TAPAS CHAKRABORTY, The Telegraph, September 22 , 2008
Dehra Dun, Sept. 21: People in one of India’s most earthquake-prone zones had mastered the art of building multi-level buildings resistant to seismic movement about a thousand years ago, an engineering study of the structures has revealed.
Researchers have found that ancient four-storey and five-storey buildings in Rajgarhi district of Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand reflect a distinct and elaborate style of architecture that allowed them to survive devastating quakes.
Scientists believe the Koti Banal architecture — named after a village in the district — relied on stone-filled solid platforms and judicious use of wood, which offered special advantages over other materials during earthquakes. [more]
