Rohtak domes: an eco-friendly alternative to concrete roofs

June 30, 2023 07:26 pm | Updated 07:58 pm IST Place-based names are common in India, popularly with food items like Mysore Pak or Tirunelveli Halwa. Much lesser known are in the construction industry; though Mangalore roofing tiles are well known and Athangudi flooring tiles are generally known, common people rarely hear Rohtak domes. Of course, domes are round, yet can be built on square or rectangular rooms also, which become round in plan after the corners get built first. Unlike normal construction, where bricks are wetted before placing, here they are left dry, and the mortar needs more than normal water content to be absorbed by the bricks leading to better adhesiveness. It’s amazing to see an expert mason simply starting and building the dome without any measurements or tools, except for marking the first course using a compass made by a thread, pivoted in the centre of the plan.