I have always been fascinated with people and the way they develop the surroundings to make a home for themselves. There are  interesting types of houses in the world which have taken their shape on the basis of need, weather and resources; from Igloo to tree houses. And I so fancy to live in all those bizarre houses someday.

Talking about the recent experience I had staying in Spiti home-stays ; these houses are no less than a miracle. They deal with extreme weather year after year and still going strong. In fact, the first thing I noticed stepping on the divine land was these beautiful ‘mud brick houses’. In most of the villages the houses are built in the same manner, use the same resources and have similar structures. And there is a uniformity and equality, which these houses follow in the little villages. Local houses in Spiti are made of mud and wood which are good insulators both in summer and winter.

Building homes here is a community event with everybody in the village pitching in. Houses have a kitchen and a living room, a few utility rooms, a dry toilet, and an area for livestock that doubles up as storage for fodder. The white walls painted with a red color border, and blue windows. I guess the color influence comes from the Buddhist culture. The house structure and mud brick keeps the house warmer in winters when temperature goes low as -40 degree and the houses are engulfed under the thick sheet of snow. Also making it works efficiently for keeping all the smoke out and maintain the beautiful kitchen interiors. These eco-friendly houses are still being treasured by locals, though the change is inevitable and the cement houses are making their space in between. Here is the glimpse of what I saw, felt and lived in these houses.