the Ainmane and the ancillary building in northeast, with a
higher floor level, called Kunji patti. The passage of time has resulted in
removal of many of the ancillary buildings, but surviving plinths provide
evidence of their existence. With the clearing of such structures, the
forecourt today tends to have a more open character.

Traditionally, supporting agricultural activities such as threshing, piling, &

sorting of paddy were carried out in the forecourt. During festivals and
other family gatherings, he court provided space for cultural activities
such as ritual dances
.

Central Kalbotti in the forecourt

3.

Kalbotti-The court often housed a single stone pillar in the center known as
Kalbotti( also called the Sutrakhamabha) had a lamp lit on it after sunset.
Prior to loading the bullocks with paddy at the start of trading trip to Kerala,
they were tied to this pillar facing the Ainmane, and an offering was mad to

the family deity to seek blessings for successful journey; a ceremony of

thanks was also conducted upon return. The pillar was also used for
threshing: bullocks were tied to it and then go round in circles thrashing
paddy spread in forecourt. Spatially, the Kalbotti defines the court and
provides a focus. Thus forecourt had both functional and ritual significance.

Open courtyard - mund

4.

Mund-The main house is square, single storey structure with a small square
open courtyard or mund in the centre. The buildings typically had a front
verandah, Kaiyale, for receiving guests. It leads to an open hall. The other
three sides of the courtyard housed the living quarters. On the right is the
patriarchs room followed by the family kitchen. The smaller compartments
on the left were occupied by the remaining family members while all the
unmarried members slept in the open hall.
5.

Material of the house-The main house sits on a raised plinth of

compacted earth or laterite which extends beyond the vertical walls. The
walls of the house were made of a mixture of mud, rice husk, and resin made
into blocks, placed side by side and in layers and built to height of a
cole(between two and three feet) at each stage before curing. The doors
and window frames are introduced while the walls were being constructed
The walls were made of a mixture of mud, rice-husks and resin plastered with
coloured mud while pitched roof also housed an attic that was accessed

from the kitchen. After achieving the desired height of the ceiling, the mud
Walls were dressed and brought into vertical plane.

Plinth detail of the house

6.

Inner courtyard detail

The coloured mud was procured from sources nearby, mixed resin from tree
bark,cow dung and materials. Later this method was replaced with lime
plastering. Eventually, the use of sawn timber became popular. Mangalore
tiles are said to have been in use in Kodagu since the 1880s.The roof
structure became more formal, as did the ceilings which were built with a
According to oral history, roofs were constructed using small logs called
kabbu to form a triangular-truss roof structure, which was then covered
with baripatti (reapers made of bamboo or reeds). These logs, mostly of
ajini, unsawn and rough dressed by knives, were used for making the
ceilings as well. The logs, placed close together, were with a flammable
oil (Kaikole fruit oil, oil from the Paniyathali seed, or pork fat) to be used as
burning torches when it became necessary to defend the house.

pinwheel structure, with solid wood members running the entire width of the
roof contained within blocks, aligned in the cardinal directions. Another
kind of roof, known as the thombake (banana flower) owing to a
resemblance in form, exhibits the skill of these carpenters and can still be
seen in some of the surviving temples and ambalas (roofed structures on
raised platforms where villagers and their headmen met to settle disputes
and discuss matters of concern).
The high pitched roof and high plinth together bring grandeur to the
ancestral houses, giving it an impressive facade while retaining a human
scale. All ancillary buildings in the compound were built so that their
roof-lines do not overshadow the main house, attesting to its pre-eminence
within complex.

View of the Verandah

7.

The verandah is raised and covered with a wooden plank aimara two or
three feet broad, so as to form convenient seats for the male members and
visitors. From it rise three or four Wooden pillars, square, round and tapering
and sometimes carved. In some cases, verandah is separated from inner
hall by a wall with a sort of window or lattice made of wood. This aperature
like the principal door posts is elaborately and handsomely carved in

flowers and figures, leaving open space

between, just large enough to peep through
without

being

seen.

It

is

contrivance

designed chiefly for the benefit of the Coorg

women who are curious to see the visitors.
8.

The inner hall is lit by a sky light formed by

junction of four slopes of inner roof into open

space. The inner roof is supported on four
pillars, resting on thick broad slabs of jack
wood and forming convenient seats for the
inmates of the house.

Silhouette of the window

9.

The inner rooms are without windows and open by small doors into central
hall only. Ont he sides diagonally opposite to the door of the verandah and
like the inner right corner, there are two doors leading to the exterior of the
house. The first room of the inner hall is occupied by the master of the house
and his wife.

10. Ktichen- The next room is kitchen

( adumane)and dining room whence
the smoke issues and fills the whole
house coating and preserving the
wood work. The small rooms of the
remaining two wings are tenanted by
married couple, widows and unmarried
women.
Chulha in the kitchen

11. Kanni Kombare- One room in the

left corner is set apart as sacred to the
family deity(mane-devata) and also
known as Kanni Kombare. From the
ceiling are suspended matchlocks, the
wooden wooden bells for cattle,the
trappings for pack bullocks and other
Kanni Kombare

domestic utensils.

12. Attic-The space under the roof and above ceiling, the wooden floor
covered with a thick layer of earth to keep the rooms below dry and
fire-proof, serve for storing bags of rice, baskets, pots and culinary
provisions.
13. Well There is a deep well built with stone in compound to supply water for
cooking purposes and another hut is built by the side of paddy fields for
bathing in hot water,

14. The furniture in Coorg house bears ample testimony to the simple habits of
inmates. The funitures are wooden and very elaborate. On days of religious
ceremonies they sit on mats.

SOCIOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF AINMANES.

Kodagu people lead their lives in houses that stand apart in architecture.
Ainmane is remarkable in its structure and a place of unique bonding. Ainmane
has always stood as a mirror reflecting the Kodava culture, life, family practices,
worships and festivals according to seasons.
Kodava culture enjoyed joint family system in the past. It is because of
Ainmane that Kodava families have a family name. According to the names, the
families or Vokka or Vamsha is identified. For example the family I met, their family
name was Kambiranda. So using their family name their entire ancestral line can
be tracked down. Under one Vokka, there are many family units. Many Vokkas
have more than 500 units. All these families put together has one Ainmane. The
family also has its own ornaments, weapons, implements used for agriculture, the
gift from the kings who ruled Kodagu etc. These are treasured items that are
collected and preserved.

Description of ainemane in Batte Pat

Behold the lane leading to the house of this

The figure of a barking deer is carved,

okka,

The figure of a crowing cock is carved,

The lane is paved with pandava slabs:

The figure of a mewing cat is carved,

Behold the beauty of the boundary wall,

The figure of god Nadatta is carved.

The wall built with stones from the jungle;

The thatch of the house is like a silken cover,

Behold the shed at the gateway to the

Its walls are plastered with four kinds of mud-

house,

White mud that is white as milk

The gateway built with cut laterite stones.

Yellow mud, the colour of saffron,

On crossing the gateway we are in the

Black mud, dark as eye-black,

courtyard,

And red mud, the colour of drops of blood,

The courtyard where the oxen are tethered,

With these four kinds of mud the walls are

The courtyard paved with polished stones.

plastered,

Behold the work on the steps to the house,

The walls of the central hall, the walls of the

The steps built with ruby like stones:

veranda,

On climbing the steps we see the veranda,

The walls of the veranda and the wall in

The decorated veranda we walk across.

front.

On crossing the veranda we see the

On these walls are painted pictures,

threshold,

A picture of the sun god is drawn,

The carved threshold we cross over.

A picture of a lotus flower in water,

Behold the beauty of the house of this okka!

A picture of a sword that cuts is drawn,

Five hundred carpenters worked on it for five

A picture of a kembatti flower is drawn,

years;

A picture of a white tortoise in water,

The golden wall plates, the silver beams,

A picture of a creeping snake is drawn,

The four aimara slabs, and carved pillars.

A picture of a beehive in a red pot,

What are the figures carved on the pillars?

A picture of the Nandi bull is drawn,

Figures of birds, figures of snakes,

And a picture of her own husband,

The figure of God Vamana is carved,

Along with it, a picture of herself,

The figure of a tiger, lord of the rocky cave,

These the lady of the house has drawn.

The figure of a wild bison in the forest,

Behold the beauty of the house of this okka.

Recorded in the early 1900s and first published in 1924 in the original
language, such folksongs were part of longstanding oral traditions and one can
assume the description to predate Rices observations. Recurrence of this song of

praise in so many ceremonial contexts signifies the ritualistic importance

accorded to the Ainemane.
Ainmane, the house of the elders in Kodagu, has given an opportunity for the
families to live without any discrimination. Men and women were considered
equal. If a girl whose married life was not happy and if she had a serious problem
in her husband's place, she had a right to leave her in-laws' house and live at
Ainmane as long as she lived. Obviously, Ainmane protected women by
providing a shelter with affection.
The pressure of 21st century's globalisation and urbanisation has made
people of Kodagu re-think about their cultural heritage and rich tradition. Today,
one can see this healthy growth in their thoughts too with each 'Vokka' trying to
protect their Ainmane more as a prestige issue for every family to have their
Ainmane renovated, re-built and protected. With some hope towards a
prosperous life, let's preserve our Ainmanes for posterity.
Based on this, Ainmane is not only a living place for families but it acts like a
museum of the community that helps to enhance the cultural heritage of
Kodavas.

SIMILARITY TO TRADITIONAL HOUSING OF

KERALA

The relationship between Kodagu and Kerala seems to be closely knit since
ages. Ainmane stands as a proof to it. Comparing to the house of Nayars of
Kerala (that is called as Taravad) and the Ainmane, we can see many similarities.
The influence of Malayalam on Kodava language cannot to be ignored.
Similarities can be found between the two languages. The festivals, a few rituals,
ceremonies performed and some celebrations have a strong Malayalam impact.
It is clearly identified that Ainmane has played a significant role and has provided
enough room to have a good relationship between Kodagu and Malayalam
province. More important is the structure and architecture of Ainmane that is a
living example to recognize the relationship from the past between Kodagu and
Kerala.
The Kings who ruled Kodagu built their Palaces in the same style of Taravad
houses. Towards the North of Kodagu in a place called 'Yavakapadi,' king
Doddaveera Rajendra, who ruled Kodagu, built a Palace in Nalaknadu village in
1792. Architecture of this Palace resembles Ainmanes of Kodavas. This clearly
shows that architecture of Ainmane has been influenced from Kerala and hence
instilled the same kind of style to their Palaces.

Likewise, the Palaces that exhibit their majestic nature seem to be unique, like
that of Ainmane that which is a link to depict the history of Kodavas of Kodagu.
The pivot of joint families was the Ainmane where in the past era, people of
different age groups lived together. The centre was always full of life. But today,
because of modernisation, the Ainmane is only an epitome depicting Kodava
cultural heritage.

Photos in and around Man

CONSERVATION OF AINMANES

Modern education and urbanisation has opened a new lifestyle for Kodavas.
Herein they look down upon their own culture and hence the existence of
Ainmane has become obsolete. Higher education has made many to take up
urban residence. Therefore, elders of the family are the only people who are living
in Ainmane; but after their death, Ainmane is sort of abandoned and edge
towards dilapidated condition, without any family living there. In a few
circumstances, there are modern style houses coming up. Members of the
families live in these modern houses near to Ainmane, which is kept locked. They
open it at dawn and at dusk to light the traditional lamp at the Nellakki Baade
inside it.

As families become financially stable, they try to migrate to the cities either
selling their property or asking somebody to look after it. Such families have
abandoned Ainmane and hence, most of them are in a neglected state. Growth
in economic conditions and the family planning followed by Kodava families has
resulted in one or two children in a family. Moreover, the children are brought up
in cities. Education is provided there and hence they get employed in the cities
itself. The above reasons have led Kodava families to leave their native. All family
members have a right on Ainmane, but their lack of interest and their dislike
towards rural lifestyle have prevented them to give a serious thought on their
ancestral house.
The pressures of 21st century globalisation and urbanisation has made people
of Kodagu re-think about their cultural heritage and rich tradition. Today, one can
see this healthy growth in their thoughts too with each Vokka trying to protect
their Ainmane more as a prestige issue for every family to have their Ainmane
renovated, rebuilt and protected.

SIGNIFICANCE OF AINMANE

Ainmane is not only a part of the culture of Kodavas, but also of Kodava
dialect speaking communities. Though Ainmanes of all sects are similar, they
are also called Balyagattumane, gurukarana mane, gurumane etc.
Earlier, families of a Vokka lived together at Ainmane. Later, a few families
left Ainmane to live independently and improve their property. The result was
joint families gave way to nuclear families. New houses are built in modern
architecture. But during festivals and other occasions, Vokka members
gather at Ainmane and partake in the ceremonies and feast, symbolising
unity.

IMPERFECTIONS IN MODERN CONTEXT

The structures have become dilapidated and the mud walls have become
weak and porous. The region of Coorg receive a lot of rainfall during
monsoon. These old structures are unable to hold against the 6 long months
of rain and become moist and cold and become breeding ground for moss
and algal growth. The walls also get infected by termites.

The flooring was done using rammed earth paved with cow dung which is
very difficult to maintain and during monsoon it also soaks up water and
become cold and moist.

Kitchens in the house had chulhas to cook which makes the entire place
covered in soot and smoke and absence of kitchen counters is felt.

These house had no water connections to the bathing or kitchen area. The
women used to draw water from the house well.

The spaces have very small windows which makes the interior dark and
ventilation is poor.

The house is roofed with bamboo and thatched with rice straw which is
annually renewed and repaired, which was replaced by Mangalore tiles
which again need repair and restoration.

IDEAS FOR RESTORING OLD TRADITIONS

Flooring can be redone

using Vinyl sheets or linoleum
tiles as they are very suitable
for these regions.

Cement corrugated sheets

can work well for the roofing
as it is more durable and
maintenance free and
unlike GS sheets it wont
heat up as well.

The wall receiving the most amount of rain can be protected by having
projected roof.

Re-plastering it with cement and doing anti-termite treatment before it would

increase the life of the walls.

Skylight in the roof can help in making the room more lit during the day-time.

CONCLUSION
The preceding account demonstrates the centrality of the Ainemane in traditional
Kodava family life. Indeed, the Ainemane complex might best be understood as a
three-dimensional document that embodies, in microcosm, the ordering principles
of traditional Kodava society. Every aspect of these buildings, including choice of
materials, construction methodologies, patterns of building activity, spatial
organisation, and above all the ritual meaning assigned to various spaces, reflects
the governing principles of a highly organised and hierarchical traditional society.
Above all it is the ritualistic significance of the Ainemane that has ensured its
continuity through changing times.
Currently many orgsnisations are trying to protect these old structures from
becoming part of history. Boverianda Najamma and Chinappa took the task of
documenting every possible Ainmane in the region. According to them, the
traditional Ainmanes that are still standing today account for only about 40% of the
Ainmanes that were built in Kodagu. Many of them are currently in a state of
disrepair or are in a dilapidated condition; many have been altered and
modernized

as

simple

houses.

Despite

the

fact

that

conservation

and

documentation of these historical traditions is currently going on, there is still need to
bring the architecture to the forefront of public knowledge, highlight their
importance, so that these precious jewels of Indian culture and history dont get
extinct. If the Ainmanes vanish, the heritage, the way of life of people in Kodagu will
also vanish...

REFERENCES- Self exploration

- Interview of Mr. Nitin Ganapathi and Mrs. Neha Sharma, residents of Coorg,
member of Kambiranda okka.
- Silent sentinels - A book about Traditional Architecture of Coorg by Brinda
Somaya
- Photographs Self taken or Google images.