Nālukettu on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
Nālukettu is the traditional homestead of old 
''
The layout of these homes is simple, and catered to the dwelling of the large number of people usually part of a tharavaadu. ''Ettukettu'' (eight halled with two central courtyards) or ''Pathinarukettu'' (sixteen halled with four central courtyards) are the more elaborate forms of the same architecture. Rarely, twelve-halled ''Pathrandukettu'' were constructed. with three courtyards, and there is a record of a 32-halled ''Muppathirandukettu'' being erected, although it was lost to a fire soon after construction. Every structure faces the sunlight, and in some well designed naalukettu, there is excellent ventilation. Temperatures, even in the heat of summer, are markedly lower within the naalukettu.
The nalukettu and ettukettu buildings must have been inspired from the ancient Chinese house architecture or the ancient Chinese construction is inspired from this outstanding architecture from Kerala as the Chinese kungfu has inspirations from Kalaripayattu, the Kerala's ancient martial arts. Kerala had a long and strong history of trade with China .
Naalukettu: A Magnificent Tradition of Domestic Architecture
Naalukettu: A Visual Representation Of The Architecture
Kerala Nalukettu house plans
*
Route – Trade History between China and Kerala, India: Kerala History
House types Houses in India Arts of Kerala {{Kerala-stub
Tharavadu
Tharavad, also spelled as Tharavadu () (തറവാട്), is the Malayalam word for the ancestral home of aristocratic Nair families in Kerala, which usually served as the common residence for the Matrilineality, matrilineal joint family ...
where many generations of a Nair
The Nair (, ) also known as Nayar, are a group of Indian Hindu castes, described by anthropologist Kathleen Gough as "not a unitary group but a named category of castes". The Nair include several castes and many subdivisions, not all of whom hi ...
family lived. These types of buildings are typically found in the India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
n state of Kerala
Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...
. The traditional architecture is typically a rectangular structure where four halls are joined with a central courtyard, or ''Nadumuttam'', open to the sky. The four halls on the sides are named ''Vadakkini'' (northern block), ''Padinjattini'' (western block), ''Kizhakkini'' (eastern block) and ''Thekkini'' (southern block). The architecture was especially catered to large families of the traditional ''tharavadu'', to live under one roof and enjoy the commonly owned facilities of the ''marumakkathayam
Marumakkathayam was a system of matrilineal inheritance prevalent in regions of the Indian state of Kerala. It is similar to the Aliyasanthana system followed by the Bunt community in Karnataka.
The word "Marumakkathayam" originated from the ...
'' homestead.
''Thachu Sastra
Originating in ancient India, ''Vastu Shastra'' (, ' – literally "science of architecture") is a traditional Hindu system of architecture based on ancient texts that describe principles of design, layout, measurements, ground preparation, ...
'', or the Science of Carpentry and Traditional ''Vasthu'', was the governing science in this architectural form In architecture, form refers to a combination of external appearance, internal structure, and the Unity (aesthetics), unity of the design as a whole, an order created by the architect using #Space and mass, space and mass.
External appearance
Th ...
. 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 of ''Tantrasamuchaya'', ''Vastuvidya'', ''Manushyalaya-Chandrika'', and ''Silparatna''.
The layout of these homes is simple, and catered to the dwelling of the large number of people usually part of a tharavaadu. ''Ettukettu'' (eight halled with two central courtyards) or ''Pathinarukettu'' (sixteen halled with four central courtyards) are the more elaborate forms of the same architecture. Rarely, twelve-halled ''Pathrandukettu'' were constructed. with three courtyards, and there is a record of a 32-halled ''Muppathirandukettu'' being erected, although it was lost to a fire soon after construction. Every structure faces the sunlight, and in some well designed naalukettu, there is excellent ventilation. Temperatures, even in the heat of summer, are markedly lower within the naalukettu.
The nalukettu and ettukettu buildings must have been inspired from the ancient Chinese house architecture or the ancient Chinese construction is inspired from this outstanding architecture from Kerala as the Chinese kungfu has inspirations from Kalaripayattu, the Kerala's ancient martial arts. Kerala had a long and strong history of trade with China .
References
External links
Naalukettu: A Magnificent Tradition of Domestic Architecture
Naalukettu: A Visual Representation Of The Architecture
Kerala Nalukettu house plans
*
Route – Trade History between China and Kerala, India: Kerala HistoryHouse types Houses in India Arts of Kerala {{Kerala-stub