A traditional South Indian open-air pavilion or public rest house, typically used as a shelter and community meeting place.
From Tamil chaultrai, derived from Sanskrit chatushala meaning 'four-room hall,' referring to multi-sided structures that provided shade and shelter while allowing air circulation in hot climates.
These structures are brilliant examples of passive climate design—built with open sides for maximum shade and airflow, they kept people cool for centuries before air conditioning was even imagined!
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