1. Housing Expansion Post-Tsunami

So, where the woman have started expanding their house front as a small shop to run the family expenses. Similarly, the kitchens were extended.

In response to the economic challenges faced post-tsunami, many women began to modify their homes. They extended their houses to create small shops in front, serving both as an income source and a way to manage household expenses. Additionally, kitchens were expanded to accommodate more space for cooking and social gatherings.

Imagine a family that lost their primary source of income after a natural disaster. To make ends meet, they convert a section of their home into a small bakery. This not only helps them earn money but also supports their community by providing fresh bread and pastries.

In the second case of Tharangambadi, it is the three clusters one is the Danish colony, and the Muslims, the pre-colonial houses and the fishermen society, let’s say and this is a Renuka Devi temple square and this is basically, the tourism circuit goes on to this because of the Dansburg fort here and the town centre.

Tharangambadi is characterized by its diverse community structures, which include a Danish colony, Muslim neighborhoods, pre-colonial houses, and a fishermen society. Significant landmarks like the Renuka Devi temple and Dansburg fort attract tourists, showing how cultural and religious sites can be pivotal to both social identity and economic recovery through tourism.

Think of a neighborhood with rich history and culture where various communities coexist. Just like how a festival attracts people from all around to experience the traditions and enjoy local foods, the Renuka Devi temple and Dansburg fort do the same by pulling in tourists, which helps local businesses thrive.

Many Kuriakose architect and as well as the SIFFS Agency has worked on this relocation of this fishermen houses they identified this land and they tried to work out the housing when a more of a participatory approach.

After the tsunami, professional architects and agencies like SIFFS collaborated with communities to identify suitable land for relocating fishermen's houses. This approach involved the community's active participation, ensuring that their needs and preferences were central in the housing design process.

Imagine a town hall meeting where residents brainstorm solutions together after a flood. City planners take notes, considering everyone’s ideas on where to build new homes and how to design them. This collaborative spirit ensures that the result meets community needs and fosters a sense of ownership.

I have taken the mental maps of how people imagined and understand the places. But in Tarangambadi, it was not possible because when I gave some papers to draw their mental maps, they were bit hesitant to draw the hand started shivering.

Mental maps are a way for people to express how they visualize their environment. In Tarangambadi, attempts to create these maps were challenging as residents felt hesitant, reflecting their emotional state after the tsunami. This hesitance indicates a deeper psychological impact on the community's sense of place and identity.

Think of a student trying to draw a map of their school after a significant change, like renovations. If they feel uncertain about changes or have had negative experiences, they might struggle to represent their thoughts on paper. This can show how disruptions affect their understanding of familiar places.

In the interviews, many of the people even from the pre-colonial side they started saying we are not happy here because none much of my friends they are left and we are not, it’s very boring here.

Relocated residents expressed dissatisfaction with their new living situations, citing feelings of isolation and boredom due to missing their social networks. This feedback highlights a crucial aspect of post-disaster recovery—the need not only for physical housing but also for social connectivity and community engagement.

Consider someone moving to a new city for a job. Initially, they may find it exciting, but over time, without friends or familiar faces, it may feel lonely. Just like in the case of relocated residents, their happiness is closely tied to connections with others.

This map, have shown me why they are not because earlier, this is the only street which was connecting all the three communities. But now, they are walking on the periphery of the town and only to the school.

The shift in community layout post-relocation has resulted in changes to pedestrian pathways, making it difficult for residents to connect with each other. Previously, a central street facilitated interaction, but now, residents find themselves navigating around the edges, leading to social disconnection and impacting their community networks.

Imagine a vibrant marketplace where everyone gathers to chat and share. If that market is moved far away and people must take a longer route to visit it, they might stop going altogether, leading to social isolation just as happened in the relocated community.

People started building extensions and then encroachments... even toilets were provided which were provided in the new houses they are converted as the worship areas which is puja rooms.

In the wake of the tsunami, many families began expanding their new homes, creating additional living spaces or shops as their needs evolved. Interestingly, some residents repurposed construction features—such as new toilets—into worship spaces, highlighting their cultural practices and beliefs, which were prioritised over traditional designs.

Think of a family that converts a spare room into a mini gym rather than just leaving it as an empty space. Likewise, the relocated families adapted their new environments to better fit their lifestyles and cultural practices, showing resilience and adaptability.

--