Heritage Alerts July 2019
It is the oldest surviving cast-iron building in India. But the Esplanade Mansion, formerly known as Watson’s Hotel, has also become a symbol of Mumbai’s decline. The once majestic structure has been declared unsafe by the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority, its tenants told to leave and there is also talk of demolishing the building, which opened its doors in 1869.
In 2006, the World Monuments Fund – a New York non-profit organisation dedicated to preserving historic architecture worldwide – added the building to its list of the world’s 100 most endangered monuments.
The early history of the Esplanade Mansion
Originally owned by Englishman John Watson, Esplanade Mansion’s vintage is impressive, even by colonial standards. “The materials for this building were wholly English; the iron frame came from Derby, the bricks and cement from the banks of the Thames, the tiles from Staffordshire and, finally, the red stone plinth and column bases from Penrith, Cumberland, where Watson hailed from,” scholarly site The Victorian Web says. “These were conveyed from England to India by ships via the Cape of Good Hope in 1864-1865 and erected on the esplanade in the town of Mumbai under the superintendence of Mr Thomas Thompson of Wetheral. The design and mode of construction proved quite a success."
Jonathan Charles Clarke, a buildings historian associated with The University of Cambridge, cites a traveller’s diary in his 2002 tome Construction History: “A traveller familiar with Bombay passed through it in 1867, and, on a morning walk, observed that opposite Forbes Street ‘something like a huge birdcage had risen like an exhalation from the earth’. This was, in fact, the skeleton of the Esplanade Hotel.” In their architectural tome Bombay: the Cities Within, heritage experts Sharada Dwivedi and Rahul Mehrotra say that “with more than 120 baths fitted, it outdid European levels of luxury.
It was thoroughly ventilated throughout with a punkahwallah [a manually operated fan] serving every room and it commanded breathtaking views across the harbours, bays and distant hills. And it boasted India’s first steam-powered lift.” To add to the crackle and grain of sepia-tinted nostalgia, Indian cinema was born in Watson’s Hotel on July 7, 1896. Six films were screened by the Lumiere brothers, Auguste and Louis, who were among the world’s first filmmakers, at an event that was described by The Times of India as “the miracle of the century”. Tickets cost 1 Indian rupee [less than 1 fils], which was an extravagant price at the time. The films screened were Entry Of A Cinematographe, Arrival Of A Train, The Sea Bath, A Demolition, Leaving The Factory and Ladies And Soldiers On Wheels. Reports suggested the audience was in thrall. The precipitous fall faced by Esplanade Mansion is only made more remarkable when you realise that Bollywood, the world’s largest film producer, is based in Mumbai.
“Esplanade Mansion, or Watson’s Hotel, is emblematic of government apathy towards our heritage and the failure of private enterprises in playing a more proactive role towards preserving our history. Add to this an outdated Rent Control Act, and owners of crumbling structures have few resources to maintain them,” says Abha Narain Lambah, a conservation architect who has spent the past 23 years working on a series of seminal urban restoration projects in Mumbai. “The Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority does not have staff or expertise when it comes to colonial structures. To them, a building from 1967 is the same as a building from 1867,” she says. “Esplanade Mansion lies on one of the most expensive pieces of land in the world.
Even if someone were to buy it for 4 billion rupees [Dh213 million], if restored lavishly, the commercial options are plentiful. You can have an art gallery, a boutique hotel, a fine-dining restaurant, or what have you. But you need to have a vision and a will.”
A star-studded affair
After opening its doors, Watson’s Hotel began to attract a dazzling cast of international celebrities, such as British explorer and linguist Richard Burton, who stayed at the property in 1876. In June 1881, Kalakaua, the King of Hawaii, checked into Watson’s Hotel. Also known as the Merrie Monarch, he arrived in Mumbai to ascertain “the feasibility of populating his dominions with the inhabitants of this country”. In February 1896, American writer Mark Twain stayed there, too. In Following the Equator, Twain describes his experiences in the opulent hotel.
“The lobbies and halls were full of turbaned, and fez’d and embroidered, capped, and barefooted, and cotton-clad employees,” he wrote. “In the dining room, every man’s own private servant standing behind his chair, and dressed for a part in Arabian Nights.” But Watson’s sheen began to fade, largely as a result of its policy of catering to “Europeans only”.
Rumour has it that Indian pioneer industrialist Jamsetji Tata – the country’s answer to John Rockefeller – was once denied entry to the hotel, making him so angry that he built the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Mumbai’s most celebrated five-star, which opened in 1903. With 400 rooms, electric lifts, lights, bars, smoking rooms and a hotel orchestra, the Taj Mahal Hotel set standards so high in the city that Watson’s Hotel began to be viewed as its older, tackier cousin.
A slow decline
It soon slipped further into ignominy. When King George V and Queen Mary of Britain – the Emperor and Empress of India at the time – visited Mumbai in 1911, Watson’s Hotel was not even in the reckoning for their accommodation. Its newly painted exterior was also trashed by The Times of India. “Their majesties, King George V and Queen Mary, will have to pass what we can only suppose is an experiment in garishness, Watson’s Hotel, and that building is a good illustration of the dangers to which a sensitive public is exposed,” an editorial said. At its nadir, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, who later became the founder of Pakistan, was playing pool at Watson’s Hotel to earn a little extra money. The place had clearly fallen from grace and it would drop to even shabbier lows. By 1960, the once-majestic splendour of its 130 rooms and 20 suites was converted into tiny offices and tinier tenements in a crowded metropolis.
“An astonishing sight greets the tourist visiting Mumbai. Among all the grand Victorian buildings in the centre of town is a huge edifice visibly in the process of collapse,” The Victorian Web says. “Large posters warn of its instability and yet incredibly it is still inhabited, not only by lawyers’ offices but also by families. You venture inside at your own peril to be greeted by an incredible scene of decrepitude and an array of electrical wiring of nightmarish danger.” In July last year, one person died when a portion of the fourth-floor balcony collapsed, crushing a taxi. It was at this point that MHADA ordered the building be evacuated.
That was easier said than done at Mumbai’s version of The Overlook Hotel from Stanley Kubrick’s horror classic The Shining. More than 130 tenants were moved out – among them about 20 residential, as well as legal firms, an Iranian cafe and Mumbai’s oldest tailors, Smart & Hollywood – but they have demanded a clearer plan from the government. The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage is also expected to fight any plans for Esplanade Mansion to be demolished. After all, the building is part of India’s heritage and should not simply be demolished at will.
- https://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/film/is-it-lights-out-for-the-esplanade-mansion-the-birthplace-of-indian-cinema-faces-demolition-1.881501, July 2, 2019
On January 2 this year, 10 tourists including eight children drowned in Govari river when their boat capsized after hitting the sand bar during low tide period. The Drainage division of Department of Water Resources will soon start dredging of the Govari river mouth in the district at a cost of around Rs 30 crore. The move is aimed at sprucing up the river bed and to facilitate movement of fishing vessels and tourist boats to the famous Hukitola island, said Executive Engineer of Drainage division, Marsaghai Tusharkanti Mohapatra. The Chief Engineer of Drainage division of Cuttack Manoj Patra along with other officials had recently inspected the 12 km long Govari river mouth from Jamboo to Hukitola.
They found that the water level at the river mount is inadequate for operating fishing vessels and tourist boats, said Mohapatra. He said the river mouth will be dredged for up to five metre to make it fit for navigation of vessels. Mohapatra said owing to heavy littoral drift or sedimentation at the river mouth, excess water does not recede during floods in the area. “Deposition of sand on the bed of the river confluence is the main reason behind the slow release of water during floods in Mahakalapada and Marsaghai blocks of the district,” he said.
Vice president of district fishermen’s association Arjun Mandal said several fishing vessels have capsized after hitting sand during low tide in the river. He said de-silting has not been done on the river mouth for a long time resulting in accumulation of sand and mud. Hukitola island and the 182-year-old lighthouse at Batighar island near Govari river are major attractions for tourists in the winter season. The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), two years back, had completed the restoration and renovation of the century-old building at the Hukitola island under the World Bank sponsored Integrated Coastal Zone Management(ICZM) Programme at a cost of around Rs 2 crore.
But tourists venture into the river only during the high tide period as boats get struck on the river sand during low tide. On January 2 this year, 10 tourists including eight children drowned when their boat capsized after hitting the sand bar during low tide period.
- http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/2019/jul/02/odishas-govari-river-mouth-to-be-dredged-for-smooth-navigation-1998294.html, July 2, 2019
Poor waste management systems coupled with discharge of raw sewage from the city’s drains into the Thengaithittu lagoon is posing a serious environmental and health hazard. The policy makers and bureaucrats often make tall claims about solid waste management and the need to recycle water these words are never put into action. The poor management of wastewater and sewage stands testimony to this. The Thengaithittu lagoon, where the fishing harbour is located, continues to bear the brunt of neglect over the years. At the confluence point of the Uppar drain and the Grand Canal that carries the city’s sewage, untreated wastewater is illegally released into the lagoon that directly flows into the sea.
According to Probir Banerjee of PondyCan, a non-governmental organisation, “A Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) notification in 2011 mandated that untreated sewage should never be let into the sea as it would damage the marine ecosystem. But the Puducherry government has not taken any initiative to put a mechanism in place to address this issue.
The situation is extremely serious as the discharge of sewage has not only compounded the groundwater pollution but also increased pollution of the coast endangering the mangroves and the marine life.” Originally, water from Aayikulam, Murungampakkam and Kanagan Lake from the city’s north flowed through the Marappalam canal, which was earlier a rainwater canal that drained into the Thengaithittu lagoon. Several houses in Thengaithittu illegally discharge their household sewage into the canals that drain into the sea. “All the major canals that originally carried rainwater are now choked with sewage and solid waste.
There has been no proper inspection or monitoring by the authorities and the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) at Dubrayapet, which has a capacity of 17 million litres a day, is not operated properly. This has to be brought to the notice of the people as to why after spending so much of money, STPs are not functional. There should be some system for the public to know whether these huge assets are functioning or not,” Mr. Banerjee added.
Toxic waste
M. Selvamanikandan, president, Puducherry Environment and Mangrove Forest Development and Protection Society, said the discharge of raw sewage mixed with toxic waste into the lagoon infiltrated the mangrove forests, posing a serious threat to mangroves and marine life. For decades, sewage coming from places such as Nellithope, Boomiyanpet, Reddiyarpalayam, Mudaliarpet, Anna Nagar, Engineer Colony (Velrampet), Olandhakeerapalayam, Uppalam, Vambakeerapalayam has been directly running into sea in and around Thengaithittu. An official, on condition of anonymity, said successive governments adopted a shortsighted approach to the problem that resulted in mismanagement of sewage treatment.
An underground drainage system was built in 1979 and designed for a population of 1,17,000 as per the City Development Plan. The Public Works Department was directed to set up grit chambers at a few locations in the Thengaithittu lagoon to reduce the quantity of solid waste entering the sea. But these grit chambers are also not working now, the official added. A classic example is the Grand Canal that was built as a stormwater drain by the French around 1765. It was designed to regulate the flow of rainwater towards the north-end into the Uppar drain and to the south into the sea near the new Light House. Over a period of time, the Grand Canal has turned into drain in the heart of the town.
A long stretch of the Grand Canal was covered about 15 years ago. Now it is being used as a dump yard, a parking lot and as a space for local market, he said. A survey by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) revealed that around 250 houses were let their wastewater into the drains.
Dirty beaches
According to Aurofilio Schiavina of PondyCan, “a lot of sludge has now settled in the Thengaithittu lagoon. During dredging, the sludge, which is highly contaminated with heavy metals, is disturbed resulting in secondary pollution. The lagoon has now turned in to a stinking cesspool located right in the middle of the city. This raises serious concern as all the raw sewage and plastic waste draining into the sea have been polluting the beaches on the southern side."
During summer, the ocean currents move from the fishing harbour towards the city bringing along with it all the sewage that has accumulated in the lagoon. The sludge again flows towards the beaches on the southern side when the ocean current changes its flow during the northeast monsoon, Mr. Schiavina said.
- https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/puducherry/polluted-thengaithittu-lagoon-an-environmental-hazard/article28236868.ece, July 2, 2019
The nearly 150-year-old Irrum Manzil palace in the heart of Hyderabad may not be the only heritage structure facing the threat of demolition. Even as the Telangana government plans to bulldoze the palace and replace it with a new assembly building, there are as many as 162 precious structures in Greater Hyderabad which have not been given any protection for the past two years. This despite the Telangana Heritage (Protection, Preservation, Conservation and Maintenance) Act being enacted in May 2017. Irrum Manzil is part of these structures and can legally be brought down as it has not been included in any Act providing it protection. Until the law came into being, these structures, many of them more than a century old, were listed as heritage buildings by Heritage Conservation Committee (HCC), which was part of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA).
With the new Act in place, the committee was dissolved and these structures needed to be re-notified. But this was never done. Many heritage activists feel this gives the state government liberty to bulldoze them if it wishes to. The concern comes from previous attempts to bring down the Osmania General Hospital (built in 1866) and Chest Hospital at Erragadda (1888), both of which are part of the 162 structures. Others structures in Sources in the state government say the Greater Hyderabad Heritage Committee, which met on March 23, decided to resurvey all heritage structures and then take a call on whether to re-notify them or not.
The resolution of the committee reads, “The 162 structures, which were earlier identified and notified by the HMDA, may be taken up for resurvey based on the definition of new Telangana Heritage Act, schedule II, will be considered based on their conditional assessment and field verification by the members.” The 2017 Act has led to the creation of heritage committees at the state, district- and citylevel with the chief secretary, collector and municipal commissioner heading them. Except the Greater Hyderabad committee, which met twice, the state and district committees have not met even once in the past two years. “Each committee should have two members as experts with a background in archaeology and experience in conservation of heritage buildings.
But none of the committees have nominated members. They are nothing but official committees,” historian and former member of HCC Sajjad Shahid told TOI. “About 340 monuments identified by the department of heritage have already been incorporated in the list of protected monuments (schedule I). Heritage structures in Hyderabad come under the purview of Greater Hyderabad committee, which come under schedule II.
The state government is in the process of appointing experts,” A Dinakar Babu, director (incharge) of Telangana Department of Heritage said. Heritage conservationists also worry that there is no regulation or mechanism in place to prevent encroachments. “The Act says the main objective of the heritage committees is to identify the heritage buildings and precincts, which need to be notified as heritage structures.
But instead of identifying the new ones, those which were earlier listed as heritage are now under threat,” Anuradha Reddy, co-convenor of INTACH Telangana-Hyderabad said. Telangana govt finalises dept shift plan The Telangana government has finalised the plan for shifting 29 secretariat departments to various other buildings. According to official sources, the shifting is likely to begin on July 1 and will be completed in the next two months.
- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/no-heritage-shield-for-many-irrum-manzils-across-hyderabad/articleshow/70007363.cms, July 2, 2019
This year, when the water in the Selaulim river receded in June and the submerged village of Curdi resurfaced, the directorate of archaeology was informed about a rare find. Four sculptures dating back to the 14th century, including a magnificent Vetal statue, were salvaged from the river bed. “These sculptures are significant archaeological remains due to the art and iconography of the 14th century. They were under threat of theft and from being submerged again after the onset of the monsoon,” said assistant superintendent of archaeology, Varad Sabnis There are very few sculptures of Vetal that still survive. The one we have salvaged is a solid rock sculpture which is 2.6m high and weighs about two tonnes,” he said. He further said that all four sculptures, originally from the village of Sulcorna, were immersed as part of a religious ritual.
“In Hindu tradition, once the sculpture is broken, it is not worshipped, but immersed into the water after a new sculpture is installed in its place. About eight to nine years ago, villagers from the Betal temple of Sulcorna changed the old sculptures and immersed them into the Selaulim-Curdi dam water reservoir which is in proximity to the temple,” Sabnis said. Since then, the sculptures remained submerged. But this summer, the receding water line made way for a dry area, revealing the sculptures. They attracted a number of curious visitors, including some irresponsible tourists. “There were reports of some people, under the influence of alcohol, who were vandalising the sculptures. The locals reported this to the department. After inspection, we requested the local panchayat to retrieve them,” he said. The operation had to be conducted manually as it rained heavily on June 28, the day of the operation. “Due to soft soil, it was difficult to use a vehicle to. We managed to salvage the sculptures with manual assistance from the villagers,” he said.
- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/600-year-old-sculptures-salvaged-at-curdi/articleshow/70032533.cms, July 2, 2019
This year, when the water in the Selaulim river receded in June and the submerged village of Curdi resurfaced, the directorate of archaeology was informed about a rare find. Four sculptures dating back to the 14th century, including a magnificent Vetal statue, were salvaged from the river bed. “These sculptures are significant archaeological remains due to the art and iconography of the 14th century. They were under threat of theft and from being submerged again after the onset of the monsoon,” said assistant superintendent of archaeology, Varad Sabnis There are very few sculptures of Vetal that still survive. The one we have salvaged is a solid rock sculpture which is 2.6m high and weighs about two tonnes,” he said. He further said that all four sculptures, originally from the village of Sulcorna, were immersed as part of a religious ritual.
“In Hindu tradition, once the sculpture is broken, it is not worshipped, but immersed into the water after a new sculpture is installed in its place. About eight to nine years ago, villagers from the Betal temple of Sulcorna changed the old sculptures and immersed them into the Selaulim-Curdi dam water reservoir which is in proximity to the temple,” Sabnis said. Since then, the sculptures remained submerged. But this summer, the receding water line made way for a dry area, revealing the sculptures. They attracted a number of curious visitors, including some irresponsible tourists. “There were reports of some people, under the influence of alcohol, who were vandalising the sculptures. The locals reported this to the department. After inspection, we requested the local panchayat to retrieve them,” he said. The operation had to be conducted manually as it rained heavily on June 28, the day of the operation. “Due to soft soil, it was difficult to use a vehicle to. We managed to salvage the sculptures with manual assistance from the villagers,” he said.
- https://www.storypick.com/botany-student-kanakakkunnu-palace-digital-garden/, July 4, 2019
The landscape located in Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand has been included in the provisional list of Indian World Heritage Sites by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Expressing happiness at the news, chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said that Uttarakhand would get a special place in national and international tourism if the landscapes of Pithoragarh are identified as a world heritage site by UNESCO.
He added that not only tourism but even the cultural heritage of an identified site becomes a centre of attraction for people across the globe. Rawat said that a proposal was moved to UNESCO for the nomination of the “holy mountain landscape and heritage route” of Pithoragarh in the list. After the approval from the UNESCO Heritage Centre Paris, the proposal has been added to the provisional list of Indian World Heritage sites. Rawat said that the departments of forest, tourism and culture would work collectively to carry out the related procedure. The department of culture is the nodal department for taking the issue further with UNSECO, he added.
- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/dehradun/pithoragarh-landscape-included-in-unescos-provisional-list-of-indian-world-heritage/articleshow/70078891.cms, July 5, 2019
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday threw open the Virtual Experiential Museum for people, here at Man Mahal in his parliamentary constituency. The Museum, which gives a cultural and spiritual tour of the city, had been waiting for its formal inauguration since February 19. Mr Modi himself took the opportunity to have a glimpse of the traditional Kashi, through 3D affect and watched a program in the Virtual Experiential Museum. PM was accompanied by BJP working president JP Nadda, UP Chief minister Yogi Adityanath and UP BJP president Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey.
PM also went through the museum and showed interest in the articles kept there to showcase the traditional Kashi through 3D affect. The visitors can now immerse digital lamps in Ganga, take a virtual dip in the holy river, watch digitalised Benarasi paan being made and enjoy Benares gharana’s music in the museum which is just near the Dashashmed ghat. The ministry's National Council of Science Museum has conceptualised, designed and developed the museum that will be known as Abhasiya-Anubhuti Sangralaya.
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) did the conservation work of the Man Mahal, an early 17th century protected monument, where the museum is housed, said the official. The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, the knowledge partner for the museum, has been divided into eight sections. The museum will offer a nearly 90-minute digital travel through the city to capture Varanasi’s cultural, religious and socio-economic facets.
A group of 15-20 visitors can take a digital city tour at one time. The museum has endeavoured to encapsulate the civilisation and the ras (flavor) of Varanasi in small space and time. Four layered painting in traditional Varanasi style and one of the city's oldest maps would greet the visitors at the museum where a film will narrate the city's history before they are taken for a digital tour through the lanes of Varanasi’s lanes.
There are separate sections on the city's fabric, music and travelers who come to Varanasi. A digitalised Yagnana (holy fire) and the importance of Moksha or salvation in the holy city will also be highlighted at the museum. A small room with sensor-controlled sprays has been dedicated for the virtual dip into the Ganga. A tour at the museum will end with a holographic show on Varanasi’s traditional Ramlila or rethe enactment of Lord Ram’s life.
- http://www.uniindia.com/pm-throws-open-3d-virtual-museum-in-varanasi/north/news/1656245.html, July 8, 2019
The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach) has suggested rehabilitation, repairs and partial reconstruction leading to adaptive reuse of the 149-year-old Errum Manzil, which the Telangana government plans to pull down to build the State Legislature for the new State. The team with an architect, a structural engineer and the convenor of the organisation visited the building to find out the structural stability and heritage merit of the building.
After inspecting the building, the team officials wrote: “The present condition of the building is a mere result of negligence, modifications which were undertaken before repairs and strengthening of building with an improper sequence of execution using incompatible construction method and materials.” One of the attached photographs shows how a tree growing on the building had its roots painted to make it appear like part of the structure. “A portion of the zenana has already been demolished.
The building looked stable. At many places, the layer of plaster had flaked off exposing the rocky frame of the building. The plinth requires protection to limit the damage. The interior and exterior heritage features are worthy of retention in adaptive reuse,” said Anuradha Reddy of Intach who led the team. “Legacy building constructed with load bearing walls in stone for foundation and red burnt bricks and also stone for walls using lime mortar as jointing material.
It is to be noted that the exterior and interior masonry is considered an important heritage character-defining element,” notes the report that makes a case for reuse of the building.
- https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/intach-suggests-repairs-to-errum-manzil-for-reuse/article28307492.ece, July 8, 2019
Through the initiative, the government aims to save water by recycling and reusing it by using waste water for activities for which fresh water is used in school compounds. After rain water harvesting, the Delhi government has proposed to make zero liquid discharge (ZLD) system mandatory in all schools runs by it. Through the initiative, the government aims to save water by recycling and reusing it by using waste water for activities for which fresh water is used in school compounds. Even as government-run schools in the city are yet to implement rain water harvesting, the proposal for the ZLD system has been approved and is likely to be notified later this month.
“The proposal to make ZLD mandatory will be notified within a month. We plan to start with government schools as they have more area to utilise the waste water in their large compounds such as watering lawns. The idea is to put even the last drop of water to use by recycling waste water from kitchens and toilets, among others,” said Dinesh Mohaniya, vice-chairman, Delhi Jal Board. The government plans to extend the model to public-private schools if it takes off well in government-run schools, he said. “Schools will be given 90 days’ time to install the system. This is to ensure that only waste and recycled water is used in the compound and usage of fresh water be limited to basic requirements,” Mohaniya said.
The ZLD system pertains to installation of facilities (equipment) for recycling waste water which could be used for purposes other than human consumption. In 2016 the Centre had proposed introducing the ZLD system for industries generating hazardous liquid discharge. While the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had earlier directed all educational institutions in the national Capital to install rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems in their premises, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had recently announced that the cabinet had directed for RWH to be made mandatory for all government buildings. According to experts, recycling water is the way forward for the future and it cannot not be done effectively without RWH.
Also, the efficiency of the various systems has to be ensured from time to time for saving water. “This is a good beginning. There is no escape from recycling used water as sources of water are becoming scarcer day by day. There are different techniques to install ZLD systems such as constructed wetlands or small, mechanised plants. Depending on the level of treatment, the water could be sued for groundwater discharge or horticulture, among others. However, the government needs to ensure implementation of both, rain water harvesting and recycling at the same time, to achieve ZLD,” said Manu Bhatnagar, principal director, natural heritage, INTACH.
- https://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi-news/delhi-government-makes-100-recycling-of-water-mandatory-in-all-its-schools/story-oQ6qM4STkhHxi8gB0zM8BI.html, July 8, 2019
The old Walled City of Jaipur, known globally as Pink City, has finally become a UNESCO world heritage site. It is India’s first planned city founded by Sawai Jai Singh II in 1727, and is only the second Indian city to feature on the prestigious list. The decision was taken on Saturday in Azerbaijan’s Baku at the 43rd session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) that started on June 30 and will conclude on July 10.
In 2017, old Ahmedabad was India’s first city to win the ‘heritage city’ tag. In 2018, sites in Mumbai the Victorian and Art Deco Ensembles straddling two heritage precincts of Fort and Marine Drive, were chosen as world heritage sites. Campaign for the 292-year-old Jaipur, designed by Bengali architect Vidyadhar Bhattacharya, had started in 2015 when it was first nominated. Its town planning shows an “interchange of ancient Hindu, Mughal and contemporary Western ideas" that resulted in the form of the city, a Unesco statement had earlier noted. The city houses various architectural styles, an example of the amalgamation of cultures. The statement noted that Jaipur was “also an exceptional example of a late medieval trade town in South Asia and defined new concepts for a thriving trade and commercial hub. In addition, the city is associated with living traditions in the form of crafts that have national and international recognition.” The India representative at Baku handed the win to Rajasthan’s people. “It’s a proud moment for a proud land and proud people — the men and women of Rajasthan. The credit is rightly theirs for having nurtured and protected this heritage for generations,” he said.
The achievement is especially well-earned for Jaipur, as the International Council on Monuments and Sites (Icomos) had recently put the proposal on “deferral”. “It’s a proud moment for the state government to bag this tag. ICOMOS had recommended a deferral. However, keen on the title, the state took a series of management related steps which were appreciated and helped us gain the title,” an official of the Local Self Government (LSG) department said. PM Modi tweeted his happiness on the development.
“The city of Jaipur today has been given the honour, privilege and responsibility of being inscribed on the list of world heritage.” ‘Cultural heritage to get a major boost’ During the presentation at Baku, it was pointed out that the historic city has for centuries sustained trade, commerce, arts and crafts and their practitioners. It’s not a fortified city but built at times of peace and guarded by surrounding forts. The city wall and all the nine original gates are mostly intact and has been conserved well among historic cities in India. Despite developmental pressures, the city wall, the inner ‘chowkis’ or squares and havelis provide coherent evidence and convey the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV). Experts believe, the heritage title will protect and safeguard the city from developmental pressures.
The recommendation itself led to changes such as declaring the area as a no construction zone, helped creating INTACH inventory, taking forward the city wall project, and adopting architectural control guidelines. Dr Shikha Jain, director of Dronah, a NGO into conservation, said, “The listing will ensure action on six points outlined by the World Heritage Committee and ICOMOS. A special area plan will be formulated to conserve the heritage city. This would give boost to conservation and restoration of cultural heritage in a systematic manner."
- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/jaipurs-walled-city-now-world-heritage-site/articleshow/70110672.cms, July 9, 2019
A delegation from the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) Odisha, led by its convener Amiya Bhusan Tripathy on Tuesday met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and handed over a copy of the report on the “Monuments of the Prachi Valley” and a copy of the recent INTACH publication “Preserving Heritage: An Odishan Journey” to him. The report on the Prachi Valley had been released last month after an eighteen-month survey of the place.
The report is authored by history researcher Anil Dhir, who has documented nearly 80 temples, 60 mutts and 45 ghats besides other heritage structures of the Prachi Valley. The book “Preserving Heritage: An Odishan Journey”, authored by Mallika Mitra, Director of the INTACH Conservation Institute, documents the achievements of INTACH in the last decade. The Chief Minister mentioned the books in his Tweet and praised the efforts of INTACH for the work that emphasised creating awareness and intervention for preserving Odisha’s art and culture. INTACH State convener Tripathy said the Prachi River Valley is a hidden gem of Odishan art, architecture and culture, which should be brought to limelight.
He stressed on the role of INTACH in the conservation and preservation of heritage monuments in the State and the various reports and documentations that have been undertaken. According to Anil Dhir, the Prachi Valley is the richest repository of geographical, historical, architectural, religious and monumental wealth of the State. The valley, with its archaeological remains, can be regarded as a veritable museum of Odisha’s glorious past. It has chronological relics, remnants and edifices of Odishan history and culture through the last two thousand years.
- https://www.dailypioneer.com/2019/state-editions/intach-presents-prachi-valley-report-to-cm.html, July 10, 2019
ASN Senior Secondary School, Mayur Vihar, recently celebrated World Heritage Day to promote cultural heritage and raise awareness about its diversity and the benefits. The theme for this year’s International Day for Monuments and Sites is Rural Landscapes. The students were taken for a heritage walk to the zoological park. It was a collaborative effort with the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) to promote conservation of rural landscape which is this year’s theme. The school conducted week-long activities to sensitise children about the rich heritage.
Students took part in the activity in a large number and made posters and brochures on Incredible India. They infused life into Indian heritage through art. Slogan writing was also organised on the topic “My Heritage My Pride.” A special assembly was conducted in which students focused on the intangible heritage of our epics. The inter house activity was called ‘’Itihaas Ki Kavyaabhivyakti’’ where the students of all the four houses showcased their talent in the event based on the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. Principal Swarnima Luthra applauded the efforts of the students and the teachers.
She said rural landscape is an integral part of our heritage as it has maintained a balance between human activity and their environment. It encompasses an increasing accumulation of tangible and intangible heritage. So conservation of rural landscape is important.
English Literary Week
Modern Era Convent, Janakpuri, recently celebrated an English Literary Week.A host of activities was held during the week. Events held for the primary section included Pick n Tell, Know Thy Speech, story dramatisation and making decorative bookmarks with quotes and proverbs. The students of the senior section too enthusiastically participated in activities such as extempore debate.
Students showcased their acting and literary skills in an inter-class drama competition. “Looks are deceptive” was the topic of the group discussion for students. Some well-thought out events included An interview with Wren and Martin and Walk the Talk. The efforts of the English faculty to develop language skills were applauded by one and all.
Croyance MUN 2019
Mayur Public School, IP Extension, in collaboration with Croyance organised a two-day Mun-Summit (Model United Nations conference) on its premises. MUN aims to develop an understanding of global issues in the next generation of leaders. More than 100 delegates from different schools and colleges of Delhi-NCR and delegates of MPS took part in the event. Students held discussions in simulations of United Nations Security Council, United Nations Human Rights Council and All India Political Party Meet.
The committee members applauded the research and diplomatic acumen of the delegates from Mayur Public School. The international press covered the proceedings. Students took part in debates showcasing their research and public speaking skills. The summit culminated with the award ceremony. UNIDO Best Delegate award was given to committee from India and high commendation was given to Russia.
UNHRC Best Delegate award was given to the committee from Costa Rica and high commendation was given to France. The AIPPM Best Delegate award was given to Arun Jaitely (Mayurian Abhinandan) and high commendation was given to Udhav Thakrey.
Declamation contest
Prabhjot Singh of Class 10, Guru Tegh Bahadur 3rd Centenary Public School, Mansarover Garden, won the first position in an inter-school declamation contest on the topic “I Demand A Safe Journey.” As many as 31 Delhi schools took part in the competition at Gyan Mandir Public School, Naraina Vihar.
It was held during the 5th United Nations Global Road Safety Week. The theme of the event was “Save Lives, Speak Up.” Prabhjot enthralled the audience with his passionate oration. He stressed on the need for every individual to abide by road safety rules. He concluded by saying that it was imperative to “become safety minded and not remain safety blinded."
International Yoga Day
Ryan International School, Mayur Vihar, organised a special assembly to celebrate International Yoga Day. The guest for the day was Dr Anuna Bordoloi, clinical psychologist, Fortis Hospital, Noida. All participants performed asanas under the guidance of their mentor and showcased their skills.
The guest appreciated the efforts of the students and encouraged them to continue with such activities to stay fit. Principal Sheetal Labru encouraged each child to be a part of such events and understand that health is wealth. The students took part in a painting competition on the theme of yoga and its benefits. The assembly concluded with the school anthem and the national anthem.
- https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-school/asn-sr-sec-school-marks-world-heritage-day/story-aVenrSUvPDMCZSrs3, July 10, 2019
The sighting of new menhirs, perhaps the largest-ever recorded in Kerala, on the Pothamala hills in Udumbanchola taluk on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border, has thrown light on the possible existence of a major prehistoric necropolis there. The menhirs were identified by a team of historians led by Rajeev Puliyoor, assistant professor at the Government Teachers’ Training College, Elanthoor, near here, during a visit to Shanthanpara village on Tuesday.
Mr. Puliyoor told The Hindu that the Pothamala hills housed hundreds of cobbled stone structures, pointing to the existence of a structured graveyard of a prehistoric civilisation. Mr. Puliyoor said the largest menhir found was 20 ft tall and 6 ft wide with a thickness of 5 ft. Harikrishnan M., Jomon Jose and M.S. Jayan, assistant professors at the Nedumkandam B.Ed College, were the other team members.
Special pattern
The menhirs were planted in a specific geometrical pattern on a cluster of hills, Mr Puliyoor said. He said the exquisite natural settings of the hills and dales at Pothamala made the yet-to-be explored megalithic site different from similar sites spotted in other parts of the State. Most of these structures were oriented in the east-west direction. The megalithic stone sentinels at Pothamala might hold the key to hitherto unexplored facets of a civilisation that dated back around 3,000 years, said Mr. Puliyoor.
He urged the Archaeological Survey of India and the Archaeology Department to conduct a full-scale excavation and detailed study of this megalithic site without delay.
70 sites spotted earlier
Seventy megalithic sites have already been identified in different parts of Idukki by researchers and historians, including 40 megalithic sites in Udumbanchola taluk itself. But no serious attempts have been made to understand their distribution pattern.
- https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/pothamala-menhirs-stand-guard-on-ancient-necropolis/article28391940.ece, July 11, 2019
Tamil Nadu became the fifth state in India on June 30, 2019, to announce a state butterfly, a symbol, among many others, to signify its rich cultural and natural heritage. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttarakhand and Kerala already have state butterflies, though Kerala has yet to pass a government order on its chosen species.Tamil Yeoman also called Tamil Maravan for its warrior instincts (scientific name Cirrochorathais Fabricus 1787) was chosen from among 36 species of butterflies endemic to the Western Ghats.A butterfly researcher helping the Coimbatore District Forest Office (DFO) who doesn’t want to be named, tells The Covai Post: “There are 324 species of butterflies found in the Western Ghats.
We choseTamil Yeoman as its larval host plant (scientific name hydnocarpuspendandrais) is also endemic to Western Ghats. So both the plants and the butterflies will be preserved for future generations.”Tamil Yeoman has tawny coloured wings, belongs to the Nympholoid family or brush footed butterflies. It lays larva in vertical chains on the underside of leaves in its host plant until it grows to its adult size of 60-70 mm.Butterflies are an important part of biodiversity, where they help to preserve a rich ecosystem and help climate study.
Tamil Nadu has many butterfly research facilities like the Tropical Butterfly Conservatory near Tiruchi, Butterfly Park at the Chennai zoo, Devala Butterfly Park in Gudalur and Insect Museum in Coimbatore. M Senthil Kumar, the Assistant Conservator of Forests, Coimbatore tells The Covai Post, “We feel butterflies are too insignificant, but their work is tremendous, from pollination to conservation of an ecosystem. We only notice larger animals in the forest, but the contribution of these tiny creatures in forestation is amazing."
He wants more butterfly study parks in Tamil Nadu. “Anaikatty in the Western Ghats has a large butterfly population of many species, so our Coimbatore district must definitely have a park there. Nowadays we can see butterflies only in such protected areas, as depleting greenery and commercial constructions have edged them out in the cities,” said Senthil Kumar.Tamil Yeoman was chosen after intensive research by dedicated conservationists and forest researchers.
- https://www.covaipost.com/coimbatore/tamil-yeoman-is-tns-state-butterfly/, July 11, 2019
Ahmedabad, the largest city in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state of Gujarat, boasts 30-odd museums but the stunning Kite Museum in the 608-year-old world heritage city is in a class of its own. The kite-flying season begins in December but visitors walking into this comparatively small treasure house of paper-birds any time of the year are instantly transported into the midst of the cacophonic, festive revelry when the sky is dotted with multi-hued kites flown by merry-making men, women and children packed like sardines on rooftops as loudspeakers belt out latest Bollywood songs.
Indeed, the 125 original, brightly-coloured, unusual kites of all sizes, shapes and materials placed in vertically-mounted glass panels backlit by white, fluorescent tube-lights to simulate a background resembling a sunny sky are sure to take your breath away as you go round in the well-illuminated passageways. Add to this the 250-odd eye-catching kites captured on wondrous colour slides, the countless life-size photographs depicting the kite-flying craze of Gujaratis, and various charts, sketches as well as drawings on history of kites, and you know why India’s only ‘Patang (kite) Museum’, and one of only two in the world, is a must in a tourist’s itinerary.
The unique exhibits range from miniature kites to massive ones measuring more than 20 feet, kites with mind-boggling geometric designs and others depicting birds, animals, trees and human figures, the oldest being 70 years old but all of them with intricate design and craft. And mind you, the terrific designs on these kites from all over the country are not painted but made up of tiny scraps of translucent paper meticulously glued by dextrous artisans what with one having been pieced together with as many as 400 bits of papers of different colours. “The contrast between the diaphanous, delicate paper and the bamboo frame stuck on it make all kites wonderful pieces of art,” wrote Ramji Desai, an Ahmedabad-born former police officer now living in Atlanta (the United States), in the visitors’ diary of the museum which signed a memorandum of understanding with Layang-layang Museum of Jakarta during Modi’s visit to Indonesia not long ago. If kites with figures of Radha-Krishna and Nehru Gandhi leave visitors spellbound, they are also bowled over by Hexagonal Japanese paper-birds called Rokoku. No less absorbing are the full-scale large photographs that portray the kite-fliers’ frenzy, and the numberless illustrations that narrate the history of kites, starting from 200 BC when Huien Tsang flew a kite at night that stunned the army of Liu Pang of Han dynasty in China. More drawings and sketches elucidate how Benjamin Franklin showed to the world that lightning was electricity by flying a kite through a thunderstorm in 1752, and explaining how kite-flying eventually led to the Wright Brothers developing the airplane in 1902 and the advent of modern kites till 1985. The museum exhibits also reveal how kites were used in war for aerial photography, and also in advertisements to boost sales of paper-birds called air scoop kites, Graham Bell tetra-kites, sky-links kite systems, para-launchers, Colorado rollers, muliti-flares, and octagon phoenix variants. A special attraction is a seven-minute video film on how the vibrant kites are made, mostly by hard-up Muslim women, in Ahmedabad, and sold as well as flown during the climax of the 45-day season in the three-day kite fete, Uttarayan, including the annual government-sponsored international kite festival that draws expert kitists from all over the globe.
Well, the brain behind the unique gallery, only the second in the world to be set up in 1986, some 10 years after the first one in Japan, is now-octogenarian Bhanu Shah, a first-rate museologist who has also made waves as poet, writer, painter, designer, photographer and child educator. “Ever since I fell in love with kites when I was 21, I wanted to collect kites and create an impression of numerous kites in the sky just as one would see on the festival day here in Ahmedabad,” says Shah, who donated his rare collection of best kites among his hundreds of possessions to the local civic body for dreaming up a new-fangled museum 33 years ago, and continues to take care of them even at a ripe age of 84.
The selfless man has gathered some 1,500 distinctive, one-of-a-kind kites by spending a fortune, travelling far and wide intermittently for 50 years, visiting every nook and cranny of the country, and paying through his nose to unwilling shopkeepers. What’s more, the exhaustive information about kites in the museum has been the result of his five years of painstaking research, corresponding with scores of historians, Sanskrit scholars, archaeologists and museum curators to seek minutest details about kites. Shah, along with his equally avid two kitist sons, has mesmerised millions at 21 global kite festivals in Dubai, Singapore, Denmark, Paris, London, New York, Bangkok, etc. by displaying not only his far-out kites but also the trio’s enviable kite-flying skills.
- https://www.connectedtoindia.com/ahmedabads-kite-museum-paperbirds-take-you-on-cloud-9-5824.html, July 12, 2019
The state government has turned down the offer of Archaeological Survey of India to take control of 18 ancient monuments, including two prehistoric sites, for their upkeep. These monuments are of national importance and date back to Chalukyan, Kakatiya and Qutub Shahi periods. In fact, it was the state government that had offered 28 monuments across Telangana to the ASI for maintenance and conversion into ASI sites. But when the ASI agreed to take possession of 18 of them, the state government backtracked saying that it has withdrawn the offer.
The move comes even as monuments and sites under the state archaeology (department of heritage) are ill-maintained. Some of the sites, particularly prehistoric cairns, exist only in the state records while in reality they had disappeared after illegal constructions came over them. A few months before the bifurcation of the state, the director of archaeology and museums, AP, had identified 28 monuments, including four from the state protected monuments, and 15 monuments and sites out of 24 proposed for protection. The A few months before the bifurcation of the state, the director of archaeology and museums, AP, had identified 28 monuments, including four from the state protected monuments, and 15 monuments and sites out of 24 proposed for protection.
The director had urged the ASI to take their possession and declare them as “national important” under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act. The ASI sent two letters to the state government expressing its willingness and the director of department of heritage Telangana in a letter dated March 14, 2019 stated that proposal had been withdrawn. Incidentally, only four of the 28 monuments and sites proposed for ASI protection are actually protected by the state archaeology. The remaining are “under proposal for protection” implying they do not have any caretaker. ASI Hyderabad superintending archaeologist, Milan Kumar Chauley, told TOI that some of these monuments and sites are unique and have great historical value of national importance.
“These monuments and sites are spread across Telangana. The list includes Gollathagudi in Mahbubnagar, a rare temple built in large bricks and plastered with lime, belonging to 7th or 8th century, and Pandavulagutta in Warangal, a rock art site dating to prehistoric to medieval period,” he said. INTACH city convener, P Anuradha Reddy, said Telangana has a rich heritage in the form of monuments and archaeological remains. But, unfortunately many of them are under encroachments. “Each monument and site speaks an altogether different and conquests. We have Chalukyan, Kakatiya, Qutub Shahi, Asaf Jahi and Osmanian style of architecture. Even in Hyderabad, there were several prehistoric burial sites. Only a couple of them remain now,” she said, demanding that the state government should hand over the proposed monuments to the ASI.
A perusal of the list proposed (now withdrawn) monuments and sites shows the varied cultural, social, historical, aristocratic and anthropological heritage of Telangana. For instance, Nizamkonda fort at Timmapur in Mahbubnagar district is a unique river island fort built during Qutub Shahi rule as a military fort to keep watch on the movement of Moghuls and Marathas.
- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/t-backtracks-on-heritage-sites-offer/articleshow/70183351.cms, July 12, 2019
The decision to pull out of the race for the UNESCO tag brought down the curtains down on a long-drawn process — years of planning and painstaking effort by different agencies and stakeholders. Delhi could have made history four years ago but ‘development’ scuttled its heritage city dream. The national capital missed out on a chance to become the first Indian city to be called a ‘world heritage city’ by a whisker, as the Centre abruptly withdrew its nomination for a UNESCO World Heritage City tag in May 2015. Only a month was left for the final review of the nomination. The government reasoned that it was done in view of the restrictions in carrying out infrastructure work in the national capital once the city makes it to the coveted list. The prestigious badge was accorded to the walled city of Jaipur last week, making it the second Indian city to be bestowed the honour after Ahmedabad. The 15th century city of Ahmedabad, founded by Sultan Ahmad Shah, was declared a ‘world heritage city’ in July 2018, three years after Delhi opted out of the race. Vexed over the government’s surprise withdrawal of the heritage proposal as it saw Ahmedabad and Jaipur leapfrog the national capital in the pecking order, heritage enthusiasts and conservationists have called on the Centre, Delhi government and agencies concerned to focus on preserving the city’s heritage and character for the ages and not wait for the coveted UNESCO tag.“It is clear that the (Centre) government didn’t want it (UNESCO tag). Its reasoning was inexplicable. They said development will stop if Delhi gets a heritage tag. We were nominating only 2 % area of the city,” Professor AGK Menon, urban planner and conservation consultant, said. Menon was convener of the Delhi Chapter at Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), which was engaged by the Delhi government to draft the dossier. The document was part of the formal application to UNESCO. Negating the government’s justification, Swapna Liddle, historian and author, said it is wrong to assume that ‘heritage preservation stops development’. It is a myth that needs to dispelled, she added for good measure. She said the Pink City is a classical example of how development and heritage can co-exist. “It is working on viable commercial model, not a museum. It is a heritage city with strong commercial component. The argument in the name of development is not justified. There is a lot of scope for change. Development doesn’t just freeze. Of course, you can’t make a 20 -storey building in place of a heritage bungalow,” said the author, who was also part of the INTACH team, which worked on the dossier. The stakeholders, who have been associated with the project, said that realtor and traders’ lobby and friction between the Centre and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government nixed the city’s heritage dream. “Real estate mafia, eyeing high value properties in Lutyens’ Bungalow zone, is one reason. And also, the dispensation did not connect with the colonial and Islamic (Mughal) architectural heritage. The tussle between the Delhi government and the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre dashed the city’s quest for the coveted heritage tag,” said a representative of a stakeholder, requesting anonymity. Shama Mitra Chenoy, author and professor of history at Shivaji College under Delhi University said that the nomination was likely taken back under pressure from traders. “The proposal was withdrawn after the government at the Centre changed. Also, pressure from the traders’ lobby was brought to bear on the government, which is sad. Traders should have told about the importance of heritage. If the businessmen in Ahmedabad and Jaipur can accept this fact, why can’t people in Delhi’s walled city?” Chenoy, a resident of Sundar Nagar, said. She also worked on the dossier with INTACH. Initially, the stakeholders proposed to pick the area between Yamuna (western bank) and the Central ridge for heritage city status. However, after meticulous brainstorming sessions to understand the city’s heritage and the universal value of the site being proposed for nomination, two cities of Delhi, under the title — ‘Delhi’s Imperial Capital Cities’ — Shahjahanabad, built by Mughal Emperor Shahjahan (1639-48), and British colonial government’s capital — New Delhi (1911-31) — were finally selected. Disapproving the government’s decision of withdrawing the nomination, Menon said that the UNESCO status would have helped us change the perception of the West. “We had fought a long battle to convince the west (UNESCO). We even had to battle our own people — bureaucrats and politicians. It was a unique opportunity lost,” he said. The decision to pull out of the race for the UNESCO tag brought down the curtains down on a long-drawn process — years of planning and painstaking effort by different agencies and stakeholders. It surprised many, including government officials and institutions including Delhi government, which had spent `91.10 lakh towards preparing the dossier to nominate Delhi as the heritage city. However, in August 2015, three months after withdrawal of nomination, then Union minister for tourism and culture Mahesh Sharma announced that the government had not withdrawn the nomination of Delhi but only “requested the UNESCO Secretariat for postponement of the consideration of the nomination”. Menon said with or without UNESCO tag, all stakeholders in the cause should work to preserve the city heritage before it’s too late. “If other cities could do it why can’t Delhi? There’s no reason why it can’t. We don’t want heritage structures in the city to be reduced to mere showpieces here and there,” he said. Nitin Panigrahi, deputy general manager (DGM), project and administration, Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation (SRDC), differed, saying, “Let’s not forget that the walled cities of Ahmedabad or Jaipur have already gone through transformation before being accorded the tag. The UNESCO tag may not make any difference on the ground. To cite a case in point, Lahore, though not a UNESCO-tagged city, has seen redevelopment effort going at pace with heritage conservation,” he said. Atul Bhargava, president, New Delhi Traders’ Association (NDTA), said, “Heritage rules are trouble for us. If I have to repair my shop and make any change, I have to go through several levels and take permission, which is time-consuming and cumbersome,” he said. A senior Delhi government official said Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, had written to the Centre urging it to build a fresh case for the city to bag the UNESCO’s heritage tag. “In January, 2016, Delhi Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra requested Sharma to re-nominate Delhi to UNESCO’s list of heritage cities,” the official said. Despite repeated attempts, Sisodia couldn’t be reached for a comment
A failed pursuit
July 2008: Delhi Government and INTACH signed an MoU to draft the dossier for recognition of Delhi as a ‘World Heritage City’ by UNESCO. During the course of preparations, INTACH organised seminars and workshops in which people were invited. Tourism department was the nodal agency
September 2011: The Archeological Survey of India (ASI) officially submitted the tentative nomination dossier to UNESCO. Though, the Delhi government initiated the process, nomination was sent through the ASI to the central government, which forwarded it to the UNESCO via the ministry of external affairs (MEA)
January 2014: Final dossier was submitted as India’s official nomination for the year 2014-15
October 2014: International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) visited the sites to assess the nomination
May, 2015: The Centre withdrew the nomination
June 2015: The final decision was due to be taken at UNESCO General Assembly in Bonn
August 2015: Union minister of tourism and culture Mahesh Sharma said that the nomination had been withdrawn. However, he clarified that the Centre had only requested the UNESCO secretariat to postpone the proposal
January 2016: Delhi Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra requested Union culture minister Mahesh Sharma to re-nominate Delhi to UNESCO’s List of World Heritage Cities
August 2017: The Delhi government said it would urge the Centre to reconsider Delhi’s nomination for the UNESCO title
July 2018: Ahmedabad became the first from India to be declared as a World Heritage City
July 2019: Jaipur, or Pink City as it is popularly known, was accorded the heritage city tag
- http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/delhi/2019/jul/15/unesco-world-heritage-city-tag-for-delhi-a-dream-that-was--2004093.html, July 16, 2019
Member of National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) New Delhi governing council, M. Veda Kumar has stressed the need for research and preservation of historical places for the benefit of future generations.
Historian feted
He was participating as chief guest at the presentation of Dr. Daram Nagabushanam Memorial Historical and Research Award-2019 to historian S. Jaikishan here on Sunday. The award carries cash reward of ?5,000, a memento, a citation and a shawl. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Veda Kumar said Telangana has a rich cultural and archaeological heritage, and lauded Mr. Jaikishan for travelling lakhs of kilometers to conduct research on the country’s heritage. With Karimnagar town being included in the Smart City project, he called upon the authorities concerned to construct a modern museum and allocate a special block in memory of Dr Nagabushanam and display rare collections collected by him.
Annual event
Award committee convenor D. Raghuraman said the award would be presented every year to eminent personalities. Kendra Sahitya academy winner Nelimala Bhaskar, poet Annavaram Devender, Samakya Sahiti president M. Gopal and Sundar Satsang president D. Vinod were among those present.
- https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/research-preservation-of-telangana-heritage-stressed-by-member-of-national-trust-for-art-and-cultural-heritage-m-veda-kumar/article28433810.ece, July 16, 2019
The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach-Vizag) conducted a workshop on heritage education and good citizenship in collaboration with Heritage Education and Communication Services, Intach New Delhi on Saturday. Experts and around 115 students from Gitam School of Architecture, Gitam Law College, Avian College, Andhra University and various schools participated. Group activities saw students speaking on topics such as global warming, water bodies and forests. Convener of Intach-Vizag, Mayank Kumari Deo briefed the participants on the topics of discussion, while Dr Sarada Reddy, Intach life member spoke about Intach activities and heritage. Chief guest Commander Sujit Reddy spoke on the Navy’s involvement in the development and conservation of the city. He pointed to how conservation, development and tourism are interconnected and the need for citizens to be more proactive in all three aspects. The convener spoke on people’s duties toward the country’s heritage, and the ways in which people’s involvement in the preservation of heritage can increase.
- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/visakhapatnam/citizens-should-come-together-to-protect-heritage/articleshow/70209248.cms, July 16, 2019
Villagers of Arasinakere in Jayapura Hobli of Mysuru taluk have unearthed two giant statues of Nandi (bulls) in a nondescript field that was so far marooned in water. The idols are monolithic and so far were buried deep inside the earth. Interestingly, the name of the village Arasinakere, translated to English means ‘King’s Lake’. Villagers say that the Lake was frequently visited by Jayachamaraja Wadiyar during the fag end of his rule. While one Nandi statue measures 15ft in length and 12 ft in height, the other statue is smaller. The horns of the Nandis were observed by the villagers and following this, villagers started offering pujas to them. The statues were excavated yesterday using earthmovers in a four-day long operation. The statues were found facing each other, which has roused curiosity among the villagers and people in surrounding areas, who have started thronging the spot.
Jayachamaraja Wadiyar’s efforts
According to a villager, Jayachamaraja Wadiyar, who had heard about a temple of Basaveshwara that had remained under water, came to the village and saw water that had covered the entire field. He then dispatched men and materials including a motor to pump the water. Villagers say that Jayachamaraja Wadiyar had come to know about the existence of a Shiva temple (Basaveshwara) complete with Nandi Statues and the idols of other Gods and Goddesses. Villagers said that the men could not accomplish the task even after one week of relentless work as the presence of water was a daunting factor. Jayachamaraja Wadiyar had to be content by performing puja to the water as he believed that his prayers will reach the Nandi, termed Basaveshwara by villagers. After Jayachamaraja Wadiyar’s futile efforts to excavate the giant statues, villagers continued their efforts from time to time and launched the work of removing water. They eventually succeeded but only the facial part of Nandi could be seen. Since then, they have been worshipping the idols. Now, they have finally excavated the remains using earth movers. They have also found various other idols of the Gods and Goddesses proving the existence of a huge temple, now buried under earth. Some villagers said that more than ten idols of Gods too were found at this spot but they did not have a specific identity of them. Although these idols are said to be dated to the Mysuru Maharaja rule, there is no clarity about this, they said.
Archaeology Department flayed
The villagers also regretted that the Archaeology Department had failed to visit Arasinakere, which is just 15 kilometres from Mysuru and conduct a study of the Nandi statues and other idols. Pointing out that they have been worshipping these statues for over three decades, they said that the locals were doing the job of removing the silt around the statues once the water receded at the spot, so that they could be better visible. Arasinakere Gram Panchayat member Somanna said that barring a single visit by the Archaeology Department officials to the spot, nothing has happened later on. He wanted the authorities to preserve the Nandi statues and develop the spot on the lines of Nandi statue atop the Chamundi Hill.
Heritage expert view
Mysuru Heritage Committee member Prof. N.S. Rangaraju, who is also the Convener of Mysuru Chapter of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), said that a villager had told him about the statues and he had visited the spot about 18 months ago. But as the spot was fully filled with water then, he could not see the statues. However, he said that he has seen the photographs of the statues. As per the available photographs, it can be said that the sculptures are incomplete as sculptures around the eyes and ears are not distinct. Also, there are no carvings of rope, chain and a bell around the neck of the statues as can be generally found in other Nandi statues. Besides, the face-to-face location of the statues too is surprising. Whether there was a Shiva temple at the spot or were these statues meant for relocation to any other place can throw more light on the statues, he said. Meanwhile, Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage Commissioner T. Venkatesh said the Department had not received any information on the statues. However, the authorities would hold a review of the excavations, he added.
- https://starofmysore.com/face-to-face-nandis-buried-under-earth-excavated/, July 16, 2019
The project is aimed at holding the monsoon run-off into the Yamuna in a bid to revive the depleting groundwater table in national capital The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has earmarked the land for its ambitious pilot project enabling storage of natural water of the Yamuna.The inter-departmental committee, which submitted its report to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, has earmarked the Jhangola village in north Delhi for the project.According to sources, 33 acres of land in the village has been identified for the project and work is already underway. With the chief minister showing a keen interest in the project and personally taking stock of its progress, the Irrigation and Flood department, under the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) and the Revenue department has laid out the contours of the plan to hold the monsoon run-off into the Yamuna and use it to recharge the city’s depleting groundwater table.Several studies conducted by the National Institute of Hydrology and IIT- Delhi have stressed on the ‘very high’ recharge potential of the Yamuna flood plain. The study conducted by Indian National Trust Art & Cultural Heritage (INTACH) in 2015-16 for recharging groundwater in the national capital, stated, “The Yamuna floodplain, comprising 97sq.km of area in Delhi, offers a good scope for development of groundwater resources subsequent to the storage of monsoon waters on the floodplain itself. Under the Yamuna water sharing agreement, out of the 580 million cubic metre (MCM) of monsoon season flow allocated to Delhi, about 280 MCM goes unutilized due to lack of storages.” In the event of flood on account of heavy rainfall, the Yamuna water rises and extends beyond its natural course, attaining relatively higher levels in the areas between the shanks in the Yamuna floodplain. The objective of the project is to conserve excess flood water during monsoon and use it to recharge the sub-soil groundwater.As part of the plan, a 5-km stretch from Palla in northwest Delhi to Wazirabad in North Delhi, will be developed as a massive natural reservoir using eco-friendly materials.
- http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/delhi/2019/jul/16/panel-earmarks-33-acres-for-its-yamuna-pilot-project-2004386.html, July 16, 2019
Nine out of 10 pre-historic archaeological sites in Hyderabad and its surrounding areas listed in the new Heritage Act of Telangana, 2017, are no longer traceable. The sole surviving megalithic site is inside the University of Hyderabad (UoH) at Lingampalli, say archaeologists and officials of Department of Heritage, Telangana. “Ten years ago, when I visited the Hashmatpet Site, it was on the verge of being occupied as builders had dumped huge rocks to destroy evidence. It was a 30-acre site where the excavations during the British rule (1862) and the Nizam reign (1935) revealed a near-intact megalithic site. The Moula Ali site was disturbed much earlier. When I was studying in 1981, the location itself was a surmise,” says archaeologist K. P. Rao of University of Hyderabad who has published a number of papers on the subject.
Fascinating discoveries
“The Hashmatpet site had 20 stone circles on a well-preserved ground. It had cists (small stone-built coffin) burial, funerary assemblages and stone slab enclosures. More significantly, buffalo metallic figurines were discovered showing a level of civilisation among the people,” says Mr. Rao Hashmatpet was one of the sites in the region where iron stirrup was unearthed along with sickles, ploughing implement, globular vases, ring stands and small globular vessels showing the level of culture in the area. At the Moula Ali site, which was also spread across 30 acres, axes and cups were discovered by archaeologists. With the disappearance of these 3,000-2,500-year-old sites, Hyderabad has lost a part of its heritage that traced the city’s evolution to the late Stone Age period. According to Mr. Rao, the Eastern Telangana region bucked the Bronze Age period. “All the evidence we have shows that the region missed the Chalcolithic age. We jumped right from Neolithic Age to Iron Age,” says the archaeologist, who has discovered a new 2.5-acre site in the Southern Campus of the UoH with relics dated to the Megalithic era. The dating of the sites was done with Optical Simulated Luminescence. Not surprisingly, the Neolithic and Megalithic sites were at the same locations which are now most densely populated areas of Hyderabad. “The undulating plains, the rocky knolls and the ever-flowing Musi and its tributaries made it congenial for human habitation for thousands of years. Several Neolithic implements, generally dated from 2nd millennium B.C. to 1st millennium B.C. were noticed near Tolukatta but no regular excavation was conducted here,” says a document published by the Department of Archaeology in 1983. Now, officials of the department say they are not aware of the exact location which is close to Charminar. “A few months ago when we visited Singapur Megalithic burial site in Huzurabad, we discovered the local people had disturbed the stone formations and had turned the location for Bathukamma celebration,” shares an official of the Department of Heritage, Telangana. “Due to urbanisation many of the sites in the city have disappeared. We don’t even know the exact locations,” says the official seeking anonymity.
Legislation loophole
Anuradha Reddy, convenor of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach)-Hyderabad, says one of the biggest flaws of the 2017 legislation is that it doesn’t demarcate areas for protection or how the sites will be protected. “Because Delhi is an urban area, they have reduced the restricted area around a protected site to 50 metres. The Telangana government has not specified any such measures. The result is the attack on most of the heritage sites in the State,” she points out. Showing the artefacts and Stone Age objects recovered from various sites in Hyderabad and Telangana, K.P. Rao holds up a flat bowl coloured red on the inside and black on the outside called black and red ware (BRW) by archaeologists. “This was recovered from the Lingampalli site,” says Mr. Rao inside his small museum-cum-laboratory at UoH. The 2001 excavation at Lingampalli had led to the discovery of a 16-foot high menhir made in white granite and surrounded by pit burial and iron implements including a trident, a sword and two barbed arrowheads. “When we lose these sites and the opportunity to excavate and study them, we lose information about our ancestors. They lived in the region and they are our links to the past. When we lose information about them we lose a part of our identity. It is a long period cultural identity we are losing,” says Mr. Rao.
- https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/link-to-citys-evolution-snapped/article28454264.ece, July 17, 2019
PATNA: A new museum will soon be opened at Upendra Maharathi Shilp Anusandhan Sansthan here to showcase the rich art and craft forms of the state. The museum, christened ‘Upendra Maharathi Virtual Arts Museum’, will showcase some fascinating collections of traditional crafts pieces. If everything goes according to plan, the museum will be ready by August next year. “The museum will have a resource centre which will act as a storage and display area for collections owned by the organisation. It will also have a research centre for scholars and students,” said Ashok Kumar Sinha, deputy development officer of UMSAS. He added, “The galleries of the museum will have a unique display technique to explain the history of Bihar through art and craft objects. There will be a gallery dedicated to the works of Padma Shri recipient Upendra Maharathi, while the temporary galleries will have exhibits of artists from varying backgrounds that would keep changing at regular intervals.” A model depicting the world famous Chhath Puja culture of the state will be placed in the middle of the hall. Also, to facilitate a better understanding of the tradition and background of the displayed objects, the hall will be equipped with multi-touch interactive screen. In addition, the sculpture garden exhibiting modern sculptures of different artists will provide a serene ambience to the visitors. Sinha said the design of the upcoming museum was prepared by Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) keeping in mind the modern and technologically-advanced society. “The museum is being developed with an expenditure of Rs 30 crore and it is funded by JD(U) MP RCP Sinha. The main motive behind the expansion of the present structure is to bring forth the art and culture of Bihar in a better and more comprehensive way.” The existing museum has nearly 6,000 objects on display, including a huge collection of handicrafts, Madhubani paintings, Papier Mache art, Tikuli art, bamboo work, brass and bell metal products.
- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/crafts-institute-to-get-a-new-museum/articleshow/70266306.cms, July 18, 2019
What's heritage for one government does not appear to be of antiquarian value for another. The princely state of Hyderabad in 1862 had listed 37 monuments and sites in the city as structures of heritage and historical value. It later added several new monuments and sites to the list during 1920s when a comprehensive survey of archaeological places was conducted. Six decades later some of these monuments have lost their heritage tag while many others have simply disappeared into history books. Of the 37 monuments and sites including three now under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) listed in 1862, only 26 (three under ASI) find a place in the new Telangana Heritage Act. Only two of the twelve 10th century BCE burial sites identified by the Nizam government can be found intact now. While these sites continue to appear in the official records of the archaeology department, their exact locations remain unknown as encroachments have cropped up over these stone age burials that hold clues to Hyderabad’s ancient history and its early human habitation. The Char Kaman (four arched gateways), which are as old as the Charminar built in 1591, are not protected structures. Jama Masjid, Hyderabad's first congregational mosque built in 1597 and Darul Shifa, the first multi-storeyed hospital built in 1595, is also out of the heritage monuments list. The tomb and baradari of Chin Qulij Khan, the ancestor of Asaf Jah rulers, was also stripped of the heritage tag. The mosque of Princess Husaina Begum, daughter of Abdullah Qutub Shah VII, figured in the 1862 heritage list, but it does not find a place in 2017 heritage Act. The cairns at Gachibowli and Lingampally are protected while those at Mir Alam Tank, Hashmatpet, Moula Ali, Bowenpally, Kukatpally, Fatehnagar, Gurramguda, Gaganpahad, Begumpet and Uppal are missing. INTACH city convener P Anuradha Reddy said that the monuments listed in 1862 are of prime historical value and delisting some of them now would result in the chances of Hyderabad permanently staying off the world heritage tag.
- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/hyderabads-ancient-sites-find-no-place-in-heritage-act/articleshow/70271820.cms, July 18, 2019
Having housed the district court since the early 1900s, it now wears a deserted look — its doors and windows shut to even curious tourists, as the future of the building is in limbo, while the judiciary takes its time to hand it over to the Vadodara Municipal Corporation. Under the amber glow of street lights in an overcast evening, the domes of the Byzantine structure of Nyaymandir, in the heart of Vadodara, remind one of its glory of 120 years until its doors were shut in March last year when the judiciary shifted out to a new premises in Diwalipura area. Since then, the heritage building is ironically awaiting justice to be done to its legacy. Having housed the district court since the early 1900s, it now wears a deserted look — its doors and windows shut to even curious tourists, as the future of the building is in limbo, while the judiciary takes its time to hand it over to the Vadodara Municipal Corporation, which has been considering plans to turn it into a museum. For now, the majestic building’s open spaces serve as a parking lot for visitors to the city’s largest local market Mangal Bazaar across the road, while its pavements serve as bedding for street dwellers at night. For 62-year-old Jayesh Shah, who grew up in a bylane across Nyaymandir, the shifting of the court brought a strange silence to the surrounding. “The bustle is missing and it feels deserted,” he says. “Business in most shops around here has dropped too, as earlier those visiting the court would often make impulse shopping visits.” He recalled his childhood days spent watching watch people stream in and out. “Be a good citizen,” elders advised him as they pointed in warning to those walking in handcuffed with their heads lowered, accompanied by the police. Shah, a retired government executive engineer, says authorities must act fast to preserve the building. “We cannot afford to lose the monument to neglect.” He worried that the monsoon would already have caused damage to the unoccupied structure. “They should turn it into a library or something people can visit. It was a gift from Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad. We should cherish it,” says Shah. Speaking of the status quo on the building, a senior officer of the court, on condition of anonymity, said, “We are awaiting instructions from the Chief Justice. Until that time, we cannot do much. We just get it cleaned once in a fortnight.” In June 2015, the district administration held a preliminary meeting to discuss the fate of the heritage structure. It supported a proposal that the Vadodara Municipal Corporation made to the Road and Buildings department, seeking handover of the building to turn into a heritage museum. The state tourism department also proposed to protect it as a heritage site. In July that year, the VMC Commissioner sought power from the Standing Committee of the municipal corporation for clearance to acquire Nyaymandir and establish a city museum. But nothing has moved owing to the delay in the judiciary handing over the building, say senior officials. Meanwhile, Vadodara city police too expressed interest in using a part of the building and opening another part to commercial activity. Municipal Commissioner Ajay Bhadoo said, “The R&B department can decide to put the building to use again and other things can be coordinated with the district judge because the court has already moved out. But nothing has come through yet.” The absence of heritage status to the most prominent architectural landmarks of the city is the biggest hurdle in their preservation. In 2014, the snow-shite Nazarbaug palace in Mandvi was brought down by its owners —the erstwhile royal family of Sangramsinh Gaekwad —to make way for a sprawling mall. While a part of Bhadra Kacheri is in the possession of city police, the remaining structure is in a shambles, as are most privately-owned heritage structures. Heritage conservationists had moved a PIL in the Gujarat High Court in May 2014 to stop the royal family from demolishing the 1850 palace. A team of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cutural Heritage (INTACH), Gujarat State and Indian Institute of Architects, Baroda and Gujarat (IIA) contended that the palace was a ‘deemed Grade I Heritage Building’. Experts cited a March 2014 INTACH report at the insistence of Sangramsinh Gaekwad’s own family, in which, after evaluating the structure, INTACH had recommended restoring the palace. In 2015, the city police had sought the property to convert it into a state of the art modern crime detection centre. However, while a part of the structure was restored by the police department, nothing remained of the rest of the building apart from an ornate marble jharoka, carved in lotus shape out of a single stone, which adorned the front facade. The court in 2014 refused to express any opinion on whether the Nazarbaug owners were wrong in demolishing the building in spite of restraint orders from VMC. However, it directed the state government to file an affidavit explaining why a Heritage Conservation Committee had not been formed to protect other sites from a similar fate. At the time, the high court had also directed the VMC to form a heritage cell within a span of three months. But the VMC is yet to comply and is yet to frame regulations under GDCR (General Development Control Regulations) for conservation of heritage structures. When questioned, Commissioner Bhadoo attributed it to procedural delays but said a budget will be allocated this year. Similarly, there has been structural damage to the landmark Damajirao Bhavan located across the railway station in the city, where the ambitious transport hub called Janmahal is being constructed under a Public Private Partnership arrangement, which Opposition in the VMC has raised objection to. Chandrashekhar Patil, who has been documenting the history of Vadodara’s royal family and is a founder member of the Nav Chetana trust that works for the preservation of heritage buildings in old Vadodara, says his trust had made representations to the VMC to implement the regulations for heritage preservation as directed by the high court on the 2014 PIL. “Heritage is the least important of issues for the government,” Patil says. “Allowing huge heritage structures to fall piece by piece makes it easier for the administration to give away the land to private builders in the guise of development.” Patil says the need of the hour is for the administration to come together to create a cultural centre within the structure of Nyaymandir to preserve its heritage. He says, “We are a city that is culturally rich. There is the Sursagar lake on one side of Nyaymandir, which is undergoing restoration and there is abundant opportunity to turn this structure into an art lover’s paradise, like in many other countries, where youth are informed about contemporary art because they have art centres to visit and learn. Meant for a market, turned into a court Nyaymandir was constructed during the rule of the Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III by Robert Chisholm and was intended to be a two-storeyed vegetable market in the centre of the city. But when Chisholm completed the byzantine structure in 1896, with motifs of Moorish architecture and Italian marble tiles for its facade, Gaekwad changed his mind and turned it into a town hall and a court. The 80,000 sq feet building built at a cost of Rs 7 lakh at the time was inaugurated on November 30, 1896 by Viceroy Lord Elgin and was called Chimnabai Nyay Mandir — after the maharaja’s beloved first wife. The central hall of the building has a statue of Maharani Chimnabai’, created by Italian sculptor Augusto Felici. Pre-independence, when Gaekwad ruled the erstwhile royal state of Baroda, Nyaymandir was its supreme court. According to historians, Gaekwad had a rule in place — each case must be disposed of within 360 days, in order to deliver “undeniable justice”. Chandrashekhar Patil of Nav Chetna Trust has an interesting fact to share about Nyaymandir. He says that in the early 1900s, a tram pulled by horses used to run from the existing Clock Tower in Raopura to Nyaymandir. A ticket window was located outside the structure, at the back of the Chimnabai hall to allow litigants to purchase bus and tram tickets. Until 1985, the Chimnabai hall hosted cultural programmes and art exhibitions, mass weddings and community events, many of which were attended by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad during his lifetime. The 28 courtrooms in the structure were handed over to the judicial system of independent India after Baroda’s last ruler Pratapsinhrao Gaekwad gave his final speech before acceding to the Indian union, from the balcony of building in 1947.
- https://indianexpress.com/article/india/seat-of-apex-court-of-the-erstwhile-royal-state-of-baroda-nyaymandir-now-faces-neglect-5834952/, July 18, 2019
Restoration architect Vikas Dilawari is giving Mumbai’s 19th century fountains a new lease of life. The architect has won 16 Unesco Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation, and the fountains are among his most recent projects. In July 1871, the Scientific American magazine carried a report on a newly built fountain, calling it “one of those rare works which captivate the artistic eye". The magazine even ran an illustration of the fountain on its cover page and described it in great detail—the fan-like jets of water that fall into shells, the four dolphins, the bronze heads of lions and panthers. It described the central jet of water that “wells up like a natural spring, the sound of which must be refreshing in a hot climate like that of Bombay". The Frere Fountain in Mumbai’s Fort area was the largest of its kind in India and won the admiration of New York’s elegant circles. It was built in 1864 by the Agri–Horticultural Society of Western India to honour the then governor, Sir Bartle Frere. In the decades that followed, it would be renamed Flora Fountain, after the Roman goddess poised at the top. It would become the site of a tragic incident in 1955, when 15 protesters were killed in police firing during a demonstration for the Samyukta Maharashtra movement. Six years later, a memorial was built to commemorate those who died during the movement and the square was renamed Hutatma Chowk (Martyr’s Square). Around 2007, the water jets would work intermittently, and Flora Fountain was relegated to the same fate as many other colonial era structures in Mumbai—too graceful to be ignored but too cumbersome to maintain. This January, Flora Fountain was back in action. Restoration architect Vikas Dilawari was commissioned by the Brihanmumbai municipal corporation (BMC) to revive the fountain—a job that took him and his team two-and-a-half years. Dilawari has worked on three more fountains in the vicinity: the Wellington Fountain, the Bomanjee Hormarjee Wadia Clock Tower and Fountain, and the Muljee Jetha Fountain. Dilawari meets us one afternoon at Flora Fountain during a brief, sunny respite from the rains. The architect has won 16 Unesco Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation, including 14 for Mumbai projects. “I wanted to go beyond just restoring the fountains; I wanted to see how I could get the water fittings to function again. Having fixed the smaller fountains first, that experience gave me and my firm a lot of confidence to work on Flora Fountain," he says. As he darts through criss-crossing lanes to take us to the other fountains, it is evident that Mumbai is his turf. It has several structures—public, commercial and residential—that still stand thanks to Dilawari. These include the Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum, the Royal Bombay Yacht Club, the Rajabhai Clock Tower and the stained glass of Mumbai University’s Library Building. The fountains are among his more recent projects. The first fountain restored by Dilawari is located at the convergence of six roads, at a roundabout used by nearly every visitor to Colaba. The Wellington Fountain was built by public subscription in 1865, at the height of the British empire. It was a tribute to Sir Arthur Wellesley, the duke of Wellington, adorned with inscriptions on his many victories, including one against the Marathas. The fountain has surprisingly survived the nativist decolonization mission to destroy or shift colonial monuments. What it didn’t survive, however, were the contractors who painted over the original marble, covering the fine bas-reliefs. The grand tribute had turned into a dowdy water spout. Dilawari finished restoring the Wellington Fountain in 2017 and it earned a special mention in the Unesco Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation that year. “We had to first undo old mistakes," he says. Dilawari called in conservators from the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach), Mumbai, to carefully scrape the layers of paint off the bas-reliefs, a task that took them two months. Among the fountains, Wellington was also the easiest and the least expensive to restore, for it was functional. Funded by Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd, the restoration cost around ?10 lakh. This was not the case with the Muljee Jetha Fountain, completed in 1894. There is a heartbreaking tale behind the creation of the fountain. It was built as a memorial to a young boy named Dharamsee Muljee, who died at the age of 15. His father, Ruttonsee, dedicated the fountain to him and offered it to the public, providing drinking water for both people and animals. Since it had fallen out of use, Dilawari had to reactivate the fountain’s plumbing system. “The fountain now functions for a few hours every morning and evening. Care is taken in using the pipes or else they will wear out soon," he says. At the top of the fountain is a statue of young Dharamsee holding a book and gazing hopefully at the horizon. “I think it’s actually lovelier than Flora Fountain," says Dilawari. The Muljee Jetha Fountain was designed by Frederick William Stevens, who also designed the sprawling Gothic Revivalist Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST). Stevens put 52 spouts on the Indo-Saracenic fountain, and, instead of CST’s menacing gargoyles, added alligators, elephants, cows and iguanas. Each of the fountains that are spread across south Mumbai have unique designs, says Dilawari. The Bomanjee Hormarjee Wadia Clock Tower and Fountain has several elements of Persian architecture, in keeping with the heritage of the Parsi sheriff it was built in honour of. “Lots of things were considered while building fountains—a popular area had to be chosen, it had to be built at a square or junction of roads, its architectural style was decided on the basis of what the sponsor wanted, the quality and quantity of stones depended also on the sponsor money," says Dilawari. When Dilawari set out to work on Flora Fountain, he discovered that Flora’s head had been severed and joined again. “Likewise, the hands and fingers of the other statues at the base of the fountain had been replaced by concrete limbs. Because the concrete was painted white, the statue had to be painted white; and because the statue was white, the whole fountain had to be painted white," he says. After restoration, the fountain’s original beige Portland stone glows with an understated elegance. All great cities allow themselves to be read in many ways. That is surely the case with Mumbai. You can map it through its railway lines, its bus routes, its Gothic structures, and also through its fountains. Historian Shekhar Krishnan says Mumbai had over 100 ornate fountains, cattle troughs and pyaus or water dispensers. Some of these were attached to places of worship but all were public structures, registered with the civic body. This water infrastructure is hard to sustain today, owing not just to negligence but also a growing water crisis. Flora Fountain requires 15,000 litres of water per week, according to Dilawari, though its tank capacity is 45,000 litres. The water comes from a nearby borewell and cannot be treated as chemicals could endanger the lives of the birds that drink from the fountain. All this means Flora Fountain gathers moss often and needs regular maintenance—something the BMC is looking into. The purpose of a fountain in contemporary urban design can be debated. But Dilawari is clear that it is one of the first impressions you get of a city. “Fountains tell you that you are in a beautiful city," he says. Moreover, fountains are usually erected as memorials and tributes. “It was a philanthropic gesture on the part of citizens. They used to provide fountains as charity rather than the cement benches you see today," adds Dilawari. “It is not enough to restore the structure alone but also enhance the area around it so that we can give it back the sense of dignity and historicity," he says. The restoration of Flora Fountain cost the civic corporation ?3.7 crore but they also ensured that the square was cobbled and made accessible to pedestrians. Here is an invitation to relax after a busy day or finish that novel before you head home.
- https://www.livemint.com/, July 19, 2019
An NGO for conservation of the country’s natural and cultural heritage has approached the Madras high court seeking direction to the state government to take appropriate steps to constitute the Tamil Nadu Heritage Commission, as provided under the Tamil Nadu Heritage Commission Act, 2012.
"We have already lost valuable heritage structures like freedom fighter Sathyamoorthy’s house on Thanikachalam road, which was constructed in 1930, historic Binny Limited headquarters onArmenian Street in George Town and stucco figures at Madurai Meenakshi Temple and Srirangam temple were changed. Had the commission been constituted on time, all these structures would have been saved,” claimed the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH).
Even though the Tamil Nadu Heritage Commission Act was enacted in 2012 with vast powers for the Tamil Nadu Heritage Commission for protection and preservation of heritage structures that are not covered under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act and the Tamil Nadu Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, the state government is yet to constitute the commission,” said senior counsel N L Rajah, representing INTACH. It is mandatory for the state government and the local authorities to act in accordance with the advice rendered by the commission.
As it is not constituted yet, demolition and alteration of heritage structures are continuing unchecked in the state, he added. Noting that since there is no authority to deal with the preservation of such structures in the state, several heritage structures are in disuse and in need of preservation, Rajah said, even a residence used by S Subramania Iyer, the first Indian government pleader of the high court and the first Indian vice-chancellor of the Madras University, located inside the Queen Mary’s College, is in a dilapidated condition.
It can be renovated and converted into a museum of Madras Presidency, the senior counsel added. Recording the submission, a division bench of Justice S Manikumar and Subramonium Prasad directed additional government pleader Manoharan to get instructions from the state government and adjourned the PIL to July 26.
- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/intach-moves-hc-to-constitute-tn-heritage-panel/articleshow/70354333.cms, July 23, 2019
While the revival of the overexploited aquifers of the country is a major concern for all environmentalists, the hope lies in protecting available resources of water and conservation of existing water bodies and glaciers which are their suppliers. Dr Ritu Singh, Director (programmes), INTACH Natural Heritage Division, who is working with the National Mission on Cleaning Ganga to revive the river and its catchment area, shared her insights on water conservation in the NCR and the Ganga plain region here today. In a conversation with The Tribune on the sidelines of an event held to address the issues of water conservation and sustainable agriculture, she spoke about the urgent need to revive languishing water bodies in the country and conservation efforts for lakes and ponds across Delhi. Excerpts from the conversation: You are working with government on the plan to revive the Ganga.
What is the major plan? On both sides of the Gaumukh to Ganga Sagar zone there is a huge wealth of natural heritage. We are identifying ponds, ox-bow lakes, eco-sensitive zones and bio-diversity areas which have rare animal birds and plant species.
Our work is to first get them identified and then earmarked as special zones. While the care of already protected or earmarked zones is easier, it is trickier when a certain zone isn’t even identified as eco-sensitive or special bio-diversity zone.
One of the main projects which the Natural Heritage Division is teaming up with the government on, is the identification and then earmarking of zones across the stretch of the Ganga which may be under imminent threat of falling under the agricultural use. Except Gangotri region which other areas along the Ganga is INTACH working on? From the INTACH team similar efforts are also on across the entire length of the Ganga — Allahabad, Mirzapur, Varanasi, Uttarakhand, all the way to Bengal. The idea is to first revive the tributaries which would eventually strengthen the river’s revival. We are also working on the revival of the Hindon river in the NCR and the expanded region as well as the Asi river in Varanasi. Varanasi gets its name from the Varuna and Asi rivers. Asi is currently a nullah.
It needs a major revival. What are the major challenges in the revival of the Ganga? Retaining the flow of the river is imperative for its revival. For that, two things have to be done. While agricultural process has to be made sustainable to aide the flow of the river, than hinder it. And for that recharge and reuse of groundwater should be the integral elements. INTACH has special working groups – one of them dedicatedly attached to promote sustainable farming along the Hindon. These eventually aide river revival and are connected. Secondly, the traditional STP and engineering modes to revive rivers have been working for ages. A natural, ecological solution has to be sought as the previous model isn’t helping matters. How bad is the water crisis in Delhi and what are INTACH’s key projects there? The water situation in Delhi is bad. All zones are overexploited and major efforts need to be made in its aquifers. We are working with the Delhi Development Authority and the Delhi Jal Board on a blueprint for water harvesting in the city. Work is also on the revival of the four lakes in Delhi, including Hauz Khas lake, Tikri Kund and a six-hectare lake in North Delhi.
- https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/jalandhar/intach-identifying-eco-zones-along-ganga-expert/806426.html, July 23, 2019
The Visakhapatnam Chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) has been requesting the Andhra Pradesh State Government to establish a geopark in the city. This will be the first of its kind in India. To take this cause further, they have organised a rally which will take place on Sunday 21 July 2019. Also known as a “heritage walk”, it will take place on Beach Road, starting from the Kali Temple, at 7 AM, and finishing at YMCA. The heritage walk will be flagged off by MVV Satyanarayana, Member of Parliament, Visakhapatnam and Dronamraju Srinivasa Rao, Chairman, Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA). Geoparks are nationally-protected areas with a number of Geo heritage sites. The latter refers to the sites, or areas of a geological feature, with significant scientific, educational, cultural or aesthetic value.
There is a great threat to these important features due to urbanization, mining and other human activities. In order to conserve these geologic features the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has promoted an innovative approach, under its Geopark initiative, by establishing the Global Geopark Network (GGN) in 2004. The establishment of Geoparks also helps in the -economic development based on Geotourism and Geo products. Even though UNESCO has identified 147 Geoparks in 41 countries, there are none established in India whereas China has 39 in place. A number of significant geological sites, in Visakhapatnam District, have a huge potential of becoming a member of the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network (GGN). A prominent one is Erra Matti Dibbalu, which is one of the 34 national geo-heritage sites, recognized by the Government of India, for its vital geological features. Additional sites are the natural arch at Visakhapatnam Beach, the Borra Caves, with their bauxite deposits, and volcanic ash layer from Indonesia deposited in Araku Valley 75,000 years ago. Also, the archaeological sites such as Thotlakonda, Bavikonda and Bojjannakonda have also been added.
- https://www.yovizag.com/intach-geo-heritage-walk-visakhapatnam/, July 23, 2019
Each map is a result of three decades of research by INTACH’s respective departments — Intangible Cultural Heritage, Natural Heritage and Architectural Heritage. A lot has been written about Varanasi — its history, craft, temples — and now the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) has turned prose into iconography with its recent maps. The set of four, titled Kashi Bhraman (Banaras City), Kashi Darshan (Vishwanath Temple), Kashi Darpan (Panchkroshi Yatra) and Kashi Chitran (Living Heritage of Banaras), unfold the different layers of the centuries-old city. Each map is a result of three decades of research by INTACH’s respective departments — Intangible Cultural Heritage, Natural Heritage and Architectural Heritage. "For nearly 35 years, we have been collating information on Benaras. Few years ago, we relisted about 1,200 buildings, did a survey of its intangible heritage and made proposals for its water bodies and the Panchkroshi Yatra. But most of these were academic, so we wanted to convert our findings into maps that everybody could use,” says Divay Gupta, Principal Director, Architectural Heritage Division. Designed by Grafiniti, the maps are in colours associated with the city, ranging from warm saffron to ochre and deep maroon. The Panchkroshi Yatra map contemporises the ancient pilgrim route by depicting the water bodies at the five halts on the way, and its association with the temples in the area.
The circumambulation of Kashi is “dotted with temples, shrines, sacred trees, kunds, wells and dharamshalas”. A 19th-century interpretation of the Kashi Kshetra focuses on the cosmic significance of the city. “We wanted to present the old versus the new. The old is not a geographic map, it’s like a mandala, it shows the mythological story when Shiva came with the gods and resided here. Our map is geographical, and our route shows that Kashi is not really a circle but organic and meandering. Of course, there are many temples that are sited which correspond to the actual location even today,” says Gupta. In Kashi Chitran, one reads of festivals and fairs, rituals at its 84 prime ghats, oral traditions and institutions of knowledge. The map shows the ghat-hugging river Ganga dotted with locations of things handmade and intangible — from textiles to paan and storytelling — and universities, including the oldest Sanskrit university in the world, Sampurnanand Sanskrit University. Gupta says these maps have taken a life of their own with students from the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) using them as a resource for city walks. The journey of map-making led INTACH researchers to many other discoveries.
“The Panchkroshi itself was an eye-opener. Nobody had looked at it from an architectural point of view. We found gems of heritage buildings, a 10th-century temple and several kunds. Though it has the river, the city once had close to 300 water bodies, and over 1,000 wells. One could see there was ample provision for future planning. Then when the British came, they had a network of water purification systems housed in beautiful buildings,” says Gupta. Speaking about the recent demolitions in the temple town, Gupta is critical of the manner in which it has been executed.
"One imagined that Benares would pave the way as a heritage city but none of the best practices were adopted on how to preserve buildings and remove encroachments. There were ways to repurpose many of them, none of which has happened. Many countries in Southeast Asia now are bringing the old and the new together beautifully, including Nepal and Singapore. Turning the space into a European plaza is so alien to the idea of Benares.
The complete erasure of one of the oldest parts of the town has also ruined its archaeological hope. We could have unearthed so much more about the city’s history. Moreover, there has been no documentation of the demolition, no record of the buildings that have been razed. It’s now being treated as a greenfield project, as though nothing existed before this,” he says. The maps though do not speak of demolitions or road widening. They present the ‘pray, eat, shop’ view that everyone is familiar with, of experiences to be had all-year through. At Rs 500 for a set of four, these are available at the INTACH store in Delhi and its website.
- https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/art-and-culture/varanasi-maps-toursim-heritage-intach-codes-to-a-city-5846171/, July 23, 2019
It has been 25 years of conservation of art and material heritage for the INTACH Chitrakala Parishath Art Conservation Centre (ICKPAC), which is commemorating its milestones this month. The centre was established on July 22, 1993 as a collaboration between the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) and Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath (CKP). Apart from catering to the conservation needs of government and private institutions, as well as individuals, in Karnataka, the centre has also helmed conservation projects in neighbouring States. It is also a designated Manuscript Conservation Centre (MCC) under the National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM) project of the Department of Culture, Government of India, for conserving paper and palm leaf manuscripts. To commemorate its 25 years of work, the centre will organise 'Simhavalokana’, an exhibition, from Monday to Wednesday at the D. Devaraj Urs Gallery, CKP. The exhibition will have on display artworks restored by ICKPAC, along with informative panels on the organisation, its history, activities and objectives. Mrinalini Mani, centre co-ordinator, ICKPAC, said techniques used at the centre for conservation would also be demonstrated during the exhibition. Visitors will also be able to consult a team of conservators about artworks they own.
Projects
ICKPAC is an organisation under INTACH Conservation Institutes that undertakes conservation of works of art brought to the laboratory by individual owners, art collectors and custodians. ICI-Bengaluru also works at sites from where artworks cannot be brought to the lab. ICKPAC officials said that so far, a large number of paintings of different types — including oil paintings on canvas and on bromide-paper, water colours, traditional paintings of the Mysore and Tanjore styles, paintings on glass, miniatures and other artworks such as prints from the colonial period to the present, metallic objects, wooden sculptures, papier mâché articles, and leather puppets — have been conserved at the centre.
- https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/ickpac-completes-25-years-of-heritage-conservation/article28622185.ece, July 23, 2019
The importance of conserving geological heritage sites was highlighted during a walk organised by the city chapter of INTACH in association with Vizagapatam Chamber of Commerce and Industries (VCCI) here on Beach Road on Sunday. The walk was inaugurated by MP M.V.V. Satyanarayana and VMRDA Chairman Donamraju Srinivasa Rao. The walk was held in the backdrop of calls for creation of a ‘Geo Park’ in the city, which would be the first of its kind in India with support from the government.
Around 370 people participated in the walk. Members from INTACH, officers from the Tourism and Archaeological Departments, cadets from the Navy, NCC and NSS along with members from VCCI and heritage lovers participated. Visakhapatnam district with its significant geological sites including Erra Matti Dibbalu (which is one of the 34 national geo-heritage sites recognised as an important geological feature by the Government of India), natural arch at Visakhapatnam beach, Borra Caves, bauxite deposits and volcanic ash layer from Indonesia deposited in Araku Valley 75,000 years ago, coupled with archaeological sites at Thotlakonda, Bavikonda and Bojjannakonda and cultural tourist sites such as Araku have a great potential to become a member of Global Geo-parks Network (GGN) of UNESCO, according to Mayank Kumari Deo, Vizag chapter convener of INTACH.
- https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Visakhapatnam/heritage-walk-evokes-enthusiastic-response/article28642093.ece, July 23, 2019
A rally was conducted from Kali Mata temple to YMCA on the Beach Road on Sunday to create awareness on protecting Visakhapatnam's geo heritage buildings. Organised by INTACH, the rally was flagged off by MP MVV Satyanarayana, VMRDA Chairman Dronamraju Srinivasa Rao and members of INTACH. Over 370 people took part in the rally, including from the Tourism and Archaeological Department.
The event also saw NCC Cadets, NSS volunteers and members of Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry Federation. Visakhapatnam District with its significant geological sites such as Yerra Matti Dibbalu (which is one of the 34 National Geoheritage site recognised as important geological features), Natural Arch in Visakhapatnam beach, Borra caves, Bauxite deposit and volcanic ash layer from Indonesia deposited in Araku Valley coupled with archaeological and cultural tourist sites such as Thotlakonda, Bavikonda, Bojjannakonda, Araku valley, have a great potential to become a part of Global Geoparks Network (GGN), a UNESCO assisted network, opined Mayank Kumari Deo, who owns Visakhapatnam's heritage building Hawa Mahal and convener of INTACH, local chapter.
- https://www.thehansindia.com/andhra-pradesh/rally-to-save-geo-heritage-sites-flagged-off-by-mp-mvv-satyanarayana-548523, July 23, 2019
A special session on Water Conservation and Sustainable Agriculture by The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) was organised on the premises of Red Cross Bhawan here today. As many as 500 sarpanches, farmers as well as officials attend the session. Dr Ritu Singh, Director (Programmes), Natural Heritage Division and Lupinder Kumar SubDivisonal, Soil and Water Conservation officer Jalandhar graced the occasion as the chief speakers.
Experts expressed their views on the interconnection between sustainable agriculture and revival of groundwater in the state. Dr Ritu Singh deliberated on various water revival projects and sustainable agriculture plans, being run by the INATCH across the country and emulated them to demonstrate how the farmers could work to save water in the region. Lupinder Kumar detailed projects from Soil and Water Conservation Department to revive 10 ponds in the district for Agriculture irrigation. She talked about the urgent need to preserve the groundwater to escape a drought crisis which was looming on in the country already. In charge of the INTACH Jalandhar Chapter Gen (Retd) Balwinder Singh, BDPO Dharmpal, among others, were also present.
- https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/jalandhar/experts-deliberate-on-water-conservation/806437.html, July 23, 2019
Two Bengalureans, who made a name with their all-woman organisation, claim to have introduced edible crayons made of natural products, which are safe even if toddlers ingest them. “The crayons are made of beeswax which is totally natural and edible. The other ingredient is permissible food colouring. We add no chemicals to the product, making it edible and safe for kids,” said Priyashri Mani, co-founder of Hoopoe on a Hill (HoH).
Started in 2015 by Nishita Vasant and Priyashri, HoH supports the adivasis of Palani Hills, Tamil Nadu, for their livelihood. It is not the first time that HoH has come up with a unique, eco-friendly product; it earlier introduced reusable beeswax wraps to keep fruits and vegetable fresh. These wraps, which are pieces of clothes lined with beeswax, are bio-degradable and can be washed and used almost 100 times. Venture by chance Beeswax is a byproduct of the honey-extraction process; the Paliyan tribe in the Nilgiris excels in it.
HoH started off by helping Paliyans to sell honey, when its members realised they needed to put the large quantity of beeswax in use as well. But none of this was planned by the two women who were in Nilgiris for a project in 2014. They had met the community while documenting oral history for the non-profit, Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, in the region.
"We came across this community who worked hard to extract honey. They asked us if we wanted to buy it for ourselves and we ended up purchasing it in large quantities. It was then that we thought of selling it,” explained Priyashri. Now, HoH and the Paliyans decide on a price through negotiation and dialogue. The organisation has helped the adivasis with a sustainable and regular market. “We’re constantly in touch with them to meet their expectations and needs,” she added.
- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/2-bengaluru-women-come-up-with-edible-crayons-reusable-beeswax-wraps/articleshow/70311948.cms\, July 23, 2019
However, the department of archaeology has requested the DDA to fit in a few more lights which they believe is necessary for further beautification of the monument. Standing tall inside the premises of Delhi’s only Tughlaq era garden in Vasant Vihar, the Bara Lao Ka Gumbad has now been illuminated. The state department of archaeology completed the illumination works of this Lodi era tomb on Tuesday. “We have used only low electricity consumption and subtle lights to exaggerate the architectural features of the monument such as the arches and the domes," said Vikas Malu, the head of the state department of archaeology. The monument is located inside DDA’s Vasant Udyan park.
Apart from the tomb, the garden boasts of a mosque, the remains of two wells and a water channel. The historical remains underwent restoration recently through joint efforts of the department of archaeology and the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH). "Apart from cleaning up the monument and putting fresh plaster, we have also restored the tiles on the dome,” said Ajay Kumar, director of projects at INTACH. Historical references show that the rifts in the dome were fitted with blue tiles. During the process of restoration, which began last year, similar tiles were developed and replaced on the dome, with the current year being mentioned on them for reference.
“While there is no evidence to claim who built this structure, we can date this building by its look and style,” said historian Swapna Liddle. “The site in itself is very valuable because we have no evidence of a Tughlaq era garden anywhere else in the country,” she added. With the illumination of the structure, its conservation work is over. However, the department of archaeology has requested the DDA to fit in a few more lights which they believe is necessary for further beautification of the monument. “After inspecting the structure yesterday, I felt a few more lights are needed. We have requested DDA engineers. They will be adding more lights to the lower portions of the structure so as to highlight the platform as well. This will take another 15-20 days,” said Malu. Approximately 300-400 people visit the park every day.
While most local residents are not aware of the historical importance of the structure, they believe that the restoration has helped in both beautification and security of the place. “We feel safer to go here in the evenings now. Earlier this space would be dominated by drug addicts and other unsocial elements,” said 58-year old Shamsher Singh, who lives in Vasant Vihar. While the park is open to visitors till 9 PM, the monument will remain illuminated between 7PM and 11PM.
- https://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi-news/bara-lao-ka-gumbad-inside-tughlaq-era-garden-in-vasant-vihar-lit-up/story-NlIrB2Hr1ePjER2ci3eUwJ.html, July 24, 2019
Gopinath is the present head of the royal family, but has a brother, Sarbajgan Jagannath Narayana Deo. This is a story about Paralakhemundi, an ancient zamindari and town in the Gajapati district of Odisha. It was on August 21, 2016, that Odisha woke up to the announcement of a major tragedy from the Intach (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage)-governed historical Paralakhemundi Palace. Once home to the first Prime Minister of Odisha, the historical Gajapati Palace at Paralakhemundi, located 284 km from Bhubaneswar, became the centre of a scandal. The bodies of the former manager of the Paralakhemundi Palace (or Gajapati Palace), Ananga Manjari Patra, her sister Bijayalaxmi Patra and brother Sanjaya Patra, were discovered dead at their house, located 500 metres from the palace. They were unmarried siblings aged between 35 and 54 years, and are said to have committed suicide while another sibling is battling for his life. Matters probably came to head when 73-year-old Gopinath Gajapati — the grandson of the late Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati Narayan Deo — made Ananga the manager of the palace, thus raising her to a position of influence in the palace. This was a subject that was frequently discussed in the town. However, when Gopinath fell ill, it appeared that he was under “house arrest” and was not being allowed visitors. These unpleasant rumours led the district administration to step in and shift the ailing Gopinath Gajapati to a Chennai hospital, under the care of his daughter Kalyani, a spinster based in Chennai. Gopinath is the present head of the royal family, but has a brother, Sarbajgan Jagannath Narayana Deo.
Unfortunately, the two brothers do not see eye to eye and are involved in a legal dispute over the royal properties valued at Rs 500 crores. Kalyani is known to have earlier mentioned the mismanagement of the royal property by Ananga and her younger brother Sanjaya, Gopinath’s personal assistant. To make matters even more morbid, we must add that Gopinath was married to Rani Purna Devi, the princess of Dharampur in 1967.
It is obvious that Gopinath’s son, Digvijay, was unhappy with the scenario and had committed suicide a year before. It is time now for a bit of history and a move on to more pleasant subjects. It was during the 15th century, that Kolahomee, one of the sons of Gajapati Kapilendra Dev, came to this part of Odisha and founded the royal family of Paralakhemundi. The district is, however, not named after the founder, but instead after Maharaja Sri Krushna Chandra Gajapati Narayan Dev, the rajasahib of Paralakhemundi estate, who was honoured as the first Prime Minister of the state of Odisha after it was created on April 1, 1936.
Earlier part of the Ganjam district, the Gajapati district came into being and was named as recently as from October 2, 1992. Considered an architect of modern Odisha and the first premier of the state, Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati Narayan Rao is considered responsible for much of Paralakhemundi’s present-day existence. He is a direct descendant of the historic dynasty of the Eastern Ganga Gajapati kings that ruled Odisha for more than seven centuries.
The Gajapati Palace is said to have been built to enhance the beauty of the state. The site and concept of the building was finalised on May 20, 1835. Of historical importance is that the germ of the idea of a separate statehood was created within the Gajapati Palace precincts. The palace is known for its unique architectural design among the other world heritage sites. Designed by British architect Robert Fellows Chisholm, the design and construction of this royal structure is influenced by the Indo-Saracenic style combined with Byzantine and European architectural features. This palace is a three-storey structure that has a secret hall and a passageway that is linked to the Maharaja’s chambers. The palace also includes an underground floor connecting it with the main palace of the Maharaja.
It is believed this secret passage was used by the royal family to hide during attacks from enemies. The Singhadwar or the main gate has a decorative iron gate that stands between two tall minarets, locally referred to as gombujas. Reclining statues of lions on two raised platforms on each side are there to welcome you. A large mounted metal bell is also situated at the main entrance, to be struck manually every hour by a heavy wooden mallet — no doubt created both for those in the palace as well as for the public. The gilt decorated walls and intricate wooden trelliswork at the durbar hall is the main attraction of the palace.
The durbar hall is located in the middle of the palace and on either side are the Raja Mahal and Rani Mahal — the two main wings of the palace. The construction is so perfectly symmetrical, if measured, the two wings are like mirror images of each other in every way. Located on the banks of the Mahendratanaya river, 237 km from Bhubaneswar, the picturesque Gajapati Palace of Paralakhemundi has been mentioned as “a straggling town, in plan much like the letter ‘L’ scattered around the foot of the well wooded hill which is the distinctive feature of the place. The horizontal portion of the ‘L’ faces south, and at the corner where the ‘L’ and the vertical portion join, is situated the palace, a most picturesque group of buildings”. These words were perhaps said by the designer of the Gajapati palace, Chisholm. The Rath Yatra is celebrated at Paralakhemundi with great gusto.
The town celebrates almost all festivities all round the year, with the Jagannath Ratha Yatra being the most revered one. The Jagannath Rath Yatra of Paralakhemundi is second only to the famous Puri festival. The Rath Yatra was always been patronised by all the rulers of Gajapati. The three idols of Jagannath, Balbhadra and Subhadra are quite huge in size. In the initial years the Rath festival was known to follow the traditions of Puri with three separate Raths. This was reduced to only one Rath for a few years. However, I am happy to say that since 2012 the concept of three is back again and the three idols can enjoy the festivities for nine days in their own Raths. This year, despite floods and other problems, believers thronged the Jagannath temple everyday and joined in the bhajan, evening aarati and other ceremonial rituals.
- https://www.asianage.com/india/all-india/250719/intrigue-rathyatra-a-murder-mystery-meet-the-gajapatis-of-paralakhemundi.html, July 24, 2019
A hero stone with Vattezhuthu (a writing system that originated from the ancient Tamil-speaking people of south India) inscriptions dating to 8th century AD has been found in Manikkal, a remote village in Chengam town in Thiruvannamalai district.
Although the state archaeology department recorded some vattezhuthu inscriptions from the same place a decade ago, a team from the Thiruvannamalai heritage group recently discovered a ruined hero stone with inscriptions engraved in vattezhuthu, mentioning the warrior's name and why he fought the war. A hero stone is a memorial paying tribute to a hero, particularly a chief of a local clan or community. As cattle was considered the main wealth of the ancient villages, people those days never tolerated any attack on the animal. “The name of the warrior is Kovijaya Parameshwara.
He fought with the miscreants who tried to loot the cattle from the village. He successfully defended and killed them. The hero stone was installed as a memorial to the warrior,” said S Balamurugan, Tahsildar of Thiruvannamalai, who led the team which found the stone deteriorated in a remote corner of the village. “We found a piece of the rock slab lying on the earth.We fixed it and tried to read the script with the help of a senior epigraphist,” he said, adding that they are going to inform the state archaeology department to take care of the hero stone. EOM
- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/hero-stone-with-rare-vattezhuthu-inscriptions-found-in-thiruvannamalai/articleshow/70353411.cms, July 24, 2019
A first-of-its-kind four-faced memorial stone depicting temple architecture of 12th century has been unearthed from Kreeri in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district. The discovery has caught the attention of experts and they are terming it a unique find due to its four-faced structure and defaced figures. “This is a unique find. The main feature of the memorial stone is that temple architecture has been properly defined in its carvings. We have many memorial stones in our museum, but all are either single-sided or two-sided. This stone has got carvings on all four sides and it contains figures too... but these are defaced.
We are studying it and we have not yet properly identified it. We cannot say much before we study it completely, but it is a memorial stone with beautiful temple architecture,” Deputy Director, Archives, Archaeology and Museums, Mushtaq Ahmad Beigh told The Tribune. However, he said the stone was from the 12th century when temple architecture was at its peak in the Kashmir region. “The stone dates back roughly to the 12th century because at that time, temple architecture was at its peak. After that period, there was a decline,” said Beigh.
He said the stone was recovered during the digging of a trench at Kreeri and would now be put on display at the summer capital’s Shri Pratap Singh Museum on the banks of the Jhelum. Director. industries and commerce department. Mahmood A Shah, who is also a keen collector of artefacts, said it was a first-of-its-kind find. “This is a unique and antique memorial stone. This stone is chiseled with figures on all its four sides and that makes it first of its kind to be found till date," he said.
- https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/jammu-kashmir/12th-century-memorial-stone-unearthed-in-valley/807276.html, July 24, 2019
Makrana marble received a monumental honour with the International Union of Geological Science listing it as Global Heritage Stone Resource in its executive meeting held last Saturday. The designation signifies international recognition of those natural stone resources that have achieved widespread utilization in human culture. Makrana marble is one of the most preferred ornamental stones which find its usage in several spectacular heritage buildings and monuments within the country and abroad. Used since 16th century, Makrana marble’s use extended to monuments outside the country like Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Abu Dhabi and Moti Masjid, Lahore.
"The recognition is a huge boost to the stone’s popularity. Makrana marble holds a unique place owing to its visual appeal and homogenous monomineralic attributes. Its crystalline, compact and interlocking texture renders it less porous and enhances its durability. It is perhaps the best available marble in the world having 95-98% calcium carbonate with almost negligible amount of iron content. These qualities have made the Makrana marble an ideal material for monuments and buildings," said Ashok Dhoot, vice-chairman of Centre for Development of Stones (CDOS), a state government entity under RIICO. Taj Mahal was probably the first monument in which marble from Makrana was used. It is believed that for construction of Taj Mahal, artisans came from the Mekran city of Iran and thus the place derived its name as Makrana. “It is believed that the contractor engaged for excavation of marble from Makrana was Paharkhan who had dug a well there and accordingly one of the mining ranges is still known as Paharkua.
Marble from Makrana was transported to Agra through bullock carts, camels and elephants,” said Dhoot. Founded in 1961, UGS is a non-profit that fosters dialogue and communication among the various specialists in earth sciences around the world. It addresses topics from fundamental research to its economic and industrial applications, from scientific, environmental and social issues to educational and developmental problems.
- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/makrana-marble-earns-heritage-stone-resource-tag/articleshow/70353386.cms, July 24, 2019
Pick up any school history textbook and there will be chapters dedicated to the Independence movement, the battle of Panipat, the World Wars, the Mughal Empire, et al. And how many pages are dedicated to local history? Almost none. Some historians are trying to change this. The Bengaluru chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) has begun a six-week project to inculcate local history in school children. Free history classes during school hours for hours for seventh and eighth graders will focus on the history of the city.
It begins from the 1500s onward, with a mention that there was a settlement even earlier. One of the sessions also focuses on the city’s trees and lakes. This project was piloted in November last year with just one school on board. It has now expanded to eight more government, aided and low-fee schools.
The classes last for about 1.5-2 hours. Apart from lectures, it includes field trips to places like the Bangalore Palace and activities such as drawing, writing, playing word games and solving puzzles, all related to local history. There is also material passed around in class, including old photos and maps. “I remember attending a quiz competition last year where students from top schools in the city answered questions on China with aplomb but did not know anything about Bengaluru.
So, we decided to reach out to children to teach them about Bengaluru,” Meera Iyer, co-convenor, INTACH, said. While the non-profit routinely takes children from mainstream ICSE, CBSE and IB schools out on heritage walks around the city, they wanted to reach out to children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. The syllabus has been developed by INTACH volunteers, including Iyer, who is among the five people who teach at these schools. This project is being funded by Salesforce.org, the philanthropist arm of US tech giant Salesforce. The response has been great so far, Iyer says.
“A kid from our pilot programme singled out how we had taken them to the Bengaluru Fort and given them an idea of how it would have felt to be locked up in the dungeons as her most memorable moment.” Historians and activists have lauded this as a much-needed effort. Founder of Heritage Beku, Priya Chetty Rajagopal, said, “Children will inherit the heritage we enjoy today, but if they are not taught about it, what’s the point?"
- https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/local-connect-schools-in-bengaluru-take-a-trip-to-citys-past-thanks-to-intach/articleshow/70372117.cms, July 25, 2019
A heritage walk was conducted from Kali Temple to YMCA to create awareness to save Visakhapatnam’s Geo Heritage. The walk was flagged by Sri MVV Satyanarayana (at leftside), Honourable Member of Parliament and Sri Dronamraju Srinivasa Rao, Chairman VMRDA (in centre). This is an attempt to create a Geo Park in Visakhapatnam and the first in India, with the Support of the Government. Around 370 people attended the walk.
INTACH Members, Officers from the Tourism and Archaeological Department, Cadets from the Navy, NCC and NSS were present along with Members of Vizag Chamber of Commerce & Industries (VCCI) and other eminent citizens of Visakhapatnam.
District with its significant geological sites including ErraMatti Dibbalu (which is one of the 34 National Geoheritage sites recognized as important geological features in our country so far by the Government of India), Natural Arch in Visakhapatnam beach, Borra caves, Bauxite deposit and volcanic ash layer from Indonesia deposited in Araku valley 75000 years ago coupled with archaeological (Thotlakonda, Bavikonda, Bojjannakonda) and cultural tourist sites such as Araku valley, has a great potential to become a member of Global Geoparks Network (GGN) of UNESCO.
- http://chapter.intach.org/pdf/Visakhapatnam-chapter.pdf, July 25, 2019
The 1300s was a turbulent time in the Deccan. Muhammad bin Tughluq made his move to Daulatabad and back and his attempts to bring parts of south India under his control succeeded only fleetingly. In the wake of all this tumult, the Bahmani kingdom was established that eventually spawned five dynasties. In a recent talk on the Islamic heritage of the Deccan, renowned architect and archaeologist George Michell spoke about the remarkable monuments built by the Bahmanis in north Karnataka. Kalaburagi, the first Bahmani capital, is a good place to begin our story. The most famous monument here is the Jami Masjid, built in 1367, a large congregational mosque, one of the few in India without a courtyard. Michell and his colleagues believe that it was originally an audience hall. Also unusual is the Bala Hisar — a massive, brooding windowless stronghold in the fort. A long, straight street Kalaburagi’s least noticed Bahmani structure is perhaps Bazaar Street in the fort, which Michell characterises as one of the earliest of its kind in India.
The long, straight street begins a short distance from Bala Hisar and ends near Hathi Gate in the west. It is lined on both sides with a continuous row of small, square rooms, each capped with a pyramidal roof. These rooms are now used as dwellings which mean there are cement blocks strewn about and cables and clothes hanging higgledy-piggledy outside. But Bazaar Street, though unrecognisable as one, survives intact. However, few realise its place in our heritage. The royal necropolis called the Haft Gumbad, or Seven Tombs, is interesting to see for the evolution of Islamic architecture in the Deccan.
The oldest tomb here is of the third Bahmani ruler Mujahid Shah. A squat, square structure with sloping walls topped with battlements and bereft of any decorative flourishes, it has the austerity and solidity of Tughlaq tombs – the Bahmanis did, after all, break away from them. Mujahid’s successor, Dawood Shah ruled for just about a month in 1378 but invented a new style of tomb, comprising two similar, domed structures on a single basement, a style not seen anywhere outside Kalaburagi. The enlightened and eclectic Firoz Shah Bahmani who died in 1422 copied the double-chambered style but made his tomb much lighter on the eye. The black basalt door jambs reminiscent of temple pillars, the recessed arches bearing stucco floral work, and the chajjas borne on brackets that resemble those found in temples all become common features in later Bahmani architecture. By far my favourite Bahmani site is Firozabad, the secondary capital and pleasure resort built by Firoz Shah. Firozabad is on the banks of River Bhima, about 30 km from Kalaburagi. The road leading off the highway to the village twists and turns past fields of cotton and eventually dwindles into a mud track.
To one side of the path leading away from the river are mud plastered houses with goats tethered in their yards near neatly-stacked piles of hay. On the other side are the ruins of Firoz’s medieval metropolis. In 1398, Timur swept into Delhi, attacked it, defeated it, sacked it. Perhaps something stirred in Firoz Shah when he heard about the Tughlaq capital being vanquished. He began building Firozabad shortly aer Timur’s raid on Delhi and it is as if he found a new muse. Gone are the thick sloping walls and low domes of the Tughlaqs. Firoz’s new city boasted soaring, vaulted gateways just like in Timur’s capital Samarqand. But while Samarqand still shines, Firozabad has fallen on very hard times. Whether its decline started when the Bahmani capital moved to Bidar or whether it declined later is moot, but clearly, nature has crept in where humans have stepped out. We had to clamber over village walls, scramble through a eld and ght our way past thorny shrubs to reach some of the ruins. Plaster had fallen off, exposing jagged bricks like wrinkles on an ageing actor.
Yet its monumentality was obvious. You could also still make out the Timurid lions, or perhaps tigers, on the spandrels – the rst known use of animal motifs in Islamic architecture in India. A little further, we espied pyramidal roofs and a dome peeping out of the wild vegetation. These were Firozabad’s hammams. The floors were probably tiled earlier; today are covered with heaps of silt, bat droppings and other refuse. But look up at the ceiling and you can’t help but exclaim in wonder. Sunlight winks and sparkles through the regularly spaced, small holes in the roof, making it appear quite magical, almost like a bright starry night. How lovely it must have been to be a royal here, luxuriating in warm, perfumed water under a ‘starlit’ sky! Michell’s talk dwelt lovingly on these hammams, the rst such structures to be built anywhere in India.
Sadly, they may not survive much longer, being completely at the mercy of the elements and vandals. When Firoz’s successor Ahmad Shah shied the capital to Bidar, he too commissioned new Timurid-styled buildings. Artisans decorated his palace in Bidar with dazzling tilework of the kind in Timur’s cities of Herat and Samarqand. You can still see traces of this polychrome tile mosaic, including the lion-and-sun symbol on the Takht Mahal’s loy arches except that here, in place of the Persian lion, we have a very clearly Indian tiger. Apart from taking architectural inspiration from Persia, the Bahmanis also encouraged rich and educated Persians to move to their kingdom.
If you walked the streets of Bidar in the 1400s, you would have heard Kannada, Dakhni and Telugu of course but also Persian, and even a smattering of Portuguese and Russian. Several people moved from Persia to make Bidar their home. Three-tiered minaret Most famous of these was Mahmud Gawan, a merchant who came to Dabhol to sell jewels, silk and horses, and ended up becoming Prime Minister of the Bahmanis. Gawan built an imposing 3-storey madrasa in 1472, with student rooms, staff rooms, lecture halls, a vast library and a prayer hall. neglect has destroyed most of the building. Only a portion of the madrasa and one minaret still stand. This three-tiered minaret’s lowest level has blue, white and yellow tiles creating a bold zigzag pattern all over it, a style that was very popular in Persia in the 1400s. There are also bands of blue and white tile mosaic on the madrassa’s façade, with oral designs and verses from the Quran. The recessed arches and trellis work create pleasing patterns of light and shadow. As Michell pointed out, here was a stunning masterpiece that could be compared with the best in the world.
A distinctive feature of Islamic architecture in north Karnataka is how the blending of cultures in this cosmopolitan crucible led to an architecture that is unique not just in India but also the world. Take for example the jewel-like Rangin Mahal in Bidar Fort, built by Ali Barid Shah in the 1500s. While the beautiful tile mosaics on some of its walls and the luminescent mother-ofpearl inlays on black basalt are Persian in style, its carved wooden pillars and brackets are clearly derived from local residential architecture. Aer the Bahmanis splintered into ve states, the Adil Shahis developed an architecture entirely their own. Many of their palaces, gardens and pavilions no longer exist but Vijayapura still has the maximum number of protected monuments of any Indian city. The Gol Gumbaz is Vijayapura’s most famous monument but a good place to end our tour is at Ibrahim Ra`1uza, the mausoleum of Ibrahim Adil Shah and his wife where you can truly appreciate how far-removed its petalled domes, carved brackets and its exquisitely carved stone screens are from early Bahmani monuments.
- https://www.deccanherald.com/spectrum/spectrum-top-stories/alluring-bahmani-architecture-749973.html, July 26, 2019
Gopinath is the present head of the royal family, but has a brother, Sarbajgan Jagannath Narayana Deo. This is a story about Paralakhemundi, an ancient zamindari and town in the Gajapati district of Odisha. It was on August 21, 2016, that Odisha woke up to the announcement of a major tragedy from the Intach (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage)-governed historical Paralakhemundi Palace.
Once home to the first Prime Minister of Odisha, the historical Gajapati Palace at Paralakhemundi, located 284 km from Bhubaneswar, became the centre of a scandal. The bodies of the former manager of the Paralakhemundi Palace (or Gajapati Palace), Ananga Manjari Patra, her sister Bijayalaxmi Patra and brother Sanjaya Patra, were discovered dead at their house, located 500 metres from the palace. They were unmarried siblings aged between 35 and 54 years, and are said to have committed suicide while another sibling is battling for his life.
Matters probably came to head when 73-year-old Gopinath Gajapati — the grandson of the late Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati Narayan Deo — made Ananga the manager of the palace, thus raising her to a position of influence in the palace. This was a subject that was frequently discussed in the town. However, when Gopinath fell ill, it appeared that he was under “house arrest” and was not being allowed visitors.
These unpleasant rumours led the district administration to step in and shift the ailing Gopinath Gajapati to a Chennai hospital, under the care of his daughter Kalyani, a spinster based in Chennai. Gopinath is the present head of the royal family, but has a brother, Sarbajgan Jagannath Narayana Deo.
Unfortunately, the two brothers do not see eye to eye and are involved in a legal dispute over the royal properties valued at Rs 500 crores. Kalyani is known to have earlier mentioned the mismanagement of the royal property by Ananga and her younger brother Sanjaya, Gopinath’s personal assistant. To make matters even more morbid, we must add that Gopinath was married to Rani Purna Devi, the princess of Dharampur in 1967. It is obvious that Gopinath’s son, Digvijay, was unhappy with the scenario and had committed suicide a year before. It is time now for a bit of history and a move on to more pleasant subjects.
It was during the 15th century, that Kolahomee, one of the sons of Gajapati Kapilendra Dev, came to this part of Odisha and founded the royal family of Paralakhemundi. The district is, however, not named after the founder, but instead after Maharaja Sri Krushna Chandra Gajapati Narayan Dev, the rajasahib of Paralakhemundi estate, who was honoured as the first Prime Minister of the state of Odisha after it was created on April 1, 1936. Earlier part of the Ganjam district, the Gajapati district came into being and was named as recently as from October 2, 1992. Considered an architect of modern Odisha and the first premier of the state, Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati Narayan Rao is considered responsible for much of Paralakhemundi’s present-day existence. He is a direct descendant of the historic dynasty of the Eastern Ganga Gajapati kings that ruled Odisha for more than seven centuries. The Gajapati Palace is said to have been built to enhance the beauty of the state. The site and concept of the building was finalised on May 20, 1835. Of historical importance is that the germ of the idea of a separate statehood was created within the Gajapati Palace precincts. The palace is known for its unique architectural design among the other world heritage sites. Designed by British architect Robert Fellows Chisholm, the design and construction of this royal structure is influenced by the Indo-Saracenic style combined with Byzantine and European architectural features. This palace is a three-storey structure that has a secret hall and a passageway that is linked to the Maharaja’s chambers. The palace also includes an underground floor connecting it with the main palace of the Maharaja.
It is believed this secret passage was used by the royal family to hide during attacks from enemies. The Singhadwar or the main gate has a decorative iron gate that stands between two tall minarets, locally referred to as gombujas. Reclining statues of lions on two raised platforms on each side are there to welcome you. A large mounted metal bell is also situated at the main entrance, to be struck manually every hour by a heavy wooden mallet — no doubt created both for those in the palace as well as for the public. The gilt decorated walls and intricate wooden trelliswork at the durbar hall is the main attraction of the palace. The durbar hall is located in the middle of the palace and on either side are the Raja Mahal and Rani Mahal — the two main wings of the palace. The construction is so perfectly symmetrical, if measured, the two wings are like mirror images of each other in every way. Located on the banks of the Mahendratanaya river, 237 km from Bhubaneswar, the picturesque Gajapati Palace of Paralakhemundi has been mentioned as “a straggling town, in plan much like the letter ‘L’ scattered around the foot of the well wooded hill which is the distinctive feature of the place. The horizontal portion of the ‘L’ faces south, and at the corner where the ‘L’ and the vertical portion join, is situated the palace, a most picturesque group of buildings”. These words were perhaps said by the designer of the Gajapati palace, Chisholm.
The Rath Yatra is celebrated at Paralakhemundi with great gusto. The town celebrates almost all festivities all round the year, with the Jagannath Ratha Yatra being the most revered one. The Jagannath Rath Yatra of Paralakhemundi is second only to the famous Puri festival. The Rath Yatra was always been patronised by all the rulers of Gajapati. The three idols of Jagannath, Balbhadra and Subhadra are quite huge in size. In the initial years the Rath festival was known to follow the traditions of Puri with three separate Raths. This was reduced to only one Rath for a few years. However, I am happy to say that since 2012 the concept of three is back again and the three idols can enjoy the festivities for nine days in their own Raths. This year, despite floods and other problems, believers thronged the Jagannath temple everyday and joined in the bhajan, evening aarati and other ceremonial rituals.
- https://www.asianage.com/india/all-india/250719/intrigue-rathyatra-a-murder-mystery-meet-the-gajapatis-of-paralakhemundi.html, July 26, 2019
Researchers have discovered a group of menhirs at Pothamala hills in Nedumkandam in Idukki, the biggest among them being 20-meter tall, which is said to be the largest ever found in the state. Rajeev Puliyoor, a researcher and Nedumkandam BEd college in-charge, said: “This is the first ever big menhir sighted in the region. The menhirs are located near Kerala-Tamil Nadu border. Their existence shows that active human presence was there in the region before 3,000 years.” “Earlier, dolmens were sighted in various parts of Idukki.
But for the first time, a tall menhir has been sighted in the region. The menhirs have been placed in the hills in a similar direction and we believe that it was used for astronomy. The continuation of this group menhirs has been found at Bodinaikannor in Tamil Nadu,” he said. “For the past several years, I have been researching on menhirs. Recently, we visited the spot and accidentally came across the large menhir.
Till now, the Archaeological Survey of India and archaeological department have not been able to find menhirs in the region,” said Puliyoor. “There are 10 varieties of menhirs. Those in the Udumbanchola region are placed in a different way and they have been found in Tamil Nadu too. It shows that the Megalithic culture was spread out in these regions,” said the researcher. “The menhirs are situated in private lands and there is no protection. The landowners don’t know about the importance of these monuments. We suspect that there are relics inside these menhirs,” he said “They are located around 4,000 meter above sea level. Their study will help us get more information about Megalithic Era. Presently, we do not have much information about this era,” said Puliyoor. The researcher said that he will contact Kerala Council for Historical Research (KCHR) to conduct a study and protect the menhirs in the region.
- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/researchers-find-states-biggest-menhir/articleshow/70386417.cms, July 26, 2019
On 29th June 2019, INTACH Rajasthan State Convenor and descendant of Queen Jadhechiji H.H. Maharaja Sahib along with H.H. Maharani Sahiba Hemlata Raje in the esteemed presence of Jodhpur Mayor Shri Ghanshyam Ojha, Dy. Mayor Shri Devendra Salecha with Local Parshad and sitting MLA rededicated this water body for the public use. The beautiful historical Jadechiji Jhalra situated on Vidyahsla Road was established in 1718 for public welfare by Queen Badankanwar Jadechi the wife of Maharaj Ajit Singhji (1707- 1724). INTACH Jodhpur Chapter under its water conservation program adopted this 300 years ancient water body for complete renovation and restoration.
After signing the MoU with Jodhpur Municipal Corporation, a comprehensive master plan has been chalked out from a leading architect. Mehrangarh Museum Trust (MMT) and Inner Wheel Club of Jodhpur mutually agreed for their association in this initiative. Inner Wheel Club of Jodhpur provided financial support to a large extent.
After the months of marathon work on the site the ancient water body finally restored with the financial support of Mehrangarh Muesum Trust, INTACH Jodhpur Chapter, Inner Wheel Club and their members. The renovation work was done in the direction of renowned Architect Mr. Anu Mridul, Director of Mehrangarh Museum Trust Kunwar Karan Singh Jasol and help of the Mayor of Municipal Corporation Jodhpur Shri Ghanshyamji and the staff. On this occasion, Maharaja Shri Gajsinghji said that the way in which the Jhalra has been restored and handed over to the common man is undoubtedly commendable.
On the occasion Inner Wheel Club of Jodhpur Chairman Shilpa Mridul, Secretary Bindu Bhandari, Rachna Sanghvi, Dr Sudhi Rajiv, Dr Rani Maheshwari, Sumitra Gahlot, Jaya Bhandari, Nirmaljeet Kaur, Jayshri Mehta and female members, Regional Councilor Gita Devi, Environmentalist Prasannpuri Goswami, Er. Pradip Soni, Dr. Shakti Singh, Mahendra Singh of Namaste Rajasthan, Madanlal Jangid, Keron Ranchle, Sohanji, Maheshji, Shailesh Mathur, Arun Agrawal, Sunil Laghate, Shubham Prajapati, Indrajit Sharma, Pramodsingh Bhati from Mehrangarh and INTACH team members were present in the program including local public and Mehrangarh guides.
- http://chapter.intach.org/pdf/Jodhour-Historical-Jadechi-Jhalra-Water-Body-Restored-and-Rededicated-to-the-Public-on29June2019.pdf, July 29, 2019
The WHO headquarters was built by Padma Bhushan recipient architect Habib Rahman, who was a senior architect with the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) at the time. In June, an M F Husain mural, dated 1963, which adorned the walls of a conference hall inside the World Health Organisation (WHO) headquarters in Delhi, was “rescued” by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH). This was done days before the demolition of the iconic office began on June 20, being carried out by the National Buildings Construction Corporation Ltd (NBCC).
The WHO headquarters was built by Padma Bhushan recipient architect Habib Rahman, who was a senior architect with the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) at the time. The three-year project was completed in 1962 and inaugurated by Jawaharlal Nehru. A year later, the modernist Husain painted the mural on the walls of the conference room. “The artwork by Husain belongs to WHO and it was rescued by the specialised agency before demolition work began. The rescue has been carried out systematically and safely by INTACH,” an official at NBCC said. The mural by the Padma Vibhushan artist, in his typical bold brushstrokes, depicts Lord Hanuman holding a mountain and progresses to show the evolution of the country.
It is undersigned at two places, in Hindi and English, with the 1963 dateline. The NBCC official added that “the mural will be placed inside the new office”. The new office, expected to be finished in two years, has a budget of Rs 228 crore, said an NBCC official. He added, “Around 80 per cent of the demolition is complete and the rest will be done in the next two-three days. The building was very old and fell under the seismic zone 4. The WHO was apprehensive about this and it was decided that the NBCC will demolish it and a new one will be built in its place.” The WHO headquarters comprised two blocks — one was a six-storey structure while the other was a low-rise building with a conference hall and an auditorium. The NBCC official said the new building “will have 17 floors.” For decades, the blue and white WHO headquarters were a city landmark, known best for the “Rahman touch” with clean horizontal and vertical lines.
Rahman’s son Ram, a photographer and curator, said, “I received a call from the WHO last year about the impending demolition of the building as it wasn’t earthquake-compliant. I laughed because it was one of the strongest building in the 1960s.” Ram recalled his father jokingly calling it the “who building instead of the WHO building every time he crossed it. He was very proud of it”. He told The Indian Express, “I was very young when the building was completed and remember my father telling me that a WHO representative, a Mr Unger, was deployed especially for this project.
Since it was a building being done for the UN, it was very important. He said, ‘I ensure quality by daily visits’.” Rahman graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and was greatly influenced by German architect Walter Gropius. He is credited with building the National Zoological Park, Rabindra Bhawan, Indraprastha Bhawan, the 21-storey Vikas Minar, and the mazaar of Maulana Azad, among other structures. In 1974, Rahman was made the first secretary of Delhi Urban Art Commission (DUAC). He passed away in December 1995.
- https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/iconic-who-building-from-1962-razed-to-make-way-for-new-design-m-f-husain-mural-inside-is-saved-5865161/, July 30, 2019
Delay in issuance of NOC by the officials of the Sathyamanga Tiger Reserve (STR) is further delaying the takeover of the heritage site of rock art paintings at Parivarai forest area near Karikaiyur in Kilkotagiri in the district by the archaeology department. The rock art, dating back to 10,000 BC, believed to be of the local tribals depicting their lifestyle. The ancient rock paintings were found in a partly vandalized state. Based on a representation by the INTACH (Nilgiris chapter), Nilgiris collector J Innocent Divya wrote to the archaeological department to inspect the site.
In the meantime, temporary measures were taken by the district administration to safeguard the rock paintings by banning entry to the site. Though Parivarai forest falls within the purview of the Nilgiris district, the forest range falls under the Sathyamangalam reserve forest. Hence, a NOC is required from the DFO of the Sathyamangalam forest division to take over the site at Parivarai. Recently, a team of 12 people, including five officials from the archaeological department and locals, cleaned the graffiti as part of preserving the rock paintings.
"Work of preserving the ancient art was completed by the archaeology department. We are waiting for the NOC from the district forest officer (DFO) of STR to proceed further," Innocent Divya told TOI. DFO of STR P G Arunlal said, "The rock art site is located at the divisional boundary. We need to ensure protection to the forest area." He said, "Inspection is underway at the location. Only after the inspection report, we could arrive at a conclusion whether to issue NOC or not." The official was not sure about the time involved in the procedure. The rock painting comprises some 500 images of humans and animals. The style, using red and white in wet colour technique, is like that found in Madhya Pradesh, one of the oldest rock paintings in the country. There are theories that right from the tribals lived in the Nilgiris.
- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/coimbatore/archaeology-department-yet-to-take-over-rock-art-at-parivarai-forest/articleshow/70461781.cms, July 30, 2019
A pleasant Saturday morning gathered eager participants to Chennai’s Santhome Basilica, a faint hum of prayers and chirping birds in the background. This Madras Inherited walk, led by Roshini Ganesh, research assistant with the organisation, started at the Basilica and ended at Oceanic Hotel, covering some unique locations coated with a rich dust of history
St Thomas Basilica (Santhome Church)
In 1522, the Portuguese set sail and established the first official settlement that brought colonial traders to this area. With sloping roofs and a typical Portuguese symmetric facade, a small chapel made of timber was built. The following year, this chapel, a rectangular structure with a 30-feet dome, was brought down and the foundation of the basilica begun.
St Thomas, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ, was believed to have visited India during the reign of king Kandaparasar. He was martyred near what is now called St Thomas Mount, but his remains were found near Santhome Church. The crypt of St Thomas is located under the church, along with relics in a small museum of sorts above it. This church is one of the only three known churches in the world built over the tomb of an apostle of Jesus, the other two in Vatican City and Spain.
Lost garden houses
In Portugal’s colonies from the 17th Century, the term “mestiço” was applied to anyone with an European ancestor. Financially well to do, the mestiços were housed in large bungalows, architectural traces of which can be found along Nimmo Street. Built for leisure, these houses boasted of large and spacious balconies, a European trend in spatial appreciation.
Now missing are picturesque porticos and pitched roofs for sunshades, with the only intact remains being the green and rusted windows with grills. An interesting detail, however, is that the streets were named after free merchants who settled around here, including Armenian merchants.
St Rita’s Chapel
Built by the Armenians in 1729, St Rita’s Chapel is believed to have been intended to commemorate the opening of the St Thomas crypt back then. The walls of the chapel, on all sides, hold framed boxes that contain inscriptions — and another Portuguese inscription along a line on the facade — about its renovation. The chapel carries tell-tale signs of Portuguese architecture with its symmetrical facade and urn-like structures on the top.
A 300-year-old structure, it has now been shunted away to the side of the road. A heritage property, the land around the church was slowly acquired for other use. The entire area is presently a part of the Santhome High School and maintained by the Montford Brothers. Opened on occasion, the chapel holds Armenian inscriptions within the altar.
CSI St Thomas English Church
An industrial setup that became the Protestant English church, it is a simple and elegant piece of architecture located in a quiet side of the bustling main road. The pews date back to the 1860s. This is the second oldest church equipped with a manual pipe organ, an expensive piece of history to maintain. The church, now a 177-year-old structure, witnessed people entering the open air altar on Sunday for worship and walk towards the open stretch straight to the beach. Originally called ‘St Thomas by the sea, a compound wall built in the 1980s now separates it from the Bay.
Leith’s Castle
Thomas Parry, the trader that set up the first industry in this belt, resided on a mammoth 14.5 acre property called Parry’s Castle or Leith’s Castle. Passed down many generations and hands, today it stands fragmented between apartments and individual houses along the Leith’s Castle — North, South and Central streets. Initially listed as a heritage site with rich historical and architectural value, with the help of S Muthiah (hailed the Chronicler of Madras), it now stands delisted.
Oceanic Hotel
Heartbroken is the simplest way to describe the memorial remains of what was the most sought-after hotel in the 1950s. It was one of three air-conditioned hotels back then, and famous for the city’s first disco, called ‘Cyclops’. It accommodated the Indian cricket players whenever they visited, causing excitedattempts to jump over the hotel’s tall walls. Except the broken archway, every part of this hotel has been sanctioned to be reconstructed in an apartment complex.
Madras Inherited can be contacted though the email ID [email protected] or the Instagram handle @madrasinherited.
- https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/re-discover-santhomes-architectural-treasures/article28756981.ece, July 30, 2019
