Toda 1.0-Building for a Collective Return to Heritage

International Hands-on Building Workshop

Limited Spots

Join us for a unique hands-on experience to learn, build and preserve the traditional Toda architecture using natural materials and sustainable techniques alongside the Toda community.

Organized by CGBMT, Aditi Construction, and ABARI with support from Detour Habitats, and Edhkwehlynawd Botanical Refuge.

Brochure

Core details

Dates: 17 Oct – 30 Nov 2026, with participants choosing any one 15-day batch.
Venue: Glen Morgan, Tarnad Mund, Ooty, Tamil Nadu, India.
Format: Hands-on workshop focused on building traditional Toda huts with expert guidance and cultural immersion.
Certificate: Certificate of Participation is included for attendees who complete the required sessions.

Who can join

The workshop is open to architecture students, architects, interior designers, civil engineers, landscape architects, conservation professionals, researchers, artisans, craftspeople, environmental designers, heritage enthusiasts, and sustainability practitioners. No previous construction experience is required.

What Participants Will Learn

Participants will learn bamboo treatment and preservation, bamboo joinery, stone masonry, mud and lime mortar preparation, stabilized mud plastering, lime plastering, bamboo-crete applications, traditional roofing techniques, eco-restoration practices, heritage walks, Toda embroidery, and evening technical discussions. The workshop also involves contributing to the construction of four traditional Toda huts.

Accomodation

Shared tent accommodation at the workshop site.
Separate accommodation for male and female participants.
Participants must bring their own sleeping bag and bedding.
Three freshly prepared meals daily, plus two tea/snack breaks each day.
Safe drinking water and a common dining area are provided.

Slot dates

01. Oct 17 to Oct 31
- Registration, orientation, team formation
- Toda cultural visit + Nilgiri landscape trek
- Full Hut 1 build: bent bamboo rafters → ridge/purlin → bamboo split → bamboo-crete roof & walls → thatch roofing
- Parallel track: carpentry (doors/windows) + toilet plumbing
- Slot review & valedictory
02. Oct 25 to Nov 8
- Registration + joint Nilgiri trek with Slot 1
- Overlap learning: finishes Hut 1 (wall bamboo-crete, thatch tying/ridge detailing)
- Transition + full Hut 2 build (rafters through bamboo-crete walls)
- Tea Estate & Local Heritage visit
- Parallel carpentry/sanitary work
- Slot review
03. Nov 1 to Nov 15
- Registration + joint Tea Estate visit with Slot 2
- Overlap learning: finishes Hut 2 (wall finishing, thatch bundling/ridge/trim)
- Transition + full Hut 3 build (rafters through bamboo-crete walls)
- Glen Morgan Nature Experience (water reservoir/ecology)
- Toda Culture & Craft Exploration (embroidery, traditional art)
- Slot review
04. Nov 8 to Nov 22
- Registration + joint Glen Morgan Nature Experience with Slot 3
- Overlap learning: finishes Hut 3 (plaster finishing, thatch bundling/ridge)
- Transition + full Hut 4 build (rafters through bamboo-crete walls)
- Joint Toda Culture & Craft Exploration with Slot 3
- Nature Walk & Documentation Activity (Glen Morgan/Ooty)
- Slot review
05. Nov 16 to Nov 30
- Registration + 4-hut site walkthrough
- Overlap learning: finishes Hut 4 (thatch, ridge, roof seal, fixtures)
- Joint Nature Walk & Documentation with Slot 4
- Site review, pathway prep, landscaping across all 4 huts
- Architectural documentation (sketching, video) of all huts
- Toda Painting & Art (3 days — wall painting, murals, entrance facade)
- Exhibition panel design + physical setup
- Final review with visiting architects, resource persons & Toda elders
- Final community interaction & reflection
- Valedictory ceremony, certificates, closing