Author: Ananya V
Site Location: Srirangapatna, Karnataka
Institute: School of Planning and Architecture, Mysore
Advisor: Ar. Srikanth K.S
Description
This thesis reimagines the sacred riverfront of Paschimavahini, one of the rare west-flowing stretches of the Kaveri. The site is historically significant as a traditional pilgrimage destination and a place where families perform post-death rituals and rites of passage connected to the cycle of life, death, and memory. It proposes an inclusive, multi-level ritual landscape that honors Hindu non-cremation death rituals such as shraddha, tarpana, pinda pradana, and asti visarjane. The project highlights the quieter yet important practices of remembrance, offering, and connection to ancestors.
The design presents the riverfront as a living ritual spine. It is not just a place for tourism or urban renewal but a sacred ecology where death, memory, and nature are intertwined. The architecture explores multi-level ritual experiences, from horizontal ghats to vertical structures like treehouse-inspired pavilions. These features symbolize the layered journey of the soul while engaging with the river’s edge, water, and vegetation in a sacred way.
In light of Paschimavahini’s cultural and spiritual significance, the proposal ensures the dignity of both human departure and natural cycles. The design emphasizes spatial fairness and inclusivity, providing equal access and respectful spaces for marginalized groups such as widows, poor families, and the elderly, who are often left out of death-related practices. Ultimately, this thesis reweaves death, nature, and memory into a sacred space. Here, ritual architecture goes beyond mere functionality to reflect tradition, ecology, and the dignity of departure.
Drawings
Click here to go back to the storehouse.
