Md. Ekram Hossein

Architecture of Arakan

Architecture (ARC)

Shelter

Illustrative

A totta ghor is a wooden house which is usually two storeyed. In Rohingya, totta means wood and ghor means house. Totta ghors come in four shapes - U-pong, T-pong, L-pong and I-pong.

An outer or inner staircase connects the two floors, and the second floor is where the living quarters are. The ground level is used for storage, where tools and crops are kept. The fence and the frame of the house is made of wood, but the roof is made of corrugated iron sheets. A highly skilled carpenter is required to make these houses. The top floor features a balcony, used as common space to relax and take in the breeze. Both the urban and rural architecture of Arakan feature totta ghors, which are ubiquitous in the state, and are used by Rohingya and Rakhine families alike. It costs between 10 and 15 million Kyat to make one.