1,000-yr-old Uttarkashi structure is ‘quake-proof’

Jotirmay Thapliyal

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 28

Even when historical monuments and temples came tumbling down in Nepal, the 1,000-year-old Koti Banal architecture in the highly seismic active Uttarakhand hills has withstood the test of times.

Koti Banal architecture in the Rajgarhi area of Uttarkashi comprises multi-storeyed traditional houses with marked antiquity and distinct construction style. They are built on a stone-filled platform with judicious use of wood. These wood-based structures are flexible and better in absorbing and dissipating energy, reducing the risk of breakage and collapse.

These age-old structural systems are still intact and have not been damaged by seismic activity despite these being located in the most severe damage risk zone V.

The 1991 Uttarkashi and 1999 Chamoli earthquakes that led to the large-scale loss of life and property are still fresh in the public memory. These structures had also survived the devastating Kumaon earthquake of 1720 and the Garhwal earthquake of 1803.

Eminent geologist Girish Joshi said Uttarakhand’s traditional skills in the construction of multi-storey houses in this highly vulnerable region hold much significance and are a fit case for study.