The Secret of Garhwal’s Earthquake-Resilient Homes Lies in This 500-YO Uttarakhand Homestay

In 2024, IIT Roorkee PhD student Syed Ifrah Asfar was surveying the ‘ghost villages’ of Uttarakhand. During her stay at the Raithal Homestay, she found herself captivated by the homestay’s striking, centuries-old design.

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An architect by training, Ifrah was drawn to the 500-year-old structure built entirely on an ancient, disaster-resilient blueprint known as the Koti Banal architectural style. “I later presented a paper on this at a conference in Italy; Koti Banal architecture is a case of circularity and sustainability,” she says.

Locally rooted and crafted from abundant wood and stone, the style relies on interlaced stone-and-timber bands that lock together at the corners. The varied stone dimensions give the buildings a rare flexibility. “Even after an earthquake, the structure will not move,” she adds.

An ancient philosophy forms the foundation of the Raithal Homestay

Growing up, Prithviraj Singh Rana (28) would hear stories about his ancestral home. “Even earthquakes 30 kilometres away did not damage the house,” he says. Over the years, this deep-rooted pride inspired him to share the home’s legacy with others.

In 2016, the commerce graduate opened the doors of his beloved home to the world, converting a few rooms for guests. The structure stays true to its origins. Elaborating on the materials that have gone into the construction, Prithviraj says that wood, mud and stone form the premise. He points to this unique, sustainable blend as what keeps the home cool in summer and prevents it from getting too chilly in the winter. 

But the experience of living in this ancestral home goes far beyond its walls. The cultural experience continues in the kitchen.

The Garhwal culture is reconceived in the food and decor. Staples at the homestay include bhujji (scrambled vegetables), red rice, mandwa roti (finger millet flatbread), and loon (a condiment made of local herbs). The majority of the produce comes from the family farms and orchards.

Prithviraj and his family take great pride in these. “We grow apples, kiwis, strawberries, potatoes, and many vegetables on our farms. We try and involve guests in these farming activities too, letting them experience harvesting and cultivation.”

Prithviraj adds that they are in constant touch with the local farmers, procuring produce from them and ensuring they get a justified price, higher than the market standard.

The home’s age and survival through generations also raise a deeper question: what makes these structures so resilient?

What makes a Garhwal home earthquake-resistant 

In 1991, the Garhwal Himalayas were rocked by an earthquake of magnitude 6.1. Reports suggest that about 42,400 houses in the region were damaged. That the Raithal home kept standing is a testament to its architectural style, which, reports suggest, was a touchstone for generations for those living in the region.

Studies suggest that the secret lies in the use of wood.

One such study notes, “Wood being both strong and lightweight, ground accelerations are unable to generate as much energy in wood buildings as in those constructed with other materials. As an added advantage, wood-frame systems flex more than other materials, thus absorbing and dissipating energy. The forces acting upon a structure during an earthquake are a function of the weight of the structure as well as the magnitude of ground acceleration, while the nature of building response to an earthquake depends on the size of the building and its stiffness characteristics.”

Beyond wood’s inherent qualities, research also lauds the architecture for its inventive space-stress systems. The layout of the timber beams helps the structure resist deformation and absorb shocks.

Architecture aside, Raithal’s landscape is equally compelling. And for those who want to explore the region beyond its homes, Prithviraj also leads the Dayara Bugyal trek — a chance to experience the landscape that shaped this architectural wisdom.

A walk through paradise

Nayani Sarma, a professor who visited the homestay last year, recalls the balcony was her favourite spot. It overlooked the Garhwal meadows. Prithviraj, who runs The Himalayan Roots and routinely conducts treks to Dayara Bugyal, urges guests to simply soak in the views.

The trek begins at Raithal village and winds through a forested trail with sweeping mountain views. It crosses undulating grasslands dotted with wildflowers, making for a beautiful walk. Beyond trekking, Prithviraj also offers birdwatching, paragliding and rafting.

Explaining why he decided to rejig the trekking model with a homestay idea, in 2016, he says, “The tourists who would stop at our home used to find it very unique. They’d always tell us that the experience was so authentic and homely.” To this end, he wanted to create a space that embodied the cultural pulse of his region, and that’s where the idea of the homestay was born.

And the experience is much loved. It’s why many travellers find themselves staying far longer than planned.

Take, for instance, Nayani, whose three-day stay turned into a 20-day one. “It was just that beautiful,” she smiles.

All pictures courtesy Prithviraj

Sources

Uttarkashi Earthquake

'Earthquake-safe Koti Banal architecture of Uttarakhand, India', Published in Current Science in September 2008. 

Garhwal Earthquake of Oct. 20, 1991