# Thannal Natural Homes

> Thannal is a natural building school and awareness group in Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu, India, working in natural building since 2008, formally founded in 2011 by architect Biju Bhaskar and Sindhu Bhaskar. We teach and build 0% cement homes using five materials — mud/stone, bamboo/wood, lime, pozzolanic materials and plant-based admixtures — reviving India's indigenous building techniques. 75+ hands-on workshops, 5,000+ workshop learners, 6,000+ online students. Natural building in India costs roughly ₹1,500–4,500 per sq ft (2024) depending on who builds.

Tamil versions of many pages exist under https://thannal.com/ta/

## Guides

- [A Complete Guide to Mud Wall Systems](https://thannal.com/a-complete-guide-to-mud-wall-systems/): Cob, shuttered cob, adobe, wattle & daub, rammed earth, earthbags, CSEB — and the 5 principles for choosing.
- [Cost of Natural Building](https://thannal.com/cost-of-natural-building/): Real costs, DIY vs professional, and how to reduce them.
- [8 Flat Roofing Techniques for Natural Buildings](https://thannal.com/8-flat-roofing-techniques-for-natural-buildings-you-need-to-know/): Cement-free flat roofs — flat mud, limecrete, Madras terrace, Khiru, Bagra, Hourdi, brick, adobe.
- [Types of Indian Plaster, Part 1](https://thannal.com/types-of-indian-plaster-part-1/): Mud, mud-lime, herbal lime, Thappi/Araish and Chettinad plasters.
- [Earthen Wall Systems](https://thannal.com/earthen-wall-systems/): Overview of earthen load-bearing walls.
- [Plasters of Rajasthan](https://thannal.com/plasters-of-rajasthan/): Traditional Rajasthani lime plaster crafts.
- [Bagra Flat Lime Roofs](https://thannal.com/bagra-flat-lime-roofs/): Crushed-lime flat roof technique from Tehla, Rajasthan.
- [Natural and Living Fences](https://thannal.com/natural-and-living-fences/): Fences grown from plants or made from local natural materials.

## Real owner-built homes

- [Owner-Built Natural Homes in India](https://thannal.com/owner-built-natural-homes-india/): 15 real homes by everyday people — from an ₹18,500 shelter to a 4,500 sq ft zero-cement home.
- [A young farmer's two-storey mud home in ₹7.7 lakhs](https://thannal.com/a-young-farmer-who-built-his-g1-natural-home-in-just-7-7-lakhs/)
- [Kanchana's owner-built Chettinad home](https://thannal.com/kanchanas-owner-built-chettinad-home/): 4,500 sq ft, zero cement, Chettinad lime finishes.
- [Khan Market's natural haven, Delhi](https://thannal.com/khan-markets-natural-haven-a-home-built-with-earth-in-the-heart-of-delhi-busy-streets/): 960 sq ft adobe home in urban Delhi for ₹9 lakhs.
- [Natural buildings by India's wonder women](https://thannal.com/natural-buildings-by-indias-wonder-women/): Homes built by women owner-builders.

## Learn natural building

- [Hands-on Natural Building Workshops](https://thannal.com/natural-buildings-workshops/): Workshop calendar at the Thannal campus, Tiruvannamalai.
- [10-Day Combo Natural Building Workshop](https://thannal.com/extensive-10-day-combo-natural-building-workshop/): Deepest hands-on program, includes lifetime online course access.
- [The "Back Home" story — learn natural building online](https://thannal.com/learn-natural-building-online/): India's first digital natural building syllabus — 30 hours, 4 parts, English and Tamil.
- [Volunteering with Thannal](https://thannal.com/volunteering-with-thannal/)

## Online courses (course.thannal.com)

- [All online courses](https://course.thannal.com/)
- [Free: Introduction to Natural Building](https://course.thannal.com/courses/introduction-to-natural-building-india-639959fce4b024e1d0d5fb2b)
- [Part 1–4: Complete Companion of Natural Building](https://course.thannal.com/courses/part-1-4-complete-companion-of-natural-building-online-course-63a1655de4b0c0ad7478cdfa): The full Back Home syllabus.
- [Surkhi & Pozzolanic Material](https://course.thannal.com/courses/surkhi-and-pozzolanic-material-online-course-639d2e53e4b03f73de81dbc1)
- [Madras Terrace Roof Construction](https://course.thannal.com/courses/madras-terrace-roof-construction-online-course-63d8dd23e4b04267b1d37d0c)
- [Bamboo Building](https://course.thannal.com/courses/bamboo-building-online-course-639d130be4b0f125eac237db)

## About

- [About Biju Bhaskar](https://thannal.com/about-biju-bhaskar/): Founder and architect.
- [Our Services](https://thannal.com/our-services/)
- [Build a Natural Home](https://thannal.com/build-a-natural-home/): Thannal's project services.
- [Thannal Team](https://thannal.com/thannal-team/)
- [Contact](https://thannal.com/contact-us/)

## Optional

- [Natural Building Books, Part 1](https://thannal.com/natural-building-books-part-1/)
- [Natural Building Books, Part 2](https://thannal.com/natural-building-books-part-2/)
- [Interview: Thappi, a marvel tool of lime](https://thannal.com/interview-thappi-a-marvel-tool-of-lime/)
- [Native Seed Collectors of Tamil Nadu](https://thannal.com/native-seed-collectors-of-tamil-nadu-part-1/): Thannal's seed-saving work.