Md Nur Islam Noyon, Dinajpur Bureau Chief:
Walking along the village path of Dinajpur district, once you could see rows of mud houses which were a symbol of coolness in summer and warmth in winter. But with the flow of time and the influence of modernity, those mud houses are now on the way to extinction. These eco-friendly shelters made of mud are getting buried in the crowd of brick kilns and cement buildings, along with thousands of childhood memories of rural Bengal are disappearing.
Once upon a time, these mud houses were the mainstay of the lower and middle class people. From the construction of the house to the masonry, everything had the touch of the skilled hands of the local artisans. These mud houses were strong as well as healthy. They were also durable enough to face natural calamities. But the scenario has changed rapidly in the last decade. People are now looking at small houses as a symbol of social status and modernity.
According to experts and locals, there are several reasons behind the loss of mud houses: Maintenance challenges: Repairing and coating the mud walls every year before the monsoons is very difficult. On the other hand, a paved house can remain stable for years once it is built.
Lack of Durability: Mud house walls are prone to collapse due to heavy rains or floods, which is not the case with concrete houses.
Social Attitudes: Villagers now think that living in a mud house is a symbol of financial weakness. Therefore, they are interested in building a house even after taking a loan.
Shortage of construction workers: Skilled artisans to build mud houses are now scarce. The new generation does not want to enter this profession.
Seniors are the ones who regret this change the most. Azim Uddin (75), a senior resident of Fazilpur Union No. 3 of Dinajpur Sadar Upazila, sighs and says, I was born in this mud house, and so were my sons and daughters. When I was a child, when I was suffocating in the hot summer, I would rest on the cool floor of our mud house. Now the new generation knows nothing but tin sheds and brick buildings. It seems as if our past has been buried.
The elders of the place also said that this silent change in Dinajpur is not just the disappearance of a few houses, it is the disappearance of a way of life in contemporary Bengal. In the race of modernity, we may be getting many benefits, but we are losing an invaluable asset of our roots. Lack of awareness to keep this tradition alive is evident today.
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