Back Home: An inner sathi in Indian Natural Buildings, a 3 season web series & a book in 4 languages

For Earth by reducing carbon emissions causing global warming.

Why this series is the need of hour?

In a lifetime, an average person in a city spends lakhs of rupees to build a house. We spend our life earnings on building with cement, what are we getting in return?

1. After Water, Cement is the most widely used substance in the world.
2. If concrete was a country, it will be the third largest carbon emitter in the world, one of the major reasons for Global Warming.
3. About 10% of the World’s industrial water available to us is used for curing concrete.
4. Increasing construction demands for sand have degraded the River bank ecosystem.
5. Land or river banks permanently lose their fertility once concrete is poured on it.
6. Materials like steel or asphalt that work with cement require high energy to manufacture.
7. As per today's lifestyle, we spend most of our time indoors. Using harmful paints and oxides, ruins the indoor air quality and can affect our mental and physical health.
8. These Natural Resources are getting depleted every single day.
9. In GREED with cement or Grey matters: Read an analysis of Portland cement and its alternatives.

Gujarat Earthquake, 2004 Indian Tsunami and recent floods in Kerala are few examples that show that concrete is not totally disaster-proof and debris reuse is not easily possible.
It is possible to build without a single drop of cement, sand or steel today. That is how we were building for many centuries.
A shift is seen towards Organic and Natural farming, because we are becoming more aware of what we are eating. But shouldn’t we think about how we’re building and where we are living?

What are Indian Natural Buildings?

Traditional homes in India are made with Mud, Lime, Stone, Bamboo, wood and other locally available materials. To give and grow life with essence of plants is a deep rooted practice in traditional methods of Indian medicine & shelter making. A family together with friends, neighbours and few helpers, can build their own home. Just like cooking your own food, you can build your own house.

Who are we?

‘Thannal’ is an awareness group of Natural Buildings. Founded in 2011, by Natural building architect Biju Bhaskar and his wife Sindhu Bhaskar. We research, document and experiment on traditional construction methods, which are different all over the country. Thannal attempts to revive these by creating learning opportunities through workshops and publications. Our aim is to bring back traditional methods in present construction scenario. Read more at: thannal.com

Media Coverage

1. A video about Thannal in Puthiya Thalaimurai TV Veedu Program 
2. An article about Thannal in Better India, an online publication Featuring all positive news about India by journalist Tanvi Patel
3. Interview in The Hindu newspaper by Nidhi Adlakha
4. An article by Sandeepani Cherkkatt in Mathrubhumi newspaper
5. An article by Bava Chelladurai – in The Hindu (Tamil)
6. In Australian Magazine The Owner Builder
7. Interview as Cover story in “Inside Track”
8. Nine homes using different natural materials for their roof around the world
9. Newspaper Deccan Chronicle “Spot Light”which features people and communities that are making a difference to the society 
10. The lives of 52 innovators who are making a conscious living for themselves and their planet through alternate careers in India.
11. An article “In the lap of the Earth” in FWD Lifestyle Magazine

What is ‘Back Home’ series?

After almost 12 years of work in the field of Natural Buildings, Biju Bhaskar is combining its studies into a book & web series, which will help viewers to understand about the subject through a handbook and visual media. This has methodological documentation of different indigenous methods in construction, which can help viewers to learn and re-create the technique. It also has a history, existing examples and all essential parameters one must know in doing such a technique.
This series can be an eye-opener for many who want to build homes sustainably, without leaving much impact on nature. This series can be a knowledge bank for traditional construction techniques, where professionals in construction – researchers, architects, civil engineers, contractors, artists, masons, permaculturist, organic farmers and almost everyone who wishes to do an owner’s build can learn. Making the series in Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi other than English can help more people to understand the subject who prefers local languages. Revival of traditional construction methods using lime & mud will benefit many artisans.

Series One Liner

Portrayal of the phenomenon of Indian way of Natural Building with the stages of consciousness through a story in a village of a boy and a man in search of their dog.

Methodology

Research and documentation by Thannal founders from past decade is the basis of this series, travelling in various parts of the country –Wayanad Kerala, during Kerala Floods, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Himalayas.
We aim to take forward this through a book and video series, with all topics needed for construction of a home. Videos will communicate visually step by step process of how work can be done and book will have the additional details, illustrations, cost analysis and scientific test reports.

Who is getting benefited?


We are saving Earth by reducing carbon emissions causing global warming.
Almost anyone who is needful of a home can benefit from this publication. Returning to the traditional knowledge and methods decentralise shelter making, dependency from manufactured materials like cement, steel and paint reduces. Making the common man aware about reducing the consumption of resources is a significant aspect of sustainable construction.
Future generations can learn about traditional building techniques using this resource. School going students, can learn the basics of mud construction in environmental sciences. Professional colleges can teach civil engineering and architecture students about possibilities of construction with Natural Materials. Practicing professionals in construction can also incorporate this into their work.
Traditional wisdom is often something which is talked about, but failed to manifest into practicality. Alternate schools can use this as a guide book in exploring more about traditional construction. People who follow alternate life-style, practicing traditional medicine, naturopathy, yoga, or anyone exploring meditation and spirituality can build a space for themselves in a pure natural way.

What all it will have?
The series has all the essentials needed to actually construct a home. It also have

• Project videos of Thannal
• Interviews with traditional artisans
• Interviews with workshop participants who did Owner’s Build.

The series is having three seasons, with 7 episodes each. We are planning to have this series at a 6 hours of total running time, with data of this compiled into a book. The web series and book will be in four different languages – Tamil, Malayalam, Hindi and English, which can increase the reach of this publication.

Team

Research & Experimentation
Biju Bhaskar & Sindhu Bhaskar
Civil Engineer – Karuppasamy Pandi
Technical Lab Support: CUSAT, Kochi
Artisans – Adbul Razak Muwal, Islamuddin Muwal
Carpenter – Ezhumalai
Local Farmers – Munuswamy Anna, Seth Anna

Production
Director- Biju Bhaskar & Dharan Ashok
Writer - Biju Bhaskar & Akhil Shajan
Editor/ Cinematographer - Muzammil Mohammed
Aerial & Outdoor Shoot - SSR Photography
Music – Prashanth P.S.
Vfx & Animation - Bharathan
Dubbing Studio - AVK Studio, Chennai

Book
Authors – Biju Bhaskar & Akhil Shajan

Budget

As Thannal is a non-profit organisation registered as Thannal Mud Home Trust, we are pitching this project for crowd-funding. The budget breakdown for the project:

Pre-production & Research	4,04,000/-
Production	6,17,167/-
Post Production, Publishing & Marketing	1,74,265/-
Total	INR 11,95,432/-
Grand Total (Round off)	INR 12,00,000/-

Your valuable contribution will help in the making of the first web series and book about Indian Natural Buildings.

Terms & Conditions

1. Book & DVD will be shipping by post to donors in India only. For donors from foreign countries, shipping charges will have to be paid by the donor himself.
2. Dates for the video screening event will be decided after the completion of book. This will be a single day event. More details will be informed to the concerned donors after the completion of the project.