Book Review: A Call to Return

A Call to Return by Lakshmi Swaminathan offers a tender and reflective portrayal of the renowned architect Didi Contractor. The narrative unfolds in an intimate and vivid style, where Lakshmi gracefully assumes the role of a sutradhar¹ or narrator, though she wisely steps back to allow Didi’s voice and thoughts to take centre stage. It feels as though the reader is in the room with them, with Didi perched on a chair, stick in hand, while Lakshmi, from the floor, paints the scene in rich, atmospheric detail. The book creates an environment where you can almost feel yourself sitting beside Didi narrating her story.

The book is divided into four thoughtful parts, charting Didi’s life from her early years as Delia in America to her transformation into Didi in India; her significant turning points upon moving to Himachal; her reflections on architectural practice; and a series of interviews that offer further insight into her life and philosophy.

Lakshmi’s commentary, presented in italics, provides a gentle framework (which Lakshmi later told me was an advice of Kirin, Didi’s youngest daughter, who is a writer), while Didi’s voice remains distinct, as it is printed in regular font.

Through the book one comes to understand that her approach to architecture was inseparable from the way she lived. For Didi, architecture was not a profession practised in isolation; it was a lifestyle, a mindset she embraced fully before passing it on to others. Her commitment to frugality and sustainability is evident throughout the book, with stories that offer simple yet profound lessons. One such example is her creative use of discarded cardboard box labels, which she repurposed as makeshift business cards. These small, thoughtful gestures show how deeply her values were embedded in her everyday life, and every reader can discover something new to take away from her resourceful, intentional way of living.

[This is an excerpt. Subscribe to the digital edition or hardcopy to read the complete article.]

Nipun Prabhakar is an independent photographer and architect who works with various South Asian indigenous communities, working at the intersection of ideas, artefacts, folklore and the built environment. His work has appeared in major publications like The New York Times and The Washington Post, etc. In 2023, Nipun was invited to the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) in London to present his work on architectural photography. He is also the founder of Dhammada Collective, a design group working towards a conscious, sustainable and equitable world. Nipun has been contributing his voice in words and photography to FuturArc since 2021. His way with words and pictorial portrayal of issues that matter to him have found a deep connection with the magazine team and readers.

RELATED: The FuturArc Interview: Didi Contractor

Didi Contractor

Architectural sage Didi Contractor devoted the later part of her life to designing environmentally conscious buildings while living in the small village of Sidbari in India’s Himachal Pradesh. Renowned for her use of natural building materials and designs deeply rooted in sustainability, she inspired countless students with her visionary approach. Lakshmi Swaminathan, her dedicated mentee, honours Didi’s legacy in A Call to Return, a book that encompasses a compilation of Didi’s writings, lectures and personal reflections. A fan of Didi, Nipun Prabhakar took a journey through space (by visiting Didi’s house) and time (by talking to Lakshmi) in an attempt […]

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¹ Literally meaning “thread-holder”, it is the term for a stage manager and the character of a narrator within Sanskrit drama.