12 An Out Line of Vernacular Architecture of Himachal Pradesh T. Akshya Kumar Swtantra Kumar Singh and Arshad * The state of Himachal Pradesh has been blessed with various types of traditional architecture, which has stood till today in various types of shapes and forms. It signifies much faceted realism of the people living here. In the traditional architecture buildings were premeditated to attain human comfort the by using locally available building material and construction technology which were more approachable to their climatic and geographic conditions. Geographical Setting Himachal Pradesh covers an area of 55,673 sq.km with an average elevation of 2,319 mts. Total population of the state is 68, 58, 509 is the 20th most populated state in India with a density of 123 km. Most of the districts are lies of the foothills of the great Dhauldhar Range of Trans-Himalayan Mountain system. Drainage consists of both Glaciers and Streams. The Rivers Ravi, Beas and Sutlej being the most important ones drain through the valleys of the state. Most of the settlements are concentrated in these valleys. 66.52% constitutes of Forest and Woodlands vegetation consists of tropical dry broadleaf to Alpine vegetation consisting of Cedar and Pine, except for Spiti valley which consists of Thorny Scrub forests (Fig.1). The Himachal due to its strategic location faces all variations of Climate from Permafrost to the Sub Tropical Hot and Humid Climatic Patterns. Lower districts such as Una, Bilaspur, Sirmaur and Solan are hot and Humid with average precipitation. Kangra, Mandi, Hamirpur, Kullu and Shimla are moderate in climate and receive more precipitation. Whereas, the districts like Chamba, Kinnaur and Lahaul and Spiti are cold and most parts are under very low precipitation. Dharmashala and adjacent mountains receives the highest rainfall in the area whereas Spiti valley receives the almost negligible rainfall and is declared as cold desert. Snowfall is common in the Alpine tracts. * Institute of Archaeology, Archaeological Survey of India, Red Fort Complex, Delhi- 110006