Fishing Community
Houses of the Fishermen
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A fisherman often builds his house so that it serves not only as a residence but also as an extension of his boat. In most cases, the veranda fulfills this role. It is used to repair nets, store bait, petrol, and other fishing essentials, while the women of the household use the same space to clean the catch and prepare it for sale at the port or market.
A typical house can be described as having one or two multipurpose rooms that open into a large veranda, which further extends into a shared courtyard, usually connecting a cluster of houses, with an outdoor kitchen and a small toilet.
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Factors creating shifts:
1.Material Availability and advancements
2.Technological inventions
3. Unreliable climatic conditions
Frequent cyclones, along with the availability of materials and construction techniques, have influenced the way a fisherman builds his home. The needs of the family, its fluctuating size, and changing professions also play a role in shaping these houses.
Out of the several houses within the fishing community, four can be studied in detail, as over time they have either adapted to newer ways of building or are among those that have stood the test of time.
1. Mud house: 1960s
This mud house was originally built in the 1960s by Haribabu’s parents for themselves and their two sons. The house has been regularly maintained ever since. Over time, when Haribabu’s younger brother moved back home, an extension was added, this time as a pakka room using brick masonry and plastered walls.
Four members of the family live in the original mud house, while the younger sibling and his family use the newly added room.
Materials used:
Roof: Dried tadi leaves with a timber frame (tarpaulin sheets are added during monsoons)
Walls: Mud walls plastered with lime and cow dung
Plinth: PCC and cow dung
2. Brick – mangalore tile house: 2000
Penati, a sixty-year-old fisherman, owns this house. It is the third house he has built in the past four decades, as the previous two were damaged during cyclones. He lives here with his two sons and their families, with a total of ten members in the household. However, his younger son has now moved to a new house built on rehabilitation land provided by the government.
Materials used:
Roof: Mangalore tiles with a timber frame
Walls: Brick masonry walls
Plinth: PCC
New materials introduced:
Mangalore tiles were introduced because thatched roofs required frequent maintenance due to cyclones. These clay tiles also helped improve durability and protection from weather conditions.
3. Brick – tin sheet house: 2007
Bale Krishna’s house has undergone incremental growth over the past few decades. Most recently, during last year’s cyclone, the tadi leaf roof was damaged and subsequently replaced with tin sheets laid over a steel frame. The walls that were later damaged in a house fire were temporarily replaced with green nets tied to an MS frame.
Materials used:
Roof: Tin sheets with MS frame
Walls: Brick masonry walls
Plinth: PCC
New materials introduced:
Due to easy availability and affordability, tin sheets were used for roofing, while green nets were introduced as a temporary substitute for damaged walls.
4. Concrete house: 2015
After the October 2015 cyclone, Ganesh lost his house and moved with his family into this house belonging to his grandmother. At present, six people live here; however, they plan to relocate soon due to rapid coastal erosion. The house is entirely constructed in RCC and was built using funds provided under the PMAY scheme.
This change in construction reflects a clear shift in housing typology. The traditional open veranda has been transformed into an internal corridor, indicating a move from semi-open, multifunctional spaces to more enclosed and rigid spatial arrangements.
Materials used:
Roof: RCC slab
Walls: RCC frame with fly ash brick infill walls
New materials introduced:
RCC became significant as it provided greater structural strength and resistance to natural calamities. At the same time, it marked a shift away from traditional construction methods.
