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Logging in to I-Day charm
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Students of JNTU are connecting to the pre-independence era with a documentation project
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COLOURS OF KITSCH It is gaudy but this house in Sultan Bazar speaks across generations
Bah! The young and the bored don't give a damn about Independence Day. That's the popular notion. But this isn't always true. To tick it off you have to see the zeal and passion a class of students from B. Arch of SPA-JNTU are bringing to their project on documenting pre-Independence houses in Hyderabad precinct. Dial Varun Reddy (on his cell, silly) and his dialer tone makes a statement about being a Hyderabadi. "I feel proud that Hyderabad had its own distinct pre-Independence architecture which was Indo-Islamic with a range of cultural influences. It was time when everyone wanted to be royalty, this is borne out by the elevation that gave the house owners a sense of privilege," says Varun who is part of a team documenting Ajay Agarwal's house in Sultan Bazar.
Sense of pride
Second-year student Maria Shwetha Sidotam, explains the project. "We are looking for houses belonging to the pre-independence era with vernacular architecture. Many of these houses are being destroyed and we want to document them before they are destroyed. We have found one house in Lakdi-ka-pul in which two-three families are living together."
Shweta Gupta has a different take on pre-Independence houses where she sees customs and culture reflected in the planning of houses. "The kitchen and the bathroom were built close to each other. Only someone who understands ritual purity can grasp the reason. And there are layers of influences in the styles," says Shweta.
Architectural panache
Nimisha Popat's team discovered the Mistry residency near Secunderabad Club and was zapped by the architectural panache.
"With limited materials and technology our ancestors managed to build feel good houses. If the British influence can be spotted in the verandas of British-style houses, then the courtyards in the middle of the houses show the Indianness of the homes where the family can gather and chat. We have a lot to imbibe from our architectural heritage," says Nimisha.
In the process of documenting history, the students are connecting to a past in a more substantial way than saying they are proud of their heritage. But it is not a smooth affair all through, the students are not only up against history but also against conservatism and fear.
A fear among homesteaders that once documented their house will be out of bounds for modification and development. If this fear is stubbed out then our heritage will be there forever.
SERISH NANISETTI
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