The Other Side of Laurie Baker

Memoirs by Elizabeth Baker, wife of Laurie Baker, British-born Indian architect renowned for his initiatives in cost reduction and low-cost housing.
DC Books, Kottayam.
Pages: 160 Price: INR 90
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EXCERPTS

I am relaxing on the very special armchair that Laurie designed and made for me, many years ago. It is at the side of my desk, and from here, I get a good view of the garden and the road below, through the large trellis that fills the whole of one side of our bedroom-cum- living-cum- working-cum - everything else- room. From here, we watch the sunrise over the highest mountain in Kerala, the Agasthiaparvatham, nearly 8000 feet above sea level, lighting first the tip, and gradually turning the whole into a red- hot cone. In the evenings we enjoy watching the sunset through another set of windows which are really openings in the brick wall filled coloured bottles- beautiful blue, red and green. This, for Laurie, gives the 'Coventry Cathedral effect'.

The view out, onto our wooded garden, with papaya, mulberry, mango, teak and coconut trees give us the privacy and protection from the traffic and the associated pollution. In the evenings, we watch the crows in hundreds, coming to roost on the trees. When perched, they are very quiet and invisible, but if you keep on watching, you will see them all suddenly getting up, and flying to another tree. We watch the crow pheasants flitting idly from one bush to another, displaying their brown and black feathers. The ordinary mynahs in large numbers often visit us, to tell us they are still here. We occasionally see the green barbets, the thrushes and the blackbirds. The honey suckers shift from bush to bush displaying their brilliant green, purple and black feathers. The woodpeckers come every summer to make their nests. Then of course, there are the many different varieties of butterflies and bees that go from flower to flower.

Though we are right on the main road connecting Trivandrum with all the important cities in the north, our bedroom window seat is a lovely place to just think and reminisce. It was on one such occasion that I realised what a unique, rich, productive and exceptional life that Laurie and I have had. I began to put down on paper the many things that happened to us, the places we have been to, the kind of people we met and live with, our adventurous honeymoon which went on for 16 years in the Himalayas and the last 40 years in Kerala, where Laurie was able to make use of his talents, time and energy for one of the most important basic needs of our country- a house for all. There are still millions of people in India without a roof over their heads.

I met Laurie in 1946. Many things have happened since then. This book is a reminiscence of our life together. It was an unusual but satisfactory and productive life. When I think of Laurie's life and the contributions he made to the world, I am reminded of the few verses from the words of Chuang Tzu which seems to fit Laurie. They read:

The Man of Tao
The man in whom Tao
Acts without impediment
Harms no other being
By his actions.
Yet he doesn't know himself
To be 'kind', to be 'gentle.'

The man in whom Tao
Acts without impediment
Does not bother with his interests
And does not despise
Others who do.
He does not struggle to make money
And does not make a virtue of poverty.

He goes his way
Without relying on others
And does not pride himself
On walking alone.

While he does not follow the crowd
He won't complain of those who do.
Rank and reward
Make no appeal to him
Disgrace and shame
Do not deter him.
He is not always looking
For right and wrong
Always deciding 'yes' or 'No'.
The Ancients said, therefore:

The Man of Tao Remains unknown. Perfect virtue Produces nothing. 'No Self' is 'True Self' And the greatest man Is 'Nobody'.
Chuang Tzu. xvii.3

I think these verses sum up Laurie. I am fortunate enough to be his wife and companion, and share his life for over 60 years. I am neither a great writer nor a linguist, but I feel compelled to write and share my life and experiences with Laurie Baker.

I am afraid that I have got down to writing this 'book' rather late in my life. But the truth is that we have both been rather busy until about a couple of years ago, when our worn bodies have forced us to restrict our involvements. Finally having more leisure time at home, I decided to venture on this exercise and I realise that the gaps one may find result from my own failing memory.

COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL/Courtesy: DC Books

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