The restoration of the 186-year-old lighthouse, a Grade A listed heritage structure, on the Beach Promenade has picked up pace. Deactivated in the 1970s, the iconic structure finally got its due in 2020 after the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) commenced work to restore the structure. However, the work had slowed down significantly due to the pandemic. Being carried out at a cost of ₹3.32 crore, the project is being executed by the CPWD. While the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) is the architectural advisor, the Indian Institute of Technology Madras is the structural consultant. The work would be completed soon, a senior official said. “With almost 65% of the work completed, work on the restoration of the main tower is expected to be completed by March-end. The work is being carried out very carefully and we are using only traditional materials including lime concrete and pressed clay tiles. The circular wooden steps leading to the steps are also being replaced and we have taken care to retain the originality of the structure without tampering the materials or the architecture of this building,” A. Arul, senior architect of INTACH told TheHindu. The work also includes laying of Kota stone flooring for the pavilion and flame-finished granite slab flooring in verandah and pathways. The damaged rafters and beams on all roofs were being replaced with teak rafters while the rooms in the structure would have oxide flooring. “The restoration work also includes landscaping,” he added. Steepedinhistory The heritage structure is a landmark that cannot be missed by tourists along Goubert Avenue. It forms part of an ensemble of important buildings such as the Mairie, Customs House, old court building, and the French Consulate. Built by the French in 1836 to guide the mariners coming to Puducherry, the lighthouse is said to be the first lighthouse on the Coromandel coast and one among the 21 heritage buildings notified by the government as protected and restored. “In March 1836, the lighthouse was erected by engineer L. Guerre. It started with 12 oil lamps magnified by lenses and mirrors and the light was visible at a distance of 15 to 17 metres. The oil lamps were later replaced by a rotating battery-powered beam that could be seen 25 metres away. The lighthouse was last deactivated in 1979,” according to INTACH. It is a load-bearing structure with Madras terrace and was built in brick and lime mortar with lime plaster. The fluted tapering tower standing tall about 29 metres was originally built on a square base with a room for a watchman and an inner staircase. The upper storey with 218 wooden steps leading to the tower was added during the 20th century.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/puducherry/restoration-of-186-year-old-lighthouse-in-puducherry-picks-up-pace/article65182948.ece, March 1, 2022

Those include one of a case dating back to 1917 that was pleaded by Janaki Nath Bose, an eminent lawyer of his time and father of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. The Orissa High Court has sought the help of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage for the preservation of its extremely fragile case records. These records date back to 1800 with records of cases from Patna, Calcutta and Madras high courts. Before the Orissa High Court was set up in 1948, the Patna, Madras and Calcutta high courts were dealing with cases originating from Odisha. State convenor Intach and former director general of police A.B. Tripathy told The Telegraph, “Chief Justice of Orissa High S. Muralidhar has a keen interest in proper conservation of old records. The Intach had already had a meeting with the chief justice on this issue. Director, Intach conservation centre has made a presentation on how the records will be conserved and later stored. We have expertise in this area.” Director, Intach Conservation Institute, Mallika Mitra said: “We will soon submit a detailed project report to the high court on how to keep fragile records safe and secure. A clear message has been received from the chief justice that all the fragile records should be conserved, preserved and stored in a proper way so that the future generation can refer to them when required. “The digitisation of these records is not possible until they are preserved properly. We will impart training to the staff of the high court on how to do this job in a scientific manner.” At present, 11,217 fragile records are being kept in the state of the art Record Room Digitisation Centre (RRDC), a sprawling complex spread over a two-acre area located one and half km away from the Odisha High Court. Out of 11,217 fragile records, 421 records belong to the 1813-1861 era. When this correspondent, with the permission of the authorities, visited the fragile record room this week in Cuttack, astonished to see how carefully the fragile records have been stored. The staff were busy sorting out old records, digitising them and making PDF files and placing them in the almirahs. The fragile records include the one of a case dating back to 1917 that was pleaded by Janaki Nath Bose, an eminent lawyer of his time and father of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. “Go through the file, the case was disposed of on April 2, 1917. Another significant record was of 1918. Odisha’s eminent lawyer Madhusudan Das (Das founded the Utkal Sammilani which worked for the creation of Odisha as a separate province. Modern Odisha was established on April 1, 1936) appeared as the learned counsel and the case was disposed of on December 19, 1918. “The case record of Sadar Diwani Adalat starting from 1814 to 1833 has also been preserved. There is tremendous effort to ensure that the legal history of the state is preserved properly. Getting a pat on the back from the chief justice himself, we all are working round the clock,” said Amiya Mohanty, superintendent of the civil record room of the RRDC. “The fragile records are so old that its not possible to open and scan them. Since they cannot be digitised, these fragile records have been kept in their original form under special care for long-term preservation. We ensure permanent preservation of fragile records in their original form in earmarked fragile record rooms,” said a senior official of the Orissa High Court. The RRDC is like a single window facility for the storage, digitisation, preservation and retrieval of disposed-of case records or legacy records, These records can now be accessed for reference from the courtroom or any bench over a secure network. Though work on the digitisation of records began in the high court in 2018, it picked up pace after Justice S. Muralidhar took charge as the chief justice on January 4, last year. “He has been a pioneer in the field of having paperless court. He ensured that digitisation work in this high court gains required momentum," said officials, adding that in the civil record room 548033 records would be digitised. So far 312526 records have already been digitised and the remaining 228742 records would be digitised in phases,” said an official. Anupam Patra, who is leading the record digitisation project, maintained that more courts would become paperless in the coming days. “Currently digitisation of records is underway in four districts: Balasore, Cuttack, Ganjam and Sambalpur. The RRDC is also undertaking the exercise for the Cuttack district court,” said high court officials.

https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/indian-national-trust-for-art-and-cultural-heritage-to-help-preserve-odisha-high-court-records/cid/1853511, March 2, 2022

Launching the restoration project of heritage Oli Temple at Bamyal Nagrota on the ancient Shri Mata Vaishno Devi route, Senior BJP leader Devender Singh Rana today exuded confidence that the revival of the centuries old link will connect the devout with their spiritual moorings. He launched the project, initiated by Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) in virtual mode in the presence of the Convener of its Jammu Chapter S. S Sawhney and others. The BJP leader underscored the historical and religious significance of the Oli Temple at the Yogabhoomi of Nagrota and said the efforts of the revival of the original route to the holy cave shrine at Trikuta Hills– passing through Kol Kandoli Temple Nagrota, Durga Mata temple – Pangali, Shiv temple – Thandapani – Drabi, Shiv Shakti temple – Marh, Drabi, Kali Mata temple – Gundla Talab, Ram Darbar and Shiv temple – Bamyal, Oli temple Chhapanoo-Bamyal will go a long way in seeking the spiritual bliss by the pilgrims and giving economic fillip to the areas enroute the track. Rana said he had all along been thinking why this monumental heritage route has suffered neglect for decades even though the bliss of revered shrines on Trikuta Hills had transcended continents. “We have been envisioning restoration of this route and the firm resolve of the people have made it possible to undertake the pilgrimage through the Pracheen or ancient route”, he said, hoping the effort will get momentum in years to come, which will be a major step towards creating pilgrims interest in the area. “The pilgrims used to go to Mata Vaishno Devi via this route prior to 1947”, he added. He hoped that the conservation work of the assets like step-wells, ponds, saarais, wells, temples and springs along the trails on the old Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine route will be taken up as per the detailed project prepared by the INTACH. He expressed happiness over the initiation of the renovation work. He also appreciated the efforts of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Sanstha – Marh, Bamyal, headed by Harbans Singh and his team Randeep Singh, Ashok Kumar, Jagdish Raj, Sanjeev Kumar, Rakesh Kumar, Puran Chand, Vinod Kumar, Jadgish Kumar, Kartar Chand and others for their relentless efforts in restoration of the project. Expressing his gratitude to S. S. Sawhney, Convener INTACH Jammu Chapter, Arvind Kotwal, Coordinator Heritage Tourism, Jammu Chapter and Kirpal Singh, Life Member of the INTACH, Rana hoped that their efforts in getting this prestigious project, as also the other projects in the pipeline, will be accomplished in a time bound manner.

https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/rana-e-launches-intach-restoration-of-ancient-oli-temple-on-old-vaishno-devi-route/, March 3, 2022

Uttara Gangopadhyay

To most visitors, Dahanu, a coastal town, less than three hours’ drive from Mumbai, is known for its uncrowded beaches, chikoo orchards, and old Parsi residences. Chikoo grown in the Dahanu-Gholvad region has earned the Geographical Indication (GI) tag. But there is more to this town than meets the eye, was how long-time Dahanu resident and Convenor of INTACH Dahanu Chapter, Phiroza Tafti, introduced me to this sleepy town in Palghar district of Maharashtra, a few years back. Now, thanks to the Dahanu Municipal Corporation, visitors can learn more about Dahanu, its people and culture, at a festival organized over March 12 and 13, this year. Named the Dahanu Festival, it will be held at the Seaview Park on Dahanu beach. It will be held from 10am to 10pm and will have free entry. The core objective of the festival is sustainable tourism and promotion of local culture, according to Ashima Mittal, Assistant Collector, Dahanu. The two-day long festival includes a lot of activities, such as beach paragliding, agro farm tours (including exploring local chikoo-based food processing units), food festival based on Maharashtrian and Konkani cuisine, art and craft workshops (including opportunities to learn about Warli painting), local folk dance performances, live musical bands, etc. Visitors can go trekking by day and star gazing at night. Visitors will be able to savour the sweet chikoos and carry back chikoo based products as souvenirs. Dahanu is said to contribute 35 per cent of Maharashtra’s chikoo production. According to Bharat Rajput, President, Dahanu Municipal Council, “The need for sustainable tourism is rapidly growing from an ecological point of view as well as to support the local tourism infrastructure in high potential destinations like Dahanu. The area has a rich diversity of flora and fauna, greenery, and a fascinating history. We are confident that the event will help put Dahanu firmly on the national tourism map."

https://www.outlookindia.com/outlooktraveller/travelnews/story/71946/festivities-galore-to-liven-up-first-ever-dahanu-festival, March 6, 2022

Two French scientists have discovered ancient geoglyphs (surface maps) at Boha village and 43 megaliths (big stones) in different parts of the district. The National Trust For Art and Culture Heritage (Intach) too has conducted a survey and confirmed the discovery of mysterious geoglyphs. Under the guidance of Jaisalmer Intach convener, Thakur Vikram Singh Nachna, and Rajasthan Paryavaran Samiti secretary Yashovardhan Sharma, several environmentalists have studied the maps and ancient stones in the last eight months. These kinds of megaliths are usually found in Balochistan and Sindh in Pakistan, southern India, Malwa, and other places. These megaliths could be from the stone age and extensive study is being done to make this available for tourists to see. Nachna and Sharma said two scientists from France had found the maps and stones on the rocky surfaces of Boha, Behdai, Selta, Salkha, Ola, Netsi, Khinvsar, Pohda, Kannoi, Dujasar, and Soyambar villages. "Last year, French scientists Carlo Othemer and Yohan Othemer found this. While coming to Jaisalmer, they found the proof on Google Earth at Boha village. They surveyed here and announced four such maps at Boha village," they said.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/french-scientists-find-geoglyphs-43-megaliths-in-jaisalmer-villages/articleshow/89910056.cms, March 8, 2022

From appreciating French-era architectural landmarks, guided heritage walks and biodiversity workshops to celebrating Creole cuisine, indigenous food systems and handicrafts, the eighth Pondicherry Heritage Festival (PHF), beginning on Friday, will offer participants a diverse experiences. The PHF 2022, to be held between March 4 and 27, will focus on “celebrating the natural, cultural and built heritage of the bio-region.” Originally conceived to spotlight the conservation of the city’s Franco-Tamil architectural legacy, the festival has, over the years, expanded its scope to embrace the wider aspects of the region’s local heritage, going beyond monuments and buildings to highlight threatened waterbodies as well as the unique spiritual and cultural landscape. Organisers told a press conference on Thursday that the event would feature a packed schedule with music concerts and dance performances, book launches, sessions on the region’s wildlife and workshops on biodiversity mapping. A host of agencies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), including the Tourism Department, Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), Alliance Française Pondicherry (AFP), French Institute of Pondicherry (IFP), People for Pondicherry’s Heritage (PPH), Pondicherry Citizen’s Action Network (PondyCAN) and Alliance for Good Governance (AGG), are supporting the event. Tourism Minister K. Lakshminarayanan is scheduled to inaugurate the PHF on Friday at the Alliance Française auditorium. Satish Nallam, AFP president, said the PHF would mark the beginning of an eventful calendar for the city with the Francophone and Bonjour India festivals to follow. Kakoli Banerjee of PPH noted that there were signs of tangible gains from heritage awareness campaigns as the PHF entered its eighth year. In addition to the restoration of the Calve College, V.O.C. School and Pensionnat De Jeunes Filles (Government Girls French High School) being undertaken under the Smart City Project, the Old Light House and the Old Court building had also been preserved. Sunaina Mandeen, PondyCAN, said the thrust was on driving home the message that people shaped by the natural and cultural heritage of the region they inhabit should protect and preserve it for future generations. Doris Barboni, Department of Ecology, IFP, said the two major events during the festival would be the Wetlands Photo Contest to raise awareness on these ecosystems and the ongoing Local Food Systems workshop. Besides these, two booklets — The Keerai Project and The Native Bees and Pollination in the Puducherry Bioregion — would be launched in English and Tamil. Arul, INATCH architect, said the festival, which was launched to highlight the importance of heritage conservation after the collapse of the 146-year-old Mairie Landmark in 2014, had raised public awareness and guided policy to an extent. Bitasta Samantaray, PPH, said the festival would showcase the wares of local craftsmen with an expo at the Crafts Bazaar. Joy Ganguly from AGG said local communities would be encouraged to take stewardship of waterbodies in Thimmayapper Naicken Palayam . The screening of the new Marathi film Pondicherry is another highlight of the festival. Geared towards evoking heritage consciousness at a young age, the PHF has lined up over 40 online events on the heritage theme for age groups from kindergarten to school and college students (www.phf2022.com).

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/puducherry/puducherry-heritage-festival-starts-from-march-4/article65187004.ece, March 11, 2022

An archaeology research student of the Deccan College, Pune — Sachin Patil — under the guidance of Dr P D Sabale, discovered four labyrinths, which are 2,000 to 2,200 years old, at Walva and Kavthe Mahankal tehsil of Sangli in 2020. This discovery was published in the 50th edition of ‘Caerdroia’ journal published in 2021 by Jeff Saward, a London-based expert in labyrinths and mazes. Now, these labyrinths are set to find their place in the lifetime work summary book of labyrinth expert John Kraft, which will be published in Swedish. Of these four labyrinths, three are located at Aitawade Budrukh and Vashi villages, some 50 km from Kolhapur city. While the fourth labyrinth is 50 km away from the first three labyrinths and is located at Malangaon village in Kavthe Mahankal tehsil. Nandini Sahu, the regional director (East) of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) visited the site of the labyrinths so that they can be conserved and turned into heritage sites. Sachin Patil said, “These labyrinths highlight the significance of the Kolhapur region in the Graeco-Roman silk route under the Satavahana dynasty for trade via the western coast of Maharashtra to reach central and other parts of India. These have been reported for the first time in western Maharashtra. These labyrinths are signs indicating the trade significance for the Roman traders assuring them they are on the right track where the Buddhist monks were not present to suggest them the directions.” The design of these labyrinths is similar to the Crate Coin — a Roman currency coin which was used between 1st century Before Christ and 3rd century BC. “Along with these four, six more labyrinths have been explored in localities along the ancient trade route from western Maharashtra and will be published in the near future,” said Patil. Such labyrinths in India have been found in Tamil Nadu, Goa, Karnataka and now in western Maharashtra. The locals in Maharashtra call them as ‘kode’ (puzzle). Dr P D Sabale, the head of archaeological department at Deccan College Research Institute and Deemed University in Pune, said, “Statue of the Graeco-Roman sea god Poseidon and bronze polished mirror found in the excavation carried out by Dr HD Sankaria and Mr Dixit at Bramhapuri (current ASI site in Kolhapur city) in 1945 suggests that Kolhapur was a trade centre and junction place while carrying out trades by the then Graeco- Roman merchants.” Few damaged labyrinths have been found out in Shahuwadi tehsil in Kolhapur, which are said to be damaged while carrying our work by earth moving vehicles for gas pipeline and farming related works. “More labyrinths are expected to be there in Shahuwadi, Radhanagari, Bhudargad and Gagan-Bawda region and if people come across such rare stone structures, then they should preserve them for further international research,” added Dr Sabale. These labyrinths also act as a meditation tool for the people. History researcher Ganesh Nerlekar-Desai said, “Labyrinth has seven circuit classical form and one has to enter and come out through the right path only. As one walks towards the centre of the labyrinth, the person focusses on letting go other thoughts in the mind in a way connecting the body with the mind. Similar to labyrinth there are maze, but the major difference between the two is that labyrinths have single continuous path leading to the citadel, and the same path needs to be taken to exit the labyrinth. While in other case, mazes have multiple paths which branch off and will not necessarily lead to the centre”.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolhapur/2200-yr-old-labyrinths-dating-back-to-indo-roman-trade-route-await-archaeological-740.0, March 12, 2022

If you are interested in art conservation and want to make a career of it, The Telegraph has some pointers for you

While India never stops boasting about its embarrassment of cultural heritage riches, the dearth of institutes and universities for advanced studies in the field of conservation in the country adds to the body of evidence that little is done to conserve and prevent this wealth from further deterioration and loss. Although many universities offer courses in conservation, these are mostly adjuncts of museology or art history courses. There are a handful of trained conservators and they are not enough to serve the needs of the museums, universities, art galleries and private collections that abound all over the country. Yet, such is the lack of awareness - it can also be attributed to indifference — that most government museums and private galleries do not hire adequately trained conservators. “Most government museums need to modify their rules to recruit trained conservators.

They still hire people from science or fine arts backgrounds, who are trained on the job," says Satish Pandey, who is the head of art conservation at National Museum Institute (NMI), Noida. It was to fill this gap that the Tata Trusts Art Conservation Initiative has taken up “a four-year programme that proposes to establish, develop and strengthen art conservation centres in five zonal locations across India, and create a cohort of trained conservators. It also aims at establishing a master’s degree in art conservation at an Indian university. Each of the five institutes partnering under this initiative is to focus on two materials to offer training courses in (see box).

Why did Tata Trusts take this initiative? Says Deepika Sorabjee, head of the arts and culture portfolio at Tata Trusts, “The Trusts commissioned a strategy report for the arts in 2010. Senior experts from various disciplines guided the report. Conservation, along with performing arts and craft, was one of the areas identified where work was needed.” In the entire country, the NMI, Noida, is the only one that offers full-time master’s and PhD courses in conservation, says Pandey. “This is a passion-driven field. You really need to have an interest in art, culture and heritage conservation,” he stresses. According to Pandey, art conservation is analogous to medical sciences and needs in-depth study of the artefact and proper diagnosis of its problems before any conservation intervention. He says, “When you are handling an original artefact, there is no scope for mistake as it can irreversibly damage the artwork. In conservation you need multidisciplinary knowledge and skills. At the NMI, students are initially trained on dummy objects to develop practical skills and then they are trained on original artefacts, under supervision".

The eligibility requirement for admission to the NMI is: a graduate degree from a recognised university in physics, chemistry, geology, biology, biotechnology, microbiology or visual/fine arts or architecture, engineering and technology with minimum 50 per cent marks. Those with a graduate degree in history, geography, anthropology, archaeology or related disciplines with minimum 50 per cent marks and Plus Two/senior secondary/intermediate level education in science stream can also apply. Pandey says the NMI must have trained over 300 personnel since its inception in 1983. However, considering the vastness of cultural heritage in the country, this number is still very small. He admits there is a dearth of full-time jobs and most trained conservators depend on freelancing in the private sector or short-term contractual jobs. Kartick Kayal, a young conservator who was upskilled at the recent train-ing course in conservation of oil paintings held at the Kolkata Institute of Art Conservation, under the Tata Trusts Art Conservation Initiative, says in despair, “The West Bengal government has taken no initiative. Calcutta University’s museology plus conservation course is useless.” Sanjay Dhar, a leading conservator who belongs to the first batch of the institute, says, “In India, conservation is a new development.

In the West, it has been taught for well over a hundred years. Here we cannot afford specialisation in specific material. There are not enough jobs either. Other stakeholders and the Archaeological Survey of India and the state archaeological departments need to understand the need for conservators.”

The Tata Trusts Art Conservation Initiative
Courses on offer
• Oil paintings and paper (illustrated manuscripts) at the Anamika Kala Sangam Trust, Calcutta (training in conservation of oil paintings was held last year-end at the Kolkata Institute of Art Conservation)

• Stone and wood at the Himalayan Society for Heritage and Art Conservation, Nainital

• Wall paintings and textiles at the Mehrangarh Museum Trust, Jodhpur

• Metals and taxidermy objects at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Mumbai

• Paper (prints, drawings, maps) and photography at the Museum of Art and Photography, Bangalore (the training course is to start in March 2022)

https://www.telegraphindia.com/education/how-to-make-a-career-in-art-restoration/cid/1853918, March 14, 2022

Chances of Gujarat 's famed garba getting the coveted Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (ICH) tag bestowed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization ( ) have brightened. Efforts to get the nine-day long traditional folk revelry of Gujarat inscribed on Unesco's representative list have picked up. Sources said the government of India's ministry of culture is preparing a dossier that will be submitted to Unesco by this month-end. The ministry, through the implementing agency of Sangeet Natak Akademi, has assigned the task to a project team of MS University.

Ministry officials were in Gujarat's garba capital - Vadodara - last week where the process was discussed with the team at length. "The team from Delhi was here for three days. The modalities of approaching Unesco, preparing a thorough dossier along with recommendation letters were discussed at length with teachers, researchers, scholars at MS University's Faculty of Performing Arts," a source close to the development said on the condition of anonymity. On December 15, 2021, Unesco had accorded ICH status to Kolkata's Durga puja festivities - making it Asia's first festival to receive the recognition. As part of the exercise, letters of consent for nomination of garba of Gujarat for the possible inscription are being collected from all stakeholders from across the state.

If inscribed, 'garba'- the colourful festivities in which lakhs of revellers swirl to the tunes of 'dhols', music and folk songs in colourful 'chaniya cholis', ghagras and kediyas during the Navratri - will become the first intangible cultural heritage of Gujarat to be listed by Unesco. Since 2008, 14 intangible cultural heritages from India have been listed by Unesco. These include Koodiyattam, a Sanskrit theatre of Kerala; Mudiyett, a ritual theatre and dance drama of Kerala; vedic chanting; 'Ramlila'; 'Ramman' (a religious festival and ritual theatre of Garhwal, Uttarakhand); Kalbelia folk songs and dances of Rajasthan; Chhau dance (a classical dance form of West Bengal and Odisha); Buddhist chanting of Ladakh; Sankritana (a ritual singing, drumming and dancing of Manipur); traditional brass and copper craft of utensil making among the Thatheras of Jandiala Guru, Punjab; and yoga.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/gujarats-famed-garba-may-get-heritage-tag-of-unesco/articleshow/90089090.cms, March 14, 2022

The Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation has passed a resolution to take over the Intach museum in the HDMC office premises in Dharwad for maintenance and the approval by the government is awaited, said Dharwad ZP CEO Suresh Itnal. Speaking at the 90th birth anniversary programme of late NP Bhat, the founder of the museum here on Wednesday, Itnal said the museum is an asset to the culturally rich Dharwad and deserves all support. HDMC joint commissioner Madhav Gitte assured all help from the civic body for the maintenance and development of the museum. Professor Yashoda Bhat, wife of NP Bhat explained the bond her family had with Dharwad and the efforts of Bhat to establish the museum to showcase the rich heritage of Dharwad. Writer Shamsundar Bidarkundi, presiding over the function, suggested that the museum should also collect and display books written by famed writers hailing from Dharwad along with a brief introduction of the writer. Shaila Karagudari compered. Sumangala Bhat proposed a vote of thanks. The museum For those who want to know about the rich heritage of the region in general and Dharwad in particular, the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach) Museum located in the Municipal Corporation office compound in Dharwad is the best place that will provide all information. The museum which is open for visitors from11am to 2pm from Monday to Friday houses precious stamps, coins, manuscripts, original certificates of many eminent writers and their precious belongings, paintings by many local painters as well as paintings by many painters of all India fame. It is a treasure of photographs of several ancient buildings in Dharwad and information on the achievements of many writers. One can find reprints of Raja Ravi Varma’s paintings, manuscripts of writers like Raa Ha Deshpande, VK Gokak, SL Bhyrappa, Sham Baa Joshi, Da Raa Bendre, and details about Hindustani classical musicians Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Mallikarjun Mansur, Gangubai Hanagal, Basavaraj Rajguru, stone inscriptions about Dharwad and many other valuable antiques. It also has a bust size of NP Bhat donated by Lt. Gen. (retd) SC Sardeshpande.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hubballi/hdmc-offers-to-help-maintain-intach-museum/articleshow/90177498.cms, March 14, 2022

As the Cochin Smart Mission Ltd (CSML) is set to launch the beach beautification project in Fort Kochi region soon, a collective of activists in Fort Kochi has come up with a demand that the authorities should give priority to reclaim acres of beach area which disappeared during past decades. On Saturday, the Kochi Metro Rail Ltd presented the design concept of the beautification project being implemented by CSML, at a meeting held at Fort Kochi. At the meeting, the irrigation department officials had been told to submit a detailed project report on the protection of the beach, which was prepared by IIT Madras, by the first week of April. The National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach) is demanding to complete the process of reclaiming the beach area in Fort Kochi, before launching the beautification of a small area of two acres in Fort Kochi by spending a huge amount of Rs 30 crore. Intach convener K J Sohan said that now authorities should focus only on the reclamation of beach areas which had disappeared due to sea erosion during past several years as the loss of beach area is posing serious threat to the heritage zones at Fort Kochi.

"The IIT has already submitted a report regarding the beach protection to the irrigation department authorities. We should modify the report to give priority to the reclaim beach area,” he said. He has pointed out that there were more than 20 acres of beach area in Fort Kochi around four decades ago. We have to reclaim at least some areas for the protection of the conservation areas of Fort Kochi,” he said. Sohan said that there is no urgency for the beautification in the region. “CSML has failed to properly maintain the already beautified areas in the region and it is meaningless to spend Rs 30 crore in the name of beautification without protecting the beach areas,” he said.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/demand-to-reclaim-beach-in-fort-kochi/articleshow/90212004.cms, March 14, 2022

A Dahanu resident tells you why this small coastal town must be on your Mumbai itinerary next time you visit this region. A nature lover, a trekking enthusiast and an environmental activist, Phiroza Tafti wants people to love and look after Mother Earth. Almost 40 years ago, she bid goodbye to Mumbai (Bombay then) and settled in a little-known village by the sea, about 120km away by road from Mumbai, along with her horticulturist husband. Gradually Tafti realised this village had a rich natural and cultural legacy and since then it has become her life’s passion to showcase Dahanu to the world. You are Dahanu based right? When people prefer big cities, why did you choose Dahanu? I was born and brought up as a true Bombay city girl, but grew disillusioned with the pseudo materialistic lifestyle and felt far removed from nature; and so in 1979 married a horticulturist and settled down in Dahanu and got closer to nature. It was the best decision of my life. I feel living in a city, you lose touch with what is really important to the human race's survival. Living close to nature and working with the Warlis [an Adivasi community who live on both sides of the Maharashtra-Gujarat border] has taught me and continues to teach me that we are doomed unless we work with nature and not against it. How did you become an environmental activist? I joined hands with Nergis Irani and became an environmental activist protesting against the Dahanu Thermal Power Plant. It was an interesting experience but also frustrating at times and when Nergis Irani offered me her post of Convenor of INTACH Dahanu Chapter, I took it up as an opportunity to do something proactive and positive for Dahanu. This was around 2003-2004. Dahanu's ecologically fragile status has been protected by the Dahanu Notification of the Supreme Court. INTACH was one of the funding agency working to protect this status. There are only 13 areas in India that have protection of this kind and it is important that Dahanu continues to be protected. Few people know Dahanu as you do. How did it start? I was teaching in a local school when I realised that the local kids had very little knowledge about the cultural heritage of Dahanu. I started taking them on field trips and also became a resource person to conduct workshops to create awareness about the Warli community. Since then I have been holding many programmes, especially with school children and youth groups, such as mangrove beach cleaning. Is there any specific project that has been undertaken by the Dahanu chapter of INTACH? INTACH Dahanu Chapter wanted to encourage the youth to take interest in the cultural heritage of Dahanu. This led to the first ‘Discover Dahanu’ Festival. The following World Heritage Day (2012), MTDC sponsored an event ‘The Amazing rickshaw Race’. Based on this success, 2013 saw a bigger two-day event, renamed as ‘Chikoo Festival’, in partnership with MTDC and other local groups, which was attended by 2,500 visitors. In 2014, this grand event was renamed as ‘Chikoo Utsav’ with the aim to boost tourism and make local entrepreneurs avail of the opportunities in the tourism sector. We also undertook a Cultural Mapping Exercise, around 2015, which was appreciated by the Delhi Head office. The study documented the intangible cultural heritage of the tribal Warli people to identify the nature of the linkage between the tribal culture and the environment, to map the folklores, dance forms and art of the community, and finally to assess the rapidly disappearing traditional knowledge in the community and the mode of transmission of the knowledge from one generation to the next. The ‘noco’ project was sponsored partly by INTACH and partly by a Japanese NGO. We decided to document a traditional Warli hut and build a model hut using the techniques of the Warli tribe to create a sustainable design for future generations to refer to when they decide to revert to the good old eco-friendly houses. So what can visitors expect at the Chikoo Utsav? Chikoo grown in the Dahanu-Gholvad region has earned the GI tag. A wide variety of chikoo products are sold during the two day festival. Apart from Chikoo ice creams and kulfis, people set great store by the dried chikoo chips and chikoo powder (which can be used in milkshakes and ice creams). The interest shown by visitors has encouraged local women to start investing in small scale industries such as drying chikoos to cater to orders year round. During the festival, visitors can also go on a paid conducted tour of a chikoo farm where they can watch and take part in chikoo plucking, washing, grading the fruits, etc. Do tell us a bit about the ‘many sides’ of Dahanu. To begin with, I realized that Dahanu had a lot to offer in terms of natural heritage – the beach, the flora, the Sahyadri hills, lakes, the sacred groves, etc. – apart from its cultural attractions. The surrounding countryside is a trekkers’ paradise – you can visit the Bahrot Caves, Mahalaxmi, Gambhirgadh, and Asherigadh. There are instances of built heritage such as the Dahanu Fort and temples. You cannot ignore the living heritage of Dahanu. There are people from diverse communities living here, such as the fisherfolk of Dhakti Dahanu, the Kolis, Mitnas, Mangelas, toddy tappers, basket weavers, potters, Warli painters, and horticulturists. Dahanu is an interesting place to start tribal tourism -- showcase the eco-friendly rural life, art, culture and heritage, enabling interaction between visitors and the locals for an enriching experience. Apart from visiting the Bahrot Cave, the Asavali Dam and the beach, what else one can do in Dahanu? Depending on how much time visitors have on their hands, there are plenty of options. During chikoo season, it is possible to visit a chikoo farm, albeit with prior permission, to watch how the delicate fruits are plucked from the tree using a ‘belni, which is a bamboo pole with a metal net; it requires a lot of skill. Attending a chikoo auction (where the fruits are bid for, graded, packed and loaded into trucks) can also be fun. A visit to Masoli will acquaint you with the Mayavanshi community who weave baskets and make bamboo artefacts used for commercial packing and transporting of fruits. The Dahanu fort, which today houses the Tehsildar Office and the jail. Although a flyover now connects the Dhakti Dahanu fishing village - located across the creek – to the mainland, you may still visit the creek to watch the fisher folk taking their boats out to the sea. Or simply, drive through the ‘gam’ to get the feel of what was once a sleepy town, turn nostalgic as you glimpse the surviving old homes with their old architecture, the wooden pillars and otlas and overlooking balconies - Portuguese style. A drive along the beach road is also very interesting. Dahanu's heritage is a living and breathing entity, encompassing its people, buildings and natural assets. However, there is a fear that the proposed port for Dahanu will likely devastate the livelihood of the indigenous fisher folk, and also bring about changes in the traditional and ecological aspects of Dahanu. Is there anything that visitors must not come away without seeing? Everything is a must see here. But I would suggest do visit Prabhakar Save's amazing Eco-Agro tourism venture ‘Tarpa’. You can also stay here. Take a guided farm tour, learn any of the rural life-skills (such as fishing) or crafts (such as Warli painting). Khosbad Nursery and institutions continuing with Anutai Wagh’s social reforms and educational work are also interesting places to visit. Or, visit a Warli painter’s home and learn about the ‘Lagna Chauk’ or the square paintings on the walls which used to be made as part of wedding rituals and led to the now famous ‘Warli’ painting. Are the local people being involved (like homestays, local guides, and transport operators) in the development of Dahanu as a heritage- and nature-based attraction? The number of homestays have increased over the years especially after the Chikoo Festival drew hundreds of tourists to Bordi. The Jungle Camp at Aswali run by Suryahas Chaudhary has trained local guides to accompany travellers on hikes and share their knowledge of the flora and fauna of the area. I have trained a first generation teacher at Karbatpada to hold Warli village tours.

https://www.outlookindia.com/travel/a-dahanu-resident-s-guide-to-best-things-to-do-in-dahanu-news-187165, March 15, 2022

A Dahanu resident tells you why this small coastal town must be on your Mumbai itinerary next time you visit this region. A nature lover, a trekking enthusiast and an environmental activist, Phiroza Tafti wants people to love and look after Mother Earth. Almost 40 years ago, she bid goodbye to Mumbai (Bombay then) and settled in a little-known village by the sea, about 120km away by road from Mumbai, along with her horticulturist husband.

Gradually Tafti realised this village had a rich natural and cultural legacy and since then it has become her life’s passion to showcase Dahanu to the world. You are Dahanu based right? When people prefer big cities, why did you choose Dahanu? I was born and brought up as a true Bombay city girl, but grew disillusioned with the pseudo materialistic lifestyle and felt far removed from nature; and so in 1979 married a horticulturist and settled down in Dahanu and got closer to nature.

It was the best decision of my life. I feel living in a city, you lose touch with what is really important to the human race's survival. Living close to nature and working with the Warlis [an Adivasi community who live on both sides of the Maharashtra-Gujarat border] has taught me and continues to teach me that we are doomed unless we work with nature and not against it.

How did you become an environmental activist?
I joined hands with Nergis Irani and became an environmental activist protesting against the Dahanu Thermal Power Plant. It was an interesting experience but also frustrating at times and when Nergis Irani offered me her post of Convenor of INTACH Dahanu Chapter, I took it up as an opportunity to do something proactive and positive for Dahanu. This was around 2003-2004.

Dahanu's ecologically fragile status has been protected by the Dahanu Notification of the Supreme Court. INTACH was one of the funding agency working to protect this status. There are only 13 areas in India that have protection of this kind and it is important that Dahanu continues to be protected.

Few people know Dahanu as you do. How did it start?
I was teaching in a local school when I realised that the local kids had very little knowledge about the cultural heritage of Dahanu. I started taking them on field trips and also became a resource person to conduct workshops to create awareness about the Warli community. Since then I have been holding many programmes, especially with school children and youth groups, such as mangrove beach cleaning.

Is there any specific project that has been undertaken by the Dahanu chapter of INTACH?
INTACH Dahanu Chapter wanted to encourage the youth to take interest in the cultural heritage of Dahanu. This led to the first ‘Discover Dahanu’ Festival. The following World Heritage Day (2012), MTDC sponsored an event ‘The Amazing rickshaw Race’. Based on this success, 2013 saw a bigger two-day event, renamed as ‘Chikoo Festival’, in partnership with MTDC and other local groups, which was attended by 2,500 visitors. In 2014, this grand event was renamed as ‘Chikoo Utsav’ with the aim to boost tourism and make local entrepreneurs avail of the opportunities in the tourism sector.

We also undertook a Cultural Mapping Exercise, around 2015, which was appreciated by the Delhi Head office. The study documented the intangible cultural heritage of the tribal Warli people to identify the nature of the linkage between the tribal culture and the environment, to map the folklores, dance forms and art of the community, and finally to assess the rapidly disappearing traditional knowledge in the community and the mode of transmission of the knowledge from one generation to the next.

The ‘noco’ project was sponsored partly by INTACH and partly by a Japanese NGO. We decided to document a traditional Warli hut and build a model hut using the techniques of the Warli tribe to create a sustainable design for future generations to refer to when they decide to revert to the good old eco-friendly houses.

So what can visitors expect at the Chikoo Utsav?
Chikoo grown in the Dahanu-Gholvad region has earned the GI tag. A wide variety of chikoo products are sold during the two day festival. Apart from Chikoo ice creams and kulfis, people set great store by the dried chikoo chips and chikoo powder (which can be used in milkshakes and ice creams). The interest shown by visitors has encouraged local women to start investing in small scale industries such as drying chikoos to cater to orders year round. During the festival, visitors can also go on a paid conducted tour of a chikoo farm where they can watch and take part in chikoo plucking, washing, grading the fruits, etc. Do tell us a bit about the ‘many sides’ of Dahanu.

To begin with, I realized that Dahanu had a lot to offer in terms of natural heritage – the beach, the flora, the Sahyadri hills, lakes, the sacred groves, etc. – apart from its cultural attractions. The surrounding countryside is a trekkers’ paradise – you can visit the Bahrot Caves, Mahalaxmi, Gambhirgadh, and Asherigadh. There are instances of built heritage such as the Dahanu Fort and temples. You cannot ignore the living heritage of Dahanu. There are people from diverse communities living here, such as the fisherfolk of Dhakti Dahanu, the Kolis, Mitnas, Mangelas, toddy tappers, basket weavers, potters, Warli painters, and horticulturists. Dahanu is an interesting place to start tribal tourism -- showcase the eco-friendly rural life, art, culture and heritage, enabling interaction between visitors and the locals for an enriching experience.

Apart from visiting the Bahrot Cave, the Asavali Dam and the beach, what else one can do in Dahanu? Depending on how much time visitors have on their hands, there are plenty of options. During chikoo season, it is possible to visit a chikoo farm, albeit with prior permission, to watch how the delicate fruits are plucked from the tree using a ‘belni, which is a bamboo pole with a metal net; it requires a lot of skill.

Attending a chikoo auction (where the fruits are bid for, graded, packed and loaded into trucks) can also be fun. A visit to Masoli will acquaint you with the Mayavanshi community who weave baskets and make bamboo artefacts used for commercial packing and transporting of fruits. The Dahanu fort, which today houses the Tehsildar Office and the jail. Although a flyover now connects the Dhakti Dahanu fishing village - located across the creek – to the mainland, you may still visit the creek to watch the fisher folk taking their boats out to the sea. Or simply, drive through the ‘gam’ to get the feel of what was once a sleepy town, turn nostalgic as you glimpse the surviving old homes with their old architecture, the wooden pillars and otlas and overlooking balconies - Portuguese style. A drive along the beach road is also very interesting.

Dahanu's heritage is a living and breathing entity, encompassing its people, buildings and natural assets. However, there is a fear that the proposed port for Dahanu will likely devastate the livelihood of the indigenous fisher folk, and also bring about changes in the traditional and ecological aspects of Dahanu.
Is there anything that visitors must not come away without seeing?
Everything is a must see here. But I would suggest do visit Prabhakar Save's amazing Eco-Agro tourism venture ‘Tarpa’. You can also stay here. Take a guided farm tour, learn any of the rural life-skills (such as fishing) or crafts (such as Warli painting). Khosbad Nursery and institutions continuing with Anutai Wagh’s social reforms and educational work are also interesting places to visit. Or, visit a Warli painter’s home and learn about the ‘Lagna Chauk’ or the square paintings on the walls which used to be made as part of wedding rituals and led to the now famous ‘Warli’ painting. Are the local people being involved (like homestays, local guides, and transport operators) in the development of Dahanu as a heritage- and nature-based attraction? The number of homestays have increased over the years especially after the Chikoo Festival drew hundreds of tourists to Bordi.

The Jungle Camp at Aswali run by Suryahas Chaudhary has trained local guides to accompany travellers on hikes and share their knowledge of the flora and fauna of the area. I have trained a first generation teacher at Karbatpada to hold Warli village tours.

https://www.outlookindia.com/travel/a-dahanu-resident-s-guide-to-best-things-to-do-in-dahanu-news-187165, March 16, 2022

The 200-year-old tomb of a French Major who served in Begum Samru’s army, which is located in a park in Gurgaon’s Mohyal colony, was reopened to the public on Wednesday after Indian National Trust For Arts and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) completed the restoration of the structure. With chipping paint revealing bits of bricks underneath, and the inscription on the tomb faded in several places, INTACH had begun restoration work on the structure on January 28. The restored structure was unveiled at a ceremony on Wednesday, in the presence of officials from INTACH as well as Remi Vacher, Secretary-General of the Finance and Administration division of The French Institute or Institut Francais India (IFI). On its website, IFI says it “is a section of the Embassy of France responsible for connecting and implementing Indo-French human exchanges.” According to officials from INTACH, the square tomb, which is raised on an eight-feet-high stepped platform and is itself 15 feet high, is made entirely of brick and lime. However, later interventions on it, many of which were done by residents to preserve the monument, were undertaken in cement. “Before we started our restoration work, there were cracks on the structure, and some masonry and cement repairs, which had been done by people over the years who were trying to maintain the tomb. There were also some issues with the platform. We tried to maintain a balance while undertaking the restoration, so we didn’t undo things that were in good shape. We cleaned the top portion and removed all the cement plaster.

In addition, we also repaired the steps,” said Tapasya Samal, Co-convenor of the Gurgaon Chapter of INTACH. Dating back to 1821, the tomb was erected in memory of Major Jean Etienne, who was born in Bordeaux, France and, according to the inscription on the structure, died when he was 75 years old. Describing him as a “Gallant Soldier” and an “Honest Man”, the inscription states that he served “Begum Sombre” for 35 years. Begum Samru was a dancing girl in the 18th Century, who married Captain Sombre from France, and inherited his mercenary army upon his death. She came to popularly be known as Begum Samru since local residents struggled to pronounce her name. INTACH officials said that, during restoration, they also made an interesting discovery about a flat structure beside the tomb, which was earlier believed to have been built at a later stage, but has now been found to, most likely, be even older than the tomb, as indicated by “its design and construction material”. Apart from the work done to restore the tomb, INTACH has also made interventions to preserve it, such as providing a plinth all around it “to protect its foundation”.

“We have also put a spout on the side of the structure because the water channel runs along the surface and can be drained out through that. In addition, we have also improved the surrounding of the structure and grown plants and undertaken boundary wall painting, so that residents can enjoy the space,” said Samal. Unlike earlier, the tomb now also has a plaque that makes visitors aware of its origin, and the “colonial and late Mughal influences” visible in its architecture. Following a few lines about Major Jean Etienne, the plaque adds, “The Parganah of Jharsa was under the Begum for 60 years and lapsed to the British after her death in 1836. The adjacent platform with corner octagonal bastions also has an unknown grave.” “It is the only surviving example of a 19th Century funerary structure in the area thanks to the efforts of the Mohyal colony residents. INTACH Gurgaon Chapter in association with INTACH Architectural heritage division restored it in 2022,” reads the plaque. Yasmin Contractor, Convenor of INTACH’s Gurgaon Chapter, speaking during the ceremony on Wednesday, emphasised the role of the RWA in preserving the tomb. “We are grateful to the RWA - it is because of their foresight and care that this tomb survived - this piece of history has survived,” she said. Officials said they will also be installing a plaque in Hindi at the tomb and, in addition, plan to take the help of the administration to put directional signages to attract visitors.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/gurgaon/200-yr-old-tomb-of-french-major-opens-to-public-after-restoration/articleshow/90278845.cms, March 17, 2022

Built in the 1920s, it was where the Chief Commanding Officer of the Nizam's forces, Khusro Jung Bahadur, resided. After many years of being chipped away part-by-part, Khusro Mazil, a heritage structure, was finally torn down on Thursday night. The demolition that began in 2013 has now finished, leaving a pile of debris.

The building, dated to have been built in the 1920s, was classified as a Grade III heritage structure under HUDA (Hyderabad Urban Development Authority) guidelines. Despite the HMDA stating that they never permitted the owners to tear down the structure, it has been destroyed. Anuradha Reddy, convener of INTACH, calling this a tragedy, said, “The government, who is supposed to care for these buildings is either unaware or unconcerned about them.” She went on to say that the heritage sites owned privately were promised relief from the government in form of tax concessions, or help with heritage restoration- but that relief is completely absent. Reddy added that even in the case of privately-owned heritage buildings, ultimately the responsibility of maintaining, restoring and conserving the city’s identity and heritage falls to the government.

“No one will pay to see a cement flyover, but people will pay to see a city’s heritage,” she said. Sajjad Shahid, Hyderabad historian and conservator, says that the government has sent clear messages multiple times that they will tear down buildings that have connections to old Hyderabadi culture. “There are very few heritage buildings in the city, and we’re losing them one by one. This is a clear indicator that the authorities are not interested in preserving our history and culture. We are failing as a society to protect these buildings.” Khusro Manzil was built during the time of the seventh and last Nizam of Hyderabad Mir Osman Ali Khan (1886-1967). He became the monarch in 1911. Khusro Manzil was the residence of the Chief Commanding Officer of the Nizam’s forces, Khusro Jung Bahadur.

https://www.siasat.com/destruction-of-heritage-khusro-manzil-finally-bites-the-dust-2292743/, March 18, 2022

A recent survey found that the district has many hundred-year-old pasture lands, but there is no documentary proof of these lands in the government records. The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), which conducted the survey, is now making efforts to get these pasture lands in the government records. It was found that only 35 out of 85 new pasture lands are registered in the government records. The documentation of old pasture lands built during the princely time in the district and new pasture lands will help in registering the land with the revenue department. As per the survey, the oldest pasture land is currently at Janra village known as Malan Bai Ka Oran and it was traced prior to the setting up of Jaisalmer.

The biggest pasture land, Bhadariya Rai ka Oran is spread on an area of around 1.08 lakh bighas. Environmentalist Parth Jagani said that ancient pasture lands have been present in the district for many decades. During the survey it was found that maximum ancient villages were set up in the middle of the pasture lands due to security reasons. It was also the grazing ground for camels, cattle, wildlife, wild birds especially Great Indian bustard. INTACH district convener Thankur Vikram Singh Nachna said that the organisation plans to get these lands declared as historical environmental heritage and grow sevan grass, other desert species and plants. It can also be developed as ecotourism and wildlife tourism.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/only-35-of-85-pasture-lands-registered-in-govt-records/articleshow/90341979.cms, March 19, 2022

Two days national workshop on heritage awareness and setting up of heritage clubs in schools and colleges concluded at GCOE Jammu. The workshop was jointly organized by GCOE Jammu, Faculty of Teacher Education and Heritage Education and Communication Services, New Delhi and INTACH Jammu Chapter. The students were trained by Poornima Dutt, Principal Director of HECS New Delhi about the ways in which the teachers can act as volunteers for preserving the natural, built and cultural heritage of India. The Principal of the College, Dr Kulvinder Kour thanked the collaborators for sharing their expertise with the students. Eminent Resource Persons shared their expertise during the span of two days. S M Sahani KAS (Retd), INTACH Convener Jammu Chapter spoke about the rich Heritage of J&K, Dr Anita Billawaria talked about Samba Chint work and it’s conservation, Christina of HECS apprised the students about the role of volunteers, Dr Sudhir Singh, Joint Director, JKBOSE talked about linguistic heritage. Dr C M Seth, Retd IFS, Environmentalist and Co- convener INTACH Jammu Chapter talked about Natural Heritage. Kuldeep Wahi and Arvind Kotwal (Retd KAS officers) also threw light on the need of preserving heritage. Dr Zubair Kales, Dean, Faculty of Teacher Education also spoke about the value of heritage and need of preserving it. Dr Anju Bala and Dr Rajinder Kour (MEd Coordinator) also spoke about the value of heritage. Dr Niharika Panda and Dr Rekha were also present in the program.

https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/national-workshop-on-heritage-concludes/, March 22, 2022

An exhibition of photographs and architectural drawings of some of the oldest schools spread across Dakshina Kannada district titled ‘Window to the Classroom – Revisiting Great Grandparents Schools’ was inaugurated recently. “We should look upon the legacy of our forefathers with pride," DDPI Sudhakara K had stressed while inaugurating the exhibition.

The government has plans to undertake similar work by starting Paramparika or a heritage corner within each school, he said. "An amount of Rs 16.5 lakh has been approved for eight schools in the district. We look forward to working with INTACH in making this a successful idea,” he added. Vimala Rao, retired headmistress of Canara Girls’ High School in Dongerkery appreciated the efforts of INTACH to preserve heritage.

Under INTACH, a project to identify 100-year-old schools was initiated by two trainees from the Nitte Institute of Architecture in 2018. Among the 25 to 30 schools identified, 19 had been listed and architectural documents of eight are prepared. The recent demolition of a Government School in Puttur gave organisers the motivation to present these centennial schools as an exhibition, informed Subhas Chandra Basu, Convener of INTACH, Mangaluru Chapter.

The exhibition is open till March 30 The exhibition is organised by the Mangaluru Chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) at Kodialguthu Centre for Art and Culture, Ballalbagh. It will be open to visitors till March 30 from 11 am to 7 pm.

https://www.deccanherald.com/state/mangaluru/intach-s-expo-on-photos-architectural-drawings-of-old-schools-1095566.html, March 24, 2022

Vedakumar Manikonda has been re-elected as the member of the Governing Council of INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage) for the third consecutive time with highest majority. A press release from the Deccan Heritage Academy Trust stated that his contributions to INTACH have been immense and his services towards the cause of protecting the heritage structures over the years and his advocacy on its behalf had inspired members of INTACH.

Understanding the need of protection of heritage structures for the sustainable development of the nation as a whole, he had made it his mission to impress upon policy makers and the public. A civil engineer by profession and a passionate heritage activist at heart, Vedakumar has been associated with INTACH for the last two decades and had served the member of INTACH Governing Council for two terms.

https://www.thehansindia.com/news/cities/hyderabad/hyderabad-vedakumar-manikonda-gets-inducted-into-intach-governing-council-for-3rd-time-735387?infinitescroll=1, March 26, 2022

An awareness programme on ‘Status of Mother Tongue’ was organised by Bhubaneswar chapter of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) at Dhauli Garden, on the foothills of Dhauli Peace Pagoda, in Bhubaneswar. Gracing the occasion as the Chief Guest, eminent linguist, social scientist and author Padma Shri Debi Prasanna Pattanayak threw light on the subject elucidating the present day status of mother tongue and reiterated the importance for recognition and research in this regard. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Basanta Kumar Panda, Director, Centre of Excellence for studies in classical Odia , CIIL, Ministry of Education , Govt. of India, delved into the arena of vernacular language literature while mentioning various works being undertaken for recognition, preservation and research on mother tongue in Odisha and in different parts of the country. Citing the example of distinct dialects used by various tribes in Odisha, people from different regions, he explained the difference between mother tongue and language of study or education. On this occasion, Dr. Gourahari Das, Dr.Basanta Kumar Panda and Dr. Ratikanta Mishra were inducted to the chapter as new members. The meeting was chaired by Amiya B Tripathy, State Convenor, INTACH, Odisha and coordinated by Bhubaneswar chapter convenor Baikuntha Panigrahi.

https://orissadiary.com/intach-bhubaneswar-chapter-holds-awareness-programme-on-status-of-mother-tongue/, March 27, 2022

While emperors and kings dominate historical records, visitors today can get a broader view of our past through the beautiful monuments built by women across India. From a stepwell in Gujarat to a temple in Karnataka, many of these are architectural marvels that have been recognised as UNESCO World Heritage sites, though not all are restored to their past grandeur. Get these 10 gardens and monuments on your travel radar.

Taj-ul-Masajid, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
India's largest mosque, the Taj-ul-Masajid (or "crown among mosques"), is one of the imposing monuments built by the Begums of Bhopal, a dynasty of four women who ruled from 1819 to 1926 and were known for being trailblazers in the political realm and in social reform. Begum Shah Jahan, who built several palaces, temples and mosques during her reign, commissioned architect Allah Rakha Khan for the mosque. But construction stalled after she passed away in 1901, and though her daughter Sultan Jahan Begum continued the work, the begum's vision for the mosque was realised finally in 1985. Look out for the nine domes that boost the acoustics, the reflection in the courtyard pond, and the secluded section where women were allowed to do namaz.

Virupaksha Temple, Pattadakal, Karnataka
Along the Malaprabha River in northern Karnataka stands a cluster of temples that many regard as the epitome of Chalukyan temple architecture. But of these UNESCO World Heritage-listed rock-cut structures, the most outstanding is Virupaksha Temple, built by Queen Lokamahadevi. Completed around 740 AD, the sacred structure commemorated the victory of her husband Vikramaditya II against the Pallavas, and she had sculptors from the Pallava capital of Kanchi for the building of the temple. A huge, inviting figure of Nandi at the entrance is accompanied by fine sculptures of the gods such as Nataraja and Ravananugraha and carved narratives from the Mahabharata and Ramayana.

Itimad-ud-Daulah, Agra, Uttar Pradesh
Before the romantic splendour of Taj Mahal came this testimony of a daughter’s devotion to her father. Itimad-ud-Daulah is a tomb of remembrance that was built by the Mughal Empress Nur Jahan, wife of Emperor Jahangir, for her father Mirza Ghiyas Beg. Mirza was granted the title of Itimad-ud-Daulah by Akbar, and rose to the position of wazir under Jahangir’s reign. After his death, Nur Jahan took seven years, from 1622 to 1628 AD, to get one of Agra’s most delicate-looking structures made in his memory. A Persian-style garden leads to the main mausoleum, where the tomb is enclosed in cool white marble and intricate jaali-work that still craft patterns of sunlight across the floor. It became the first monument of India to be completely built in marble, with artistry that is said to have inspired even the Taj Mahal, built by her stepson, Emperor Shah Jahan.

Qudsia Bagh, Delhi
Today, not much remains of what was once a sprawling 50-acre garden complex. Qudsia Bagh was built by Qudsia Begum, a courtesan who went on to become the de facto regent for six years from 1748. She became the wife of Emperor Muhammad Shah and upon his death in 1748, she became queen regent while their son Ahmed Shah Bahadur was crowned emperor. It was during the first year of her reign that she built the garden complex, a place of respite from the daily mundanities at the Red Fort. A private mosque and pavilion were built on the ground complete with cusped arches and stucco work. The palace was destroyed in the revolt of 1857, and only a few structures like the mosque survived in the garden complex.

Rani ki Vav, Patan, Gujarat
Built on the banks of the River Saraswati in Patan, Gujarat, Rani ki Vav was built in the 11th century by Queen Udayamati, as a memorial to her husband, King Bhimdev I. It was designed as a subterranean shrine or inverted temple honouring the sanctity of water. The stunning stepwell illustrates the craftsmanship in the Maru-Gurjara architectural style. The inscription for the UNESCO World Heritage listing notes, "it is divided into seven levels of stairs with sculptural panels of high artistic quality; more than 500 principle sculptures and over a 1,000 minor ones combine religious, mythological and secular imagery", around the 30m-deep well.

Fatehpuri Mosque, Delhi
Mughal emperors often commissioned centrally located grand mosques but their wives, consorts, daughters and sisters took over the map of the land to build many smaller masjids for daily congregation of their subjects. One such place of worship is the Fatehpuri Masjid in Delhi, built in 1650 AD by a particularly beloved concubine of Shah Jahan. Fatehpuri Begum built the second-largest mosque in the city at the time. Made in red sandstone with a large dome and green lotus finial, the mosque quickly became a hushed haven from the bustle of Chandni Chowk.

Roshanara Bagh, Delhi
Old Delhi was handed one of its biggest parks and grandest Mughal gardens by princess Roshanara in 1650. The sprawling greenscape was a pleasure garden to Roshanara, whose father emperor Shah Jahan ruled the land. Its stone pathways, stunning jaaliwork and her unmarked tomb sleeping under the open sky are all that remain of her summer retreat; the gardens were redecorated and replanted by the British in the late 19th century. Since then the expansive garden has served as a ground for cricket matches in Delhi.

Dakshineshwar Kali Temple, Kolkata, West Bengal
Rani Rashmoni was no queen, but she was a leader. Born to a fisherman’s family, the philanthropist became popular among Bengal’s masses for her championing against sati, polygamy and child marriage apart from successfully countering the East India Company's fishing tax. This was the lady behind the Kali Temple of Dakshineshwar. She purchased 20 acres of land in 1857 and built a two-storeyed structure with nine spires in the style of the Bengal School of Architecture, despite the resistance by Brahmin priests against a Shudra woman building a sacred site. An idol of Bhavatarini, as aspect of goddess Kali, was placed in the shrine, and the sage and reformer Ramakrishna Paramahansa served as the chief priest of the temple.

Moti Masjid, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
Second in line of the Begums of Bhopal, Sikander Begum was a great administrator. Among the buildings she commissioned is the Moti Masjid, built in 1860. With a trip to Mecca in 1863, Sikander became the first Indian monarch to make the Hajj, which she recorded in a memoir. Moti Masjid resembles Delhi’s Jama Masjid, and is striking with two red sandstone towers topped flanking the white marble mosque.

Maharani Shankar Temple, Gulmarg, Jammu and Kashmir
This red-roofed temple amidst the picturesque meadows of Gulmarg was built in 1915 by Mohini Bai Sisodia, the wife of Maharaja Hari Singh. The temple to Lord Shiva, is also known as Mohineshwar Shivalalaya. It stands on a hillock against snowcapped peaks, and is visible from all corners of the town.

https://www.cntraveller.in/story/10-beautiful-indian-monuments-built-by-women/, March 30, 2022

On March 30, some laborers were extracting sand from the river Jhelum in Lelhara village of Kakapora area when they found the Vishnu murti shaded in black and green in the river. On Wednesday, an ancient three-headed sculpture of Lord Vishnu was recovered by some laborers during sand extraction from the river Jhelum in the Kakapora area of Pulwama district in South Kashmir. The sculpture was taken under possession by Pulwama Police and was later handed over to the Directorate of Archives, Archaeology, and Museums of Jammu and Kashmir. According to the reports, the sculpture dates back to the ninth century. On March 30, some laborers were extracting sand from the river Jhelum in Lelhara village of Kakapora area when they found the Vishnu murti shaded in black and green in the river. They contacted the local police, who reached the spot and took the sculpture into their possession.

Mushtaq Ahmad, the Deputy Director of the Department of Archives, Archaeology, and Museums of Jammu and Kashmir said that the sculpture is a unique three-headed Vaishno of the ninth century. “It is a green stone sculpture which is very rare and its art is highly decorated. However, a few parts of the sculpture are missing,” Mushtaq added. The recovered sculpture is a unique three-headed idol of Lord Vishnu and represents him as the supreme being. Reportedly, the frontal human face is that of ‘Vasudeva’, the right face is of a lion and is called ‘Samkarsana’, the left one boar is north facing and of ‘Aniruddha’. The small idol on Vishnu’s left is that of ‘Chakrapurusha’ which personifies his battle mace.

The sculpture is now housed in SPS Museum, Srinagar, for further studies, officials said. It is pertinent to note that several ancient, Indian old sculptures have been recovered from various places in recent times. Last year in September 1200-year-old sculpture of Goddess Durga was found in Jammu and Kashmir by the local police. The sculpture was found from the Jhelum river in Budgam district’s Khan Sahib area as some laborers were mining sand from the river bed. Also, in January this year, the 10th century goat-headed Yogini idol was recovered from a garden of a private residence in London and was handed over to the Archaeological Survey of India. The ancient idol had gone missing from a temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Lokhari village 40 years ago.

https://www.opindia.com/2022/03/three-headed-sculpture-of-lord-vishnu-recovered-from-river-jhelum-jammu-and-kashmir/, March 31, 2022