Documentation by INTACH

The Kodaikanal Chapter of INTACH recently undertook a project on the people of Palani hills supported by Indian Culture Heritage, a INTACH Division. It covered various aspects of the intangible cultural heritage elements of these people, including details of the origin and historical evolution of the people of Palani Hills, their livelihood, sustenance strategies, heritage and traditional practices. The communities under this project include the indigenous Paliyans and Puliyans, the Mannadiars, Arunththiyars, Aasaris, Telugu Chetniks, Pirimali Kallars, Sri Lankan repatriates and others.

The report was collated on ground over an eight-month period and 60 villagers were studied through personal interviews. In chronological order of study, the report describes the Dolmen people as the earliest inhabitants followed by the Paliyans – the hunter-gathering community – and Puliyans and other communities sharing similar cultural traits. The report makes several other references to the folklore, customs and rituals of these communities.

Heritage Craft and Community Division (HCCD) of INTACH is compiling a Directory of Building Crafts to serve as a Documentation of the Crafts that have been traditionally used in Indian Architecture, including the various techniques and materials used.

The listing and documentation of traditional and vernacular building crafts of Kottayam and Allepey region in Kerala is in process. The focus is on the traditional architecture styles used in different areas such as Kuttanad houses in Alleppey, Malabar houses in Kozhikode (Palakkad), Keyi houses of Thalasseri, Travancore roofs, buildings such as Nalukettu (rectangular houses with four halls and a courtyard in the middle,) Ettu Kettu (two Nallukettu houses together), 16 Kettu (Four Nalukettu joining together), shrines of Malabar. Temple architecture of Kerala too has unique architectural styles. Some of the existing European bungalows have Arabian architectural influence.

Prominent building crafts entailed preparation of traditional lime wall, Daru Silpas (wood reliefs/wood crafts), crafting different ceiling patterns, unique building technique of granaries (Pathayapura), making of boat houses (Kettuvallam) and wooden wheels used for irrigation (Chakram).
– (Courtesy: Virasat, the Journal of INTACH.)

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