MINOR PROJECT -HISTORY

PRESENTED BY –
SHIFA PARVIN 4ED19AT009
 INTRODUCTION

• Many of us know about the stately homes of the Chettiars in Tamilnadu, but few outside South Kanara and Udupi
districts in Karnataka have heard of the GuthuMane or the Guthu Houses. They were typically owned by the
landowners of the region, from the Bunt community, to whom an almost princely respect and reverence was
attached. Guthu Mane were built in the centre of the land holdings that each family owned. Before I introduce you
to the lovely people who have maintained this inherited property, let me walk you through the features of a
typical Guthu house.

• The majestic yet graceful structure of Kodial Guthu, which reflects the traditional coastal architecture and rich
legacy of Bunt community, is now evoking an overwhelming response through the artistic endeavors it houses.
• Efforts by INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage) and ‘Artkanara’, a trust formed by an
enthusiastic group of artists from Mangaluru, Udupi and Kasargod districts, have reaped dividends and the
heritage ‘Guthu’ House onon G G Road in Ballal Bagh, is now a vibrant art hub. “An objective to encourage art
appreciation and patronage, was realised with the partnership of INTACH, Artkanara trust and art patrons,”
informs Subhas Chandra Basu, serving as a convener of the Mangaluru branch of INTACH. Basu is an architect
who works on the conservation of heritage structures.
INTRODUCTION
WHAT IS GUTHU MANE?
Guthu houses mean homes of prestige. These beautiful houses are the traditional manor houses of Dakshina Kannada, built to fit the
requirements of matrilineal joint families. Guthu Manes were built in the centre of the land holdings that each family owned.
The architecture of these homes followed Vastu principles. Guthu houses look like a mini temple from the outside. Characterised by
sloping roofs with Mangalore tiles and huge courtyards that overlook paddy fields, Guthu houses are a reminder of a bygone era.
They symbolised the wealth and prestige of the wealthy landlords who built these houses. Exquisite care was taken to ensure that not
only did Guthu houses evoke grandeur but were also built keeping in mind Mangalore’s often oppressive heat and humidity as a
coastal region.
The open space in front of the house beyond the main gate, which was called jaal, would typically have a shelter made from woven
dried coconut leaves that would serve as protection from the extreme heat. All Guthu houses had a veranda that acted as a sit-out
and beautiful doors made from intricately carved teakwood or rosewood. Ornate and exquisitely carved wooden pillars adorned the
interiors of the inner courtyard. These pillars upheld a decorated wooden ceiling, which usually had representations of mango and
floral designs, foliage, and coin motifs. Solid wooden beams called jantis supported this grand ceiling.

• Design and Architecture of Guthu homes

• The large houses had a typical design – a thatched front door called the Main Door or the hebbagilu – not really a door but a longish building that
served many purposes.
• HEIGHT of the door – 2M
• WIDTH of the door – 1M
• This was where visitors entered the premises. There was drinking water and a small wash area where
they could wash the dust off their feet and walk in to the main house through the garden or courtyard. In
a parallel building, there were also stalls for bulllocks and cow sheds. There were makeshift quarters for
the bullockcart drivers too. Parts of the hebbagilu were used as store rooms to stock the bales of hay, or
the produce from the fields.

• After passing through a courtyard that typically had a garden and a well, one finally reached the main
house. All houses had a verandah which was really the hub where the large joint family used to spend time
over steaming beverages or food, also where visitors were welcomed and seated.
• The verandah or jaal is cool and airy. This was where visitors first stepped in. The thatched roof provided a welcome respite from the oppressive heat.
• This area was originally without its enclosing walls. Large pillars support the roof, and this is the jaal or the entrance to the main house

• The jaal led into the chavadi – large, exquisitely decorated drawing rooms that sometimes even had a throne. The family heirlooms were also kept and in the more traditional homes the village diety was kept in this room. Bedrooms
were typically upstairs or situated alongside a second more private courtyard, leading out from the chavadi
• The sloping roofs tiled with Mangalore tiles, and the structure of the buildings was built not only to portray a sense of regality, but also was good
design, with a maalige or upper floor level that is so typical of all Mangalore homes. The purpose was to protect the house from the oppressive heat
and mugginess, ensure good ventilation.

The presence of a lot of woodwork

There is a lot of exquisite wood work in Guthu homes. There are large solid wood pillars, wooden cielings that lend an air of sophisticated elegance to its
simple yet expensive features. Teakwood or rosewood was used for the pillars. The beautiful wooden cielings were supported by wooden beams known
as jantis.
Most Guthu houses have other lovely wooden pieces – for instance, the swing where the head of the house sat, lots of beautiful chests, writing desks, shelves, elegant chairs from the old eras, and not to miss the most loved piece of Mangalore furniture, ubiquitous
to homes of all communities – the vakil bench.
HISTORY
KodialGuthu – A Guthu Mane in Mangalore

• Kodialguthu House and the family have a history of over 600 years. The present structure of the house dates
back to roughly around 250 years, and occupies a better part of a 2 acre plot.The daughters of Kaup
Sarvotham Shetty and Kodial Guthu Kausalya Shedthi, Kodial Guthu Jyothi and Kodial Guthu Pratibha are the
owners of the house. This is as per Aliyasantana system of matrilineal inheritance. While Jyoti Alva inhabits
the main Guthu house and the new extension adjacent to it, her sister Pratibha Karanth has inherited
the hebbagilu or the Main door, which like the royal homes of the past is actually a one storey building. The
sisters have tried their best to keep the memories of their family legacy alive by maintaining their respective
buildings beautifully. All the images in this blog post, including the ones shared earlier, are of the Kodialguthu
house.

This was originally the main entrance to the Kodialguthu

home. It was known as the hebbagilu Pratibha Karanth
owns this area and she has restored it beautifully, with
utmost respect for the heritage it carries.
A Hobli Guthu House
The prestige and grandeur of this family can be ascertained from the fact that during the rule of the Vijayanagara Empire in the
south, three Bunt Feudal houses were given the right to resolve civil and criminal disputes in the Mangalore area. The Kodial Guthu
family head was the arbitrator of justice. The other bunt families that had this right were Jeppu Gudde Guthu and Badila Guthu. All
three together are known as Mangalore Hobli Guthu houses. To maintain impartiality of the justice system marriages were
forbidden between these three houses.

The Alvas in the main chavadi part of their home

The family belongs to Gojjaranna lineage of Bunts. There is a possibility that Gojjaranna is a totemic symbol associated with Dogs.
According to bunt folklore Gojjaranna families have deep affection for dogs and they go to great lengths to see that they are never
harmed by anyone.
The image below will give you a better idea of the original structure, with the open jaal very typical of old Mangalore
homes

Only the chavadi of the old Guthu house is retained with A newspaper clipping from an article by John B Monteiro depicting the old
Kodialguthu house as it looked back in time.
everything untouched, except for a modern floor, as the old
floor was difficult to maintain. The rest of the home is now
converted into a modern residential structure.
Two points of view, where conservation efforts are concerened
Guthumane are the remnants of a life that once was. Few of them are maintained now, and many have been lost in family feuds for property, or just fallen to
disrepair because of the costs of maintaining them Kodialguthu House in the heart of Mangalore is one of the few exceptions. Heritage afficionados criticize the
Alvas for renovating the front portion, but given the high cost of maintenace, the increasing pollution and the damage that current environmental situations
may cause to this priceless structure, I feel that it was done in the best interests. Old homes cost a lot of money to maintain, and it is admirable that the Alvas
decided to preserve the beauty of the chavadi in the capacity they could.