The cluster of mud houses of Red Earth Cottage Resort on the banks of Kabini River is one of the most naturally air-conditioned dwelling in the southern part of India. Located on the fringes of Nagarhole National Park near Mysuru, the mud houses are unique structures in the region because of the rammed earth technology used for their construction. The resort in this peninsular land, which protrudes into Kabini backwaters as well, has earned its name from the red soil in the place. All the cottages of the resort in this idyllic expanse are situated on waterfront.
The rammed earth technology
Rammed earth method is an ancient technology for building houses wherein earth is collected, made into balls after mixing with water, compacted or rammed in between large planks and then baked in the sun. Technically, one wall would be a single solid brick, explains Rachel, MD, Red Earth Resorts at Kabani.
The walls are very thick and porous and hence literally breathes life into it. The walls insulate the house keeping the interiors cool in summer and warm and cozy during winter.
The roofing
For roofing, treated arecanut framework with bamboo matting by skilled tribes working with Uravu, an NGO in Wayanad, is used for the inner lining. The grass roofing on the exterior is done by skilled craftsmen from Thanjavur and Krishnagiri in Tamil Nadu. The flooring is done by hand-made glass tiles.
“All these are dying arts. These techniques are sustainable and insulates the interiors from the external whether,” says Rachel.
Read Earth Resorts, the picturesque haven
The proprietors of the cottages know well that these age-old techniques are kind of art that are fast dying out. Red Earth, engaged in sustainable tourism, is trying to ensure their conservation. Most of the furniture in the cottage are antique, collected from different parts of India.
All the 20 cottages here provide private jacuzzi with hot water. The water consumed goes to a sewage treatment plant, gets treated there and flows through to irrigate 10 acres of vegetation that consists of exotic flora in the region. The excess water including the rain water gets harvested in the two water-bodies.
There are 20 cottages in the resort run by Rachel and her husband Ravi and they are divided into two clusters of 10 each. They line the fringes of two ponds there. Every cottage has two patios for guests to enjoy the backwaters.
It is the red soil here that has been used for the construction of the resort. One of the two ponds was formed by soil excavation to construct the cottages. The resort is accessible from Wayanad and Mysore by bus.
