09Part of our guide to traditional village house construction across India.
The Meitei yumjao is a precisely oriented rectangular house of timber and bamboo with mud-plastered walls, a steep thatched roof with a distinctive forward-projecting gable over the front verandah (the ‘mangol’), and an interior divided by custom into defined zones for the hearth, the elders and the sacred corner.
It belongs to the Imphal valley and the surrounding hills, and it was shaped by a climate of moderate, wet summers, cool winters, seismic. Below is everything a family needs before commissioning one today: what makes it what it is, the specifications we build to, the materials, how long it takes, what it costs, and how we modernise it without losing it.
What defines the meitei yumjao
- Projecting front gable over the mangol verandah — the yumjao’s signature profile.
- Timber frame with bamboo-mud walls — plastered inside and out.
- Steep thatch roof — 40–45°.
- Prescribed interior zones — the hearth, phunga lairu sacred corner, and sleeping areas.
- Orientation — entrance to the east or south.
Specifications we build to
| Typical built-up area | 1,000–2,200 sq ft |
| Wall | bamboo lath with mud plaster on a timber frame |
| Roof | bamboo and timber, thatch or sheet, 40–45° |
| Floor | raised plinth, mud or timber |
| Verandah | 6–8 ft deep under the projecting gable |
| Plinth | 1.5–2.5 ft |
Materials
The materials are not decoration; they are why the house works in Manipur’s climate. We source locally wherever the original did.
- Local hardwood — frame.
- Bamboo — walls and roof.
- Mud plaster — wall finish.
- Thatch — roof.
- Cane — lashings.
Time to build
A meitei yumjao built by Zaga Urban typically takes 7–10 months from first meeting to handover, including design and approvals. The phases:
| Brief and site study | 1 month |
| Design, 3D, seismic | 1–2 months |
| Approvals | 1 month |
| Plinth and frame | 2 months |
| Walls and roof | 2 months |
| Finishes | 1–2 months |
| Handover | 1 month |
What it costs
Indicative 2026 range: ₹1,500–3,000 per sq ft of built-up area, driven by the grade of timber and stone, the amount of carving or art, and the level of modern finishes inside. For an instant estimate try our construction cost calculator; for an exact, itemised quote, request a site visit.
Modern comfort, traditional house
Treated frame on concrete, a metal-tile or shingle roof over insulation, stabilised mud plaster, concealed wiring, a modern kitchen behind the hearth zone and attached bathrooms.
Why Zaga Urban
Traditional houses fail in modern hands for one reason: the architect who understands the style and the contractor who can build it are two different people, and the details fall between them. Zaga Urban is a design-and-build firm — our architects, structural engineers and site teams work under one roof, so the roof pitch, the drainage, the timber seasoning and the lime mix are decided once and built as drawn.
We are an award-winning construction, architecture and interior design company (Best Emerging Construction & Architecture Company, Global Brands Magazine 2024), founded by IIT and IIM alumni, and one design-and-build team that can deliver any of these 28 traditional village house styles, anywhere in India — from the meitei yumjao to the thotti mane of coastal Karnataka — with the same team, the same engineering standards and a single accountable contract from first sketch to handover. Our thotti mane in Mangalore shows how we work: heritage plan, modern waterproofing, 16 months, on budget.
Want a number before you call? Use our free construction cost calculator, or book a free consultation and we will walk your plot with you.
Frequently asked questions
Must the orientation be followed?
We follow it when the plot allows; it also happens to give the best sun and breeze.
Can the gable be in timber shingles?
Yes and it reads beautifully; we keep the projecting profile exactly.
Also known as: Meitei yumjao (traditional house), Kabui and Tangkhul hill house.
Related reading: see our thotti mane plan, design and cost guide and the 30×40 thotti mane plan for how the courtyard idea works on a modern plot.