[author ]Roshan Bano[/author]
An architectural masterpiece of Utility and Beauty and Harmony so perfectly blended.
(It’s called Pamiri House elsewhere in world (in published literature) as it belongs to Pamiris for it originated in their culture. Because of its usefulness and compatibility and suitability to life style GB of that time that it got assimilated so deeply that no one even realized that it’s an adopted one from somewhere else. It’s a cultural commonality among most of linguistic communities of GB so it must be known with different names in rest of languages of of GB. As it is called مشاشکی حہin Brushaki language)
Single room house that entails, an entrance (yorchi,khonjikhas), two bed rooms(mun- hiriye mun, goshinunchay mun), a kitchen(sheeti), a dining room(dalum shee), a store(shen,dhap,xaghor),
Designed in a manner that even being in a single room all its sections are completely discrete and separate from one another at the same time there is a harmony, symmetry, proportion and order among all these sections within four walls of that single room.
At that being in one room it was much easier to keep tidy, maintained in contrast to maintaining multi rooms for different purpose. It was equally cost -effective resource wise for constructing multi rooms at that time of resource scarcity was not easy and affordable for most of households.
It was compatibility of Hah with lifestyle of that time that it made it an essential need of every household/family for decent shelter. It used to be dream of every family to construct Hah. Once Hah is constructed it was an achievement and is considered an enhancement in status of the family. If a family had not that Hah but simple rooms no matter how many in number it was considered that family had not proper shelter or home. So it has socio- cultural value as well.
Hah as whole is unique but arrangement for ventilation is equally unique. A Skylight (Sagham). an outlet right in mid of ceiling exactly above hearth/fireplace! An efficient way of ventilation for being exactly above stove so that fumes and smoke discharge out and fresh air comes in.
Sky light (Sagham) positioned in the center of ceiling is not just a ventilation but a piece of ornamentation as well because of the it’s design and patterns with wooden work. Wooden work of four concentric squares placed on one another ending in square skylight! A design to behold and mesmerize!
The wooden work is not only a structural feature but is main ornamentation of the house. The wooden ceiling with rafters, and beams supported by wooden pillars carved with designs and patterns.
A single room house with all required features, lesser expenditures and at the same time aesthetically appealing! Such combination is rare just in anything!
It’s just a note by a layperson written out of nostalgic memories of childhood spent in Hah and admiration for the perfect blend of utility and beauty within it!
