When it rains heavily, where do you go? You run inside your house! When the sun is very hot, your house keeps you cool. When it is cold at night, your house keeps you warm.
A house is a place where we live with our family. It protects us from rain, sun, cold, wind and wild animals. A house is also called a shelter.
But did you know that not all houses look the same? In different parts of India, people build different kinds of houses depending on the weather, the land and the materials available.
We need a house for many reasons:
Think about it: What would happen if you had no house during the monsoon season? Where would you sleep, eat and keep your school bag?
1. Kutcha House
A kutcha house is made of mud, straw, bamboo and leaves. These houses are not very strong. Heavy rain or strong wind can damage them. Many people in villages live in kutcha houses.
2. Pucca House
A pucca house is made of bricks, cement, iron and concrete. These houses are strong and last for many years. Most houses in cities and towns are pucca houses. Flats and apartments are also pucca houses.
3. Tent
A tent is a temporary house made of cloth or animal skin stretched over poles. People who move from place to place, like nomads in Rajasthan and shepherds in the mountains, live in tents. Tents are easy to set up and carry.
4. Houseboat
A houseboat is a house built on a boat that floats on water. In Kashmir, beautiful houseboats called shikaras float on Dal Lake. Some people in Kerala also live on houseboats in the backwaters.
5. Stilt House
A stilt house is built on tall poles (stilts) above the ground or water. In Assam and other areas that get heavy floods, people build stilt houses so that water flows below the house without entering it. These houses are made of bamboo and wood.
Think about it: Why do people in flood areas build houses on stilts instead of on the ground?
| Type of House | Materials Used |
|---|---|
| Kutcha house | Mud, straw, bamboo, leaves, thatch |
| Pucca house | Bricks, cement, iron rods, concrete, glass |
| Tent | Cloth, canvas, animal skin, poles |
| Houseboat | Wood, painted planks |
| Stilt house | Bamboo, wood, thatch |
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Shelter | A place that protects us from weather and danger |
| Kutcha house | A house made of mud, straw and other weak materials |
| Pucca house | A strong house made of bricks, cement and concrete |
| Tent | A temporary shelter made of cloth stretched over poles |
| Houseboat | A house built on a boat that floats on water |
| Stilt house | A house raised above the ground on tall poles |
| Nomad | A person who moves from place to place and does not have a fixed home |
India is a big country with different types of land and weather. That is why houses are different in different places.
| Place | Weather / Land | Type of House | Why? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rajasthan | Very hot, sandy desert | Thick mud walls, flat roofs | Thick walls keep the house cool inside |
| Assam | Heavy rain, floods | Stilt houses (bamboo) | Stilts keep the house above flood water |
| Kashmir | Very cold, snow | Wooden houses, sloping roofs | Sloping roofs let snow slide off |
| Kerala | Heavy rain | Sloping tiled roofs | Rain water flows off the sloping roof |
In the Thar Desert, Ramu's house has thick mud walls and a flat roof. The thick walls keep the inside cool even when it is very hot outside. The roof is flat because it hardly rains there.
Fatima lives on a houseboat on Dal Lake in Srinagar. Her house floats on water! It is made of carved wood and has beautiful windows. Tourists love to stay in these houseboats.
During the monsoon, the river near Bimal's village rises very high. But his bamboo house stands on tall stilts, so the water passes below. His family stays safe and dry above.
A. Fill in the Blanks
B. Multiple Choice Questions
C. Match the Following
| Type of House | Where It Is Found | |
|---|---|---|
| Houseboat | ___ | Assam |
| Stilt house | ___ | Rajasthan |
| Thick mud-wall house | ___ | Kashmir |
| Tent | ___ | Nomads in deserts and mountains |
D. Short Answer
My Dream House: Draw your dream house in the space below. Then answer the questions.
1. What type of house is it (kutcha / pucca / other)? __________________
2. What materials would you use to build it? __________________________________
3. How many rooms does it have? __________________
4. Why did you choose this type of house? ______________________________________