During our stay at Gulkin village in Hunza, Wazir Iman, a local farmer and specialist jam maker recounted the unique symbolism inherent in the design and construction of the cottage that the Pak Khawateen Painting Club had opted to stay at. The material of construction varied he said. Perhaps ages ago these cottages were constructed from juniper trees but today it is concrete and wood which is derived either from sheesham (Rosewood), diyaar (a type of pine) to safeda (poplar )Safeda is the most

Fig. 1 Floor Plan drawn from memory. Portion of the main sitting area in the cottage at Gulkin.

Fig. 2. The Quran or a small chiragh, lantern/candelabra waould be placed on the horizontal niche on the left, just below the ceiling.

common he said. Pieced together from memory, half-remembered phrases, conversations and a vivid description provided by Iman, the diagram of a portion of our cottage (Fig. 1), namely our main seating and bedding area provides insight into the relationship between lived spaces, ritual and aesthetics that are rooted in religion and even transnational encounters.

Fig. 3 View of skylight in ceiling. The main sitting area is illuminated by the bay windows as well as by this architectural feature. It symbolizes the Nur of God.

Fig. 4 The scalloped form on the pillars could be attributed to Buddhist influence

The windows on either side of the cottage consist of bay windows that provide spectacular garden views that were set against a dramatic landscape of the mountain valley. However, it is the entrance with its large bay windows and alcove that prompt questions. Iman points to a horizontal space at the top of one of the side walls at the entrance and explains how either the Quran or a small chiragh, lantern/candelabra use to be placed there (Fig. 2). His descriptions of the design of the main seating area are also embedded in a holistic understanding of religion and rife with Shiite numerology/ symbolism. Iman explains that "The five pillars (sutoon) on either side of the main seating area are synonymous with the panjtan (five revered personages in Islam). The two larger ones denote wahdaaniyat (oneness of God)which holds precedence over all. These pillars are also associated with the Silsila of Imamate (In Shite Islam certain individuals from the lineage of Prophet Muhammad PBUH are included in this chain). Exactly 72 beams are used to construct this cottage in memory of the shuhadaa (martyrs) who sacrificed their lives with Hazrat Imam Hussain. The skylight in the seating area (Fig. 3) denotes Nur(Divine light of God) and possibly the four elements of nature: air, water, fire, earth."

All activity in the main seating area takes place on the floor. The system here is farshi (associated with the ground/floor) Iman says and a low table with pillow cushions occupies the central area. He uses the word Bukhari or Dildoom Baen (in Wakhi language) to perhaps refer to the large coverlet on which a dastarkhwan (buffet) is rolled out at meals. It is worth noting that this seating style is very common across the North and Northwest of Pakistan extending all the way to West Asia.

Seating arrangements and segregation varies according to the occasion an age. For instance, men are seated in or near the alcove during wedding ceremonies and women are seated across the entrance during funerals. Interestingly at the time of the nikah (wedding engagement) the molvi(imam who conducts the ceremony is also seated in the alcove while the head of the village is seated against the pillar in accordance with the importance accorded to its symbolism and association with religious belief. Pregnant women and finally new mothers spend their first forty days in an elevated portion of the seating area; the spatial arrangement not only emphasizes the importance of their biological function which is the ability to procreate and nurture but perhaps might also affirm and reinforce it as a gift or attribute. Iman elaborates on another aspect stating that protection of the new mothers is most important, hence their position in that elevated corner. The layout and design of the house, with its manifold rituals and activities enables it to function as a living space, dynamic and open to adaptation. It creates multiple realities, it is an embodiment of a spiritual realm because its physical parts carry metaphors that allude to the divine and sacred in accordance with Shiite belief, simultaneously it shapes the way everyday life and cultural traditions are represented. The house becomes a site for enacting a harmonious social organization during all manner of events: birth, celebration and mourning. A complete circle of life is performed in relation to the metaphors and symbolism of the house thus retaining its Genius Loci. i.e "every being has its Genius, its guardian spirit. The spirit gives life to places and determines its character. Thus within a space there are symbols and various intangible features that differentiate it from another place."

Fig. 5 Pillars with a scalloped form at the Forbidden City, Beijing.

Fig. 6 An exterior view of the Gulkin cottage. The appearance of the alcove jutting out is attributed to the British by Wazir Iman.

man explains that certain architectural facets and features of a home in this region reveal ancient histories that stretch across time and geography as well. For instance, he points to the pillars elaborating that the pattern on the columns of the pillars is unique ( Fig. 4) because this region was part of the Silk Route; travel and trade not only enabled an exchange of goods but also of ideas. Although this is mere conjecture but the scalloped design on the pillars is reminiscent of similar motifs that are noticeable in many Buddhist temples. (Fig. 5) shows an image of a pillar with a similar scalloped design at the Forbidden City in China. Stylized forms of curling clouds similar to the ones carved into the pillars at our Gulkin cottage were also painted onto the surface of such temples. This transmission of aesthetics adds another facet to our understanding of a home and its architecture as the embodiment of a living heritage that is tied to its history, religion and landscape.*

While some features are holistic, Iman feels that other modifications are extraneous and arbitrary. He refers to the entrance alcove of the cottage (Fig. 6) as one such example and is slightly dismissive about it.

Fig. 7 An exterior view of a mansion with an alcove from colonial era, Murree.

All material was extracted from conversations and interviews conducted with Wazir Iman, a resident of Gulkin village, who is a farmer and specialist jam maker.

I recall seeing this architectural feature at a hill station that was conceived and designed by the British, namely Murree. The image from Murree shows an alcove of an estate mansion designed in colonial times (Fig. 7) It shares similar characteristics and juts out in much the same way as our Gulkin cottage. Rather than embracing it with the same warmth that Iman accords to the motifs on the pillars, Iman chooses to "other" this influence and calls it an imposition. Does this highlight an uneasy relationship with a colonial past or simply "outsiders" in general?

Unpacking facets of this simple dwelling reveals a constellation of ideas all of which link architecture, tradition and even physical milieu. The ownership and presence of both the architect and owner as active participants in this close-knit community also becomes apparent, they are nodes of a larger social unit in a cultural landscape that is deeply entwined with its topography, territory and geography.

* Interpreting Vernacular Architecture in Asia, A Sense of Place, Department of Architecture, University of Hong Kong, n.d.