Bungalows and their Typology in the Colonial Town: Ambala Cantonment

Abstract

‘Bungalow’ has been the most representative element of the built environment of colonialism. It is associated with Europeans; although it developed in India, both in terms of name and form. The evolution of this Anglo-Indian residential typology shows how this indigenous mode of shelter, that was adopted and adapted by the Europeans, fulilled the physical, social and political requirements of the mercantile and the administrative European oficers. Among the urban centers established by the British in India, Ambala Cantonment was an important station due to geographical and political reasons. This Anglicized town that settled in 1843 bears the elements of a typical cantonment and is worth scrutinizing as it possesses all three residential types; the bungalows, havelies and shophouses. The bungalows that evolved a century and a half ago were resultant of cultural and social collaboration of the ideologies of the Europeans and the indigenous. It cannot be denied that the bungalows gradually brought about change in the lifestyle habits of the indigenous and impacted their understanding of health, cleanliness and hygiene. This paper, as part of the study, focuses on the bungalows of Ambala Cantonment with respect to their planning philosophies and elements. The bungalow had developed as a typology by the time this Cantonment was established. Primarily similar, these bungalows differ in terms of layout, largely in the arrangement of their rooms and this study categorizes the bungalows on this criteria.

Facades of Historic Shop-Cum-Houses in Colonial Cantonment Towns in Bengal Presidency, India

“…Besides these, there were some elite families that resided within the area. The residential buildings of this richer class were very different from those of the traders and were influenced by the bungalows of the British [15]. The number of these lavish houses called the havelis was confined as the number of elite families in a town was also limited [16].…”

“…The wide and aerated rooms were mostly interconnected and opened into the courtyard or a verandah. These buildings had one or more courtyards that were responsible for the light and ventilation of the rooms along with cooling the interior spaces with the stack effect that they created [20]. The balconies in this typology got converted into enclosed gallery that served as a sit out and utility space.…”