Kerala's tharavad homes: architecture designed around women's bodies

The tharavad, a traditional Kerala house designed for and run by women, is explored in a Guardian article by Megha Mohan. Mohan recounts her search for her ancestral tharavad, Palayil, in Tholanur, India, which was demolished over a decade ago. The article, published on International Women in Engineering Day, examines how these nalukettu structures—built from jackfruit wood and teak around a central courtyard—were engineered to accommodate women's needs, including separate rooms for childbirth and menstruation, and acoustically designed purathalams for private conversation. Architect Benny Kuriakose, who restored several tharavads, notes the kitchen's northeast placement to divert heat away from women's bedrooms. The matrilineal Nair community's sambadhanam unions allowed women to remain in their homes, with a chuttu veranda for discreet conjugal visits. However, the system was caste-based, excluding lower-caste women. The tharavad system ended in the early 20th century due to laws dismantling female inheritance. Mohan's book 'Herlands: Lessons from Societies Where Women Make the Rules' is published by Harvill.