Back HomePart 1: Essential Materials of Natural Building

About the package

Understand Your Materials, Master Your Build

Before you can build a wall or a roof, you must first understand the earth, lime, and bamboo that form it. This foundational course focuses on the five primary materials at the core of India’s traditional architecture: mud or stone, bamboo or wood, lime, pozzolanic additives, and traditional admixtures.

Learn to identify, test and prepare materials, drawing on the knowledge of traditional shelter-making and Thannal’s practice.

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What You Will Master in This Package

• Identify, test and amend soil for construction.
• Understand lime, its cycle, slaking and quality.
• Explore bamboo selection, harvesting and treatment.
• Prepare and evaluate surkhi and lime mixes.
• Understand traditional admixtures and natural binders.
• Develop a sensory connection to materials through Jagrat — being awake to what you use.

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Course Curriculum

This package contains the six essential chapters that form the beginning of the Back Home syllabus.

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1.1 Introduction to Natural Building

• Shelter and tradition: The evolution of shelters, ancient texts, age-old structures and traditional shelter-making systems.
• People and place: Where Thannal’s knowledge comes from, why building methods changed, how traditional systems suit each place, and the impact of returning to natural building.
• Jagrat — being awake: How the five senses connect with natural materials when living in a mud house.

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1.2 Mud

• Understanding soil: Soil composition, ancient text knowledge and sourcing local soil for examination.
• Practical mud tests: Hand observation, cigar test, ball-drop test, mud biscuits or cookies, and the mud bottle test.
• Sampling and reflection: Mud sampling, conclusions, Jagrat, references and further learning.

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1.3 Bamboo

• Knowing bamboo: Bamboo as a grass, ancient texts, traditional uses and different bamboo types.
• Sourcing and harvesting: Harvesting practices in India, procuring bamboo and buying from the market.
• Treatment and preservation: Why treatment matters, water immersion, smoking, light-fire treatment, boric acid and borax treatment, and cow-urine immersion.
• Choosing and using: Selecting a suitable treatment, different applications, Jagrat, references and further learning.

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1.4 Lime

• Understanding lime: Its versatility, ancient texts, traditional homes and the first learning exercise.
• The lime cycle: Kiln burning and its benefits, transport, storage, a lime-kiln visit, dry and wet slaking, and classes of lime.
• Quality tests: Visual examination, field tests, ball tests and checking lime stabilisation.
• Uses and reflection: Construction uses, the effects of excess lime, comparison with cement, Thannal’s explorations, a village story, Jagrat and references.

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1.5 Surkhi

• Understanding surkhi: Ancient texts, traditional buildings, pozzolanic materials and what happens when they are added to a mix.
• Making and mixing: Sources of surkhi, preparing it on site, mixing it with lime and the effect of grinding.
• Testing and use: Quality tests, benefits, applications and limitations.
• Reflection and references: Conclusions, Jagrat and further learning.

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1.6 Admixtures Part-1

• Understanding admixtures: What they contain, ancient text knowledge and why they are used.
• Traditional preparations: Kadukkai–jaggery mix, neem–turmeric water and examples from Thannal’s practice.
• Other materials: Starch, cow dung, cow urine, types and uses of fibres, and gums from Varaal fish.
• Reflection and references: Conclusions, Jagrat and further learning.

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Who Should Enroll in This Course?

Beginners starting their natural building journey, homeowners preparing to work with masons, people returning to village life, architects and engineers exploring natural materials, and curious students.

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Hear From Our Learners

Google review · Thannal’s 10-day hands-on workshop

“With guidance from Dharan Ji, we discovered so many possibilities. It opened our minds and creativity, like stepping into a whole new world.”
— Sunil Vivekananda

Read reviews on Google Maps ↗

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Frequently Asked Questions

Will Part 1 teach me to build an entire house?
Part 1 focuses on materials. Roofing, walls, foundations, finishes and flooring are covered in Parts 2–4. Choose the complete package if you want the full learning journey.

Should I take this before the other packages?
It is recommended, though not mandatory. Understanding materials makes the techniques in the later parts easier to follow. Check each package’s included courses before purchasing, as some include the essential materials lessons.

How long can I access the lessons?
The current Part 1 package offers lifetime access, with self-paced English videos totalling 5 hours 35 minutes.

Do I need land or materials to start?
No. You can begin with the online videos and explore materials in your surroundings as you learn.

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Course Details

• Total duration: 5 hours 35 minutes
• Language: English
• Pace: Self-paced
• Access: Lifetime validity

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