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vernacular literature and architecture

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Abstract

Bangladesh's rich vernacular architecture and rich folk realm showcase its rich history and cultural diversity. However, due to lack of documentation and European colonization, the nation's cultural identity has been destabilized. This study’s research question investigates Bangla folk literature's influence on architectural planning in Bengal's delta region, tracing settlement patterns and original architectural practices from ancient times to the Middle Ages. This study aims to rediscover architectural literature, understanding its origin and evolution in a specific region, and preserving its essence for contemporary architecture to continue its legacy. The research methodology focused on architecture-related information from popular literature from the past 1000 years, utilizing historical documents and ancient literature to analyse settlement patterns in the Bengal region. The method combined primary sources from famous literature and secondary sources from previous scholars to analyse possible outcomes. The study's scope is to reconstruct the architectural thoughts from a grassroots level and dig out the fundamental essence of Bangladesh’s regional architecture. The limitation of this study is that some literatures are rare or got extinct. Even colonial literature might also have some clues, but it had been omitted for this research to gain uniqueness. The possible findings will try to encourage future researchers to appreciate folk resources and avoid imitating western trends in Bangladesh. It presents a historical analysis of vernacular architecture development stages, examining philosophical perspectives and architectural and poetic thoughts.