Homes have fences with a gate to personalize the space inside. Homes are personalized according to the style and design of the homeowner. It is coloured in a desired chroma with specified furniture and laced curtains of one’s choice. A consumer space where the materials are stored, moved and consumed of one’s desirability and personality often times reflecting on the taste and persona of the homeowners. Homes can also be spaces with memories, identity and heritage. While modern homes have become more and more personalized, in this article we look at the traditional architectural structures and home space among the Lepchas. This article is a journey through all the places, memories, and stories alongtwo years of fieldwork in different parts of Sikkim, Kalimpong and Darjeeling.
What I have been doing all this time falls under “auto-ethnography” in anthropological terms. Some might see this as a very but bringing the essence of the community and the field along with my research and writings should be of equal significance. Among the various works, research and discussions; I as a researcher and also a member of the community, am placing our voice to be heard and read out in the world.
My very first contact with a Dokeymoo Lee (traditional Lepcha house) was back in 2015. My fieldwork on discovering the stories of Pano Gaeboo Achyok, the last king of the Lepchas, led me to Lungsyol in Kalimpong the birth place of the Pano (king). It was here amidst the lightning struck trees, I stayed in a Dokeymoo lee for the entirety of my fieldwork. It was a model Lepcha house built with the aid of the Mayel Lyang Lepcha Development Board (MLLDB), West Bengal in Kalimpong. Originally built for the purpose of cultural tourism it soon became an important part of Mr. Ambrose Lepcha and his family. It not only earned them some form of livelihood apart from agriculture. It was also well intertwined with their social and cultural life. It was made of huge wooden planks with thirteen pillars supported it which sat atop huge flat stones. The roof was shaped out from thatch grass. The house included four rooms out of which the kitchen was the place with most contact and activities. Every social event in the family took place here.
This was the starting point that led me later, to dive deeper into the material culture of the Lepchas.
My journey started in West Sikkim, in Gangyap to be specific. Situated between Tashiding and Yuksom, it is around 110 kilometers from the capital of Gangtok.The village of Gangyap looks like an old oil painting of hilly terrains resounding with its name which means ‘hills beyond the hills’. The village is situated one hour uphill from Tashiding. On the second day I was led to a Dokeymoo Lee. This house belonged to Mr. Yukchung Lepcha, which was now abandoned due to the damage by the 2011 earthquake. It was ironical in a way since it is of the popular belief among the Lepchas that these pillars makes Dokeymoo Lee an earthquake and landslide resistant house. It is believed that when an earthquake occurs the house would just tumble on top of the foundational stones and not collapse. The other theory is that if there is a landslide the impact would be a lot less and would not directly hit the house as the impact is broken with the empty space below the house from where the mud can escape.
For Mr. Yukchung Lepcha the house was constructed by his ancestors. In the previous generation it was his grandfather and father who built this housein the 1980’s. It contains two rooms, one kitchen, and one prayer room. It was a small dwelling given the present house they have now, but it was home none the less. He talked about them living together with his family, learning and sharing stories. While constructing a Dokeymoo Lee it is often essential to use one or few Saderlong (Neolithic celts) which is an essential part of the traditional Lepcha house as it is believed it protects the house from lightning. Saderlong are sacred artefacts which is believed to possess powers to protect against lightning and also have medicinal properties. But according to Mr. Yukchung Lepcha, they did not use any Saderlong for the house, and he thinks this may be the reason that it could not withstand the forces of nature. He and his family had recently moved to a new concrete house built a little distance from their Dokeymoo Lee. The lee (fig1) is no more in the shape to house people so they shifted to a new home. This is the last Dokeymoo Lee existing in the village of Gangyap, the request of Mr. Yakchung Lepcha, put forth to the village authorities, to safeguard and restore the house, have met with disappointment and ignorance he reports but he still hopes to restore it as it is a “reminder of his ancestors and his memories”.
Fig 1: Dokeymoo Lee belonging to Mr. Yukchung Lepcha and his family in Gangyap, West Sikkim.
In Lepcha, Dokey means to ‘sit on top’ and lee means ‘house’. The Lepcha house has functional structures. It is built using huge flat stones on which pillars are erected and then the house is built on top hence the name Dokeymoo Lee (fig 2). The whole structure is built usually only using an axe to cut the trees and carve the woods. No nails are used to join the wooden panels and pillars rather all the pieces are put together like puzzle pieces. Morris described Dokeymoo Lee as “generally raised about six feet above ground, and is supported by wooden pillars resting on stones. It is entered by means of a ladder, which usually takes the form of a roughly notched bamboo, the space beneath the house being occupied by the cattle” (Morris 1983:166). The stones are laid as foundation to the house, which stands on large wooden stands raised above the ground. “The Lepcha house, moreover, has a wooden floor, through the joints of which, since the house is raised off the ground, air can also enter” (ibid 1983: 171).
Fig 2: Illustration of Dokeymoo lee
“In the olden days people would choose a place with ample availability of huge stones and huge trees to build a Dokeymoo Lee”, said Mr. Dup Shuzong Lepcha from Kalimpong. They then cleared the area most appropriate for constructing the house and used the materials already available around them. The stones are molded into the desired shape and size and then laid down as foundation known as Kaden long or Doo-moo Long, on top of which the kao-dampu (wooden pillars) are placed as it helps rise the main structure above the ground. This could have been a defense mechanism to avoid encounters with wild animals. Also this allowed them to house their domestic animals close by. The Kaden long or Doo-moo long gives the house its nomenclature. In many places the foundation stone is known as kaden long so the traditional house is known by the name Kadenmoo Lee whereas in some places the foundation stone is known as the Doo-moo long so the house is called a Dokeymoo Lee. Mostly the number of wooden pillars varies from eight to thirteen to the maximum of eighteen. But this may differ from house to house. But there is only one huge main pillar in the middle.The initial structure of the house is prepared using whole tree trunks, placed horizontally joined to each other and with the kao-dampu which is placed vertically, like a puzzle piece, known as salen. Next the huge wooden panels are prepared and used for dividing different Bo (room) and the flooring.
The wooden panels used often have a strategic gap between some as it acted as an opening and used as a functioning lavatory. The walls were later built with either a mixture of grass, and mud and bamboo or just wooden panels in the earlier days known as damchyok. As more animals were domesticated they used cow dung mixed with red soil. The bamboos are cut in desirable lengths and size and interwoven between the pillars and then the mud mixture is layered until a thick wall is formed. In other cases wooden panels are used for the walls. A Dokeymoo lee also consists of a balcony known as aayo, in front of the main door often extending to other two sides of the house, laid with wood or bamboo and a safety measures taken by securing the balcony by a slightly elevated bamboo wall. The roof is initially structured with bamboos giving the basic shape of the roof then, nyong or thatch grass is laid over them, this grass is used in places with moderately high temperature and lower altitude, like Kalimpong and lower parts of Darjeeling. Places with high altitude and colder temperature, like in Sikkim use smaller species of bamboo for the roof.
As fieldwork progressed I encountered more Dokeymoo lee in Safo, Upper Dzongu North Sikkim. The other purpose for which the space between the ground and the main house is used as mentioned previously is from housing cattle. Now with the application of health reforms the domesticated animals are kept at a distance and the space is used as storage for firewood, hay and other materials. A Dokeymoo lee can be categorized as having the stones, pillars, two to three rooms and the kitchen as shown in the blueprint. Usually a Dokeymoo lee consists of a big thop or kitchen (fig 3), two and in some cases three bo or rooms usually comprising of Aang-bo an equivalent of a drawing room. Aada-bo (The word Aada means to sleep here Aada means sleeping room) and an additional Kingkhor or prayer room which was a later addition.
Out of all the rooms the thop (kitchen) befits an important part of a Dokeymoo lee as it is where most of the activities take place. It is also a place where the family gathers, share food, and talk. It is here where the generation gaps are layered with sentiments, stories are shared, emotions spilled, opinions put up and knowledge passed down. It is a place where decisions are taken. The main hearth is a little elevated from the ground where three stones are erected in a triangle making space for the firewood to go in and also to support the pots and vessels. Usually the hearth is at one corner of the kitchen making room for the people to assemble and settle in the room. The kitchen also has a small granary where seeds are stored; this is a much later addition to the traditional structure of the architecture as settled agriculture gained more popularity. The granary is usually made out of wood. Other times a thop consists of an attic known as palhong which is used both as a granary and as storage for seeds and food. The palhong is connected to the thop with bamboos and wood. It can be accessed with a tungrung or ladder. All special rituals usually take place in this room and is also the focus of many ceremonies. During marriage, the bride is supposed to carry a couple of firewood and light the fire at the hearth symbolizing the start of a new household and entering a new phase of life.
The thop is traditionally made of thop long (long meaning stone) consisting of three stones erected in the form of a triangle in a platform elevated a few inches from the floor made of mud and stones as seen in. But the design has changed, borrowed and evolved overtime. Panthop is the upper part of the main hearth. It is where the firewood is dried which is later used to cook and to stay warm. It is also a spot where food especially meat is smoke dried and which can be reserved for times when there is scarcity of food. The seeds to be planted the next year are dried here. As Lepchas usually practice subsistence agriculture they keep indigenous crops which are reliable and climate resistant, like kamdak-zo (Fox tail millet), Kaodo (Proso millet), mong (finger millet), kuchung (maize), beans, vegetables etc.it is a place which ensures the sustainability of the family and the continuation of the culture.
Fig 3: Thop from a Dokeymoo Lee at Lungsyol, Kalimpong.
In 2016 a dokeymoo lee was constructed under the Thom Sezum of Darjeeling funded by the (MLLDB) (fig 4) and (fig 5). It was this house that brought me to Dhajea in Darjeeling. Builders from Kalimpong were hired and manual labour from the village itself was used. A plot of land was alloted and the resources brought in from nearby areas including some donated item. It cost almost 8 lakh rupees for the completion of the house. It is today used as a homestay, and a venue for special funtions of the Kyong (village) and Thom Sezum (Lepcha governing body/association). The huge foundational stones were brought in from the nearby river and had to manually tansported to the location as it is a little furthur from the road. Thatch grass is used for the roof as the area is relatively warmer and suitable for the growth of thatch grass. The roof provides good insulation of air inside the house. This project provided an opportunity to provide economic inflow as well as to recover the age old architectural practices of the community, “It is a part of reviving and continuing the tradition of the community,” says Ren. Buddha Tshering Lepcha, Secretary Sukhiyam Thom Sezum, Darjeeling.
Fig 4: Dokeymoo Lee in Dhajea Fig 5: Dokeymoo Lee in Dhajea (closeup view)
In Kalimpong, model houses are sanctioned by the Mayel Lyang Lepcha Development Board (MLLDB). Lungsyol is one of the areas that was aided to build a Dokeymoo lee. A few modern twists added to the traditional design –the windows or rapsey (window), also made of wood were designed creatively giving an arched top almost like a design from a palace only simpler. The roof is layered with thatch which allowed the free filter of smoke from inside and prevented rain and cold from entering the house, this roof had to be renovated every five to ten years. But according to some elders, in the past the roof had to be renovated once in thirty to thirty-five years. The walls were layered with bamboo and mud mixed with cow dung which kept the house warm and the floors and the posts were made of wood, a whole tree used for each post. Though the Lepchas did not use nails for building their traditional houses this being a relatively new one had used some nails. The space below the house was used to store thatch for further usage. The house was also being installed with a western toilet for the convenience of the guests often times for a “westerner”. It was in fact good to see the continuation of traditional ways with modern touches.
Travelling further in search of more Lee’s I came across one in Suruk which was reportedly more than hundred-years-old. New additions and modifications could be seen and when they could not add anymore the house has been partially not in use. Besides the process of making chi in this old Dokeymoo lee, it had otherwise already been abandoned by the family. The house belongs to Mr. Tha Tshering Lepcha of Suruk Kalimpong, it was built by his grandfather taking into consideration the necessity of that time. Presently they have shifted to a new home beside the old Dokeymoo lee. The abandoned house had one big room with the hearth at one corner of the room. The room was partially divided into two making another room. Their family grew and necessities increased while the house grew old, so they had to shift to a new residence.
Fig 6: Dokeymoo Lee from Suruk, Kalimpong
For the Lepchas their houses were never individualized in some villages still, houses are left open and there no sense of safeguarding or personalization. Anyone in the village can visit at anytime. Traveling to Hee-Gyathang in Dzongu was where I came across another traditional house with its door open to welcome anyone from the village. A short tour across inside could be possible but it seemed very intrusive of me to go in without the owner’s permission. Other houses here also had their doors open at anytime.
The architectural design changes with the change in altitude as a mode of coping with the environment. The Dokeymoo Lee of Sikkim use a bamboo roof since it is colder and also in the past to endure snowfalls in contrast to the Kalimpong Dokeymoo Lee, which is made of thatch grass. Though these houses have more or less similar design only varying in the personality of the owner which could be seen in the design of the house which was made according to the needs and convenience of the owners. The other change came about with time as it progressed so the Dokeymoo lee’s also had to. The thatched roof and bamboo roofs have been replaced by more durable steel roof. With time and modern technology, more concrete houses started becoming a popularity and many changes were made to the traditional houses.
The Kao dampu has been replaced by concrete pillars, floors replaced with cemented flooring and later by more polished and marbled floorings. The roof is replaced by tinned roof which had to be renovated once in a very very long period of time. The thop and hearth is replaced by stoves run on LPG cylinderd gas and electricity. Thus the architectural structure changed and evolved gradually. Those that remain are a mixture of both traditional and modern, halfbreeds which can be neither categorised as a modern house nor a traditonal one. But we can surely put them under a different evolving category, since they are still under the process of change. Some are stuck like in a limbo frozen in time forever, abandoned. Used only for storage and by researchers like myself to understand the past and the state of transision in between.
Rongnyoo Lepcha