This project focuses on documenting the traditional construction systems and indigenous material knowledge of the Pir Panjal region in Jammu, India, with particular emphasis on the vernacular architecture of Doda district. These timber-laced stone masonry houses, built using locally sourced materials and orally transmitted techniques, reflect a finely tuned relationship between ecology, climate, and cultural practice. The structures are multifunctional—serving as homes, livestock shelters, and spaces for domestic crafts such as binna weaving and wool processing, especially carried out by women. As industrial construction methods and materials become more dominant, this architectural knowledge and the cultural life embedded within it face the risk of disappearance. The project will document construction processes, spatial practices, and associated oral histories through photographs, video, measured drawings, interviews, and 3D digital modelling. Oral narratives will be collected in regional languages and transcribed into English.
The project aims to work closely with traditional builders, elder community members, and women artisans to capture the full depth of this material knowledge system. It seeks to preserve not only the technical methods of construction but also the cultural values, environmental adaptations, and seasonal rhythms that shape how these homes are designed, built, and lived in. Through detailed ethnographic and architectural documentation, the project contributes to safeguarding a vernacular heritage that remains vital to community identity and sustainable highland living, even as it faces increasing pressure from external change.
PI: Rahul Bhola
Collaborators: Jai Karan Singh and Rahul Hans
Location of Research: Doda, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Host Institution: PIR PANCHAL
Top Banner Image: Hamlet of traditional dry-stone structures in rural Doda, with newer constructions in the background reflecting evolving building practices. Photo credit: Rahul Hans.