By: ANJALI SINGH, SIDDHANT VAISH, ARUN KUMAR, KAUSHAL SINGH BARFAL
This paper examines the rural housing patterns of the Gaddi tribe in the Ravi River Valley of Himachal Pradesh, India. Through field surveys, interviews, and observational methods, the study investigates how physical geography, cultural heritage, and environmental constraints shape vernacular architecture. The Gaddi house type – a three-story structure with a gable roof made of slate shingles, a prominent courtyard, and hollow wooden pillars with stone infill – reflects not only the tribe’s socio-cultural practices but also their adaptation to mountainous terrain and tectonic challenges. The study contributes to cultural geography by linking architectural form with migration history, cultural ecology, and indigenous knowledge systems. A comparison with the Churahi and Sahoo house types in the same region confirms these observations.
