BUILDING
NATURAL
"Yes. Farm project is very nice. . . . Introduce this farm project. In America there is enough scope. So much land is lying vacant. And if there are jungles, cut the jungles; use the wood. Just like our Virginia. Big big jungles. You cut the woods, you get ground, open field, and you utilize the logs for house making. In Africa, everywhere, the natures way. Purnam idam."
PURNAM IDAM - NATURES WAY
Mayapur. February 15, 1977 - Evening Darshan
STONE
EARTH
WOOD
Simple living needn't be Austere living
Austerity is the wealth of the brahmana, but too much austerity also hardens the heart. Srila Prabhupada didn't want conditions to be so austere that devotees wouldn't be attracted to joining Varnashram communities. At Vrajabhumi Gita we propose to use all natural materials to build our structures. Natural materials like Earth houses, keep cool in summer and warm in winter, allowing freedom from the need for air-conditioning and heaters.
Natural building lends itself to a high degree of creativity. Just as decorating the alter and dressing the deity inspires our devotion, we feel that our homes should also express our devotion to Lord Krishna. The benefits of Natural building are endless compared to the alternative of cement and concrete. No matter who you are, your age or your varna, building of our homes with Natural materials can become a fun collective team building experience to solidify the devotee community.
Teaching the necessary self-build skills
In 2014 I was invited to Auroville in Tamil Nadu as co-manager for building three Earth houses. One family house, one couple house and one batchelor house. Our team consisted of 3 managers, six local masons and a group of young architechtural students, male and female, who had absolutely no skills.
I didnt have much experience in Earth house building, until I underwent training at H.H. Bhakti Rasamrita Swami's Gokul Dham farm in Belgaum, North Karnataka. Gokul Dham is an exclusively brahmacari and varnashrama training farm, there we built all the existing structures and farmed the land.
Before this, I was recruited by H.H Bhakti Raghava Swami at his Hebri farm in South Karnataka to assist him in building necessary infrastructure for his first ever varnashram course.
As a youngster, I attended a technical high school where I learnt five trades and technical drawing. In my professional life I worked as a freelance artist-muralist and interior decorator. Knowing your way around tools and being good with your hands certainly helps, but its not a prerequisite to working as a team. You do what you can and learn along the way.
Anyone can do it
CLAY
SAND
STRAW
WATER
FEET
A Sustainable Build with Natural materials
Sustainable building involves designing and constructing buildings to be environmentally friendly and resource-efficient throughout their entire life cycle, minimizing negative impacts by using less energy, water, and materials while creating healthier living spaces.
What we have showcased here is the high end of what can be achieved with natural materials. When we say "Back to Civilization" we dont mean a return to the Dark ages, where Earth houses are perceived to be damp with crumbling walls. No, we have revived some of the tradional vedic recipes, like lime mortar, that actually gets stronger with time. Traditional lime mortar is the original version of modern day toxic cement. It complements earth, allows the walls to breath and at the same time weatherproofs the exterior, preventing damp and crumbling mud. It can also be easily tinted with natural Earth pigments to provide a host of durable interior and exterior finishes.
"Back to Civilization" isn't "Back to the Dark Ages"
From the Ordinary. .
Building with Natural materials provides the builder with a wide assortment of materials which allows for versatility and increased creativity. That means that if you are more prone to a sadhu life, you can keep it simple, yet functional, without too much inconvenience to your devotional life . . . .
. .to the Extraordinary
. . . . or . . if you are a Grhasta with an expanding family still needing the extra space, and more creature comforts, you can explore the extraordinary approach. Many devotees coming from the west will probably still want to have a decent kitchen or bathroom with running water. This all can be achieved with natural materials and provide you with a creative earthen environment that inspires your devotional life.
Our Vedic Temple
Lord Sri Krishna Bhagavan is the All Attractive Personality of Godhead.
It stands to reason that if Lord Krishna is All Attractive, then our Community Temple for the worship of the Lord should be a place of attraction. We want that it is not only an aesthetically exquisite structure, but that it becomes the place where we as a devotee family can unify and nurture each others devotional lives.
Lord Krishna is the ability in man.
The All Attractive feature.
Srila Prabhupada said that "impossible" is a word in a fools dictionary. What we are proposing may seem far fetched to some, but we are fixed in conviction that through a sincere devotional attitude all can be made possible through the spirit of co-operation.
Dream Big. For Krishna.
Communal Areas and Workspaces
Whether its Lecture halls or workshops, prasadam halls or bhajan areas, open air structures are great. They provide good ventilation with natural light and are easily constructed from an assortment of natural materials.
