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Geography deals with the features on the surface of the earth and hence includes human built forms like towns/villages.
Various facets Settlement as an Unit study of plan, morphology, architecture and relationship of settlement with the physical, economical and social environment. Settlement as part of a system - interrelatedness of various units ranking, hierarchy & classification Settlement as part of the landscape impact of the settlement on the nature of land beyond the settlement
Humanistic Vs Structuralist method of Geography Subjectivity of both the observer and the observed come into play Settlements are regarded no longer as merely physical entities affected by the laws of growth or morphological change. Seen to exist more as ideas in the minds of their inhabitants to be perceived through their cultural spectrum.
Settlement A human settlement place inhabited by more or less permanently by men and women. The area of interaction of a given group of people and includes areas of residential, social and economic activity. Ideas of permanence, habitation and interaction. Two identities social - generates a feeling of belonging which gives social identity & Administrative more concrete & specific - revenue village, panchayat etc.
Settlement. Perception of settlement is different from village to city In village, the components of the environment are not too varied and hence impressions wont vary much from people to people. Every villager is aware of the layout of the fields and distances. Urban dweller Very different images Distance is thought in terms of money, time etc. Safety factor Site All settlements need some site advantage initially. Flood prone areas have dry point settlements, mountainous region have spur line settlements where slope is less etc. Cities are less dependent as site factors are manipulated artificially.
Settlement. Situation Does not affect as much as site does For village settlements important situations are nearness to urban centres, degree of connectivity etc. Cities flourish only if there are situational advantages economy of hinterland, close location of other cities and good transport routes. Settlement size refers more to its population than to areal extent. Population density of a village is proportional to the carrying capacity of the land. Minimum size for a settlement to be urban approx. 5000
Before 1500BC - Dravidians driven south by the Aryan settlers from Central Europe are believed to be the first migrant settlers in Kerala.
6th -7th century BC - Vedic period Vedic rishi Agasthya introduced Brahmanism.
4th century BC - Post vedic period Jainism & Buddhism penetrated the region. Chera Kings maintained trade links with Arabs, Chinese, Jews, Greeks and Romans. Main port of Muziris. Christianity Apostle Thomas 52 AD. Islam through Arabs 7th 10th century Aryanisation a large group of Brahmins believed to have moved to Kerala from Kolhapur.
1956 State of Kerala formed by merger of Travancore, Cochin and Malabar. Land reform bills effected a break down of feudal system of land ownership. Social structure into a democratic one.
Construction Techniques
Mingling of cultures and religions over the centuries profound influences in the development of construction practices in Kerala
Dravidians ingenious architectural form using bamboo and wood rafters and thatch for cover.
Jain & Buddhist periods composite construction techniques using stone & wood. Christians & Muslims - built adapting to the existing prevalent styles. Numerous egs of cross influence wooden wheels used in irrigating, Chinese fishing nets, sewn boats of Kerala etc.
Construction Techniques
Traditional Hindu architecture firmly grounded in Vedic principles. Treatises on Architecture - Manushyalayachandrika, Thantrasamuchaya and Shilparathna. Colonial architecture marriage of traditional visual elements and European spatial planning. New building types such as schools and colleges, administrative buildings, libraries, museums etc.
Settlement Pattern
Tribal settlements dispersed as well as semi permanent settlements
Caste system practiced by Brahmins shaped the social structure of Kerala. Scattered village pattern developed through grama concept.
Gramam classified according to the scale & wealth of Brahmin houses located in each of them. Single Brahmin family surrounded by the settlements of the servant community Eka kutumba gramam. As per Herman Gundert, 32 gramams were established by 4th or 5th century AD, earliest of them were Payyannur, Alattur, Panniyur, Sukapuram etc.
Centre of the gramam had a grama kshetra. Each gramam consisted of upagramams.
Nagaram 1000x2000 sq dhand area.
Modular assemblage
Standardization through Thachushastram resulted in a modular geometry, dimensions and proportions ascertaining uniformity and physical wholeness to the buildings.