Under the 57th series of its online exhibition by Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya, on Thursday presented the 'Kothar' a traditional granary situated in the Open Air Exhibition on Himalayan village of Manav Sangrahalaya has been presented online with its basic information and photographs and videos.
About this exhibition, Praveen Kumar Mishra, Director, IGRMS said that – Settled in the Rawain valley of Rajgarhi Purola and Mori Block of Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand; the Rawain community is hardworking. They practice simple agriculture and cattle breeding as their main occupations. Grains obtain through cultivation are stored in the Kothar (a grain bin). The use of Kothar in the Rawain society has been continuing from ancient times. Pine or Cedar wood is used for making Kothar as it helps in preventing damages from the rain and unwanted infestation of the woodworms and termite.
Kothar is a small wooden structure similar to a house built by the people nearby their house. Even nowadays, artists do not use nails in the making of a Kothar. They use wooden pegs and set in a way that ensures the firmness of the structure and its longevity. Carving is done on front pillars by engraving beautiful and attractive motifs of flowers, leaves and creepers. This structure is made in a way that it can be shift from one place to another. Its lower portion is a box-type enclosure made of four walls prepared by mud and stone.
The roof is covered with wood and Pathaal (local stone). The entire structure is founded on the four thick and solid planks of Pine over the stone surface and this traditional technique is used by the locality from over a period of time and tested quite enduring to resist the earthquake to a great extent. The front portion of this enclosure has a small door and a window like wooden structure through which honeybee enters and make the comb.