Heritage Alerts December 2009
An average built foreigner with spectacles and beard, probably an academic, exclaimed in a strong French accent, "this is the best part!" as a group of us gazed at three old black and white short silent films that seemed to resurrect Rabindranath Tagore from the dead. One captured him alighting from a plane in London. Two others followed him around the gardens of a rich businessman friend based in France named Albert Kahn. The latter, born in Germany in 1860, lived in Paris in voluntary exile. As part of Bonjour India Festival organized by the French Embassy, NGMA is exhibition 100 commissioned photos and two film clips from Kahn's vast collection, dating to the first half of the 20th century. Fleming, representing Louis Vuitton, who have presented the show in Delhi, explained, "We wanted to have this as an invitation to a cultural and spiritual journey of India. So we decided to embellish it using pictures and cinematographic materials, to rediscover the daily lives of Indian inhabitants at the beginning of the 20th century."
Kahn's fortune, including a bank he created in 1898 and speculations in diamond mines, plummeted after the Nazis invaded France. By the time he died, much of Kahn's money was diverted to various institutions. An avid traveler himself, Kahn had also supported five photographers on a project called 'Archives of the Planet'. This eventually resulted in 72,000 autochronomes, 4,000 stereoscopic plaques and about 1,83,000 metres of film taken between 1912-1931 in 48 countries. Kahn ambition was "to put in effect, a sort of photographic inventory of the surface of the globe as inhabited and developed by Man at the beginning of the 20th century."
The NGMA exhibition has 100 images shot between 1913-14 and 1927-28. The earlier pictures, by Stephen Passet and Pierre Loh, are particularly treasures, being some of the first examples of actual colour photography, without any touching up and painting of the background as was sometimes the norm. The Lumiere Brothers, Auguste and Louise were the ones to develop this format called autochrome. Fleming told us, "Compared to other colour photography methods, these autochromes are relatively stable and are well preserved. They are nevertheless likely to be deteriorated during prolonged exposure to light." He added that, "Greatest damage to the plates autochromes are from excessive moisture. The environmental reserve must be healthy and conditions thermo-humidity controlled. Each plate is placed in a pocket or an envelope with four flaps. The plates are then arranged vertically, or flat by small numbers, in boxes of appropriate conservation. Like all original photographs, the autochromes must be handled carefully with gloves. The fatty deposits and acids left by fingerprints promote alterations."
It probably was not unusual that the photographers, being French, initially ignored images that might be seen as 'British colonial'. Instead they captured sights such as a Parsi singer in Delhi, Amber Fort,Hawa Mahal, Ahmedabad. There are pictures of ordinary folk, like waterbearers, or an Afghan security guard, dressed in a Scottish design cloak that anthropologists might find of interest. The later section taken between 1927-28, as part of Archives of the Planet's second mission, are mostly images of royalty. This led one of the visitors to comment, "colonial baggage."
The Maharajah of Kapurthala, Jagajit Singh, who also led the delegation of princes to League of Nations, was apparently a good friend of Kahn's. And there is a film that records a ceremony involving him with royalty from other parts. However, the royalty section, apart from the historical value, is rather boringly staid. None of the royals are even particularly attractive looking while the commoners, in their commonerness — no, we're not Communists — present a colourful wide array of humanity with some drama, even when standing still. A studio photograph of Sir Jagdish Chandra Bose was also quite endearing. As was the delight of watching Tagore actually walk around one of Kahn's many beautiful gardens, which were photographed separately. Apparently Tagore was introduced to another Nobel Laureate for Literature, Henri Bergson, through Kahn. We read that Tagore had been very moved when Kahn showed him the effects of World War I on France, and it influenced his later political ideas.
The Louis Vuitton connection in all this is that the trunk makers designed cases for the photographer's equipment. The exhibition has chocolate trunks emblazoned with 'LV" trademark, belonging to the Maharajah of Baroda. It also features Vuitton's clients in the section on royals. Karan Singh, scion of the erstwhile royal house of Kashmir, recalled his own parents travelled with 'LV' luggage after holidaying in Paris. About three years ago, the luxury luggage manufacturer held a show dedicated to Indian artists in Paris at the Espace Culturel Louis Vuitton.
- Pioneer, December 1, 2009
With cases of bears straying out of their habitat and attacking people rising, mostly in the outlying areas close to forests, wildlife officials have started a pilot project of putting GPS collars around the necks of Himalayan black bears in a bid to study their movement and behavioural pattern.
Officials said they had chosen three bears, a male, a female and a cub, for the project and their study would be helpful in drawing a strategy for their conservation as well as efforts to minimise the incidents of man-animal conflict.
The project has been undertaken in the Dachigam National Park in Srinagar and spread across over 140 sq km. It is not only home to endangered bears but also hanguls, a rare breed of deers. There are around 300 bears in the region.
Officials said human habitat had encroached upon animal habitat over the years with the rising population and things were especially bad in regions close to the Line of Control. Troops movement in forests and division of animal habitat by the border have affected the animal life.
Attacks on people by bears are common in Kashmir and villagers often unite to attack bears.
- Tribune, December 1, 2009
The capital has "lost" the highest number of monuments, and the list only seems to be growing. While the ministry of culture has narrowed down on 12 historically significant monuments that have virtually been wiped out, experts say that with rapid urbanization and encroachment at heritage sites, many more structures are slowly fading away.
In yet another instance of encroachments swallowing up a piece of history, a 16th century gumbad in Nizamuddin basti — Do Siriya Gumbad — is barely visible today. Multi-storey buildings have come up around the tomb, making it difficult for anyone to see the structure. At best, one can spot the dome's head peeking over a three-storey building.
Located just a few feet from the ASI-protected Subz Burj monument, which gets visitors on a regular basis, this Lodi-period tomb continues to bear the brunt of unconcerned authorities.
The only access to the tomb — a narrow, dingy lane — has been taken over by scrap-dealers, motor repair shops and a makeshift cowshed. Small jhuggi clusters have mushroomed over the tiny space on which the monument stands.
Locals watch television and go about their daily chores even as electrical wires dangle close to the tomb. ''This is our land and we don't allow visitors in here,'' said a hostile scrapdealer when Times City tried to see the monument up close. Next to the monument is a hotel, the additional floors of which have completely overshadowed the tomb.
With no authority willing to take responsibility for the upkeep of the structure, basti residents have had a free run of the monument. The tomb is neither under central protection by the ASI nor included in the list of 92 monuments identified by Delhi government's department of archaeology for notification and conservation.
Meanwhile, MCD — which is responsible for removing encroachments — said it would look into the vandalism caused on the site. ''MCD will take appropriate action to protect the sanctity of this historical monument as per the law,'' said Deep Mathur, director (press and information), MCD.
According to conservationists, the 500-year-old tomb has been encroached on by the locals for decades. As the structure, which has typical Lodi architecture, is located on Lodhi Road, they say it can become a popular tourist destination. "Humayun's Tomb, a world heritage site, is walking distance from Do Siriya Tomb... In fact the entire Nizamuddin area is a heritage zone. It thus becomes all the more important to acquire and conserve the structure," said an expert.
The tomb is listed as an important heritage structure both by MCD and Intach, which has also given it a 'B' rating in terms of archaeological value.
- Times City, Times of India, December 1, 2009
Faridabad: Will the dried-up Surajkund Lake see water again? Even as Haryana Tourism seems to have drawn up an ambitious plan to revive the water body before the Commonwealth Games, experts are questioning its sustainability given the fact that mining has caused the water retention capacities of lake's bed to be affected.
According to S N Rai, managing director, Haryana Tourism, 12 natural water bodies — some of them lakes — in the Aravali range have been identified to draw water for the kund. ''We will pump out water from these and install pipes to carry water to Surajkund Lake. These have sufficient water, specially during the rain season, and we hope to cash in on the natural resources,'' said Rai during his visit to Surajkund. He asserted that the work would be completed before the Commonwealth Games.
TOI had highlighted how rampant mining in the Aravali has caused the three Faridabad lakes — Surajkund, Badkhal and Damdama which till recently had healthy water levels — to dry up completely. The reports had caused consternation among environmental activists and even prompted some to plan a cricket match on the dried up Badkhal bed which was scuttled after authorities swiftly moved in to put an end to the ''tournament''.
The Supreme Court sometimes back put a ban on mining in Faridabad, Gurgaon and Mewat till the Haryana government comes out with a comprehensive environmental rehabilitation plan.
Meanwhile, environmentalists as well as civil engineers from Faridabad who will be executing the project, are questioning the idea of recharging Surajkund by piped water. ''Most of the water bodies that have been identified dry up during summer. Maintaining such a huge network of pipelines in the Aravalis will not be an easy task,'' said S Pillai, a conservationist. According to Pillai, it would be difficult to stop water from evaporating during summers even if the lake flooring is relaid. ''This seems a stop-gap method to showcase the area to foreign tourists. The Haryana government may have announced to revive the Badkhal and Surajkund lakes in time for the 2010 Games, but the fact remains that it neglected the two crucial water bodies for well over two decades,'' he said.
The apex court while hearing the matter of mining had said: ''Mining alters the natural land profile of the area. Mine pits and unattended dumps are irreversible consequences of mining operations. Rock blasting, movement of heavy vehicles and operation of mining equipment cause considerable pollution in the form of noise and vibration.''
SC had earlier directed the government to develop a 200m wide green belt along Surajkund and Badkhal.
- Times City, Times of India, December 1, 2009
The heart of India's countryside conceals much by way of heritage. I speak with specific reference to a quiet dusty little town north of Alwar in Rajasthan. Tijara, as the town is called, has come a long way from being the capital of the kingdom of Mewat, which straddled both the present day states of Rajasthan and Haryana. Mewat wasn't a regular medieval era kingdom. It was different and what made it so were its people — the Meos, who were originally Rajputs. During the Tughlaqs reign at Delhi, a number of Sufi saints began to move into the area and it was under their influence that the Meos gradually converted to Islam. The result of this mix of cultures has been strange and delightful at the same time. While the people may be Muslims in practice, they have retained many links to their roots and many Hindu customs still find prevalence here.
The single most important monument in Tijara is the fort located on the outskirts of the town. Built high at the top of an isolated hill from which it commands a sweeping view of the area around, the fort is devoid of any battlements or even a protective wall, thus making the word 'fort' a working title only. The only element that offers a shade of protection to the fort is an old irrigation dam and a stream at the foot of the hill. The fort would have been very vulnerable in its heyday and only the most optimistic of rulers would have stayed here in the turbulent middle ages.
Today, the fort makes for a very pleasant outing. A road takes you to about a halfkilometer from the base of the hill. From that point, a walk along the narrow pathway created by a gap between the vegetation and the irrigation dam brings you to the hill itself which is not too much of a climb for an active person. At the top of the hill are three palaces, two set at the edge to the front of the hill and a third one towards the back. Interestingly, none of the palaces have the stamp of Sultanate period architecture, indicating that while the kingdom of Mewat may have been ruled from here, the original buildings have vanished with time and the current structures put in place later. The palaces have been abandoned for long, occupied by only birds that flying in and out of the windows all day.
On the drive back from the fort to the town there's another interesting structure — the Lal Masjid. Unlike its more notorious namesake in Islamabad, this mosque is peaceful. Having once served as the congregational mosque for the city, this is the only structure in the place which bears the mark of Tughlaq architecture. It has three massive bays each of which were originally topped by a huge dome, of which two survive. Across the town from this mosque is an octagonal tomb, which the locals incorrectly call the 'Bhartari ka gumbad'. It is actually the tomb of a cousin of the Lodi rulers.
Apart from these monuments, Tijara is littered with many more heritage buildings of varying charm and significance. The first steps in putting a stop to the decay of Tijara's heritage buildings seem to be taking place - that is only if the rumours of the Tijara fort being taken over by a hotel chain with plans to convert it into a heritage hotel hold true. Tomorrow, tourists might gaze out of the windows through which birds fly in and out, but today Tijara remains the kind of place that should be explored before it is 'discovered'.
GETTING THERE - Tijara lies exactly 100 km from Delhi. Drive down NH 8 to Dharuhera, a left turn from here leads to Tijara. Here on, ask locals for exact directions.
STAYING THERE - There are a few decent staying options but it is best explored as a day trip.
PILGRIM POINT - Visit the Jain Temple dedicated to Tirthankar Shri Chandraprabhu Bhawan here.
EATING ON ROUTE TO TIJARA - The turn off to Tijara from the highway is at Dharuhera. Try the highway restaurants beyond Manesar.
LOCAL LEGEND - Ask the caretaker at the Bhartari ka gumbad for the story on Bhartari. It is the most incredibly wrong interpretation of cultural history! The tomb is very obviously an Islamic tomb but the inhabitants of Tijara have planted a trident in one corner of the tomb's central chamber and worship the place. According to the caretaker, it's the samadhi of a noble Hindu king named Bhartari who gave up the throne and came here to find peace. The tomb's structure speaks otherwise as it is an octogonal tomb very much in the pattern of many such built in the Lodi period.
OTHER INTERESTING PLACES - Drive on from Tijara to Alwar, which is about 35 kms south. Alwar has a large fort and some interesting tombs particularly the Fateh Jung ka Gumbad. Alwar is also the base to explore the Sariska region.
STAYING THERE - Alwar is not a day trip. The best places to stay are the Circuit House and the Hill Fort Kesroli - a Neemrana Hotels property.
- Times City, Times of India, December 4, 2009
Today, the houses have been renovated and modern amenities put in place to make them more tourists friendly. But the charm of British architecture remains.
At Narula Inn, built in 1939, the old windows and doors have been retained and the décor mirrors the old days. Black and white pictures dot the walls, lanterns hang from nails and heavy iron tables stand in corners. The rest of the furniture is dark oak. "Ever since the establishment was set up, there had been an inflow of guests," said Kamal Narula, brother of Sunil Narula who owns the place. "Our rooms remain booked through the year."
While CP has many hotels or guesthouses, the Bed & Breakfast Scheme offers a homely place where guests can reside with families and get a taste of life here.
The owners, however, say the Tourism Department has done little to advertise the scheme. "All our guests come through our own connections," said Pavan Vaish of Ram's Inn. "If the department placed proper ads at airports and railways stations, we could have had a steady supply of guests."
- Indian Express, December 4, 2009
If you make it to Orchha, a tiny town in Madhya Pradesh, it's surprisingly easy to lose track of time and get immersed in its exotic past, textured as it is with tales of brave kings, loyal subjects and poetry-espousing courtesans. Once the capital of the Bundel prince Rudra Pratap in the 16th century, today, Orchha's claim to fame rests on the architectural marvels that dot the countryside, along the river Betwa. There's the fort built by Bharticharan, Pratap's son, the main draw of the town. Inside, a number of palaces stand testimony to the might of the dynasty—the Jehangir Mahal built to commemorate the emperor's visit to Orchha, Raja Mahal, the palace of king Madhukar Shah, Rai Parveen Mahal, another palace dedicated to the king's favourite courtesan. Then there are the temples and the cenotaphs that dominate the landscape. The Ram Raja temple is the most celebrated, where every year the nuptials between Ram and Sita are celebrated with great pomp, drawing in huge crowds from adjacent towns and villages.
Of course, most tourists prefer to club a trip to Orchha with a visit to its more famous cousin, Khajuraho, situated about 170 kilometres away. The four-hour drive to the town, through small settlements and open fields could be a lot shorter but for the bad road conditions. In fact, it's a good idea to start early, keeping some time in hand for the unforeseen but likely, tyre puncture.
The first view of Khajuraho is spectacular; the 15-odd surviving temples of the Western group, dating back to over a 1000 years, sit pretty on a landscaped temple complex. Ever since it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, the steady draw of tourists, both foreign and domestic, has ensured better maintenance. Interestingly, the erotic art, which Khajuraho is famous for, is restricted mostly to the outer walls. Local legend has it, that to approach divinity one has to leave behind his carnal desires. Keep your senses about you, because the temple complex will demand every bit of your attention.
- Indian Express, December 4, 2009
About 50 trees on Lodhi Road got a new lease of life after TOI reported on November 2 about their pathetic condition during a road widening project for the Commonwealth Games. Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has started work on building mud and stone guards around each tree that were earlier left standing on a small raised platform of mud and informed the forest department that the trees are not required to be cut for the project. Officials from the forest department had said that while no permission for felling of the trees had been given earlier, they would have to be cut perforce due to their condition.
The ongoing work is part of a Rs 350 crore Commonwealth Games project that involves covering the Sunehri nallah from Lala Lajpat Rai Marg to Dyal Singh College and Kushak nallah from South Gate of Jawaharlal Nehru stadium to IVth Avenue Road in order to provide parking for 700 buses. While permission for cutting 1,058 trees had been granted by the forest department, MCD had not been allowed to touch the trees on the stretch in front of India Habitat Centre's gate no 2 to Kotla Railway gate. The project also does not have any clearance from the Delhi Urban Art Commission.
MCD officials maintained all along that the forest department had not refused them permission to fell the trees and they were awaiting a final verdict. However, with work on at breakneck speed, the contractor dug around the trees, leaving them perched precariously on small patches of mud and prone to falling in even a small gust of wind. After TOI highlighted the problem, MCD quickly got its act together and started building supports around all the trees. ''They recently intimated us that they no longer required to cut any tree on the stretch. Earlier, we thought all the trees would have to be brought down, but now that they have taken corrective measures, we feel the trees are safe,'' said sources in the forest department.
- Times of India, December 27, 2009
Kulhad - the traditional Indian earthen cup is the theme of an exhibition currently on display in the Capital to promote use of ceramics in daily life.The National Handicrafts and Handlooms Museum in collaboration with Pro Helvetia - Swiss Arts Council have organised the contemporary ceramics exhibition called '1001 cups' at Crafts Museum.
"The exhibition not only pays tribute to the traditional little tea cup from India but also aims to demonstrate the rich diversity that exists in present-day ceramics and thus share with the general public a wide variety of approaches to the use of ceramic materials," says Sangeeta Rana, PRO, Swiss Arts Council.
The idea behind the exhibition, which concludes on December 31, was conceived by Swiss ceramist and curator Claude Presset.
"Back in 1983, I discovered the little Indian terracotta teacup, the kulhad, which is discarded after a single use during one of my visits to Rajasthan. I brought one back with me from there, which I had drunk out of, it was so beautiful that I could not bring myself to throw it away. And it has been in my workshop ever since," says Presset.
The exhibition was inspired by this cup, and is dedicated to it.
Sadly, the kulhad may soon disappear because of the development of industrial production and the replacement of clay by other materials, she says.
- Tribune, December 27, 2009
When the kathak maestro Uma Sharma, writer-diplomat Pavan K Varma, heritage activist Firoz Bakht Ahmed, poet Gulzar Dehlvi, bureaucrat Abid Hussain and the couplets of Ghalib go together, the churning produces Yadgar-e-Ghalib --- a two-day commemoration of Mirza Ghalib held on the occasion of the inimitable poet's 212th birth anniversary.
Ghalib was born December 27, 1797. Coming in the wake of reports of the misuse and vandalisation of Ghalib's haveli by holding of wedding receptions, the cultural programme, which will end tomorrow, will seek to give new life and meaning to his ancestral property in the old city, according to Firoz Bakht Ahmed, heritage activist and secretary, Ghalib Memorial Movement.Danseuse Uma Sharma will begin the first day of the event today with a candle-light procession from Town Hall, Chandni Chowk to the Gali Qasimjan haveli of Mirza Ghalib. The procession will conclude at Ghalib's haveli where Gulzar Dehlvi, Pavan Varma, Uma Sharma and Ustad Iqbal Ahmed Khan will pay homage on life and times of Ghalib. After this there will be a cultural evening at Kucha Pati Ram Haveli at Kucha Pati Ram, Bazaar Sita Ram in old Delhi.
All through the vintage selling street of Chandni Chowk will be the specially created platforms highlighting the attarwalas, pankhewalas (fan holders), mashals (torches), huqqas (smoking system) and pandaans (betel leaf boxes). The 'nafeeri' and 'tasha' (musical instrument of the Mughal era) artistes will accompany the procession to Ghalib's house at Gali Qasimjan.
On day two of the Yadgar-e-Ghalib, the main attraction will include Uma's unique ballet "Shama bujhti hei..." at the India Islamic Cultural Centre, Lodi Road at 6.30 pm.
The function will begin with Pavan Varma reading from his book "Ghalib: The man, The times".
According to Firoz Bakht Ahmed, the glorious thing about Ghalib is that his poetry never fitted into watertight compartments because his world in the ghazals was too vast and too contradictory. His poetry is unique, not only for the intensity of feelings but also for the exquisite charm and profound thoughts that are part of his beautiful world, said Ahmed.
- Tribune, December 27, 2009
Just 50 per cent of restoration work has been completed at the 46 monuments, which are targeted to be renovated before the Commonwealth Games 2010 (CWG), yet the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) is confident of accomplishing the task by July 31, much ahead of the mega-sporting event.
The superintending archeologist, Delhi chapter of ASI, K K Mohammad stated, "All monuments would be ready much before the CWG and by the deadline of July 31. Though, after that we have a buffet period of three months during which any unfinished work and details would be taken care of."
The heightened spirit of ASI officials emerges from this year's allocation of Rs 18 crore by the union ministry of culture that is apparently the highest-ever funding received by the conservatory department for giving a facelift to the monuments. Otherwise, the funds have always been nominal, i.e. within Rs 2-3 crore.
On the condition of anonymity, a senior ASI official remarked, "The government has to propel its efforts for conservation by diverting more funds towards protection and preservation of monuments. You need a strong hand to conserve and market thereafter. Thanks to CWG, as never before, we had so much amounts, until the latest Rs 18 crore under this year's planning head."
Adding that culturally, India treasures one of the richest and diverse heritage that the world has ever known, the official feels the attention given to conservation of historical structures has been very dismal in India and hence, China, Italy and England should stand as modals for the government. Nonetheless, the ASI is leveraging upon the opportunity to showcase the city's history in all its grandeur, while the national Capital's monumental heritage is basking in revival spirit, given the augmented attention.
The entire uplifting exercise involves excavation, conservation, landscaping, illumination and finally sprucing up of the monuments and the two thrust areas in the whole plan are arrangement of toilets of international standards and putting signage before June.
The major portion of the work at the Lal Quila, Purana Quila, Qutub Minar, Humayun Tomb and Safdarjung Tomb, which are going to be the focal points of visit, has been finished.
"Among the monuments, Qutub Minar and Humayun Tomb have already been spruced up with renovated entry-point, ticket-house, toilet and drinking water facilities. We want to place the best before the visitors," informed Mohammad.
Though in a token manner, the CWG would surely act as a platform to show the world the pluralistic character of the Indian history through its architectural heritage and monuments. "The occasion is going to be an excellent opportunity to showcase our rich heritage. And with fewer than 10 months to go for the mega-sporting event, the work is now being taken up at one stretch and with a higher speed instead of phased manner," outlined Mohammad.
Though there are no doubts on the potential of the ASI, only time would tell whether it would keep its word as only half of the work has been finished since it started in March 2008.
- Tribune, December 28, 2009
Conservationists and poetry lovers, marking Urdu legend Mirza Ghalib's 212th birth anniversary, rue the lack of public consciousness as well as the apathy on the part of the authorities towards the poet's heritage haveli.
Heritage lovers were appalled by the recent incident in which Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib's over 200-year-old haveli in old Delhi was rented out to host a wedding reception.
A G K Menon, convener of the Delhi chapter of INTACH which is soon expected to undertake restoration work of the haveli, says while all misuse of the premise should be dealt with strictly according to the law, emphasis should also be put on developing heritage consciousness.
"The Delhi government has asked us to finalise a proposal to restore the haveli of Ghalib and put up a museum there.
"But as part of our programme to increase a sense of belonging among people for their cultural heritage, we are also planning heritage walks in Shahjahanabad, which houses the haveli," said Menon.
Ghalib's haveli is up for restoration as it is in Shahjahanabad that lies on the Commonwealth heritage route and INTACH hopes to finish the work ahead of the Games.
Ghalib's haveli in Gali Qasim Jaan of Ballimaran is not a heritage monument and is therefore not protected by the ASI.
Unhappy at authorities' "half-hearted" approach towards Ghalib, renowned Urdu poet Shahryar says such treatment of heritage monuments is but a reflection on our society and the lack of public consciousness on this front.
"The sad part is that in our country not many people give much importance to heritage.
"Ghalib has the right to being recognised as a gem, you cannot deny him his right... but more important is to preserve and spread his poetry," Shahryar said.
He said the 18th-century poet was considered by all literary Indians as their own. "He is a revolutionary poet who represents Indian tradition truly," he says.
However, not all believe that Ghalib's heritage has been neglected, as there are other legends who have fared worse.
Aqeel Ahmed, secretary of the Ghalib Academy that works to promote his literature, says Ghalib is the greatest survivor of his time, and his heritage is by far the best looked after.
"We have had several poetry legends in Indian languages, but Ghalib is one of those who has fared better. The likes of Kabirdas and Surdas or even Ghalib's contemporaries like Zauq and Meer are even less remembered," he said.
Ahmed says while one should expect the government and the authorities to undertake their responsibilities towards heritage sincerely, it is also about how the people react towards issues of their cultural heritage.
"The monuments -- be it the haveli or Ghalib's tomb in Nizamuddin -- are ultimately in the midst of people. It is they who should be concerned towards the legacy of their ancestors," he said.
Ghalib, arguably one of the best Urdu poets ever, was born on December 27, 1797, and was a prominent literary figure during the reign of the last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar-PTI.
- Tribune, December 28, 2009
A team of Delhi Urban Arts Commission (DUAC) visited the site of a "thrust bed" being built very near the northeastern edge of the Salimgarh Fort -- part of the World Heritage Site of Red Fort Complex -- to check if there is any change in alignment of a Ring Road bypass project under construction.
The Public Works Department (PWD) of Delhi is going ahead with the project to be completed ahead of the Commonwealth Games 2010.
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) had earlier given permission for the project with a rider that "any road expansion away should be carried out away from the fort wall."
The PWD is allegedly carrying out work very near the Fort wall, deviating from the originally sanctioned alignment.
Adding to the problem from the heritage point of view is a "thrust bed" near the northeastern side of the Salimgarh Fort being constructed by the Railways for the PWD. Northern Railway, which owns the embankment, is building the thrust bed for a concrete box that will facilitate the road.
There are huge iron barricades with `Commonwealth Games 2010' and `Northern Railways' written over it.
"The DUAC team visited the place 10 days ago and it was indeed found that work is being carried out very near the Fort wall. The commission is actively considering taking action against the authorities concerned," sources said.
However, PWD officials maintained that there has been no change in alignment.
If there are serious damages to the wall, the World Heritage status might be jeopardised.
The Delhi government had last year by-passed the Delhi Urban Arts Commission for this project.
Last month, the ASI had taken up the issue with the PWD and work was stopped on the side towards the Fort wall. Incidentally, work on the project goes on unhindered even after the ASI sent notices to the authorities after the Delhi High Court quashed a committee that sanctioned the project from heritage point of view.
The bypass project is aimed at reducing congestion on Ring Road.
The situation has turned precarious after the ASI's expert committee was declared illegal by the High Court last month.
- Hindustan Times, December 29, 2009
Dr Karan Singh, Chairman, Indian Council for Cultural Relations, on Sunday released a book 'SURYA: The God and His Abode' at a function in New Delhi. The book, authored by Ranjan Kumar Singh, journalist and film maker, adulates the Sun and projects seven Sun Temples with stunning photographs and lively narratives.
Sun is not only the originator of life, but is also the future of mankind. Its spiritual value apart, it is equally important for our environment. Solar energy is the only recourse that the mankind has in the world of increasing pollutants, said Karan Singh.
Speaking on the occasion, the author of the book Sri Ranjan Kumar Singh said, "Most of us believe Konark to be the only sun temple, whereas there are others for whom the sun temple in their vicinity is second only to the one at Konark. Yet, there are more than a hundred sun temples dotting the length and breadth of the country, while there are several others spanning the globe.
The book release was followed by the Shankar Memorial Lecture on 'The Sun and the Culture' by eminent scholar Dr Syam Singh Shashi.
The occasion marked the Birth Anniversary of Late Shankar Dayal Singh, a distinguished laureate and parliamentarian. Rajiv Pratap Rudy, MP and DP Yadav, former Union Minister, fondly remembered Late Shankar Dayal Singh. Sanjay Paswan, former Union Minister; spiritual guru Km Archna, educationist Ashok Chauhan and KM Singh, Member, NDMA, were also present.
- Pioneer, December 30, 2009
The Heritage City status for the Capital that seemed to be a distant dream till now, may get some fillip from work being initiated on several fronts due to the upcoming Commonwealth Games.
With many monuments and historical sites getting a facelift, signage and heritage-related literature being prepared and heritage routes that fall on the Games venues being spruced up, the first phase of Heritage City project is being taken care of. Officials of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), a heritage conservation body that conceptualized and proposed the Heritage City project, feel the Games will facilitate the project and by the end of next year the foundation for it will be laid.
A G K Menon, Convenor (Delhi Chapter) INTACH, said, "Several agencies are working on different aspects like conservation of monuments, streetscaping, arrangement of tourist buses and preparation of signage and heritage-related literature. By the end of next year the pace will be set for further preparation and when the smaller pieces are taken care of, the jigsaw puzzle will fit in."
"Once the city starts shaping up and there is a comprehensive heritage identity we will request the Ministry of Culture to propose Delhi for the Heritage City status granted by the UNESCO," Menon added.
The project suffered a blow initially as various agencies were involved and there was lack of coordination. The agencies involved in the project include the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Public Works Department (PWD) and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
With the Games approaching, the ASI is undertaking large-scale conservation work on 46 monuments and the Department of Archaeology will notify and protect at least 92 monuments by next September. Out of the 92, 14 monuments have been identified for conservation and a fund of Rs 7.5 crore has been sanctioned by the Union government to the state Department of Archaeology, Menon said. "The heritage routes have been sanctioned, but first the areas near the Games venues are being spruced. The route from Red Fort to Humayun's Tomb is being done on a priority basis with the ASI working on Purana Qila and the MCD has signed us up to give Firozshah Kotla a facelift," Menon told Newsline.
The INTACH and the DDA have also signed a MoU to develop the Coronation Park, proposed as the starting point of the heritage route that will go via Red Fort to Humayun's Tomb. The PWD has also commenced work on streetscaping several important roads like Lodhi Road and Bhairon Road.
The Delhi Tourism and Transport Development Corporation, meanwhile, has approved the 'hop-on, hop-off' buses proposed for the heritage routes and is in the process of identifying suitable buses and estimating the number of buses required.
"We are preparing extensive heritage-related literature for tourists who will visit the city during Games. This will be useful even after the event is over. The ten heritage walks that we had proposed to the Delhi government have also been approved," Menon added.
- Indian Express, December 30, 2009
Varanasi, from where the Ganga Action Plan (GAP) was launched a quarter century ago, will now see a renewed attempt to clean up the sacred river under the World Bank-funded 'Mission Clean Ganga'. The first attempt failed miserably as pollution increased to alarming levels despite massive expenditure.
Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh will visit Varanasi on Wednesday to take a "first-hand account" of the ground realities of different ghats, sewage treatment plants (STPs) and pumping stations before holding discussions with Uttar Pradesh Government officials.
On Ramesh's one-day itinerary is a visit to the famed Tulsi Ghat, named after the great poet Tulsidas, RP Ghat pumping station, Varuna confluence, Dinapur STP besides a "boat trip from Assi confluence to Raj Ghat".
"The Varanasi-Kannauj stretch of the Ganga is one of the most polluted stretches. At present, the proposal to set up a new 140-MLD STP in Varanasi awaits the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs. Work is in progress for setting up two more STPs under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. The Government plans to make Varanasi an eco-development model of the Ganga river basin," a senior Environment Ministry official said.
Several studies have indicated that faecal coliform bacteria count is 120 times more than normal as Ganga enters Varanasi city and 6,000 times more at the ghats. The level of coliform present in water should be below 50 for drinking purposes, less than 500 for bathing and below 5,000 for agricultural use.
The water quality monitoring of the Ganga, carried out by IIT, Kanpur, BHEL and Patna University, too indicated that the river's water quality conforms to the prescribed standards in terms of key indicators like Bio-chemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Dissolved Oxygen (DO) at most of the locations except in the Kannauj-Varanasi stretch in Uttar Pradesh.
The city of Varanasi including its different ghats and industries generate 290 million litres daily (MLD) sewage, but only102 MLD sewage gets treated in the STPs with the rest drained untreated into the Ganga.
While GAP-I and GAP-II yielded 'negligible' results even though an amount of Rs 822 crore was expended, the new Mission envisages an expenditure of Rs 15,000 crore by 2020, the deadline set to ensure no untreated industrial effluent and municipal sewage flows into the river. As things stand, of the about 3000 mld being generated in the towns along Ganga, only 1,025 mld is being treated.
Unlike GAP, the new Mission will focus on river front development and catchment area treatment besides STPs. A comprehensive river basin management plan is to be readied by December 2010 and specific action plans for industrial pollution will be evolved by January 31 next year.
The World Bank has assured a financial assistance of US$ 1 billion for the Mission even as the Centre has set up a National Ganga River Basin Authority under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister with a Rs 250-crore budgetary provision in the current fiscal.
- Pioneer, December 30, 2009
If a new traffic management plan around the Municipal Corporation of Delhi's (MCD) Civic Centre gets a nod from the civic agency and other authorities, it promises to add a more holistic touch to vehicular movement in the Capital from next year.
Commissioned to draw up a detailed traffic management scheme for the area around the Civic Centre, the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) will make its first presentation on Wednesday before the MCD's Standing Committee.
The traffic plan will be in force around the MCD's 28-storey Civic Centre and will encompass Connaught Place, ITO and Shahjahanabad. If passed, the plan will be forwarded to the United Traffic and Transportation Infrastructure (Planning and Engineering) Center and the Delhi Urban Art Commission for final clearance and implementation.
It is expected that once the centre opens sometime next year - it is coming up near the New Delhi railway station — the swelling vehicular movement around it will demand strict supervision. Town planner and Convenor, Delhi Chapter, INTACH, A G K Menon said: "The upcoming centre is like a stone thrown in a pond. It will send ripples in the traffic situation. So far we have always addressed traffic problems as a local issue, building flyovers, subways and multi-lane signal free roads as quick solutions. But now we need to look at the total city network and work out holistic solutions."
The scheme proposes exclusive lanes for buses, segregated tracks for cyclists and non-motorised vehicles and user-friendly pavements for pedestrians. "There needs to be equitable distribution of road space. According to estimates, only 13 per cent of the people in Delhi travel by cars, so why should half the road space be given to them? With dedicated bus lanes and tracks for non-motorised vehicles and pedestrians, congestion in private vehicle lanes is inevitable," Menon said. "This congestion should be seen as a solution and not a problem. When people see buses zooming past them, they will want to switch to public transport. People across the world are moving to public transport."
- Indian Express, December 30, 2009
The Green Brigade of Block-I, Chittranjan Park, is adept in gardening. And what makes it special is that it comprises all young children. They have been well trained into all the finer aspects of nurturing plants and follow it with precision. They know it all, how to raise a seedling, what should be the distance between two seedlings, the minute aspects about watering the plants and the process of transplantation.
The brigade, with around 30 members aged between three and 14, are gardeners with a purpose and their mission is to save the environment.
Even their T-shirts loudly proclaim the message, Save the Environment, Save the Lungs.
The Green Brigade, that came into existence four months back, is the brainchild of Barin Ganguly, the president of the block. In addition to instilling a sense of belongingness for the plants in these children, he also wanted them to learn leadership qualities and have a spirit of ownership.
In these four months, the children have transformed to an extent. The ones who used to play football inside the park or cycle around in the park without bothering about the damage they were causing to the plants, now stop others from committing the same mistake and have turned into the guardians of the plants.
"After learning the whole process, we realized the amount of hard work that goes into raising one plant. Earlier, we used to spoil the park," says 12-yearold Harsh Sinha, one of the group leaders.
Every third Saturday, when the park is closed for cleaning, these young members turn into guards and stop every one from jumping into the park and hindering the cleaning process.
"Initially, people did not take us seriously as we are children but now they do listen to us and we feel proud," says Navya Malik, another group captain.
The brigade is divided into five groups and each group has a captain. The responsibility of the captain is to arrange meetings in the park, oversee that the plants are not being damaged and getting all the nutrition on time.
The groups are called Phlox, Stork, Petunia, Calendula and Dianthus and each group named after one flower has planted the same flower all over the park.
For instance, the Phlox group has planted phlox flowers and is responsible for nurturing them. "It is the biggest pleasure to see your plant blooming," says Aryamaan Bose with a smile on his face.
The Green Brigade is not dependent on the elders for upgrading their knowledge.
They are doing it themselves because of a sense of attachment they have developed with every sapling they have sowed.
Debatrika Das Gupta, who is just eight years old, has coined a new slogan for the group that says, `Save Plants, Save Environment'. It is incredible to hear these words from someone as young as Das Gupta and amazing to see the understanding he has about plants. Now the brigade members are waiting for the plants to bloom and enjoy seeing the flowers dance in the breeze. GREEN GUIDANCE The Green Brigade is working under the guidance of J. G. Bhowal, Kalpana Bhowal and Manjula Sengupta. They are the ones who taught the members the technique of checking the manure, breaking the crust of the soil after irrigation for better aeration.
The next step will be to make a Green Brigade for the entire CR Park and finally become the part of the Presidents' Brigade. The Green Brigade celebrated Green Day last month and planted trees in the J Block park.
- Hindustan Times, December 31, 2009
Delhi government has asked the power distribution companies to remove the overhead cables from major roads and some congested areas.
Delhi's Finance and Urban Development Minister Dr A.K. Walia on Wednesday said the overhead lines crossing the main roads were giving Delhi a shabby look.
"They are an eyesore... not in tune with our vision of making Delhi a world class city," Walia said.
The issue of conversion of overhead power lines into underground ones goes back a long way.
For over a year now discom BSES has been seeking funding from the government for laying underground power cables in the Walled City, Paharganj and Karol Bagh.
To escape funding of these works, discoms usually cite an ancient provision called Rule 82 of the Electricity Act, which says that the agency proposing the removal of overhead wires must bear the cost of the work.
But earlier this month, the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission ordered the discoms to carry out expenditure on their own to remove the overhead wires at select areas.
Now, three discoms are to spend Rs 50 crore each in the first phase of work and turn the overhead wires underground.
- Hindustan Times, December 31, 2009
