pahado_wala_ghar 🏠

A home far away from the daily chaotic life of cities, there lies a home far up on the top of hills. A home which we visit occasionally, mostly during functions, and are guests to it instead of being the residents. This is what I call a "PAHAD WALA GHAR" house in the mountains.

Ya, this is my ancestral home built by my grandfather and his brothers. A home that had seen their lives, their joyful moments. Now, being the third generation, we call it a PAHADO WALA GHAR, which we visit occasionally, once a year or sometimes once every 3-4 years, just to attend gatherings and relive old memories.  

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This is my PAHADO WALA GHAR standing tall and stiff for the past 5-6 decades. It was built by my grandfathers. A house built with pathyali (पथियाली) wood and mud. Constructed with simple local materials, it's still as strong as mountains.

I still get to hear stories about how they built it from scratch, by bringing material from distant villages in the nearby mountain without any transport facility. Every single door and window was carved by hand with love and dedication. The craftsmanship is remarkable -the main door (खोली) has an idol of Ganesha engraved (the protector of the house) surrounded by the floral patterns, and windows are beautifully engraved with flower design painted yellow resembling फ्योली (bright yellow flower), which bloom in the hills of Uttarakhand, often during the spring season.

These houses can naturally adjust their temperature according to the weather, theirs no need for fans during summer and even during winters interiors remain warm which resembles the wisdom of the people. 

Now, as we migrate to cities in search of better life opportunities and comfort, we are leaving behind these legacies built by are ancestors. These houses stand weak and silent, waiting to see the laughter and joyful moments that they were used to decades ago. Now they have become old along with the person who built them ages ago. 

By each passing year, these houses lose their values, instead of the cemented house will take their place. These houses will become history and will remain in a gallery or the memories of the people. 

But theirs a brighter part to it, now the upcoming generation is becoming more connected to their roots and accepting their culture. This awareness can inspire as to protect and respect our heritage and bring us together to preserve and restore these structures, allowing them to stand as proudly as they once did.