Naalukettu

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Naalukettu is the traditional homestead of old Tharavadu where many generations of the matrilineal family lived. The traditional architecture is typically a rectangular structure where 4 rooms are joined together with a central court yard open to the sky. The four rooms on the sides are named Vadakkini (northern block), Padinjattini (western block), Kizhakkini (eastern block) and Thekkini (southern block). The architecture specially catered for large families of the traditional tharavadu to live under one roof and enjoying the commonly owned facilities of the marumakkathayam homestead. There are some non-marumakkathayam homesteads mainly belonging to the Ezhava community also who had such Nalukenttu. Thatchu Shasthra or the science of Carpentry and the traditional vasthu were the governing science in this architectural form practised in ancient Kerala. This branch of knowledge was well developed in the traditional architecture of kerala and has created its own branch of literature known under the names Tantrasamuchaya, Vastuvidya, Manushyalaya-Chandrika and Silparatna.

The lay out of these homes were simple and catered to the dwelling of large number of members of the tharavadu. Ettukettu ( eight sides) or Pathinarukettu(sixteen sides) are the more elaborate form of the same architecture. Every structure faces the sunlight and in some well designed nalukettu, there is free flow of light, wind and rain.

[edit] See also

• Nair
• Tharavadu

[edit] External links

• Majestic tradition of domestic architecture[1]
• Naalukettu: A Magnificent Tradition of Domestic Architecture [2]
• Naalukettu [3]
• A naalukettu[4]
• An Inside view [5]
• An inside view again [6]