An Architectural Exploration of Indigenous Community: A Study on Manipuri Settlement in Sylhet Region, Bangladesh

Abstract

Development of a country depends on the development of her total population. Not only the people we call ‘Bengali’ but also those of different tribes live in Bangladesh with their own culture, language and heritage. ‘Manipuri’ is one of those ethnic groups. As an ethnic group the Manipuri’s have livelihoods, customs, cultural practices, norms and values that are distinct in character. So, for the development of this country it is necessary to develop the indigenous inhabitants of this area. The cultural activities of these areas are going on now as scattered incidents in different location in different times. Much cultural organization couldn’t carry out their activities successfully due to lack of any central organization and financial support. Thus the culture of this particular region, especially that of Manipuri’s need proper media to flourish, proper feedback to develop, and proper technical support to enrich its status. The Manipuri people migrated from Manipur in India in seventeenth century. Since the migration they kept their integrated identity in their culture and language. In spite of the adjustment with Bangladeshi context for existence purpose their distinct characteristics are reflected within distinct way of life, cultural practices, ritual works and practice of arts. They have strong mythical and historical background of thousand years sustaining through ritual cultural, political alteration. But like the other indigenous groups they are facing identical crisis because of the political, cultural and socio-economical aggression. Now-a-days, this crisis has got a massive figure to vanquish the glory of Manipuri community. So there arises a question to save their settlement, art, culture and heritages.

In this research here we basically emphasize on the housing settlement background and the pattern which is on the way of decay. Any community can be conserved if their settlement can be saved. In this point of view, the study is on the housing to house hold architecture that means an architectural exploration which helps to establish the distinct identity of Bangladeshi Manipuri community and represent them locally, nationally and internationally.