A viral video from Delhi University showed Dr. Pratyush Vatsala, Principal of Laxmibai College, applying cow dung to a classroom wall with the help of a staff member – choosing it over paint or cement for whitewashing, reported TOI.
According to The Better India, students at Delhi University’s Laxmibai College were stunned to see the classroom wall. The viral video has grabbed the internet’s attention and brought focus back to a traditional but abandoned practice that residents in rural India used for centuries for keeping their homes naturally cool in summers and warm in winters.
This age-old practice is especially relevant now as Delhi braces for soaring temperatures and heatwave forecast to return by April 16, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
On April 13, the Commerce and Industry Ministry Piyush Goyal had urged construction industry players to reduce import dependency and embrace clean, green construction methods. While the government promotes sustainable buildings, local innovations like these could lay the foundation for broader climate-friendly solutions.
Nature’s Answer to Heat
Though the video is gaining attention now, this concept of painting walls with cow dung is not new. For generations, people in rural India have used cow dung on mud walls and floors to keep their homes cool during the day in summers and warm in the winter.
This practice, according to The Better India, is valued for its insulating properties. It also offers a pocket-friendly solution, as cow dung is both inexpensive and readily available.
