Dak-Bungalows

Dak-Bungalows are small one-storied, thatch-roofed houses erected by the English Government in India at regular intervals, from twelve to fifteen miles apart, along the military roads traversing the whole peninsula.

These Dak-Bungalows are not exclusively for the military; any traveller has a right to demand shelter and food at the expense of the government on the payment of one rupee, or about forty cents per day. But, having occupied rooms for twenty-four hours, any traveller is bound to give them up to the first traveller who follows him. These governmental bungalows are indispensable in a country where "Way-Side Inns" are unknown. All of the military roads in India are well supplied with Dak-Bungalows. There are many private bungalows, which in Anglo-Indian means a thatched cottage surrounded by a veranda, usually covered with vines, the windows opening to the ground, and steps leading to gardens on every side. The bungalow is a necessary style of architecture in India, owing to the hot climate.