2.1. Bylakuppe Settlement in Southern Karnataka

So, let’s go to the case studies. This is a Bylakuppe settlement in Southern Karnataka. There are two camps; one is an old camp and the new camp. So what you can see is the religious buildings and when you have the commercial spaces here and you have the Tibetan camps and the local villages. So, you can see this is a very clustered setup; each of them has a very unique layout.

The Bylakuppe settlement in Southern Karnataka consists of two main camps: the old camp and the new camp. These camps are characterized by their clustered arrangement, which includes various religious buildings, commercial spaces, Tibetan camps, and local villages. Each area has its own unique layout, reflecting the cultural diversity and needs of the community.

Think of Bylakuppe like a small town where different neighborhoods have their own specialties. Just as in a town where there are residential areas, shopping districts, and places of worship, Bylakuppe has distinct sections that serve various community functions.

The old camp they have given about each in a 40 Gunthas is about 1 acre and 1 Guntha is about 33 by 33 feet. So, what they did was they divided the land distribution in 40 Gunthas as a farmland and 6 Gunthas. So, there were 6 Gunthas of residential and 40 Gunthas of farmland so that they can do the farming and whereas, in 1969 when the new camps have been formed, so where they talked about 32 Gunthas in a farmland and the 16 Gunthas as a residential land.

In the old camp, each family was allocated land measuring 40 Gunthas, equivalent to about 1 acre. This land was split into 40 Gunthas for farming and 6 Gunthas for residential purposes. In the new camp established in 1969, the land distribution changed to 32 Gunthas for farming and 16 Gunthas for residential, illustrating a greater emphasis on housing as the community grew.

Imagine a small community garden where families grow their vegetables. At first, everyone has a small plot for both living and farming. As the community grows, they realize that they need more houses for families and thus allocate more land for housing while still preserving the gardening space.

If you look at the transformation and how it is reflected in different patterns, one is the new camps, you have planned in a gridiron pattern with farmlands around the residential core and whereas, an old camp they planned along with the streets and you can see that the houses are led along the streets.

The layout of the new camp was designed in a gridiron pattern, which means it has straight streets that intersect at right angles, allowing for organized urban planning around the residential core with farmlands surrounding it. In contrast, the old camp's layout follows the existing streets, creating a more organic structure where homes are built along the roads, fostering a sense of community.

Consider a city built like a chessboard, with each square representing a house and the streets arranged neatly. That’s similar to the new camp layout. In comparison, think of the winding paths of an old village where the houses grew along the paths taken by its residents; that’s what the old camp resembles.

And you know, there is a monastery as a major community gathering, so this is how the settlement pattern has been organized. In an old camp transformations in 1960s, you have the primary road and you have the secondary road and from the monastery and this is how the dwellings were but then today people start building up and then it becomes crowded.

A significant feature of the Bylakuppe settlement is the monastery, which serves as a central gathering place for the community. The layout includes a primary road leading to the monastery, with secondary roads supporting the residential areas. Over time, as more dwellings were added, the area became crowded, indicating growth and a transformation of community dynamics.

Think of a community center that acts as a hub in a neighborhood, attracting people from all around for events and activities. As more people move in, the surrounding area becomes denser, similar to how homes have expanded around the monastery in Bylakuppe.

And if you look at this whole process and then you know, Tibetans as farmers and they are also the handicrafts, their craftsmanship and earlier, as I said to you one member of the family sent to the monastery to become a monk.

The residents of Bylakuppe include Tibetan farmers who are also skilled in handicrafts. Traditionally, it was common for one family member to join a monastery as a monk, showcasing the blend of everyday life with spiritual practices. This behavior reflects the deep cultural roots of the community and their connection to their heritage.

Imagine a family where one child pursues a career in art while others run a bakery. Similarly, in Bylakuppe, some family members engage in agricultural work, while others contribute to the community through craftsmanship, creating a blend of professions that enrich the community.

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