Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

The House in India from the Point of View of Sociology and Folklore.

1918; Routledge; Volume: 29; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/0015587x.1918.9719044

1469-8315

W. Crooke,

South Asian Cinema and Culture

THE questions connected with the house and house-building are of special importance to the student of sociology and folklore.The building and occupation of the house mark one of the most momentous transitions in the social history of mankind-the abandonment of nomadic life ; the more definite association of the members of the tribe or clan by the foundation of a village, involving the more intimate union of the individual with those who are his blood kindred ; the beginnings of communal life, which, again, leads to common worship, to communion with the deity in sacrifice and feast.The construction and occupation of the house thus constitute a rite de passage, a break with long established tradition and with the customary amenities of life, the new environment exercising its influence on the inmates, and bringing with it new duties and responsi bilities.Hence it is inevitable that the new dwelling should be protected by a system of devices and taboos designed to avert the dangers which primitive man, surrounded by a host of spirits generally malignant, has constantly before his mind.To this are added the fears inspired by the Evil Eye or by witchcraft.Dangers such as these naturally centre round the house and its tenants, and it of Sociology and Folklore.i15 heaven, into which his entry had hitherto been impeded by the roof over the shrine.x The materials of the oldest Indo-European houses con sisted of wood, basket-work, and clay. 2 In the early period of Indian history brick was used for the foundations and plinths of houses, the upper structure being of wood, which possessed the advantage that wide spaces could be roofed which could not be spanned by masonry arches. 3 The use of stone for architecture dates from the age of the great Emperor Asoka (B.C. 273-32).Even at the present day the hut roofed with straw or reeds is the normal type of house, and there is a remarkable taboo in some places against the use of bricks or tiles for building.In Bengal brick walls are supposed to attract the Evil Eye because such buildings indicate prosperity and naturally attract Nemesis ; but some well-to-do people defy the risk because they secure some protection from burglars.*In Khandesh, up to recent times, tiled roofs were proscribed, and the failure of some rich merchants who violated the taboo was quoted as an example to sceptics. 5 In the Panjab, in some I For hypaethral altars in Greece, see Smith, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, 3rd ed.ii.