RATNAGIRI SETTLEMENT STUDY
Site location:
Sadamirya, Ratnagiri, Maharashtra.
Section of the house studied
The materials used mostly in the construction of houses in the village were wood, chirya (laterite stone), white sand, concrete, mud, and sometimes even jaggery (as a binding material).
Chirya was recently started to be used as a material for the construction of the houses. Prior to this, karel phadi (coral stone) was used. It was much lighter in weight, compared to the chirya stone (which weigh upto 35 kg) and much more durable. A house more than 90 years old stand in the village, which was constructed using karel phadi.
Isometric view of the house studied
The older houses have roofs covered with the Manglore tiles (locally called as nale), whereas the newer houses prefer GI, galvanized iron, sheets. According to them, the coconuts falling from down from the coconut trees often damage the stone tiles, which made the villagers turn towards the metal sheets, in spite of the lack of insulation provided by the GI sheets.
Local woods, such as mango and jackfruit, are used for making the posts, doors, roofs and other structures of the house.
