USING TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS FOR POST-DISASTER RECONSTRUCTION-ISSUES AND CHALLENGES FOLLOWING GUJARAT AND KASHMIR EARTHQUAKES

In post-disaster situations, traditional constructions are generally considered vulnerable and, therefore, often get replaced by modern ones that are culturally and climatically incompatible, economically unaffordable and, thus, unsustainable in the long run. While it is now known that an enormous wealth of knowledge is embedded within traditional buildings, it is also true that many aspects of this knowledge have become diluted due to the changing social, economic and political context, as well as the needs and aspirations of the people.