Architecture of Kumaon
Kumaon has a distinctive style of architecture, which is quite clearly evident in its kucha houses of mud and stone in the scattered settlements of the higher Himalaya and the populated agricultural valleys. The temples, some of them as old as ten centuries, are built with the Himadri style of architecture, exclusive to the region. This is also known as Post-Gupta architecture to some.
The older houses, the naulas-bawaris (water tanks), the forts and the dharamshalas (inns) have walls, mud floors, slate roofs and courtyards of gray stone called ‘patangans’. Figures of Ganesh and other Gods – Goddesses are always noticeable on top of the doors and windows, especially on top of the main entrance door known as ‘Kholi’. Presence of specially constructed closed wooden nests for birds underlines the love for animals that the locals possess.
Even when construction of brick and concrete houses is quite evident across the Kumaon region, people still prefer to use stones and other material if it is readily and easily available.
Sculpture and Painting
The sculpture of Kumaon is distinct in style and magical in terms of the beauty it possesses. The idols at the temples of Jageshwar, Dwarahat, Baijnath and Champawat are great examples of the outstanding sculpture of the region. The Astdhatu (bronze) statues are breathtakingly beautiful and deserve to be seen at least once.
Beerkhams (or victory pillars), each carved out of a single piece of stone, are quite extraordinary. Ruins of various forts at places like Almora, Champawat, Pithoragarh, Karnkarayat, Sira, Gangolihat and Kuti are worth a visit.
Painting forms, especially Aipen or Alpna, are also a delight to see as the paintings are painted with only simple ochre color and natural paste as the raw materials. ‘Lakhu Udiyar’ and ‘Lwethaap’ are among the prominent paintings discovered in the region.
Language and literature
Thirteen different dialects are used in the hills of Kumaon with Kumaoni being the most popular form of language used. Hindi is also widely spoken across the region. The 13 dialects used are Johari, Rauchaubhaisi, Danpuriya, Askoti, Sirali, Soryali, Chaugarkhyali, Kumaiya, Gangola, Khasparjia, Phaldakoti, Pachhai, and Majh Kumaiya.
The region has rich folk literature with legends and myths of past heroes, their bravery and the tales of nature forming the core of the literature. Some songs of the region deal with the relation of man with nature and his surroundings, underlining the importance of nature in Kumaonis’ lives.
The written literature is rich and very philosophical in content. Kumaon has contributed immensely to Hindi literature and journalism. Shiv Datt Sati, Gorda, Shyama Charan Datt Pant, Ram Dutt Pant 'Kaviraj', Chandra Lal Chaudhary, Pitambar Pandey, Bachi Ram Arya and Shivani are names of some of the prominent littérateurs of the region.
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