Changing Patalkot: Balancing mud homes and concrete structures

हिंदी में पढ़ें। The name "Patalkot" is derived from the Sanskrit word "Patal," meaning "very deep." Situated 78 kilometres from Chhindwara town, this valley in Madhya Pradesh rests 3,000 feet above sea level. Patalkot is home to over 2,000 residents from the Bharia and Gond tribes. According to local legends, the valley is believed to be the gateway to 'patal.’

Surrounded by steep gorges, the Satpura mountain ranges, and dense forests, Patalkot's 12 tribal villages remained largely untouched by the outside world for centuries. In this remote haven, the tribal culture and the natural, self-reliant lifestyle flourished. However, things are changing now. Paved roads have reached the valley, bringing markets and external influences that are slowly replacing Patalkot's once-vibrant tribal life with the dull shades of modernisation.

The valley is experiencing rapid changes as government housing schemes and paved roads bring external influences into the once-secluded tribal villages. While these developments aim to improve living conditions for the Bharia and Gond tribes, they also raise concerns about rising construction costs, cultural erosion, and environmental impacts. The shift from traditional mud houses to concrete structures highlights the challenges of modernisation in a region where self-reliance and cultural preservation have long been central.

Desire for concrete structures

Vinita Bharti lives in Kareaam village, which has just 21 houses. The 35-year-old homemaker sits at the threshold of her under-construction red-brick house, cheek by jowl with her old mud house. The traditional Bharia tribal home is painted with vibrant yellow walls and adorned with tribal art, exuding a natural beauty that contrasts with the new house. Bharti shares, 

“We received ₹2.5 lakh under the Pradhan Mantri Janman Yojana to construct a concrete house, which was disbursed in five installments as the house progressed.”

Launched on November 15, 2023, the Pradhan Mantri Janman Tribal Justice Campaign aims to improve the socio-economic conditions of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) by providing essential facilities such as secure housing, clean drinking water, education, healthcare, nutrition, roads, telecommunication connectivity, electricity, and livelihood opportunities.

According to government data, Chhindwara district received approval for 202 houses, including those in Patalkot. Additionally, under this scheme, over 30,000 houses were approved in Madhya Pradesh by Union Minister of Rural Development and Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chauhan.

The cement industry flourishes

Vinita shares with a mix of hope and emotion that her concrete house will be a valuable space for her children, who are now studying in the city and visit the family during holidays. “This is for them,” she says, her voice tinged with both pride and a hint of nostalgia. “We’re not used to living in such homes.”

Patalkot’s difficult terrain significantly increases the cost of house construction. The transportation expenses are particularly high, with a tractor trolley charging up to ₹9,000 for a round trip to bring in construction materials. “The government-provided funds are insufficient to complete the house,” says Vinita.

“Transporting materials like bricks, cement, sand, and steel to Patalkot is costly, and the financial strain makes it even harder to finish the construction.”

According to reports, the average construction cost of housing projects in India has increased by 39% over the last four years. Cement prices have risen by over 30%, steel prices have more than doubled, and other materials like aluminium, electrical wiring, paint, and stone have also seen significant price hikes. Remote areas like Patalkot face even higher costs due to transportation expenses.

Government schemes targeting affordable housing and infrastructure projects have significantly benefitted India’s cement industry. In 2023, the market size of India's cement industry reached 3.96 billion tonnes and is expected to grow to 5.99 billion tonnes by 2032, with a projected CAGR of 4.7% from 2024 to 2032.

Some build their homes themselves

The guidelines of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana emphasise the use of local materials and skilled masons for quality construction. However, in Kareyam (Kareaam) village, some tribal families are building their homes themselves. These families are skilled and are saving on labour costs.

Bharti’s neighbour, Budhiya, is one such person constructing her home with the help of her family, one brick at a time. The 40-year-old shares,

“I prepare the mortar for the house's walls by mixing sand and cement. My 23-year-old son, Ravindra, who learnt wall construction while working in the city, helps me lay the bricks.”

Ravindra adds, "Everyone here is building their own homes. There are no labourers available. Whatever money we save will be used to hire masons from the city to lay the roof."

Building homes is a long-standing tradition among the tribal communities of the region. For centuries, if not more, they have constructed their own dwellings using natural materials found in the environment—what we now refer to as ‘earth homes.’

Skilled women in these communities craft thick walls by weaving thin branches together and plastering them with mud. The roof is made from sturdy wooden frames and clay tiles. Inside, these homes typically feature kitchens, granaries, small temples, and living spaces. Women decorate the walls with vibrant traditional paintings passed down through generations while also creating small mud shelves to store utensils and essentials. The thick mud walls, coupled with ample ventilation, keep these homes cool during the hot summer months.

Bharti acknowledges, "Since the government is providing funds, we are building concrete houses. But we know we’ll need fans and coolers during the summer."

Cultural and environmental challenges

Another villager sheds light on the challenges faced by rural communities in transitioning from traditional to modern construction methods. The high cost of labour and materials, particularly when sourced from distant urban areas, adds a significant financial burden. The lack of local expertise further complicates the process. Take Sohan Bharti, for example, whose half-built concrete house stands in Kareaam village. Lacking the expertise to construct modern homes, the 50-year-old shares,

"Masons charge ₹500 daily to work here, and shopkeepers in the city charge double the price for materials. Most of the money is spent on this. I doubt this house will ever be completed."

Their old house was too small for their 10-member family, and they felt unsafe during rain and bad weather, says Sohan's wife, Kusum. However, she remains optimistic, adding, "We'll start living in the new house once it's partially completed." 

Like Sohan, many houses in Kareaam and Chimtipur villages remain unfinished. In most cases, residents are using these incomplete structures to store cow dung cakes to protect them from rain. For many, these concrete frames serve as supplementary shelters rather than primary homes. However, their boxy design contrasts with the vibrant charm of the tribal villages. 

Rishi Bharti, an activist working to preserve Patalkot, says,

"With roads reaching Patalkot, urban culture has rapidly infiltrated. Our children, exposed to the outside world through education and mobile phones, are forgetting their traditions. They aspire to live like the people they see online."

Rishi believes the arrival of roads has also made the forests vulnerable and increased problems like plastic and noise pollution. He warns, "While people are happy adopting urban lifestyles and building new homes, these houses and lifestyles are unsuited to the local climate. The realisation will come when they spend most of their limited income on electricity to heat or cool their homes."  

Edited by Diwash Gahatraj

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