Sompura: Traditional Master Builders of Western India

Abstract

The text deals with Indian Sompura, a regional traditional community of master builders and master craftsmen working for religious trusts. They maintain and restore “living” temples in an effort to recreate the buildings. They perceive themselves as handing down building traditions from generation to generation with the help of descriptive building manuals whose descriptions and drawings are not however slavishly followed. The intention is not to produce a true replica, but to capture the spirit of the original thus creating a work of merit. The Sompura are not aware of the term authenticity, but they do appreciate the value of truthfulness in architecture. For a few decades now, this aspect has also been given attention in the framework of the international debate about the concept of authenticity. Spiritual connections and the continuous passing on of skills add to the variety of aspects of authenticity that have to be taken into account when debating conservation strategies in a specific local context.