The 300-year-old Sankaramangalam tharavadu in Pathanamthitta has opened its doors to hospitality in a unique initiative, Project Dharani that documents it and the intangible heritage associated with it
The 300-year-old Sankaramangalam tharavadu in Pathanamthitta has opened its doors to hospitality in a unique initiative, Project Dharani that documents it and the intangible heritage associated with it
In a neighbourhood guided by the dictates of modern construction stands the 300-year-old Sankaramangalam Tharavadu. Built on the principles of Kerala architecture, this minimalist and quiet house is located close to the Manimala River in lush green Eraviperoor in Pathanamthitta.
Recently the doors of the tharavadu were opened to Project Dharani, an initiative launched by a group of young architects to combine architecture with responsible tourism. Dharani aims to bring travellers interested in architecture and micro-culture to such spaces across Kerala and document the property and intangible heritage associated with it.
“As this aims to generate consciousness about heritage conservation and make such properties viable, what could be that one platform through which we could help such properties survive, document them and experience living in them?” says Gisny George Kurian, who founded the initiative along with architects Liss Annie Tom, Suchitra C and Akash Puthaparambil.
Architects and founders of Dharani with a group of travellers
The four arrived at the idea from their experiences in the field of heritage conservation when they saw large-scale demolition of heritage structures and subsequent loss of micro-culture, of insensitive restoration and damage from careless tourism. Along with their love for sustainable architecture and lifestyle, they also share a common love for travel. The venture was registered as a trust in 2018.
During the Kerala Floods rehabilitation, Gisny and Liss worked extensively with teams salvaging homes in the Alappuzha and Central Kerala belt. During this time, they met many non-architects who were passionate about saving culture and heritage. “Ideally people should live in these houses, but most heritage property owners find the spaces to be a liability. We wanted to make our project a platform for such properties.”
Thirukochi Residency, Kurumassery
George Kuruvilla, whose forefathers built Sankaramangalam in 1704, says the house is ready to host guests. “The house has historical value. There’s a book on its history and occupants. As a family we could never think of demolishing our heritage.” Titus Sankaramangalam adds that his grandfather, the seventh generation of the family, was born in the house. The house underwent restoration three years ago after a carpenter agreed to restore it with materials and style as before. The family members, now spread out across the world, use it when possible.
“We have identified more than 10 such heritage properties to explore,” says Liss, who teaches architecture and planning at NIT, Kozhikode. Some of the properties that the group has identified are Mitra Niketan in Idukki, Kenoth Mana in Kannur and a homestay in Vagamon.
The idea of Dharani was first introduced to students of architecture in colleges and one of the first groups was from Sigma in Kanyakumari. “As we are popularising the concept, we have kept the tariff low,” says Liss. A three-day-four-nights trip costs ₹3,950. “We encourage the use of public transport and the food is basic but healthy. The facilities are not five-star or three-star but they are clean and comfortable. Most of our guests believe in responsible tourism and hence this model works fine.” Their Bangalore-based partner Suchitra C spreads the concept in colleges and handles the social media Instagram and FB pages.
Tharavadu Heritage Home, Kumarakom
For G. Shweatha, an executive of a education start-up, the exploration “fulfilled my thirst to work in sustainability. Understanding a destination through architecture is unique. No amount of self-learning could give me the kind of experience and learning I had.” She participated in making videos, taking photographs and measurements of the house. Non-architect guests contribute according to their field, says Gisny and offers the example of a graphic artist who illustrated the edifice and an educator who connected the house with literary quotes. “All these contributions — architectural drawings, literary narratives — will be part of archival records for later reference,” she says, explaining that the first two days of the trip are marked for serious documentation, while the last day is for leisure at a heritage getaway. “We do local trails, which are still not under public glare. So they are fresh and new for the travellers,” says Liss.
After savouring the old-world elegance of Sankaramangalam, the group moved to ThiruKochi in Angamally to relax, rewind and bond over a bygone lifestyle.