Irmao Fred, did they say what jaggery it was...cane or coconut? Thanks.
ederick Noronha <fredericknoro...@gmail.com> wrote: > There was a discussion on Saligao-Net > [http://groups.google.com/group/saligao-net] about why jaggery was > used in old buildings in Goa. Below are some hints. Anyone would have > a clue? (I hope JC will not charge me with promoting more stereotypes > about the Goan*s*). -- FN > > Frederick Noronha :: +91-9822122436 :: +91-832-2409490 > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > > On 27 November 2010 10:09, dilip dacruz <cruzmissil...@hotmail.com> wrote: >> >> 1. I'm intrigued by the jaggery. Was it used as a glue? Or was it a form of >> heat insulation? I understand Jaggery is sometimes used to line tandoors. > > FN: > > ... Google has some pointers... > > A farmer told me that after this application they also sprinkle some > jaggery around the trees. Asked to explain the reason he said, > "jaggery attracts large black ants (domle/katmuyo) which are natural > enemies of termites. They kill and drag all termite workers to their > nests". This is a part of Goa’s traditional biological control. But > the hidden termites are perfect defenders of their nests and even > snakes are scared to enter a live termite nest. So the termite > conquests in Goa would continue. (Nandkumar Kamat) > http://www.navhindtimes.in/panorama/climate-change-favours-voracious-termites > > Conventional wisdom of our ancestors advocated construcation of houses > building, with materials available which are generic to the mother > earth such as stones cut form granite formation or leterite crust or > mud finely sieved mixed with lime, sand jaggery and the roofs were > constructed slantingly with enjoinment of rafters reapers wall plates, > beams with over burnt clay tiles layering and as the roof extended > almost 2 1/2 feet away from the periphery of the walls thereby > protecting wall from formation of moss in monsoon by flow of water. > http://www.mail-archive.com/gulf-go...@yahoogroups.com/msg00974.html > > Agreed, the answer is not very clear... but there's a hint of it here. FN >