Adaptive reuse for dewal darbar and heritage conservation guidelines for settlement of askote, Pithoragarh Uttrakhan

Abstract

Askote, a strategically located hill town in the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand, represents a historically significant yet academically marginalized heritage site within the cultural landscape of Kumaon. Once the capital of the Pal Rajwar dynasty—a branch of the Katyuri lineage—Askote served not only as a political seat but as a vital node along the Kailash-Mansarovar pilgrimage route, mediating trans-Himalayan trade and religious exchange between India, Nepal, and Tibet. Despite its cultural depth and architectural richness, the built heritage of Askote, including its primary palatial structures—Dewal Darbar and Malla Darbar—remains undocumented and vulnerable to decay. This thesis seeks to bridge that gap by systematically documenting, analyzing, and proposing conservation strategies for the palatial and surrounding vernacular architecture of Askote. The study employs a multi-scalar approach: starting from the architectural heritage of the larger Kumaon region, identifying the typological features of ‘Kotes’—fortified palace-settlements—before zooming into Askote’s unique adaptation to its steep topography and cultural context. Dewal Darbar in particular reflects an advanced understanding of climate-resilient design through its use of stone masonry, timber joinery, urad dal mortar, and slate roofing—demonstrating the integration of local materials and seismic-adaptive techniques rarely found in contemporary hill construction. Beneath the surface of its aging stone and timber lies a tapestry of lived heritage—woven through oral histories, ancestral shrines, warrior deities (Vir Devtas), and enduring ritual traditions like the Dhuni Jagar. Its architectural fabric is intimately tied to the region’s traditional systems, seen in the presence of sacred naulas (spring-fed water sources) that continue to sustain the community. Embedded within its spatial organization are not just structural relics but expressions of identity and continuity—celebrated through sacred songs, Holi traditions, and the intricate woodcraft of ‘Likhai’. The town's built form follows the contours of the mountain, echoing a logic rooted in survival, symbolism, and spiritual cosmology. This living network of tangible and intangible heritage makes Askote not merely a site of historical interest, but a multidimensional cultural landscape. Askote, a strategically located hill town in the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand, represents a historically significant yet academically marginalized heritage site within the cultural landscape of Kumaon. Once the capital of the Pal Rajwar dynasty—a branch of the Katyuri lineage—Askote served not only as a political seat but as a vital node along the Kailash-Mansarovar pilgrimage route, mediating trans-Himalayan trade and religious exchange between India, Nepal, and Tibet. Despite its cultural depth and architectural richness, the built heritage of Askote, including its primary palatial structures—Dewal Darbar and Malla Darbar—remains undocumented and vulnerable to decay. This thesis seeks to bridge that gap by systematically documenting, analyzing, and proposing conservation strategies for the palatial and surrounding vernacular architecture of Askote. The study employs a multi-scalar approach: starting from the architectural heritage of the larger Kumaon region, identifying the typological features of ‘Kotes’—fortified palace-settlements—before zooming into Askote’s unique adaptation to its steep topography and cultural context. Dewal Darbar in particular reflects an advanced understanding of climate-resilient design through its use of stone masonry, timber joinery, urad dal mortar, and slate roofing—demonstrating the integration of local materials and seismic-adaptive techniques rarely found in contemporary hill construction. Beneath the surface of its aging stone and timber lies a tapestry of lived heritage—woven through oral histories, ancestral shrines, warrior deities (Vir Devtas), and enduring ritual traditions like the Dhuni Jagar. Its architectural fabric is intimately tied to the region’s traditional systems, seen in the presence of sacred naulas (spring-fed water sources) that continue to sustain the community. Embedded within its spatial organization are not just structural relics but expressions of identity and continuity—celebrated through sacred songs, Holi traditions, and the intricate woodcraft of ‘Likhai’. The town's built form follows the contours of the mountain, echoing a logic rooted in survival, symbolism, and spiritual cosmology. This living network of tangible and intangible heritage makes Askote not merely a site of historical interest, but a multidimensional cultural landscape.