NK TV returns to your screens to fill you with a heady sense of nostalgia. It will take you back to your roots as it takes you on a virtual tour of a Guthu Mane – the traditonal home of Coastal Landlords..
Homes are an aspect that humans have taken great pride in since time immemorial. From the carefully thought out and constructed large family homes of the ancestors to the compact spaces inhibited by nuclear families today, everyone has a soft corner for their homes. No wonder then that so much care is taken in constructing and decorating them.
Guthu Mane, meaning home of prestige was the centre piece of the land holdings that each family owned. The architecture of these homes followed Vastushilpa principles. The homes themselves were preceded by paddy fields called bakimar kanda. Once past the paddy field, one came upon the tudame or main gate which was made from bamboo poles that were made to slide into holes in wooden posts on the opposite side.
The Guthu Mane you will see in this episode is a lovingly built replica of the houses that the Coastal Landlords lived in in yesteryears, as the actual ones are hard to find, having dwindled with urbanization and modernization. It can be found at the Dr Shivaram Karanth Pilikula Nisargadhama and was constructed to preserve the rich culture of Tulunadu. It opened for public viewing on April 14th last year.
Materials included in the construction of the guthu mane roofs included Mangalore roofing tiles, terracotta tiles and glass tiles to let in light. Availability of wood and skilled labour allowed these rich landlords to adorn their homes with exquisite woodwork which was the signature of these homes. Like the traditional homes of other communities, guthu mane were designed and constructed with a delicate balance between functionality and aesthetics.
Considering Mangalore has a typical tropical climate with hot summers and heavy rains the houses are built such that there is ample ventilation with huge central courtyards. Traditionally in the olden days these mansions housed joint families. Wooden pillars with exquisite carvings are found all across these houses. They look grand and stand apart distinctly in the crowd.
Prof. Vivek Rai, Professor of Kannada Language,Literature and Folkloristics in Mangalore University,Karnataka,(1970-2004), Vice-Chancellor of Kannada University,Hampi (2004-07)and Karnataka State Open University(2007-09) and Guest-Professor,Dept.of Indology,University of Wurzburg,Germany(2009- ) provides viewers of this episode with a historic perspective.
Dont miss this episode – You’ll really miss out on a nostalgic experience.
