![]() Factors of Habitats of North East India Traditional houses and their construction were based on several factors ranging from socio-cultural, economic to physical factors. A closer study of the houses demonstrates that they are also constructed considering the delicate micro-climatic conditions and the possible natural calamities. The North-Eastern region of India, being prone to many types of natural calamities, uses building construction techniques which prove to be resilient to disasters. The materials used to build these houses narrate volumes of the sustainable living as they generally are those which are found in nature, such as wood, bamboo, cane, reed, thatch, mud, etc. Some examples of houses constructed with the above mentioned materials are the Chang Ghar of the Apatanis of Arunachal Pradesh, the Ikra house and the Chong houses found in Assam, the Nokmong and the bachelors house called Nokpante of the Garos of Meghalaya and the bachelors quarters known as the Zawlbuk of the Mizos. Unfortunately these houses are becoming extinct with the advancement in technology. Features of Habitats of North East India A research into the housing patterns of this region unveils that; There is simplicity in the structure and appearance of the houses The materials used in the construction of the houses are generally derived from nature and are forest based such as bamboo, wood, leaves of trees, mud, grass and straw The roofs are generally tilted to allow a free flow of rain since the region is subjected to heavy monsoon rainfall for a great part of the year Houses are usually built on hill tops or on mountain slopes except for those in the plains of Assam, Manipurand Tripura. |
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