Heritage Alerts December 2020
Filmmakers believed that shooting at least one scene at this ancient temple would ensure the film’s success at the box office. For long it was popular as ‘Cinema Gudi’ with a sentiment that at least one shot picturised at this temple will ensure success of the movie. And after the temple authorities stopped permissions for filming following a mishap during a shooting, the popular temple has now emerged as a sought after wedding venue. Located 31 km from Hyderabad and 12 km from the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) at Shamshabad, is the centuries-old Sita Ramachandraswamy Devasthanam. Spread over 250 acres, this temple in Ammapalli village is said to have been built by Chalukyas of Vengi sometime between the 7th and 12th centuries. It is said that Lord Rama stopped to rest here during his journey to Dandakaranya forest. The 80 feet unique ‘gali gopuram’ with beautiful carvings, an age-old step well spread over an acre of land with a walkway around it and the decorative walls with sculptural representations is a treat to the eye. The ‘gali gopuram’ and stepwell carries a touch of what experts point out as Rajasthani architecture. “This large seven-storeyed ‘gali gopuram’ was built in the 17th century, much later the inner sanctum sanctorum was built,” says the temple priest.
The 12th-century idols of Kondandarama, Sita and Lakshmana and also the ‘makarathoranam’ over the idols, are carved out of a single stone. Kondanda Rama temples are usually built only in places where Rama travelled or stayed during his 14 years of exile and there are only a few such temples. The whole temple complex was mostly built of stone and the greenery around the shrine invokes a serene ambience. The old-world porticos all around the stepwell that once provided shelter to the pilgrims evoke nostalgia. Interestingly, the idol of Hanuman, usually seen next to Rama, is not seen in the innermost sanctuary here. Instead, it is at the base of the ‘dhwaja stambha’ (flag pole) facing Rama. According to the priest, the temple dates back to a time when Rama hadn’t yet met Hanuman and this probably explains the placement of the idol. The faithful believe that as they go inside, Hanuman waits for Rama’s instructions to fulfil their desires. The temple holds a very special place in Tollywood. It is believed that shooting at least one scene here will ensure the film’s success at the box office. That’s why it is also popularly called the ‘cinema-gudi’. More than 400 Telugu movies and quite a few Tamil and Hindi have been shot here. This temple was extensively featured in the 2001 blockbuster Murari. However, the temple authorities have banned film shootings at the temple premises as during a Telugu film shooting, a car exploded in a fight sequence and crashed into the left side
of ‘gali gopuram’. Presently, only photoshoots and wedding ceremonies are allowed and the temple has turned into one of the unconventional temple wedding destinations. Hundreds of people visit this place of worship every day which in the year 2010 also bagged an INTACH Award under the religious architecture category. On Sri Rama Navami, a grand ceremony is held at the temple with folk songs, resonating prayers and colourful lights. Now you can get hand picked stories from Telangana Today on Telegram everyday. Click the link to subscribe.
https://telanganatoday.com/cinema-gudi-tollywoods-tryst-with-god, December 14, 2020
Chinar was an integral part of Mughal landscape gardening. It was found throughout the Mughal tradition of gardening & plantation. During the Mughal period, there were 700-800 gardens around the Dal Lake in Srinagar, which existed at the start of Sikh Rule in Kashmir. And those gardens have now disappeared as a result of troubled days which followed the decline of the Mughal Rule. But some have outlived the vagaries of time & the apathies of the successor Rulers. Nishat-Bagh, Shalimar-Bagh, Chashma-Shahi-Bagh, Pari-Mahal garden, Achabal-Bagh & Verinag-Bagh, Mansbal lake garden or Baghi Wafa, are the extant examples of the Mughal Emperors’ higher sense of nature & building the world-class gardens in the valley of Kashmir. The first three Mughal Gardens, named above, on banks of Dal Lake are most frequented & preserved till date.
In addition to the above, on the North side of Hazratbal, one well raised position above Dal lake lies famousNaseem Bagh, Garden of Bliss or Garden of Zephyrs or Delicious-Breeze. “The garden has now nothing to show off its original work except some ruins by the lakeside & hundreds of huge chinar trees''. It was laid out by Emperor Shah Jahan. 1200 saplings of Chinars (plane trees) were planted under the orders of the Emperor Shah Jahan in this garden & many of these fully grown shady giant Chinars exist in this garden till date. It goes without mention that the irrigation of plane trees by wine to make it fruitful & grow to the fullest has been reported since ancient times, according to Francis Bacon.
It takes its name, Naseem, from the cool breezes that blow always under its shady plane trees (Chinars) with the vista of Dal Lake seen below it. Its walls, canals, and fountains have disappeared. It houses now many departments, research and other centres of the University of Kashmir under the name of Naseem-Bagh-Campus of the University of Kashmir. University of Kashmir was set up in 1948 on Amar Singh Bagh & Naseem Bagh together. As Naseem Bagh has been declared a heritage site by the government of J&K, further extension of the University of Kashmir here was stopped & shifted to nearby 300 Kanals of land in Zakura which is called Zakura-Campus of University of Kashmir. Just half a mile distant, Saif Khan, Mughal Governor of Kashmir (1664-67 AD), built a garden , Habbak, which was called Saifabad garden after his name. He had desired to bring a water stream into the garden & plant chinars. But as he was suddenly called back in 1667 AD from Kashmir by the Emperor Awrangzeb, he could not plant the chinars & the garden thus remained shadow-less for want of chinars. During the reign of Emperor Shah Jahan, a garden, Bagh I Chinar, was built on Eastern end of Jhelum in Shadipora village, & 500 chinar saplings were planted in the garden. There are two artificially built islets in Bud-Dal & Lokut-Dal. Nothing like an islet is in Sodra Khon, from Kohi-Maran or Hari Parvat fort side. In Bud-Dal the islet originally raised by Sultan Zain ul Abidin Badshah in 1421 AD is called Sona Lank (Golden Island) which has chinars in it & can be seen from Naseem Bagh. It was raised by Sultan Zain ul Abidin Badshah to give shelter to boats in distress. In Lokut-Dal, or Astawhol , the largest sheet of water, an islet built by Sultan Hassan Shah is called Rupa Lank (Silver Island). Both islets are artificial masonry built & improved upon by the Mughal Emperors. The improvement, rather actually ‘formation’ of Rupa-Lank was the idea of Nur-Jahan who carried it into effect by causing a mass of masonry to be built up & covered with earth, forming an small garden of about an acre in extent, ornamented at each corner by a single Chinar tree, whence its name Isle of Chinars”, or Char Chinar, or Char Chinari. Rupa- Lank is called in Persian the Chahar Chunar, or Four Plane-trees. In 1859 Temple recorded that this plan of planting four plane trees is universal throughout Kashmir, and is a Muslim device, a plane tree being placed at each point of the compass so as to ensure shade at all hours of the day. This observation of Temple is also found in PNK Bamzai’s book without mention of Sir Temple. Anand Koul Anand, father of PNK Bamzai, writes that Char Chinnari was laid out by Shazada Murad Baksh, son of Emperor Shah Jahan, in 1641 AD when he was Governor of Kashmir. This statement of Anand Koul Anand is wrong as Shazada Murad Baksh was Governor of Kashmir between August 1647-July 1648. In 1641 AD, Tarbiyat Khan was Governor of Kashmir.
UNESCO World Heritage List:
In 2011, 14-16 November, the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, (INTACH) Jammu and Kashmir Chapter in collaboration with Department of History of the University of Kashmir and the Department of Floriculture, of the Government of Jammu and Kashmir organised first ever International Seminar on “Mughal Gardens of Kashmir: Towards the UNESCO World Heritage Nomination” at the University of Kashmir. The object of the seminar was to press for the need of nomination of the historic Mughal gardens of Kashmir to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) prestigious list of World Heritage Sites. Shalimar Bagh, Nishat Bagh, Achabal Bagh, Pari Mahal, Verinag and Chashma Shahi were already included in the Tentative List of the
UNESCO World Heritage. Since the day of those recommendations of 2011 sent to UNESCO, it seems there has been no follow-up action taken by those at the helm of affairs in J&K Administration with the World Body. However, according to a local newspaper report (KO 7/9/20) the government of J&K is now preparing a dossier for permanent inclusion of the said six famed Mughal Gardens in the List of the UNESCO World Heritage.
Tailpiece:
Beauty of Chinars:It is like changing apparel. In autumn, tired chinars shed their worn out yellow & red leaves, get a bath in snow & fog of winter to prepare for dressing up in new bright green leaves of spring for hot summer exuberance, yet again.
https://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/opinion/chinar-in-kashmir-part-iv-integral-to-mughal-landscape-gardening/, December 12, 2020
The profound message of “let’s nurture nature “which is the need of the hour was well depicted by the students through roleplay, dance, mime, news report, singing and various other meanings. Akshara Vaagdevi International school in collaboration with Pallavi Model School celebrated their virtual Annual Day “ Cosmic Carousel” – Let’s Nurture Nature on December 12 for students from grade V to X. The profound message of “let’s nurture nature “which is the need of the hour was well depicted by the students through roleplay, dance, mime, news report, singing and various other means. Chief guest P Anuradha Reddy, Member of Governing Council, Intach, New Delhi, shared some anecdotes about preserving the heritage and bringing awareness of the rich and varied culture of India in the young minds. Guest of Honour M Kommariah Chairman of PMS appreciated the parents for supporting the school during this pandemic situation and teachers for adapting the new method of online teaching. He encouraged teachers to instil the values in students to become good human beings and serve the nation. Speaking on the occasion, PL Srinivas founder and Vice Chairman of AVIS stressed the need to provide good education with proper infrastructure to future generations.
Dr T. Sudha, Academic director PMS & DPS, Murali Krishna Directoroperational Excellence & Strategic Initiatives PMS, Board of Directors of AVIS, Principals of all the branches of Pallavi Model Group of institutions were also present and appreciated the revelries presented by the students. Principal Vanaja, presented the school report and shared the new initiatives taken by the school in the next academic year. She also spoke about the theme and its importance. Each grade student presented a skit on one element, Grade V-Earth, Grade VI-Sky, Grade VII- Water, GradeVIIIFire, Grade IX- AIR, Grade XMessage. The programme ended on a pleasant note with a message, by Grade X students sharing the song ‘We are the world we are the children’ which resonated well. Senior Coordinator Rachana proposed a vote of thanks. Technical team Srikant, Sridhar and Manideepa were appreciated for the technical support.
https://telanganatoday.com/nurture-the-nature-theme-annual-day-a-big-hit, December 14, 2020
The Ambala chapter of INTACH, under the guidance of its convener, Col RD Singh, conducted a workshop for children on writing a project report on the environment. It was attended by 92 children and teachers from 14 schools. Lt Gen Ranjit Singh (retd), who was the chief guest, explained the importance of maintaining the environment. He asked children to use bicycles to reduce pollution.
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/lok-adalats-resolve-4-001-cases-184053, December 14, 2020
The Ambala chapter of INTACH, under the guidance of its convener, Col RD Singh, conducted a workshop for children on writing a project report on the environment. It was attended by 92 children and teachers from 14 schools. Lt Gen Ranjit Singh (retd), who was the chief guest, explained the importance of maintaining the environment. He asked children to use bicycles to reduce pollution.
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/lok-adalats-resolve-4-001-cases-184053, December 14, 2020
The revamp of the Central Vista may mark a move away from colonial culture for Delhi, but there is another spot of British pomp that may yet preserve the city’s historical pedigree. It is Coronation Park in north Delhi’s Burari, the site of royal durbars and the location from where the transfer of the British India’s capital from Calcutta to Delhi was pronounced in 1911. Coronation Park was to have been revamped and reopened in 2012, but even today the 52-acre expanse lies in shambles, a veritable dust bowl with all its statuary in derelict condition. The park is sited on the ground where the Delhi Durbars of 1877, 1903 and 1911 were held. It was in the imperial assembly of 1911, commemorating the coronation of King George V, that Delhi was announced the new capital of India and the event marked by the Coronation Pillar. The 21-metre-tall sandstone obelisk still stands, though its
structure has been marred by the very Indian malaise of romantic inscriptions. Delhi Development Authority has now called for a fresh tender for the landscaping to give a proper resting place for the various statues collected over decades. The obelisk has two plaques with details of the 1911 assembly in Urdu and in English, but the statues, including those of viceroys Willingdon, Irwin and Hardinge, are mostly unnamed. Among the celebrated ones is that of King George V brough here after Independence from its perch under the canopy at India Gate. The park, which saw some landscaping and renovation in 2012, is officially not open to the public.
DDA has been developing it into a tourist site in collaboration with Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach). The restoration, with an interpretation centre and restaurants, among other amenities, has missed several deadlines since. New efforts are on to finish the project. “We want to depict the story of Delhi’s heritage in this one place. It is at an initial stage right now and the process of getting the consultant on board is under way,” disclosed Rajeev Kumar Tiwari, principal commissioner, horticulture and landscape, DDA. “We have invited bids from specialised firms to help us formulate plans, including how exactly the heritage park should be structured."
Tiwari said that the consultant that DDA engaged would develop the concept and plan the project in consultation with all the stakeholders, after which DDA would move ahead with the creation of the heritage park.
Ajay Kumar, director of projects at Intach, said that the restoration of the historical park should have started by now. “Intach gave technical expertise to the development of the park and to conserve its statues and Coronation Pillar, but the place continues to remain under threat from vandals,” he rued. Kumar added that just the landscaping of the park would not be adequate. “It should have an interpretation centre to teach people about the significance of the location because it is an important historical site, a place where Delhi got its status as an imperial capital,” he said.
dia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/once-all-pomp-now-no-show-coronation-park-in-delhi-awaits-revamp/articleshow/79751890.cms, December 16, 2020
One of the best ways to get to know a place is to dive into the local lores. This was the idea behind The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) Bengaluru Chapter’s new publication Eleven Stops to the Present: Stories of One of the best ways to get to know a place is to dive into the local lores. This was the idea behind The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) Bengaluru Chapter’s new publication Eleven Stops to the Present: Stories of Bengaluru. The 11 short stories are based in Bengaluru and carry a dose of the city’s flavour and history. Some of these stories take place as far back as 800 or 2,000 years ago, others during the bubonic plague of the 1890s and 1920s, and the most recent one is set in the 1980s. “We wanted to commission a book of good stories, where the city’s history is a by-product. Children can get interested in the city through the stories of its neighbourhoods, like, for example, in which lane of Whitefield did Winston Churchill meet his girlfriend!,” says INTACH Bengaluru convenor Meera Iyer. The stories have been penned by Iyer, Aditi De, Anirudh Kanisetti, Edgar Demello, Menaka Raman, Shweta Taneja and Zac O’Yeah among others. Each tale weaves a story around established events, facts or nuggets from the city’s past. For example, researcher-writer Anirudh Kanisetti’s piece, called A Hero of Begur, has a protagonist named Buttanatapati, who was the son of the chief of Begur’s Bana family. The first documented use of ‘Bengaluru’ dates back to the ninth century, found on a hero stone in Begur. Buttanatapati is said to have died in the war of Bengaluru, so through this protagonist, Kanisetti paints a picture of a Bengaluru that was war-torn and brutal, diving into the culture of medieval noble families, and more. “We tend to not think beyond the Mauryas or Guptas when it comes to Indian history. But there was a lot going on in the Deccan that needs our attention,” says Kanisetti. Iyer’s story takes place 1,800 years ago. “Roman coins have been found in Yeshwanthpur. Using this fact, I spin a story that involves different elements – traders who travel to the East coast to trade with Roman ships, a hero who has to succeed in a fight, and the bond between siblings,” says Iyer. This new anthology is for children aged over 10. Aditi De, who is one of the 11 writers, says, “The book presents new ways of looking at the city. Every part of the city – its trees, footpath, etc – has a story to tell. The book tries to voice these untold stories for the children to keep and carry on.” Agrees Kanisetti, who hopes children are able to understand how the past can be both different and familiar. “Our material conditions may have changed from medieval times, but the human condition – seeking approval from family, trying to chart one’s own path in life – has stayed the same. This will always tie us to people who lived in a different place and time, and help us try to understand them as we understand ourselves,” he says. The book (`280) is available at bookstores
https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/2020/dec/16/looking-back-and-beyond-2236704.html, December 16, 2020
One of the best ways to get to know a place is to dive into the local lores. This was the idea behind The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) Bengaluru Chapter’s new publication Eleven Stops to the Present: Stories of One of the best ways to get to know a place is to dive into the local lores. This was the idea behind The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) Bengaluru Chapter’s new publication Eleven Stops to the Present: Stories of Bengaluru. The 11 short stories are based in Bengaluru and carry a dose of the city’s flavour and history. Some of these stories take place as far back as 800 or 2,000 years ago, others during the bubonic plague of the 1890s and 1920s, and the most recent one is set in the 1980s. “We wanted to commission a book of good stories, where the city’s history is a by-product. Children can get interested in the city through the stories of its neighbourhoods, like, for example, in which lane of Whitefield did Winston Churchill meet his girlfriend!,” says INTACH Bengaluru convenor Meera Iyer. The stories have been penned by Iyer, Aditi De, Anirudh Kanisetti, Edgar Demello, Menaka Raman, Shweta Taneja and Zac O’Yeah among others. Each tale weaves a story around established events, facts or nuggets from the city’s past. For example, researcher-writer Anirudh Kanisetti’s piece, called A Hero of Begur, has a protagonist named Buttanatapati, who was the son of the chief of Begur’s Bana family.
The first documented use of ‘Bengaluru’ dates back to the ninth century, found on a hero stone in Begur. Buttanatapati is said to have died in the war of Bengaluru, so through this protagonist, Kanisetti paints a picture of a Bengaluru that was war-torn and brutal, diving into the culture of medieval noble families, and more. “We tend to not think beyond the Mauryas or Guptas when it comes to Indian history. But there was a lot going on in the Deccan that needs our attention,” says Kanisetti. Iyer’s story takes place 1,800 years ago. “Roman coins have been found in Yeshwanthpur. Using this fact, I spin a story that involves different elements – traders who travel to the East coast to trade with Roman ships, a hero who has to succeed in a fight, and the bond between siblings,” says Iyer. This new anthology is for children aged over 10.
Aditi De, who is one of the 11 writers, says, “The book presents new ways of looking at the city. Every part of the city – its trees, footpath, etc – has a story to tell. The book tries to voice these untold stories for the children to keep and carry on.” Agrees Kanisetti, who hopes children are able to understand how the past can be both different and familiar. “Our material conditions may have changed from medieval times, but the human condition – seeking approval from family, trying to chart one’s own path in life – has stayed the same. This will always tie us to people who lived in a different place and time, and help us try to understand them as we understand ourselves,” he says. The book (`280) is available at bookstores
https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/2020/dec/16/looking-back-and-beyond-2236704.html, December 16, 2020
The restoration project was completely led by INTACH Kashmir Chapter with support from the local government and a group of community stakeholders. Amar Singh College Srinagar has bagged a prestigious award of merit in the 2020 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation. As per the statement issued by Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) J&K chapter, 48 projects were received collectively to represent a significant achievement in the progress of conservation in the Asia-Pacific region. “Project entries were diverse in scope and typology and were submitted from nine countries across the Asia-Pacific region. The Jury consisting of nine international conservation experts was convened from 20thto 22nd November 2020 to deliberate the project entries,” said Saleem Beg, convener and head INTACH, J&K Chapter in statement. “This year the jury awarded two special recognition for sustainable development, one award of Excellence, one award of distinction, three awards of merit, and one award for new Design in Heritage Contexts,” Beg said. The restoration project was completely led by INTACH Kashmir Chapter with support from the local government and a group of community stakeholders. “The project serves as a noteworthy model for safeguarding a unique 20th-century architectural asset in the Victorian neighbourhood of the old city of Srinagar,” he said. A spokesman of INTACH said that the objective of conserving the building was to restore the former glory of the building and to repair the damages caused by 2014’s floods and 2006’s earthquake. “The ornamental gauged bricks used in the building are handmade ‘rubber’ bricks and therefore very soft and predisposed to erosion and defacement. One of the challenges was to train the craftsmen to restore these ornamental bricks and to prepare new bricks to fill-in the missing ones in the walls,” he said in a statement. Expressing his gratitude for the recognition, convener and Head INTACH, J&K chapter said that the restoration work was executed by the conservation team of INTACH Kashmir Chapter led by Saima Iqbal, conservation architect assisted by Anjum Rafiq, Imran Bhat, experts from IGNCA for the murals. The project was successfully implemented with the support and cooperation of the college authorities and the Department of Higher Education, J&K Government.
https://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/latest-news/amar-singh-college-srinagar-bags-2020-unesco-asia-pacific-award-for-cultural-heritage-conservation/, December 17, 2020
A mound being dug up for the Purvanchal Expressway near the Mahpur village in Mau district has thrown up a Buddha head and a coin board, reportedly dating back to the Kushan period. State archaeology directorate's Varanasi regional officer,
Subhash Chandra, who paid a visit to the site on Thursday, told reporters, "On inspecting the site and after taking a look at the material unearthed including pottery, terracotta pieces, bricks and coins, the antiquity can be pegged from third Century BC to 12 Century AD. This means that the historical landscape of the place covers layers of Maurya, Sunga, Kushan, Gupta and subsequent rulers."
Chandra has recommended in his report to the state culture department that the material be handed over to a museum while a part of it may be used for scientifically establishing its age. He has also urged the government to commission a detailed project for the area. Apart from Buddha head and coins, terracotta artefacts including pottery were also found during digging on December 13. A local Buddhist committee, Buddhankur Bhimjyoti Samiti, has also written to the state government and Archaeological Survey of India to save the place.
A member of the Samiti said, "About 15 years ago some coins and figurines were recovered from another side of the mound. We had sought the government's protection for the heritage site but nothing happened. Now this second incident has strengthened the belief that the place is archaeologically important. Thus, we have reiterated our demand." Asked to comment on the antiquity of the place, Chandra said, "The place has been excavated several times. The initial work was undertaken by the British. Thereafter, Rahul Sankritayan drew inspiration from the site. Several research papers and doctorates may also be linked to the place. In short, the place is an archaeologically rich site without doubt." Meanwhile, District Magistrate Amit Bansal has stopped the digging work and has asked officials to demarcate the place. He also instructed preparation of an inventory of the material obtained and placed it in safe custody.
https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/india/india-ancient-coins-found-in-expressway-digging-in-up-1.1608270737517, December 18, 2020
The Minister of State for Culture and Tourism (IC), Shri Prahlad Singh Patel chaired a meeting of the National Museum Institute Society in New Delhi today. Outstation members attended the meeting through Virtual Mode. The agenda of the meeting was confirmation of the minutes of previous meeting of the society, which was held on 13.03.2020, relating to announcement of Government to establish Indian Institute of Heritage (IIH), and also to deliberate upon changing the nomenclature of existing National Museum Institute Society to Indian Institute of Heritage Society (IIHS). Members which included Sh. K.N. Dixit, Sh. Vasant Shinde, Prof. Arun Menon, Sh. D.N. Tripathi and others, welcomed the initiative of the Ministry to set up an Indian Institute of Heritage in line with the vision of Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi and the announcement made in the Union Budget for the year 2020-21. As per the proposal of Culture Ministry, the certificate/diploma courses which were hitherto being run by the Institutions under the Ministry of Culture namely; Institute of Archaeology, IGNCA, National Archives of India and NRLC-Lucknow, will be brought under the umbrella of Indian Institute of Heritage along with the degree courses of National Museum Institute, for imparting research & higher education in the field of cultural heritage & conservation. The institute would offer MA, Ph.D., diploma and certificate courses in History of Art, Conservation, Museology, Archival Studies, Archaeology, Preventive Conservation, Epigraphy & Numismatics, Manuscriptology, and related fields, as well as training for in-service employees. It was decided that members would send their suggestions for setting up the new Institute within a period of 15 days, after which the Culture Ministry would take necessary actions for setting up of Indian Institute of Heritage (IIH) in accordance with the Societies Registration Act, 1860, and the prevalent UGC guidelines for setting up of institutes of higher education in India.
https://indiaeducationdiary.in/prahlad-singh-patel-chairs-meeting-of-national-museum-institute-society-reviews-proposal-of-setting-up-indian-institute-of-heritage/, December 18, 2020
The Department of Archaeology recently renovated a granary of the Nayak period and erected a fence around it. It stands as the Nayak kings’ contribution to the Chola-era Palaivananathar temple at Thirupalaithurai on the Kumbakonam-Thanjavur road. The circular granary was constructed by Govinda Dikshitar, who was the teacher and chief minister of Ragunatha Naik and his father Achuthappa Naik. Ragunatha Naik ruled Thanjavur between 1600 and 1634. The granary near the entrance of the temple was used to store paddy harvested from the fields. “We plastered and removed broken bricks and replaced them with new bricks,” said K. Olimalik, Assistant Executive Engineer of the Archaeology Department. The circular brick structure is 36 feet tall and 80 feet wide. It is conical at the top and has three openings — one at the lower end, another at the centre and yet another one at the top. Approximately 3,000 ‘kalams’ can be stored in the granary. One ‘kalam’ is equal to 96 ‘padi’. Mr. Olimalik said there was a staircase leading to the granary. “It is made of metal and we have decided to convert it into a wooden staircase,” he said.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/, December 21, 2020
The award was announced by nine international conservation experts. The deliberations were held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic by INTACH’s Jammu and Kashmir chapter. Srinagar-based Amar Singh College’s building, built nearly 80 years ago, is one of the seven conservation projects to be recognised with the 2020 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation. The award was announced by nine international conservation experts. The deliberations were held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic by INTACH’s Jammu and Kashmir chapter.
The INTACH chapter in the Union Territory had carried out the conservation work at the Amar Singh College and restoration of the Amar Singh College brought back one of the most prominent institutional buildings in Kashmir to its former glory. The project team’s meticulous attention to original building design and materials involved imparting training to new generations of building artisans in brick and stone masonry.
The project serves as a noteworthy model for safeguarding a unique 20th-century architectural asset. With the announcement of this award, teachers, staff and students of this college feel proud as now people and tourists will also like to visit this college to see this heritage building and this building is now included in oldest heritage building of Kashmir valley. Bashir Ahmad Rather, Principal Amar Singh College, Srinagar said, “If a heritage or cultural building has been conserved properly, that is when it can get recognised with UNESCO. The building was renovated last year using the original material the building was constructed from.” Professor Tariq Ashai told ANI, the ambience and construction of the college building has been recognised by UNESCO.
“It was only possible because of the students and the faculty members of the college. We now have the responsibility to preserve the infrastructure and beauty of this building,” he added. Students of Amar Singh College also lauded the administration for preserving the building till date. They are happy to be a part of the educational institute.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/education/srinagar-s-amar-singh-college-conservation-project-recognised-with-unesco-award/story-v7qPDBlPTo4nNPvdmzVtXN.html, December 28, 2020
After the representation from the family of American architect Louis Kahn and ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites) over the past two days, IIM-A continued to receive letters to save the built heritage of Kahn. On Tuesday, the institute received letters from several quarters including the alumni of IIM-A, Cept University, the Gujarat chapter of INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage) and University of California, Berkeley. An online petition was also initiated, which received over 4,100 supporters in less than two days. The announcement of a ‘change’ in 14 of 18 dorms in a letter sent to alumni by Prof Errol D’Souza, the director of the IIM-A, set in motion a chain reaction globally. The move has evoked mixed reactions —primarily on the lines of conservation versus functionality.
In a letter to the director, Vishaan Chakrabarti, the dean of the College of Environmental Design at University of California, Berkeley, wrote that he sympathizes with the idea of the institution’s change and growth. “But this is not the way,” he wrote, adding that the restoration of the library proved that it can be adapted to contemporary needs. “As I’m sure you are aware, significant international concern is rising about your plans. This is not a decision that can be made unilaterally by any institution in an advanced nation,” he wrote. “As such we share a covenant that we are stewards of history and culture.” Sanjeev Joshi, co-convener of INTACH’s Gujarat chapter, in his letter mentioned that the Kahn complex is considered Grade 1 heritage. “This work of Kahn along with Le Corbusier’s works at Chandigarh and Ahmedabad have influenced how modern architecture shaped in India from 1960 onward,” his letter said. “These cultural assets belong to the globe at large and IIM administration of the day are merely custodians and trustees of the campus."
‘Ahmedabad shouldn’t go the Delhi way’ The Faculty of Architecture Alumni Association (FAAA) in its letter on December 28 mentioned that the alumni across the globe — more than 2,500 in number — unanimously object to the path taken by the administration. “There is an unequivocal urgent need to preserve and protect the original priceless works in their ensemble entirety,” mentioned the letter. A Delhi-based architect, Gurpreet Singh, the president of FAAA, told TOI that Delhi has lost its precious monuments such as the Hall of Nations. “Ahmedabad shouldn’t go the Delhi way. The building also represents an era of the city’s development,” he said. We want to work together: Alumni Ahmedabad : In a letter to Kumar Mangalam Birla, the chairperson of the governing council, and Prof D’Souza, 25-plus alumni urged their alma mater to withdraw or stay the tender.
The alumni come mostly from 1971 to 2002 batches and hold top management positions in India and abroad. The institute has been urged to set up a time-bound participative process with the alumni and share the results of the restoration so far. A feasibility study has been mooted of various options, and the examination of budget and plan for sourcing funds has been suggested. Sanjeev Aggarwal, an alumnus of PGP 1995 batch, told TOI that they are steadfastly with the institute. “The alumni body would like to offer assistance in all forms, including funding, to ensure that we preserve the legacy of Louis Kahn, which is intertwined with the soul of the institution,” he said. “We want to work together with the management and the governing council of the institute to bring together alumni resources, both managerial and financial, to make sure that we take a decision which helps in conserving the legacy."
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/yes-we-kahn-iim-a-conservation-call-gets-louder/articleshow/80017273.cms, December 30, 2020
