Raipur的平房丨Raipur based MY MAATI

This bungalow in Raipur is inspired by the jungle huts of Kanha

MY MAATI used mud, cow dung and timber to create a home that slips into its surroundings while harking to another land.

Vaishnavi Nayel Talawadekar

Purnesh Dev Nikhanj

An entrance courtyard, anchored by an antique-style boat from Curious Hues, serves as the beating heart of the home. As Jain explains, the grass is emblematic of the lush paddy fields of Chhattisgarh.

You know the adage—you can take people out of the wild, but you can’t take the wild out of the people. “Or maybe you don’t know it,” chuckles architect Rishabh Jain of Raipur-based MY MAATI, who takes full credit—no less—for coining the saying himself. As for the inspiration behind it, he concedes that credit goes to his clients: a travel enthusiast and a wildlife explorer.

Another glimpse of the entrance courtyard.

Longing for a home reminiscent of the outdoors, the couple had a precise brief—to take them back, at least in spirit, to the mud homes of Kanha. “We were clear that the home should serve as a sanctuary, be

surrounded by greenery

, and offer vantage points where we could enjoy beautiful sunsets and feel connected to the natural world,” says one half of the couple. Something like the traditional huts of Kanha, yes, but also with an open layout, modern conveniences, and plenty of sunlight and views—a place made for gathering and entertaining. To Jain’s mind, the inspiration didn’t just lie in the reserves of Madhya Pradesh; it also lay in Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Kerala—or anywhere with

courtyard homes

, wide-open verandas, and wraparound gardens. “A little new, a little old, and a whole lot of outdoors, indoors—that was the vision,” he says of the bungalow in Raipur.

The home is made of mud blocks and crowned by a large tiled roof.

The poolside gazebo offers a peaceful retreat for stargazing.

If he had to do wild, Jain figured he’d go all the way. In harmonising the home with the surrounding landscape, he didn’t just build with mud and wood—he left them entirely exposed. “We were committed to treading lightly to minimise environmental impact without compromising on aesthetic appeal—what better way than to use local materials in their most natural form?” he notes. And so he did, conjuring a mixture of mud, sand, rice husk, and cow dung to erect adobe

brick walls

and sourcing local bamboo to create latticed ceilings.

The outdoor dining table is the default spot for al fresco dinners on cool-weather evenings.

What he couldn’t procure from the vicinity, he sourced from farther afield, like the brooding Tandur flooring, trucked in from the neighbouring state of Telangana. “The transition from the central courtyard, skirted by mud cuboids, to the hall that opens up to the pool, feels like an extension of the lawn—it’s an all-encompassing experience,” says Jain of the

indoor-outdoor flow

. He took a similarly vernacular approach with the furniture and décor, opting for timber seating, soft khadi curtains, and raw teak collectibles to keep the home at one with the elements.

The living room is a rustic oasis with floor-to-ceiling windows and a bamboo-clad roof. Cushions from Home Editor by Neha Menghani animate the sofas, while Bastar brass accents add a touch of sparkle. The Warli painting in the living room, depicting a tree and peacocks, is by local artist Anupam Biswas.

The dining room, which plays host to a dining table and chairs from Curious Hues, opens out to the patio and pool. Bamboo cladding warms the ceiling. Artworks are from The Vantage Store. The dining and living areas occupy either half of the same space.

For a project that drew from the earth, the effort was anything but, Jain reveals. “The primary challenge was the timeline, as techniques like

mud wall construction

demand a lot of patience,” he says. Which explains why he opted for pre-made adobe bricks, sealing them with mud plaster for an even finish. Still, he insists it was all in a day’s work. “Working with mud was a highly enjoyable experience, as we were closely involved in the process—mixing the materials and learning a great deal from the locals along the way.”

Mud plaster walls and a bamboo ceiling give the primary bedroom an earthy spirit.

A luminous window, bamboo cladding, and colourful cement flooring imbue the bathroom with tropical vibes.

Equally enjoyable was the owners’ reaction, with the living room emerging as their favourite space. “The

large windows

frame breathtaking views of the surrounding greenery and sunsets, and the space feels almost like an extension of nature,” says the husband. Does the bungalow in Raipur feel like the corner of Kanha they imagined? “It certainly serves as a daily reminder of the beauty of the natural world.” It’s a slice of Kanha alright—minus the tigers lurking outside.

Styling by Kiran Thadani