Indira Gandhi Rashtirya Manav Sangrahalaya (IGRMS) has a wonder full treasure of housing patterns in its open air exhibitions providing insight to understand life and culture of various Indian communities living in different geo-climatic zones. The
Coastal Village
is one such exhibition enabling visitors to understand the socio-cultural life of Indian coastal communities.Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya (IGRMS) launched new series to display online the exhibits with the aim of digitally connecting everyone with them due to lock-down during the current COVID-19 epidemic.
Under this series, today
“
Naalkettu of kerala
”
- a traditional house type from Kerala, Exhibition of IGRMS has been presented online with its basic information and photographs and videos.
Dr.
Praveen Kumar Mishra, Director, IGRMS said that
t
he main objective of this series is to highlight the aesthetic features of traditional lifestyles, local knowledge, and culture’s continuing relevance with modern society. Rakesh Bhatt, the officer in charge of the exhibition area told that Joint family system has been a significant feature of India's social structure and it’s best examples are visible amongst the rural communities. In this episode, an attempt will be made to understand such a distinct social system through a house type in this exhibition.
Naalukettu
is basically a pattern of housing structure which were constructed during the 15
th-18
th century for two major communities
Nambuthiri
Brahmins and
Nair
warriors of Kerala. These
Naalukettu
were owned by the matrilineal joint family and the property used to be inherited from mother to daughter & granddaughter. The present exhibit installed at IGRMS was also owned by the members of a joint family of more than ten generations since the 18th century. Traditionally, the
Naalukettu
of the Brahmins or
Nambudiri
was known as
Illams
or
Manas
, whereas that of the
Nayar’s
were known as
Tarawads
.