Handbuilt Eco Cottages :: The Bohemian Masala, Varkala, India

A few weeks back I stumbled across The Bohemian Masala, a slightly different approach to an eco resort tucked away behind the main tourist strip in Varkala, Kerala. 

The resort contained a number of curious, indigenous hand built mud eco cottages. 

Each cottage has been designed on plan for maximum airflow and constructed with handmade mud bricks. The walls were then plastered using a traditional method of applying clay rich mud and cow dung and then painted with natural pigments such as red brick dust, flowers and herbs.

The pigment for the black floors is carbon from burnt coconut husks that has been given a top coat of wax to seal the floors. The thick brick walls, use of small windows and traditional plaster create a surprisingly cool room.

Also, a mix of secondhand ceramic tiles and palm leaves have been used to construct the roofs. All the timber used is sourced from ex plantation stock coconut trees.

For the interiors all the furniture is handmade with local ex plantation stock timber from a mixture of coconut and jack fruit trees. 

All the fabrics for the ceilings, curtains and wall coverings have been made from secondhand sari material.


What a great way to use up all those old sari's.


Have fun.