Is it finally time for the rebirth of The Mairie, the iconic 19th century sea-side building that collapsed due to negligence in 2014? Ironically, The Mairie, built in 1870-71 and which once served as the Town Hall, fell barely days after the launch of the much-delayed ?7.5 crore restoration project funded by the World Bank had begun. Though the French-era landmark’s collapse during a spell of rains on November 29, 2014, had forced a critical re-evaluation of heritage conservation among civil society, heritage experts and government, and injected a sense of urgency in moving to save the standing landmarks in the city, the feeling among heritage activists has been that conservation is in limbo “as the heat is off.” On Wednesday, Minister for Public Works A. Namassivayam told the Assembly that the government will shortly float a tender for the reconstruction of the historic Mairie building. Fund agreement.

Replying to a query by MLA K. Lakshminarayanan, the Minister said an agreement was signed with the World Bank for obtaining funds for the reconstruction. The financial institution had sanctioned ?15 crore for the work. The government was in the process of floating an e-tender inviting bidders to start construction of the heritage building. Mr. Lakshminarayanan said the historic building was a landmark and demanded immediate construction of the building. In fact, one of the main reasons for the delay in putting together an actionable rebuilding plan for The Mairie has been fundamental discord among the various stakeholders and this remains a non-consensual theme. The basic point of disagreement among experts from the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) and other agencies and the Government pertained to the material to be used for reconstruction of The Mairie.

While the PWD has been pitching for reinforced cement concrete (RCC) and cement mortar and cement plaster, INTACH’s preference was for lime mortar and ‘Madras-terrace roof’ technique. INTACH experts have pointed out that structures built in the traditional way have a much longer life. In contrast, the buildings built with so-called modern technique using RCC just 35-40 years ago are already in dilapidation. The proponents of modern techniques and materials take the line that good quality lime for traditional construction is not available any more while torch-bearers of the traditional way aver that the raw material required for lime or cement is actually good quality Limestone.

Petition to L-G

The People for Pondicherry’s Heritage (PPH), a citizens’ collective which spearheaded a campaign to force the hand of the State to notify other heritage buildings and propose a plan for The Mairie, has petitioned the Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi on the go-slow of the heritage conservation front. The PWD’s stand is that the reconstruction of the Mairie should be done using conventional RCC construction and not using traditional materials while the PPH and INTACH believe that the reconstruction must be done using original drawings and as close to using the original materials and construction techniques as possible today. In fact, the majority decision at a subsequent State Level Heritage Advisory Committee was to take up the PWD proposal for a concrete look-alike, in spite of dissenting notes by some members. According to PPH, the government is now moving forward to construct a RCC look-alike of the Mairie despite knowing that it is possible to reconstruct the Mairie using traditional materials and building techniques, and knowing that the funds needed for this type of construction are available as a grant from the same agency that had initially agreed to fund the restoration.

Moreover, the estimate prepared by the government based on an RCC frame has many loopholes and the total cost of building a fake heritage look-alike will eventually not be less than an authentic reconstruction, the PPH says.

-http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/puducherry/the-mairie-a-lost-heritage/article18683518.ece, June 1, 2017

Under pressure to defuse the situation over an ancient building in Hamidia hospital, government sent an archaeologist on Wednesday to ascertain the claim of it being a place of worship. Directorate of archaeology, archives and museums, technical assistant Ahmed Ali was rushed to inspect the location. "Going by the structure and the way it is built, it does not appear to be a mosque. It is more in the shape of a gate, which because of the location could also have doubled as a room for guards," said Ali, who hails from Uttar Pradesh. "This site should be protected, and if possible handed over to ASI for restoration," Ahmed told TOI.

The controversy over the location which is in the 61-year-old medical college campus began last year. Overlooking the picturesque Upper Lake, the controversial site is one of the last remaining structures of Fatehgarh fort. It has a wooden-shaped gate hidden behind the makeshift garage space of the medical store room. A mimbar-e-mehraab or semicircular niche in the wall along with four very small minaret like extensions on the top is what led some to claim the structure as a mosque, say sources. Earlier last year, a delegation led by Sher Qazi visited the location. Later, the Qazi claimed it was a mosque and the administration did not clarify its stand on the issue. The property is on government land. In the last two weeks as the construction of new hospital block at Hamidia hospital gathered pace, some people raised apprehensions over the safety of the structure. District administration refused to state that the structure was a religious site.

In the last three days the structure became a focal point of tension. The building, a part of medical drug storeroom for over three decades, is next to Prince of Wales building, a 98-year-old monument which could well become more famous than Fatehgarh fort. Fatehgarh fort was built around 1723 by Sardar Dost Mohammed Khan and his descendants were undisputed rulers of the princely state for next 225 years. The fortress has always protected the city, which never fell to any invasion. Later Hamidia hospital was built on the ruins of the fort to heal the city. There is a marble plaque dedicated to the Indian soldiers who died in World War I. The inscription says 944 soldiers who fought in WWI left through the very gate and 36 never came back.

-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhopal/bitter-squabble-over-a-piece-of-history/articleshow/58935012.cms, June 1, 2017

MONTHS AFTER a proposal was floated to rename the Teen Murti Marg as Teen Murti Haifa Marg, after a city in Israel, comes another renaming in the capital. The Dinpanah Archaelogical Park, the largest such park in the heart of Delhi, will soon be known as Indraprastha Archaelogical Park. In late 2014, the DDA had proposed that Delhi’s fourth archaeological park be named after Dinpanah - the historical city set up by Mughal emperor Humayun. While the other three parks in the city - Mehrauli, Sultangarhi and Tughlakabad – were already notified in the Delhi Master Plan (MPD) 2021, the DDA proposed the inclusion of Dinpanah at a later stage, during the 14th meeting of the Advisory Group on Review of MPD 2021 in August 2014. Spread over 800 acres, the Dinpanah Archaeological Park comprises the Purana Qila area, with nearly 100 monuments and a lush green forest. The DDA aimed to bring together various stakeholders such as the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the National Monument Authority, the Central Public Works Department, the Ministry of Environment, Delhi Urban Heritage Foundation and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture to carry out the planned development of the area and enhance visitor experience. Dinpanah, in fact, is bigger the other three archaeological parks.

The nomenclature had raised the ire of certain sections.

Neera Mishra, Chairperson-Trustee of Delhi-based Draupadi Heritage Trust, an organisation that promotes arts and culture, had sent letters to the ASI, Ministry of Culture, and to Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu, registering her objections as an “Indian citizen and conservationist” to the area being named as Dinpanah, contending that archaeology is not just built heritage, but also remains/ signs of the “lost built heritage”. She requested the government to consider the area’s links to the Mahabharata era rather than the Mughal empire, which came much later. Consequently, the ASI had sent a letter to the DDA vice-chairman, on August 11, 2015, a copy of which is with The Indian Express, saying, “This has reference to naming of the archaeological park in the Purana Qila area, it is informed that the area had archaeological evidence going back to 1,000BC, and witnessed several cultural and dynastic strains. The Ministry of Culture and ASI have examined the issue and opined that it would be in the fitness of things to name this as Indraprastha Archaeological Park.” Though the DDA has not notified the name change till date, it is likely to do so soon. Both Manju Paul, Director (Planning), DDA, and Manisha Gupta, Senior Architect, DDA, confirmed to The Indian Express that the renaming is in the offing. However, they refused to offer any time frame for the notification to be issued for the same.

- http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/capitals-largest-archaeological-park-to-get-a-new-name-indraprastha-4685130/, June 2, 2017

Zapami Village, one of the Chakhesang Naga villages under Pfutsero Sub-division of Phek District has always been branded for the unique historical experiences and rich cultural heritage that the village and its people embody. Situated in the midst of lush green terrace fields located about 50 kilometers away from Kohima, Zapami village has produced rich socio-cultural capital and may even be referred to “as a cultural repository.” In an effort to preserve and keeping alive the stories of the historical experiences, Zapami Heritage Museum along with the village council conference hall was inaugurated by Razouvolie Dozo, Project Director, District Rural Development Agency, Phek on May 26. “A visit to the collection of antiques will take you to the way of life in the village during the olden times. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness for these resources had taken a huge toll. Looking at the collection, most of the items had been through time and environmental factors. Therefore, the construction of the museum may be considered timely,” states Riku Khutso, PhD History, University of Hyderabad. Another reason for the construction of the museum has been to encourage academic research on the village, its history, people and culture. “Serious research engagements could help reconstruct our past, culture and perhaps reveal more about the Nagas and its history. Moreover through the effort of preservation of village heritage, the village wants to connect with its descendants and groups whose migration routes and history had been immersed in time and circumstances,” Riku said. Besides other reasons, the Heritage Museum has been constructed for the purpose of documentation, preservation, exhibition and resuscitation of ancestral relations. The museum has over 250 items to its galleries. The antiques range from very ancient to more recent times like that of the World War II remains. Some of the items include an ancient grave, fetish stones, weapons of ancient warfare including an Elephant skin shield, instruments of war and friendship treaties, cotton and stinging nettle processing technologies, loin loom tools, baskets of different sizes and utilities, granaries, ancient grain pounding tables and systems, wooden rice beer vats, potteries of different make and sizes, hunting trophies, ancient systems of weights and measures, ancient blacksmithy tools, ancient musical instruments, traditional kitchen, collection of World War II remains and much more. The war remains mostly belong to the Japanese forces. There are gas masks, a mortar shell, rifles, water bottles, etc. Earlier, the village had a huge collection of Japanese rifles, ammunition and other war residues but it got either confiscated or deposited during the Indian military operations. The village deeply regrets the huge cultural resources that had been exhausted when the Indian Armed forces had razed the entire village in the mid-1950s. This project is a small attempt of piecing together some of the archaic collections to reconstruct and showcase the way of life of the past Naga village societies. It is open to public on all days against a small charge of Rs 20 p/h for private visitors, Rs 50 p/h for government officials and Rs 20 for use of camera. In addition, a book on the Heritage of Zapami Village along with a brochure is available for Rs 500 only. Interested persons may contact these numbers – 94360 01640, 89743 23142 and 94360 01420. Meanwhile, the village council has acknowledged the chief guest for being very instrumental in the completion of the project and the leaders of all the seven Kuzhathede villages, government officers, public leaders and well-wishers for their contribution.

- http://morungexpress.com/piecing-together-archaic-collections/, June 2, 2017

Bringing together art and culture in a beautiful amalgamation, an exhibition titled 'Mukhosh - Masks of India', is introducing Delhiites to the spectrum of this indigenous art form. Curated by local artist Neelam Malhotra, the extraordinary masks will be on display in Hauz Khas till June 10. The collection has been assembled from various cultures, including tribal, spread across the country. Featuring some of the best in the craft, such as Bhuta masks, Chhau and wooden masks from West Bengal, masks from Bastar tribes, Odisha, Himachal Pradesh, Banaras, Karnataka, will be on display at the event, besides an opulent mask from Nepal. Setting them apart from each other is their distinctiveness, attributed to the way they are crafted, each offering an expression of traditions, environment, imagination, and centuries of anthropological heritage. Each mask also has its own persona, depending upon the raw material and the utility, which is influenced by differing beliefs and ecologies. From simple to intricately carved, painted, flamboyant, and decorative, these masks also bear an elaborative cultural detailing and an obvious inclination to the geographical region they belong to. "With time, masks became a very meaningful source of transmitting knowledge by oral means. India revels in a rich cultural folk tradition. Folklore, beliefs, rites and rituals, myths, and rural handicrafts are facets that enrich it," Malhotra said. She added: "Masks play a significant role as they can portray the right and wrong in the society with utmost clarity. In addition, they are also a reflection of the local tradition or borrowed from mythology as well as religious epics, such as the Mahabharata and the Ramayana."

- http://www.dnaindia.com/delhi/report-masks-reflecting-india-s-rich-and-diverse-cultures-exhibited-in-hauz-khas-2459002, June 2, 2017

On a Sunday night in April, the India Trade Promotion Organisation, the government agency supported by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, demolished two iconic structures in New Delhi—the Hall of Nations and the Hall of Industries—along with the Nehru Pavilion. They are now to be replaced by a “world-class” Integrated Exhibition-cum-Convention Centre (IECC) at Pragati Maidan. The proposal for the demolition was met with strong opposition. Various national and international architecture organisations, including the Indian Institute of Architects, the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), the Pompidou Centre, the Museum of Modern Art, and several others voiced their concerns. But the government’s Heritage Conservation Committee (HCC) refused to classify the structures as heritage, which would protect them by law, and went ahead with the demolition.

The reason? The buildings were less than 60 years old. But is age the only criteria to determine heritage? “If you think it might be worth saving when it is 60 years, then you don’t have the right to demolish it today,” explains Swapna Liddle, author, historian and convenor with INTACH. “Otherwise, when that date comes, you won’t have that building because you’ve already demolished it.” Gautam Bhatia, architect and author, agrees. “Sixty years is a joke. You can’t treat buildings like you treat cars. Many landmarks are quite relevant and yet are not considered heritage,” he adds. The Lotus Temple and India Habitat Centre in Delhi illustrate Bhatia’s point. A.G.K. Menon, former convenor with INTACH, explains why a Taj Mahal won’t meet the same fate. It is because citizens have been educated to understand its significance outside of tourism—something modern architecture is denied. “Also, the Taj Mahal is old, so you believe it cannot be replaced.

Modern architecture suffers because it is modern. They think it can be replaced.” So, while heritage buildings older than 60 years are protected by law, the question of what qualifies a building as “modern heritage” is trickier. And it is to answer this that INTACH’s Delhi chapter has suggested six criteria to identify modern architectural heritage. The Hall of Nations met two of those criteria—it was a building of “exceptional architectural significance” and “representative of the works of a master architect”. The other four criteria relate to example of building typology, ensemble structures, religious buildings and buildings associated with the lives of persons of great significance.

In 2013, the chapter submitted a list of 62 such buildings in Delhi to the HCC, which dismissed it. But it’s such buildings, the architecture community feels, which hold more than just a functional value in the lives of people. They embody a certain narrative and are, in a very literal sense, ways for people to physically engage with the past. “If at every stage you change the whole complexion of the city, there won’t be any layers left. Imagine the Mughals destroying every sultanate building in the city to make their own history in the 17th century,” Liddle says.

Rewriting history
To understand the narrative of the Hall of Nations, it is important to get an idea of what led up to its inauguration in 1972. By the time the 70s rolled around, India had fought two wars, resources were scarce, banks were nationalised, and the country would go on to fight a third war with Pakistan in 1971. At the same time, India was also planning the commemoration of its 25th year of independence. As part of the celebration, the government held a competition to select the best design for permanent exhibition halls for the International Trade Fair. One of the designs was from architect Raj Rewal—a gigantic exhibition hall built entirely of space frames that would act as sun-breakers from all sides. Moreover, the building was meant to be pillar-less. Rewal won the competition. His design, however, required steel tubes and connectors, both of which, owing to a steel shortage back then, weren’t readily available here. And so, he made the bold decision of using reinforced concrete instead. “I was 36. I had a lot of... bravado. They were all taken aback.” With the collaboration of engineers Mahinder Raj and Durai Raj, Rewal went on to make what would become the largest cast-in-situ concrete space frame structure in the world and the first of its kind—a structure that truly represented a modern, self-sufficient India.

For Menon, the Hall of Nations symbolised what Indians are capable of. “Americans would have built this structure with all kinds of modern technology. But we had our handicrafts and labour, our skills and imagination. We put it together... and it stood the test of time.” If the argument was that a convention centre requires modern amenities like air conditioning, these could have been easily installed in the existing structure. “Once you have heritage, you should not preserve it as a museum piece. All the listed buildings you see in Europe, for instance, are pretty modern from the inside,” says Liddle. Other arguments against the demolition have been made. Menon argues that it wasn’t driven by a lack of space; these buildings didn’t need to go to make space for IECC. The move, experts also say, was fiscally irresponsible. “The government’s interest in architecture is very marginal. There is no real understanding of what constitutes heritage,” he says. For historian and activist Sohail Hashmi, the government’s main target was the Nehru Pavilion (built to exhibit the life and times of Nehru). “If they had just demolished the Nehru Pavilion, their game would have been exposed,” she argues.

Menon agrees. “They [present government] want to rewrite history in their own way. They’re going to demolish the Lutyens Bungalow Zone and build multi-storey buildings.” The word is “philistine”, says Rewal. In Europe, when looking for an architect, people look for someone with a vision, with a philosophy. “If someone tried to do that here, they’d be held up by the Central Vigilance Commission. They’d ask, ‘Why didn’t you take a quotation from him?’” The demolition of heritage structures disconnects us from our past—the story of how we came to be. It is this narrative that helps us understand ourselves. But people at large remain unaware of the importance of this narrative. Both Liddle and Menon believe it is indeed the failure of the architecture community. “We architects got engaged in our work and forgot we are leaving people behind. We’ve not been able to communicate our problems, our objectives, our goals,” says Menon.

Creating slowness
The problem, as Bhatia explains, is also in how we plan our cities. “In India, everything about architecture is insular. We build in subdivisions, plots and compounds with high boundary walls.” He gives the example of Rome, where it’s not just the Colosseum or the Trajan’s Forum that is recognised, but also the street houses of the 18th and the 19th century. “You walk past them every day. You have a cup of coffee outside a place that’s been converted into a small café. You sip wine outside a church. The familiarity with the church and the streets are part of your daily life. In India, you are not exposed to architecture. So the unfamiliar is not worth saving. Who in Tamil Nadu or Bengaluru knew or cared about Hall of Nations?” he asks. “The whole point of a city is to create slowness,” says Bhatia, “so that you notice what’s around you. This is completely missed in the Indian landscape.” This engagement with the city and its architecture affects our behaviour. Liddle says that a badly designed city is likely to encourage further vandalism. A well-designed city, on the other hand, would push you to keep your surroundings the best they can be. “The aesthetic cannot help but affect you,” she explains.

In the wake of this demolition, it has become increasingly important to educate people about the importance and the value of modern heritage. “Pride in a city is important,” says Liddle, “because that’s what will ultimately keep it alive.” When he’s not chasing stories, the writer can be found playing Ultimate Frisbee or endless rounds of Catan.

-http://www.thehindu.com/society/history-and-culture/heritage-on-the-fringe/article18712563.ece, June 5, 2017

Rickshaws in Banaras are all set for a makeover. The attractive versions of the vehicle, adorned with a local art form will soon roll on the roads. Dastkari Haat Samiti, a National Association of Indian Crafts People, founded by politician and Indian handicrafts curator, Jaya Jaitly, with the support of INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage) is making this transformation happen. Painted with motifs used in wooden toys, a local cottage industry, four prototypes of the rickshaw are near completion and the rest are soon to follow. Speaking on the vision behind this venture Jaya, founder of the Samiti, says, "It is often seen that in our attempts for development, we focus all our efforts on other transportation like cars etc but we forget the lowest or the basic form, which is the rickshaw. For a place like Banaras where 80% of the people move on rickshaws, both the rickshaw and the rickshaw puller are in a shabby state. So in order to spruce up the vehicle we thought of getting them painted using motifs which we see on wooden toys, a local handicraft and reeling under a crisis situation. The art used is quite local which everyone can immediately connect easily with.

Through this initiative we wanted to ensure that both the rickshaw pullers and the toy makers benefit. The rickshaw pullers could charge more with a much more attractive rickshaw while the majority of the toy makers who earn a meagre amount per day, could enhance their income by painting these rickshaws." Jaya further adds, "We are trying to bring about multiple benefits from this venture. This will not only promote tourism but will also contribute in the Prime Minister's plan for a cleaner Banaras. If the rickshaw puller has an attractive rickshaw then he will be motivated to wear cleaner attire. Similarly where ever this rickshaw will go, it will spread a message of cleanliness, especially in the lanes which remain in unhygienic conditions." The project that started several months back, involved the participation of rickshaw body and chassis maker and wooden toy painters. Ankit Kumar, designer Dastkari Haat Samiti, who was involved in the designing part says, "After several trips to Banaras I got in touch with all these important people of the project and explained to them on the kind of designs we wanted on the vehicle. Our idea was not only to make the rickshaw attractive but also comfortable. We intend to implement this on ordinary rickshaws, geared rickshaws, e-rickshaws as well as battery operated rickshaws."

Plans are also to involve the rickshaw pullers in selling of wooden toys, the sales of which has dwindled considerably over the years. "On a day when the rickshaw puller wants to take it easy, he can use his attractive rickshaw to display the wooden toys on his vehicle and sell it on the ghats," informs Ankit. "Once the four prototype rickshaws are complete then I will approach the Ministry of Public Transport and Ministry of Textile and have them sponsor nearly 50-100 such rickshaws. Once they are ready, we will have a formal inauguration of the rickshaw," says Jaitly.

-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/events/varanasi/banarasi-rickshawss-artistic-makeover-for-an-artistic-makeover/articleshow/58975073.cms June 5, 2017

“He was a carpenter, a fixer of machines and instruments, an artist. Bhai Ram Singh was a man of many talents. But his legacy remains as the foremost and celebrated architect of pre-Partition Punjab,” says Prof Balwinder Singh, a conservationist from the city. “Study his works and you’ll find his signature on every prominent building he designed, which could be either the way a chhajja (balcony) has been designed or the way wood has been carved around the windows. His works so far have not been given their due. But if the state government is serious about their restoration then it might be a good news,” he adds. The UNESCO team’s visit on Wednesday to Khalsa College, which was designed by Bhai Ram Singh, was more of an identification recce to single out the prominent buildings designed by the famous Sikh architect. The team also visited Durbar Hall in Kapurthala and Banasar Bagh in Sangrur. “The state government plans to restore and preserve the architectural legacy of Bhai Ram Singh by investing in their conservation.

We will identify where work needs to be done and also process documentation required for getting them enlisted for heritage status,” said NPS Randhawa, Director, Punjab Tourism Promotion Board. He was accompanied by the UNESCO India head and a team of officials. Randhawa said it was Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu’s initiative. Born in Gurdaspur’s Rasoopura village in 1858, Bhai Ram Singh’s father was a carpenter. “He was also known as Queen’s India Architect as his work impressed Queen Victoria, who got him to design one of the Indian halls at her palace,” informs Balwinder Singh. He also adds that the blueprints of Bhai Ram Singh’s designs are still with his family and the state government should acquire them to be displayed and considered as his heritage.

-http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/amritsar/state-to-conserve-bhai-ram-singh-s-architectural-legacy/417244.html June 5, 2017

Paintings of Odisha Architecture art are very exquisite pieces of art as they represent architecture that dates back to the 1st century BC. The caves were at that time were decorated with beautiful sculptural motifs which form a big part of India’s historical art. These architecture clip art pieces present a very clear and picturesque view of the contemporary society and architecture that saw the coming up of India. Anyone looking to fill up his or her blank walls with paintings should definitely consider getting paintings of Odisha Architecture art which is sure to lively up any room to everybody’s satisfaction. The search of Odisha architecture art can be very taxing especially if you are new this form of art. The World Wide Web has helped reduce this search but with everyone seeking to take advantage of this venue to advertise their goods and services, the chances of obtaining poor quality architecture art clip pieces is very high. This can be traced to the fact that nearly every high quality painting has its replica somewhere in the world and the person having it/them wants to make money out of the same. Most Odisha architecture art artisans and artists are very talented and possess excellent skills. However, they have neither been getting the due rewards for their professional expertise nor have their Odisha architecture clip art pieces been getting enough exposure outside the Odisha State of India. The professionals in this architecture art include graduates from art based universities, colleges and institutions. The result has been a migration of these professionals to other States and even other countries so as to benefit from their skills. Founders of Art Odisha saw that this migration, if not addressed, would deplete Odisha State of its heritage since the professionals would carry with them the last of these skills which could be otherwise passed down to the latter generations. Art Odisha has therefore sought address this problem by bringing professionals in Odisha Architecture art together to enable them get the right incentives and opportunities needed to take this art to the next level. The Art Odisha website, www.artodisha.com has in one of it tabs pictures of Odisha artists with hyperlinks leading to their details/ qualifications. In the following tab a customer interested in acquiring Odisha architecture arts will get architecture clip art images with hyperlinks where one fills up details to facilitate a safe purchase of the art. ArtOdisha.com seeks to promote Odisha architecture art through linking potential collectors and enthusiasts with professional artisans and artists. The sale of affordable art through the advertisement of architecture clip art pieces ensures Odisha paintings, sculptures and architectural arts will last for many more generations. Architecture art – Browse for all kinds of architecture arts both modern and medieval like paintings, wood carvings, sculptures, etc. Renowned professional artisans, architectures and other arts are found only at http://www.artodisha.com

-http://goodherald.com/odisha-architecture-art June 5, 2017

World environment Day on June 5 is a collective call for preserving and conserving nature and environment. The day reminds us of our responsibility towards sustainable use of resources. It is celebrated every year to raise global awareness for taking positive environmental action. It was established by the united nations General Assembly in 1972 on the day the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment. The first World Environment Day was celebrated in 1973 at stockholm. Since then it is hosted every year by a different city with a unique theme. This year, it is being hosted by Canada and the theme for the year is "Connecting People to Nature". Giving a clarion call to the people of the country and the youth, in particular, Union Minister of Environment, forest and Climate Change, Dr Harsh Vardhan has said that the real sentiment behind World Environment Day should not be restricted to a single day, but must pervade every moment of the day, till the World Environment Day next year. Addressing a function on the eve of World Environment Day here today, the Minister emphasised the need to create positive energy and awakening among the people of the country. Harsh Vardhan urged the people to use public transport more, use cycle, reduce the use of air-conditioners and work towards realising the Prime Minister's vision of Swacchh Bharat and cleanliness. He also appealed to the people to use water judiciously and in appropriate amount.

He directed that the Ministry officials must start water conservation in the right earnest in the Environment Ministry itself. The Minister added that the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change should not work only as a regulator, but more like a facilitator in a true sense. Harsh Vardhan highlighted that youth programmes such as 'Jigyasa', which is to be launched soon, in which Kendriya Vidyalaya students are taken to CSIR laboratories, should be replicated in the field of environment also. The Minister also said that Department of Science and Technology and Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change must work together in the field of waste management - be it solid waste, plastic waste, or E-waste and in creating waste to wealth and waste to energy. He added that similarly, Ministry of Human Resource Development and MoEFCC can work together to rope in students and harness their strength in spreading messages of positive health and messages for environment protection in the society. The Environment Minister appealed to NGOs, professionals, teachers and students to make environmental protection, nature and biodiversity conservation a strong social movement. Harsh Vardhan pointed out that children and environmental volunteers must be awarded in a much bigger way next year.

The Minister said that our ancestors gave us clean rivers, clean air, rich forests, teachings and wisdom on nature and environment. Harsh Vardhan pointed out that the worship of nature and its protection is in our DNA. Speaking on the occasion, Secretary, MoEFCC, Ajay Narayan Jha said that there is a need to spread environmental awareness among all sections of the society. Jha added that protection of environment is an article of faith. The Secretary referred to some key initiatives of the Environment Ministry including Science Express train, which has provided a good opportunity to introduce discussion and dialogue throughout the country. In this context, he also mentioned National Green Corps, one of the largest conservation network and National Nature Camping movement to foster a spirit of adventure and love for nature among the youth. In her welcome address, Additional Secretary, MoEFCC, Dr Amita Prasad said that World Environment Day is celebrated in more than a 100 countries, as the task of saving environment cannot be handled individually, or by one country. Dr. Prasad also pointed out that the need to connect with Nature is reflected in the Ministry's logo - "Nature protects, if she is protected". Joint Secretary, MoEFCC Gyanesh Bharati delivered the Vote of Thanks. Books detailing the new discoveries of Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) and Botanical Survey of India (BSI) were released by Dr. Harsh Vardhan on the occasion. A Mobile App and Web GIS of Faunal information of Wildlife Sanctuaries for ZSI were also launched by the Minister on the occasion. A brochure on 'Training Modules for the Pilot: Green Skill Development Programme' was also released. The Young Environmentalist Award was given away on the occasion. May Barani Aung, a Class X student from Mamta Modern Senior Secondary School, Vikaspuri, New Delhi, was awarded the first prize for performance in National Poster Making Competition. She received a citation, a trophy and a cash prize from Dr. Harsh Vardhan. National Museum for natural history (NMNH) organised summer vacation programme for children and brought them close to nature. The students also performed a Skit on the subject 'Connecting People to Nature'. They also took the Green Pledge to protect Earth and its natural resources and to adopt practices that will help in environment protection and minimise wastage of natural resources. The children from Bal Bhawan sang a 'Prakriti Vandana'.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is also celebrating World Environment Day at Dehradun tomorrow. Over the years, World Environment Day has grown to be a broad, global platform for public outreach that is widely celebrated by stakeholders all over the world. It also serves as the 'People's Day' for taking positive action for the environment. The onus is on each and everybody to take actions in their daily lives that will help them minimize those activities that contribute to harming nature and enhance those that make the planet a better place. India is deeply committed to 'protecting' as well as 'greening' the environment. The goal is for this growth to be 'inclusive' and as 'green' as possible.

-http://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/connecting-people-to-nature-is-this-years-world-environment-day-theme/1067550 June 5, 2017

The Capital shares a special relationship with baolis or water bodies that are an integral part of Delhi's rich historic heritage. And in a recent initiative, the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, in a collaborative effort with Google, has digitised all the seven baolis surrounding the city, in an effort to preserve this slice of history. This is especially important, as some of them have become engulfed in rapid urbanisation and fallen victim to the travesties of time Titled Baolis of Delhi-Stepping into Step Wells, the project offers a virtual tour of these water bodies, with specially curated photos that have been developed for online visitors to discover interactive experiences of these relics of past sitting in the comfort of their home. The initiative covers all the seven baolis that dot the length and breadth of the city, each offering a detailed insight into the structure courtesy ultra high resolution pictures that have captured extraordinary details of the architecture which may not be visible to naked eye. The baolis that have been digitised include Gandhak Ki Baoli in Mehrauli, which is the oldest water reservoir in Delhi, and was built by Iltutmish for Sufi saint Qutbbudin Bakhityar Kaki, as well as two of the most popular- Agrasen Ki Baoli in Lutyen's Delhi and the baoli at Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah. Apart from Rajaon Ki Baoli situated in Mehrauli Archaeological Park, the virtual experience enables one to visit reservoirs that no longer have public access. These include the baoli at Feroz Shah Kotla which became off limits for visitors have few incidents of people falling into the deep well, the Hindu Rao Baoli ahead of Pir Ghaib which has been fenced but the structure can still be seen from above.

The baoli at Purana Qila which too is closed to visitors, can also be seen up, close and personal through the digitised storytelling medium. The walk through is also a lesson in history as each baoli has detailed description of its architecture, historical significance and other information. The photographs are available on the website of Google Art and Culture(GAC) and also on the app on both iOS as well as Android. Talking about the Baolis of Delhi, Simon Rein, programme manager- India, GAC said, "Delhi holds a unique reputation with the sheer wealth of heritage and iconic historical monuments, and it has been our privilege to work with partners like INTACH, Archaeological Survey of India etc. Through this endeavour, we aim to make India's rich heritage and culture including the century old Baolis more accessible to people at home and abroad."

-http://www.dnaindia.com/delhi/report-intach-google-to-preserve-a-slice-of-delhi-s-history-2463901, June 6, 2017

Many think of coal when talking of Barkagaon, but the region also has something else to offer – a rich cultural history. I was out on a midnight stroll in Hazaribagh town. I was out on a midnight stroll in Hazaribagh town. Back home for a few days from Bengaluru, I decided to walk towards the road going to Barkagaon. That’s when I saw a series of trucks headed the same way. Some distance ahead I was stopped by two policemen who looked suspiciously at me, wanting to know why I was out so late. Saying that I was returning from a relative’s house, I asked where the trucks were headed. One of them replied that the trucks were headed to Tandwa mines via Barkagaon. I asked the policeman if Barkagaon was worth exploring. He waved his hand dismissively. “No sir, only jungle and coal. All of Jharkhand now knows about Barkagaon, thanks to NTPC.” He was referring to the National Thermal Power Corporation. I had deliberately asked him that question. The villages that fall within the Barkagaon community development block have been simmering with tension since October 1, when four of its residents were shot dead by the police in front of the NTPC office in Hazaribagh. They were part of a large group that had gathered to stage a dharna against the forceful acquisition of their lands by the NTPC to begin mining for coal.

Coal is the operative word. Barkagaon is located in the northern part of Jharkhand, 27 kilometres from Hazaribagh. Part of the Karanpura Valley, which separates the north Chotanagpur plateau from its southern part and is drained by the Damodar river’s tributaries, Barkagaon boasts the largest coal block of Asia. NTPC, which is planning to build the largest thermal power plant of India at Tandwa, sees the coal coming from the villages of Barkagaon. In 2011, after the exit of the Australian company Thiess from the area, following its failure to get mining operations off the ground due to Naxal presence, the NTPC decided to do the mining itself. It started entering the villages of Barkagaon with full force knowing that the might of the state was behind it. The Central Reserve Police Force and the Sashastra Seema Bal have also been deployed in Barkagaon, and their presence has created a sense of fear among the villagers. The description of Barkagaon given by the policeman – “coal and jungle” – made me think. The way in which mineral rich areas are described makes it seem as if there is very little human presence there, or the little that there is, is totally inconsequential. To many, it may even seem that the local population is actually holding up development by refusing to part with their land. Most of the local newspapers in Hazaribagh do not cover incidents such as the October 1 protest and firing. To the bulk of the national press, this kind of news often seems highly remote, unless its magnitude is such as to excite curiosity. Viewing the region through a different lens. One meeting with 74-year-old Bulu Imam, a great chronicler of the region and its people, and you gain an entirely new perspective on them – not as backward, but as culturally rich, with an organic way of life in tune with the environment. Such examples could actually prod a world committed to the Paris Climate Accord to start asking some fundamental questions about a sustainable way of life in the 21st century.

Imam, who is the founder of the Sanskriti Museum in Hazaribagh and convenor of the Hazaribagh chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, has been at the forefront of a three-decade-long fight against open-cast coal mining. He has made it his life’s purpose to bring to the world’s attention the rich and unbroken story of human evolution in Karanpura Valley that starts from the Paleolithic and Neolithic period. This narrative, as he explained in his report to the International Council on Monuments and Sites in 2001-2002, “is complemented by the more recent contemporary village culture, manifesting folk painting traditions clearly connected with the region’s prehistoric rock art, spanning a period from the Palaeolithic, through to the Chalcolithic. A vibrant micro-lithic and neolithic culture, and the remains of a great Iron-Age Asura civilisation lie scattered on the floor of the North Karanpura Valley and its surrounding areas, now once more threatened by indiscriminate mining.” The area is rich in archaeological deposits, megaliths, dolmens and sacred groves. Imam’s museum, which showcases stone tools from the prehistoric era as well as vibrant examples of a continuous mural tradition of the indigenous people, makes for a fascinating experience. As do the books in his huge library. Absorb their stories and you will see Jharkhand’s significant place in the history of human evolution, he says. It is this area that the NTPC seeks to cover with coal dust, representing a form of energy that is increasingly being questioned for its polluting nature. In fact, it was largely due to Imam’s campaign that a World Bank loan to Coal India in 1999 was withdrawn. For his lifetime’s campaign against mining in the North Karanpura region, Imam received the prestigious Gandhi International Peace Award in 2011. It was an award he shared with Binayak Sen. Rich cultural history. Inspired by Imam’s towering passion, I decided to explore some of the sites around Barkagaon. My first halt was at the megalithic site in Pankri Barwadih village, about 25 kilometres from Hazaribagh, which the NTPC has its sight on. The sight of the tall and imposing stones in a big field had a magnetic feel to it. Most of the megalithic sites were used as burial grounds. Some like the Pankri Barwadih site reveal the indigenous people’s intricate understanding of nature and science, according to Hazaribagh-based Subhashis Das – the local, self-taught megalith expert who is invited the world over to talk about this unique heritage of Jharkhand and its pre-Aryan settlements. It was Das who discovered the Pankri Barwadih megalithic site more than 15 years ago and along with it the astronomical wisdom of its people. He realised that the megaliths were so positioned that they enabled the community to observe the transiting sun on the two equinoxes (March and September). On these days when day and night are of equal duration, the sun appears to jump out of the two megaliths. Das gave it the name equinox site. Today, a large number of people come to the site to witness the spring equinox. Megaliths are just one aspect of the wisdom of these pre-Aryan cultures. This area is also home to pre-historic rock paintings dating back to 9500 BCE. The lineage of this earliest art tradition, when the early settlers worshipped cave art, can today be seen in the wall paintings of village houses in Barkagaon. Tribal women usher in the season of spring and weddings with their Khovar wall paintings and herald the season of winter and harvest with their Sohrai wall paintings. The area also boasts four rock cut caves from the Buddhist tradition dating to 600 CE. Imam and Das are both passionate about the area being declared a world heritage site. For the story they tell does not belong to Jharkhand or India alone; it belongs to humanity as a whole. If the land is taken away for mining, the cultural memory of thousands of years nourished by it will be destroyed. As I turned back, I looked at the lush green paddy fields all around which anchor the fertile valley’s memory. Spotting a farmer working in his field I stopped to converse with him. He said agriculture was the mainstay of most villagers; it sustained them. Moreover, he said his harvest was good this year; he will be able to live on that rice for three years. This is one of the main reasons why many villagers do not want to sell their land to NTPC, he said. He pointed out that those who were willing to sell their land, roughly about 20%, were not happy with the compensation package. In fact, the villagers are none too happy with the announcement of the chief minister of Jharkhand and NTPC officials last August that only those with a minimum BSc degree will be eligible to seek a job. This has only hardened the resolve of many villagers to not part with their land. I thought of the summers when we in Hazaribagh, weary of power cuts as long as five to six hours, wished efforts could be speeded up to generate more electricity. In itself it is not an unreasonable thought but now that I was aware of several dimensions to the issue, it was no longer only about me, an urban Indian wanting his share of progress.

The issue was far more complex – and complicated. As things stand right now, those with might on their side are getting their way. Last month a news report in The Pioneer pointed out that NTPC has started mining activity in the Chirudih and Pankri Barwadih area of Barkagaon without getting a no objection certificate from the forest and environment department. The report also mentions that the state president of RJD, Gautam Sagar Rana, and social activist, Dileshwar Mahto, have claimed on the basis of an RTI query that the forest land on which NTPC has started its operation has not yet been transferred to it. One of the mines falls in the forest area near Chirudih, 40 kilometres away from Hazaribagh. According to Imam, the forest department has given away 500 acres of land to NTPC on the grounds that the only inhabitants of the forest were snakes and squirrels. In reality, the forest is a wildlife corridor for animals migrating from the North Chotanagpur plateau to its southern part and vice versa. Elephants, deer and bears are some of the bigger animals inhabiting these forests. Seeing the government move ahead in the region, local companies from Bihar and Jharkhand too have started mining operations, says Narayan, a resident of Barkagaon. Over a phone conversation he remarks that some few villagers have even become ‘brokers’, instigating residents to give away their lands.

“There are some within us who are spoiling the atmosphere of the village. The government is now trying to break our unity,” is how he looks at it. The villagers of Barkagaon have been left to their fate. Sitting MLA Nirmala Devi, who was one of the main organisers of the October 1 dharna, continues to be in prison. There is not much enthusiasm among other local leaders to support the villagers. Meanwhile, the situation in Barkagaon is getting tense by the day. I can’t seem to get one thought out of my mind – what story will Karanpura Valley narrate a few years from now?

-https://thewire.in/143888/jharkhand-barkagaon-caol-mining-ntpc, June 6, 2017

Plantation and cleanliness drives marked the celebrations of the World Environment Day on the theme “Connecting people to nature” across the State. Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) celebrated World Environment Day where a number of awareness programmes were organized. Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh flagged off the rally from Mini Market Trikuta Nagar which concluded at JDA Park Trikuta Nagar, wherein he along with Speaker J&K Legislative Assembly Kavinder Gupta, MLC Vikram Randhawa and senior officers of JMC, JDA and members of various social organizations planted saplings. Prizes were also distributed amongst the winners of wall painting competition and Swachh Jammu Public Opinion Poll. A Nukkad Natak was also presented by Newsline under the banner of Swachh Bharat Mission. Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh today said that the comprehensive plan is underway to make Srinagar one of the best cities of the country replete with all the basic and modern facilities of housing and urban living.

Dr Singh was speaking at a function organized by Srinagar Municipal Corporation in connection with the celebration of World Environment Day at Rajbagh, Srinagar. The function also marked the inauguration of door to door collection and source segregation of the waste of households by way of providing them with twin coloured dustbins and also rolling out of 50 new hopper vehicles to strengthen the transportation of segregated waste collected from households. MLA Anjum Fazili, Commissioner SMC Dr Shafqat Khan, Joint Commissioner SMC, Senior officers, prominent citizens and representatives of various NGOs were also present on the occasion. Minister for Forests, Environment and Ecology, Chaudhary Lal Singh today said that Government is working under mission mode for broader understanding and responses on climate change in the State. The Minister was addressing a large gathering at Dear Park at Manda after planting saplings of Chinar to mark the celebration of World Environment Day. MLA Jammu West Sat Pal Sharma, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests AK Singh, Chairman Pollution Control Board Ravi Kessar, Chief Wild Life Warden Suresh Chug, Director Environment and Remote Sensing OP Sharma and many others were also present. The artists of Cultural Wing Department of Information and Public Relations and Cultural Academy presented a cultural programme. Later, the Minister also released a newsletter “Winter Birds of Dacchigam” published by Directorate of Environment, Ecology and Remote Sensing. On the occasion of World Environment Day, BJP State Vice President Yudhvir Sethi initiated plantation drive at Shaheed Bhagat Singh Park Digiana. The members of Morning Walkers Association of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Park Digiana planted saplings and also urged upon the people to plant trees for greener environment. Yugal Kishore Gupta, President Morning Walkers Association, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Park, Nariender Kuki and many others were present on the occasion. World Environment Day was celebrated by Army in the high altitude environment of Ladakh all along Drass, Kargil and Batalik regions. A mass tree plantation drive was organised across the landscapes of the region. Soldiers and school children planted 4,300 saplings at various locations in Drass, Kargil, Batalik and Khumbathang. At Drass, a special water retaining compound, presented by NGO Eco Solutions, was added to the soil around the sapling pits. Flower and tree saplings grown by the DRDO outfit, Defence Institute of High Altitude Research (DIHAR) were also used during the plantation drive.

The event culminated with a pledge, in which everyone present pledged to preserve the environment of the nation. Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Jammu in collaboration with Department of Posts, J&K Circle and INTACH J&K Chapter organized series of events to mark World Environment Day. Prof RD Sharma, Vice-Chancellor, University of Jammu was the chief guest, while Sanjay Sharan, Chief Post Master General, Department of Posts, J&K Circle and Dr CM Seth, Former Chairman, SPCB were the guests of honour. The programme started with inauguration of the ‘Philately Exhibition–a unique collection of stamps displayed by Department of Posts, J&K Circle’, by Prof RD Sharma. Prof Anil K Raina, Head, Department of Environmental Sciences presented the welcome address, while oral presentations were made by several research scholars of Department of Environmental Sciences, JU on the theme “Connecting People to Nature”. Later, special cover on Environment and My Stamps prepared by Department of Posts, J&K Circle were released by the Prof RD Sharma and other dignitaries. SM Sahni, Convener INTACH, J&K Chapter presented vote of thanks. To celebrate the World Environment Day, a lecture by Prof RN Gohil, Fellow and Secretary, National Academy of Sciences, India (NASI) Jammu Chapter on the theme “Connecting Nature to People” was organized here in the Department of Botany, University of Jammu. On the occasion, Prof AK Koul, Former Prof of the Department and Prof Geeta Sumbali, Dean, Life Sciences, Prof Yash Pal Sharma, Head, Department of Botany, University of Jammu along with the faculty members of Life Sciences, Research Scholars and students were present. Earlier, the celebrations began with the display of nature postage stamps depicting the contributions of great naturalists and geneticists including Charles Darwin, Gregor Johann Mendel and birds of Galapagos Islands. The students of the Department also participated in botanical names writing competition and the winners were felicitated by the dignitaries. In the competition, Diksha (MSc 1st semester) stood first, while Vivek Rattan and Ritika Jamwal were awarded second and third prizes respectively. In context of World Environment Day, one day training programme on biochar production and application in agriculture as climate change mitigation strategy was organised by SKUAST-Jammu on one of the remotest villages namely Kathar, Mohargarh Panchayats in District Samba under the guidance of Dr JP Sharma, Director Research of SKUAST-Jammu. Dr Peeyush Sharma, Er NK Gupta, Dr Vikas Abrol and many others were present on the occasion. Gandhi Global Family (GGF), J&K celebrated World Environment Day along with the cadres and volunteers of the organisation.

President, GGF J&K State Padmashri SP Varma recalled the saying of Mahatma Gandhi on the occasion that ‘Nature has enough to meet the needs of all but very less to meet the greed of a few’. He exhorted one and all to follow the principles of simple living as laid down by Mahatma Gandhi. BSNL J&K Circle along with J&K Telecom Women Welfare Organization celebrated World Environment Day by planting 531 saplings in different BSNL premises in all its units of Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Udhampur and Rajouri Telecom SSAs. A function was organized at Circle Telecom Store Depot, Panj Peer, Talab Tillo and 31 saplings of fruit trees were planted in the premises in the presence of HK Verma, Chief General Manager, BSNL, J&K Telecom Circle. The event was also attended by Gayatri Verma, President Telecom Women Welfare Organisation along with other members of the organization, senior officers of BSNL J&K Circle Office and other staff members. On the eve of world environment day, JK Developmental Action Group, a Srinagar-based non-government organization conducted a cleanliness-cum-awareness drive at SMHS Hospital Srinagar. The programme was sponsored by Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) under Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM Urban). The programme was presided over by Commissioner SMC, Dr Shafqat Hussain, while other hospital staff members, senior officers from SMC, civil society members and volunteers of JK Developmental Action Group (JK DAG) were also present. Earlier, cleanliness drive was organised by JK DAG at Government High School Rawalpora Srinagar. Dustbins, long handle brooms and sanitation kits were distributed by the organisers on both the events. World Environment Day (WED) was celebrated at Government Hospital Gandhi Nagar in collaboration with “Ascend Telecom Infrastructure Private Limited”. A signature campaign was started for general public and patients coming to the hospital. Paper envelopes and jute bags were provided to visitors to carry medicines and all there goods and belongings.

The drive was taken with support of RK Dhar, Regional Operating Officer, wherein about 30 employees of the company participated. Medical Superintendent, Government Hospital Gandhi Nagar Dr Madhuri Slathia and Deputy Medical Superintendent Dr Arun Sharma were also present. District Development Commissioner Reasi Ravinder Kumar chaired a program in connection with celebration of World Environment Day. The programme attended by all the district officers, eminent personalities of the district, teachers and students drawn from various schools, was aimed at to generate awareness among the public regarding various environmental issues. The 45th World Environment Day was celebrated in various institutions across Ramban district today with main function being held at Government Degree College, Ramban. On the occasion, the college students and faculty members were shown a documentary regarding the impact degrading environment and the entailed warnings. Nearly, ten college students besides Professor Sanjay Singh Samyal, Professor and Shahjehan Ahmed Ganai spoke on the issue. Later, all the student speakers were felicitated by the chief guest Prof Yudhvir Singh. NHPC celebrated World Environment Day at its Regional Office Jammu today. The programme started with planting of medicinal plants in and around office premises by Kalgaonkar, Executive Director NHPC at Narwal, Jammu. Senior officers and employees of NHPC were present. Anjali Kalgaonkar also planted saplings of medicinal plant (Neem) alongside Rail Head Complex, Jammu. To celebrate World Environment Day, Dulhasti Power Station Kishtwar organized many programmes. PK Langer, General Manager, Dulhasti Power Station planted saplings in the premises of the Project Library. 125 saplings have been planted in the various locations of the power station. A lecture session was organised on the various aspects and concerns of the environment. Ratan Das, Manager Geology, Dulhasti Power Station and Sri Hukum Singh, Forest Range Officer, Kishtwar were also present. A drawing competition was also organised in Kendriya Vidyalaya, Dulhasti Power Station, Government Higher Secondary School Girls and Government Higher Secondary School Boys, Kishtwar. Suresh Kumar, Chief Engineer (Elect) and other senior officials of NHPC were also present on the occasion.

A plantation drive was conducted by the Department of Floriculture Jammu in different parks and gardens of Jammu Division on the occasion of World Environment Day. Saplings of various trees planted in different parks and gardens of Jammu Division. The plantation drive was inaugurated by the Director Floriculture Jammu, Babila Rakwal in Bagh-e-Bahu Garden in presence of Project Director, Bagh-e-Bahu Project, Jammu Sunil Misri, Deputy Director, Floriculture Jammu, AK Gupta, Landscape Officer Bagh-e-Bahu DV Gupta and Floriculture Officer Jammu SK Sultan. The Institution of Engineers (India), Jammu Local Centre celebrated World Environment Day. A seminar on the theme topic “Connecting People to Nature” was organized in which large number of engineers, scientist, scholars, forest and wildlife department, Environment lovers, academicians and members of the civil society participated. On the occasion, Ravi Kumar Kesar, Chairman, J&K State Pollution Control Board was the chief guest, while Dr CM Seth, former Chairman, Pollution Control Board and Chairperson, WWF-India, and Dr. Anil Kumar Raina, Head of Department, Department of Environment Science, University of Jammu were the guest of honour. Eight papers on the theme topic were presented by Er SC Thukral, Er KR Suri, Er Ashok Kumar Sharma, Er Sewa Ram, Er Supinder Jeet Singh, Er Akash Dusgotra, Er Atul Bakshi and Er Rajesh Kumar Angural. Nat Manch presented a skit play which was conceptualized and designed by Tarun Sharma Founder and President of Nat Manch. Er Ajay Gutpa, Chairman presided over the function, while Er BL Rawa, Honorary Secretary conducted the proceedings of the seminar. Aadarsh Bhartiya Samaj (ABS) celebrated “World Environment Day” under the guidance of Col (Retd) RK Sharma, Chairman and Daljeet Singh, President ABS. Members displayed banners with slogans. On the occasion Pt Chaman Lal Sharma donated saplings of fruit plants which were planted by ABS. On the occasion of “World Environment Day”, Lords Inn Jammu conducted a cleaning drive at Shakti Nagar Canal Walkway and Akhnoor road. Dinesh Sehji, General Manager of the hotel said that Lords Hotels and Resorts is fully committed to such initiatives and will keep conducting many such events in the future. District Legal Services Authority, Udhampur organised a legal awareness camp to observe World Environment Day at Bhartiya College of Education, Udhampur. Parveen Pandoh, District Mobile Magistrate Udhampur along with Yasmeen and Anoop Gupta, retainer lawyers, Dr Anita Bali, Principal of the college and students were present on the occasion. MC Kathua celebrated World Environment Day in different parts of the district. CEO MC Kathua KK Chargotra threw light on the importance of the day.

Doda Forest Division in collaboration with 76th Battalion CRPF and school students celebrated World Environment Day. Thousands of saplings were planted on the forest and institutional land by the staff of the Doda Forest Division, school students and personnel of 76th Battalion CRPF. An awareness programme was organised by Divisional Forest Officer Doda Anup Kumar Soni, while ACF Mohan Choudhary, Alok Maurya, Range Officer Khalid Mehmood, Assistant Commandant CRPF Prabhat Saini, Nishant Sood, Sunil, Inspectors, Sub Inspectors, jawans, school teachers and students also attended the programme. On the occasion of World Environment Day, Department of Environmental Sciences, GGM Science College organised various activities. The day started with the Nature Walk, followed by a symposium. The event was presided over by the chief guest Prof Ashok Kumar and guest of honour Prof. Karam Singh from the Department of Chemistry. The proceedings of the programme were conducted by Dr Mosmi Raina, Head of the Department, Environmental Sciences and the event was judged by Prof Zenab Ara Khan, Prof Asiya Nisar and Prof Pallavi Balowria. Ragini Manhas stood first, Varun Sharma got second position and third position was shared by Nittin Bakshi and Manik Gupta. The students and staff of Government Degree College Udhampur celebrated World Environment Day. Prof Romesh Kr Atri, Head Department of Botany presented the welcome address. Principal of the College Prof SS Bhalwal along with other senior faculty members planted sapling of Ashoka tree in the college Vatika. Government College for Women Udhampur celebrated World Environment Day.

Dr KC Sharma renowned social worker and surgeon was the chief guest on the occasion and Principal Dr Chander Shekhar presided over the function. A poster making competition was organized, wherein Basaat Chowdhary, Raghunandika and Simran Gupta were adjusted first, second and third respectively. Prof Ravinder Kour, Prof Kewal Kumar, Prof BP Singh acted as jury members. Government Degree College, Thathri organized one day regional seminar on this year’s World Environment Day theme ‘Connect with Nature’. Muzaffar Ahmed, Asstt Prof, Department of Environmental Sciences, GDC, Thathri and Organizing Secretary of the seminar presented the welcome address. Dr Shafqat Hussain Rafiqi, Principal, GDC Thathri was also present on the occasion. A debate and painting competitions were organized, wherein prizes and certificates were distributed among the winners and participants. Sant Mela Singh College of Education organised a quiz competition to celebrate World Environment Day, wherein three teams–Team-A, team-B and team-C were constituted. Team-B comprising of Ankush Bhagat, Avneet Kour, Sanampreet Kour and Gurashish Kour won the competition. Chairman of the college Prof Anmol Singh was the chief guest. The programme was anchored by Charanjeet Kour, senior teacher of the college. DPS Udhampur held plantation drive on the occasion of ‘World Environment Day’. A whole week was dedicated by kids as an ‘Environment week’. Many activities were done by the students like plantation drive, bag making activity, seed germination, folder making activity and workshop on disaster management. The students along with the Pro-Vice Chairman of the school Dr JC Gupta planted the saplings in the premises of the school. A meeting of Indian Council for Enviro-Legal Action (ICELA) in relation to World Environment Day was held under the chairmanship of Ashok Sharma, Convenor ICELA J&K Chapter. Sharma urged the Union and State governments to ensure sustainable development and establish environment courts in J&K. Former Minister Choudhary Gharu Ram, DS Jamwal a noted environmental activist, Ashwani Sharma, Advocate, Naresh Sharma, Nakul Sharma, Samriti Attri, Sushil Sharma, Yash Paul, Kailash Nath and Vinod Kumar were also present. To commemorate World Environment Day, Ek Sath Rang Mandal presented a nukkad natak “Dharti Bachao Ped Lagao” in its Monday theatre series. A large number of people witnessed the nukkad natak, which was written and directed by Vijay Malla.

The artists, who performed in the play were Kanta Sharma, Nisha Jotshi, Raju Mad, Ashok Sharma, Mohit and Vijay Malla. Municipal Committee Pulwama today distributed nearly 500 dustbins to mark World Environment Day. An official at the Municipal Committee said to segregate waste at the grass roots level they distributed multi-colored dustbins among the residents. Chief Executive Officer Pulwama Municipal committee, Mushtaq Ahamd Lone said that they were observing the World Environment Day to highlight the importance waste segregation in keeping their areas clean.

-http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/plantation-cleanliness-drives-mark-world-environment-day-celebrations, June 6, 2017

The Archaeology Department began massive excavations at Karnamamidi village in Hajipur mandal, on the Godavari basin, an early-historical site believed to be a glorious capital of Satavahana kingdom dating back to 4th and 5th century BC. Collector RV Karnan formally inaugurated the programme. Director of the department NR Vishalakshi and Mancherial MLA Nadipelli Diwakar Rao were present. Dr D Ramulu Naik, Excavation Site Officer, told ‘Telangana Today’ that a team of 11 officials of the department would carry out the excavation. The object of the programme is to find historical evidences to establish whether the village was once a capital of ancestors of Satavahana kings, as mentioned in a book authored by the then director of the department Dr V V Krishna Sastri, in 1980. Initially, earthen layers, formed in the past 100 years, would be excavated till the evidences were found. Duration of the programme is 45 days.

“The programme should have begun in January, but it was delayed as flood water inundated the site. However, it will be stalled if it rains,” informed Ramulu Naik, who also Assistant Director of the department for Mancherial district. The Archeology department embarked on this mission at a place called Patigadda near Karnamamidi, following permission accorded to it recently by Archeological Survey of India (ASI). Evidently, Kotilingala, the maiden capital of Satahavana rulers can be viewed from this site, rekindling hopes of the authorities. Kotilingala is currently situated in Velgatur mandal of Jagtial district. Karnan assured that all support would be extended to the department in this operation. The site can be converted into a major tourist spot once historical evidences are traced.

If required, a boat would be provided for digging the rich history of the village. Diwakar sought cooperation of locals in excavating the site. According to Jagtial’s famous historian Dr Jaisetti Ramanaiah, Kotilingala is considered to be the maiden capital city that had flourished in south India during the 5th and 4th centuries B.C. It was Gobada, a pre-Satavahana ruler who had introduced coins for the first time from Koti Lingala. Archaeological department’s excavations, carried out during 1968-1974 and 1978-1983, revealed that Koti Lingala and Dhulikatta were fortified towns, which might be among the 30 walled towns mentioned by Meghasthenes in his Indica. “As many as 24,000 coins were recovered from the single Satavahana site at Peddabankur. No other historical site in the world has yielded so large a number of coins,” reasons Ramanaiah.

-https://telanganatoday.com/archaeology-dept-begins-excavations-karnamamidi, June 6, 2017

Soon after India attained Independence on August 15, the migration of the lakhs, who found themselves caught on the wrong side of the border in Punjab and Bengal, had begun. The replica of a well, reminiscent of the killings committed “to protect honour,” a lock used to keep values safe during journey, a wedding saree - are among exhibits that will narrate the story of the largest human migration ever, at the 'Partition Museum' in Amritsar. According to an official, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh will inaugurate the 'Partition Museum' on August 17, two days after India would have celebrated its 71st Independence Day. Soon after India attained Independence on August 15, the migration of the lakhs, who found themselves caught on the wrong side of the border in Punjab and Bengal, had begun. And the museum would present and record their stories.

"It is the world's first museum on partition. There is no such museum anywhere," said Mallika Ahluwalia, CEO, Partition Museum. The partition did not see not just the division of Punjab and Bengal, but also a colossal loss of homes and lives during the largest mass migration in history, she said. The museum would display 5,000 plus items including oral histories, documents, artifacts, she said, adding that a well has been created to resemble a typical well that one would find in a village in Punjab. "It has been constructed in the memory of all the women who lost lives either in violence or due to honour killing, which was rampant at that time. People will find it very touching," Ahluwalia said. "There is a Phulkari coat and a brief case brought by a couple who were engaged before partition but got separated in the chaos. And then they found each other at a refugee camp in Amritsar and got married in 1948," she said. Another item on display would be a lock, used by a refugee family, on a trunk containing valuables.

Someone has given us a wedding saree of her mother, the marriage took place before the partition, and a briefcase having property papers of that time which will be displayed, she said. Punjab Tourism and Culture minister Navjot Singh Sidhu today said the state government will extend all support to the Arts And Cultural Heritage Trust, which is setting up the museum. The inauguration of the Partition Museum will be preceded by an online campaign 'Chalo Amritsar - August 17, to observe 'Partition Remembrance Day'. Several high level dignitaries, with a large number of NRIs from partition-affected families, are expected to be present at the inauguration of the Museum, that will narrate the story of the triumph of the hope of the partition survivors over despair, author, columnist and the Chairman of the Trust, Kishwar Desai, said. The Trust and its supporters include well known personalities such as journalist Kuldip Nayar, designer Ritu Kumar, lord Meghnad Desai and screenplay writer Prasoon Joshi.

-http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/india/partition-museum-in-amritsar-to-commemorate-largest-human-migration-ever/251581.html, June 6, 2017

A 115-year-old well, built during the colonial times, has been given a rebirth. The well was the main source of water when the Thrissur railway station came into existence in 1902. It provided water for both passengers and steam engines. A special kind of hand pump installed at the well was an engineering wonder. But ever since Railways started using the Peechi dam water, the well and its surroundings were abandoned and they soon turned into a dumping yard. Water weeds filled the well and the hand pump stopped working. An eye-opener. The severe drought of the last season was an eye-opener. Many a time the Thrissur railway station had to bring water from Aluva for daily needs. This neglected well was identified as an important part of the history of the railway station, during a heritage walk conducted by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) last year. Understanding its heritage value and scope for tourism development around it, Minister for Agriculture V.S. Sunil Kumar allocated ?21 lakh for its conservation.

The Nirmithy Kendra renovated the well in six months. The age-old well, adjacent to the Vanchikkulam situated near the goods shed, is 10.5 metres deep and 40 ft wide. The walls are made of granite stones. At a programme organised by INTACH in connection with World Environment Day, Mr. Sunil Kumar offered flowers to the well as a token of respect. He said the scope for tourism development connecting the Vanchikkulam and the ancient well would be explored. Efforts to repair the hand pump were on.

-http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/115-year-old-well-gets-a-rebirth-in-thrissur/article18732732.ece, June 7, 2017

Actress Dia Mirza was on World Environment Day on Monday appointed brand ambassador for the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), an official said. Dia, an ardent advocate for nature conservation in India, has consistently used her celebrity status to bring conservation issues before a wider, more mainstream audience. She has been the face of several pivotal environmental and humanitarian campaigns and was last year made an ambassador for the Swachh Bharat Mission's 'Swachh Saathi' programme. Dia has lent her support to WTI's wildlife conservation endeavours for several years now and is a founder-member of the organisation's Club Nature initiative, a statement from the WTI said. "I'm proud to be part of the team that's securing India's natural heritage," Dia said.

"I deeply admire WTI's mission to conserve wildlife and its habitat and to work for the welfare of individual wild animals in partnership with communities and governments. In my role as brand ambassador, I look forward to launching and elevating the message of WTI's next vital nationwide campaign, where we celebrate India's mighty elephants through the Gaj Yatra," she added. According to Vivek Menon, Executive Director and CEO of WTI, Dia has been supporting their work for long. "Over the next few months we will be launching our mega campaign to celebrate elephants across the country, and having Dia on board as a social influencer would be an eminent addition to our team," Menon said. Launching in August 2017, the Gaj Yatra is part awareness campaign, part celebration. It is an 18-month road show through 13 states; a confluence of local art, culture and imagination that aims to build a groundswell of public support for India's elephants.

-http://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/dia-mirza-named-wildlife-trust-of-indias-brand-ambassador/articleshow/59000671.cms June 7, 2017

INTACH (Kashmir Chapter) is holding a public consultation on draft Master Plan at Institute of Engineers, Church Lane here on June 12. “The new Master Plan of Srinagar city has been finally drafted and put out in public domain by Chief Town Planning Organisation Kashmir, seeking the opinion. The plan as released aims at expanding the city from 460 sq kms to 758 sq kms. We inherited a reasonably liveable city which due to inappropriate planning and lack of urban governance lost its character in terms of its historicity, civic amenities and comfort of living,” M. Saleem Beg Convenor INTACH (Kashmir Chapter) said in a statement.

He said Master plan is the key planning document which should concern us all. “We as citizens and residents need to have a stake and an opinion of how this city should grow and how it should be transformed so that it again becomes an urban space that caters to physical and non physical needs. Because the document circulated by the Town Planning Organization, Kashmir is voluminous and in a language that may not be comprehended by every citizen for paucity of time and knowledge resource, INTACH has prepared a summary of the plan,” he said.

“INTACH (Kashmir Chapter) as we find that it is highly imperative that this new Master Plan be revealed in a lucid format to the citizens so that the same can be understood and further deliberated upon. With this in view, INTACH, J&K is organizing a Public Consultation which will have the Panelists and the discussants beside concerned citizens. A basic understanding of an ideal Master Plan will be followed by a presentation explaining the prime highlights of the Srinagar’s Master Plan and thereby be better equipped to put forth their opinions and suggestions,” he added.

-http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/srinagar-city/intach-to-hold-public-consultation-on-draft-master-plan/251630.html June 8, 2017

In a move that is likely to give a push both to heritage tourism and cycling, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has decided to introduce ‘heritage cycle tours’ in the Capital. The civic body is preparing routes to connect ancient structures dating back to Tughlaq reign in the 14th century with the 20th century British era. It will also include monuments that came up during the Lodi and Mughal rule. NDMC has identified 10 heritage sites to begin the exercise.

The list includes Sikander Lodi’s Tomb, Shisha Gumbad, Muhammd Shah Sayyid’s Tomb in Lodi Garden, Talkatora Garden, Jantar Mantar, Argasen ki Baoli, India Gate, Rashtrapati Bhawan, Kushal Mahal, Malcha Mahal, and Safdarjung Tomb. The tours will be conducted on weekends by the cycling group, under the patronage of the Palika Services Officers Institute (PSOI) club, which is located on Vinay Marg in Chanakyapuri area. NDMC chairman Naresh Kumar said the move is an attempt to develop a system to acquire social and cultural knowledge and attract the youths to the country’s rich heritage. “The agency is going to form a cycling club at PSOI club and the membership will be open for general public too. This heritage cycle tour will be one of the features of the club. Directions have been issued to chalk out modalities and formulate a policy in this regard,” he said. The agency plans to buy 25 high-end bikes and other equipment to facilitate the tours.

The council is likely to develop a dedicated website a mobile application which will provide information on the route, monuments, and cost of the tour. The app will also provide options to book the tour. A group of heritage enthusiasts opting for the tour may be accompanied by trained guides proficient in foreign languages or a potable audio-guide system may be used. A senior official of the NDMC said all routes will have a combination of couple of popular and lesser known monuments and the visitors will also be provided refreshments or meals during the tour.

-http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi-news/delhi-heritage-tour-from-tughlaq-to-british-era-cycle-your-way-to-historical-monuments/ story-j3wSwSJyQcctJDwyFqBybI.html June 8, 2017

The flight of 142 stairs at Golghar, the iconic granary built by the British in 1786, will soon again take visitors to the top to get a panoramic view of Patna. The conservation work, on for seven years now, is expected to be complete in about a month. The state government on Thursday sanctioned an additional Rs 10 lakh the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) had demanded to complete the monument's conservation work that started on August 11, 2010, and was to be complete within two years. "We had already paid Rs 98 lakh for the conservation and thought why should the work suffer for a small amount of money," state archaeology director Atul Kumar Verma told The Telegraph. The ASI has been waiting for the money for the past five months and its Patna circle superintending archaeologist D.N. Sinha said his men would be able to finish the work within a month of getting the money sanctioned by the state government. "Applying a coat of plaster on the outer surface of Golghar as well as repair of the staircases on its two sides comprise the pending work," said Sinha. He added that the plan was to start repairing the stairs from top to down. Once everything is finished, the scaffolding put around the monument would be removed and Golghar would be handed back to the state government.

Asked about the five-year delay in completion of the conservation work, Sinha said: "We should rejoice that the work is nearing completion." However, sources said apart from funds crunch, the work also suffered because of difficulty in putting scaffolding inside the dome-shaped monument to conduct repairs on its inner wall.

The low level of oxygen inside the granary was also one of the factors. However, pumping in of fresh air solved the issue. After an estimated 1 crore people were killed in the lower Gangetic plain, including Bihar and Bengal, in the Great Bengal Famine of 1770, then governor-general Warren Hastings gave directions for the construction of Golghar to support famine-stricken people. East India Company engineer John Garstin started its construction on January 20, 1784 and completed it on July 20, 1786. It was built with bricks, surkhi chuna (lime and powdered burnt red terracotta) plaster.

Foodgrains were to be stored inside the granary by carrying it to the top via stairs and dropping it inside through a two-and-a-half feet hole. However, grains could not be stored in the 96ft-tall stupa-like building owing to an inherent defect. Its doors opened inside, and grains poured inside would prevent their opening. Golghar had developed structural defects and stresses, including longitudinal cracks, salt action on its walls and waterlogging around its foundation, which experts had attributed to thousands of daily visitors and the effect of traffic. The monument is protected under the Bihar Ancient Monuments and Archaeological conservation and renovation. Sites Remains Act, 1976, and the state government had engaged the ASI for its

-https://www.telegraphindia.com/1170609/jsp/bihar/story_155843.jsp June 9, 2017

A twelfth grader from Bengaluru will get a minor planet in Milky Way named after her as reward for developing a crowd-sourced method to monitor pollution in water bodies. Sahithi Pingali, 16, presented her paper “An Innovative Crowdsourcing Approach to Monitoring Freshwater Bodies” at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) for which she was awarded the second position prize and three special awards in the Earth and Environment Sciences category. Her school, Inventure Academy, said on its website that she developed “an integrated mobile phone app and lake monitoring kit… to visualise changing lake conditions by crowdsourcing lake monitoring to citizens and students”. “I definitely didn’t see it coming.

I was expecting one special award at the most. I haven’t yet digested the fact that I have a planet named after me,” she said, according to The Hindu. A minor planet will be identified by the Ceres Connection program of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory, which has partnered with ISEF to motivate budding scientists by giving them a name in space. ISEF is regarded as the largest pre-college scientific research event in the world. In addition to the ISEF accolades, she also won a gold medal at the International Sustainable World Engineering Energy Environment Project (ISWEEEP) for her research work on Varthur lake.

-https://www.telegraphindia.com/1170609/jsp/bihar/story_155843.jsp June 9, 2017

At a public consultation meet organised by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), the Srinagar Master Plan (2015-2035), prepared and recently made public by the government, was criticised for ignoring various elements deemed necessary for it. The speakers, comprising former commissioners, senior government officials, journalists, columnists and members of civil society, critically analysed the draft of the formulated plan and asked the agency concerned to reassess it and include elements either left out or less focused-on, so as to make the plan better and more comprehensive. While the speakers decried the draft planners’ shifting of the secretariat, which as per plan would be moved to the city outskirts in Pampore, many others called both the move as well as the entire plan politically motivated. “The drainage planning, which is the biggest problem in Srinagar, has been given very little attention. They (the planners) should consult qualified, professional people for mapping and designing the city drainage system,” said convener INTACH, Kashmir chapter, M. Saleem Beg. After a long wait, the draft Srinagar Master Plan (2015-2035) was placed in the public domain for 60 days last month to seek suggestions and objections to the plan before its being put before the state cabinet for final approval. Officials from the Srinagar Development Authority (SDA) have requested people to put forth their feedback regarding the draft plan and upload it on the SDA’s official web page. The speakers said the draft plan has been ambiguous about land usage in the city. “It has not been clear about plans on urban land usage and about solid waste management, crises of which have been witnessed often. The planners should put forth their strategies, something missing in the current draft,” observed several speakers at the gathering. Speakers also pointed out that the Master Plan was already virtually in force as the 20 years of the plan start from 2015, but officials are still intending to make changes to it. “As it’s a mammoth plan, aiming to include everything, it is better that the government set a time frame from 2021 to 2041 so that the Plan includes feedback from diverse sections,” suggested former bureaucrat Mohammad Shafi Pandit. Referring to the vast amount of land in the city under occupation of government forces, speakers at the meet said that Srinagar was probably the only district in all of Jammu and Kashmir where outsiders were welcomed by an army garrison. Earlier, Beg made a PowerPoint presentation where he highlighted the draft plan’s main loopholes. Speaking on the occasion, SDA vice chairman Tehseen Mustafa told the gathering that the plan’s current version was only a draft, which could be changed on the basis of public feedback and suggestions.

- http://kashmirreader.com/2017/06/13/experts-pick-holes-srinagar-master-plan-intach-meet June 12, 2017

A Dutch-era cemetery in Nagapattinam will get a facelift, courtesy the Government of the Netherlands. The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) will be the knowledge partner in the conservation efforts of Karikop cemetery, now in ruins. Located adjacent to St Peter’s Church, under which it comes now, the cemetery derives its name from Dutch word ‘Kerkhof’. Over the years, the name acquired a Tamil slang and was pronounced as ‘Karikop’, heritage experts said. In 17th century, several villages near Nagapattinam came under the control of Dutch East India Company, with the town of Nagapattinam also serving as the headquarters of the Dutch colony, having been shifted from Pulicat. Speaking to Express, S Suresh, State convenor, INTACH, said, “Though the town was subsequently taken over by the British, the cemetery primarily contains the graves of Dutch people.” Centuries later, the cemetery now is in a dilapidated condition, partly owing to the apathy of local officials. There are several tombs in the cemetery, both big and small. “It is the bigger ones, of which one belongs to the wife of a local Dutch administrator, that need urgent repair,” Suresh said. The tombs have developed cracks and many of them have broken down. The entrance archway is also in a dilapidated condition. Besides, there is thick vegetation in the place, he said. The Karikop cemetery does not figure in the list of monuments protected by the Archaeological Survey of India or other government authorities. But all that is set to change soon. The INTACH, which has done an architectural listing of Nagapattinam, was recently contacted by the Dutch. Following this, steps were taken to draw up a conservation and management plan for the cemetery. “We brought a team of Dutch experts to Nagapattinam. They interacted with all local stakeholders, including the administration,” Suresh said. The conservation plans, for which no date has been set so far, will be spearheaded by the Netherlands with the co-operation of local officials. “A blueprint has been prepared for the project, with the finance coming from the Dutch side. We will be assisting them through knowledge-sharing,” Suresh said. When asked about the keen interest shown by the Dutch, Suresh said the cemeteries were not only a subject of interest for historians, but also have an emotional value. “There are many foreigners who come down to see the graves of their ancestors. They have great attachment to these cemeteries. While some cemeteries are in good shape, others are not,” Suresh said.

- http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2017/jun/12/dutch-funding-to-give-nagapattinam-cemetery-a-fresh-lease-of-life-1615621.html June 12, 2017

Susan Gole’s research shows India had a well-developed tradition of mapmaking before foreign influences arrived on the subcontinent

Amit Sengupta An architect friend, who travelled to Kabul after the Taliban had left, discovered an ancient city ravaged and ruined. There was so much death and destruction, and such intense personal and collective tragedies, that he almost lost his way. It was a city that marked every word of the epical novels of Khaled Hosseini, especially how the female body, including the female and male child, became the new arena of relentless brutalisation and savagery. So, this architect travelled through the lanes and bylanes of the city of Kabul, and drew a map. He thought that perhaps a map could make the living find their way through the infinite tragedies and labyrinths of the past. Maps are journeys through the self, as it is through bylanes and zigzags of a cityscape or a geographical landscape discovered, as if for the first time. It is, at once, a compass that moves through the archival knowledge of time and space, as it is memory etched on manuscript. One of the early book of poems by Vikram Seth, even as travelled through distant journeys, where the journey itself became the destination, was called ‘Mappings’. These were words and drawing, lines and sketches, dots and blots, in grey, colour and black and white, prose and poetry, marking both the working of the inner soul, as much as the external space man and woman were trying to negotiate, with no technology at hand, but sheer instinct, realism, imagination and memory. Susan Gole spent many years in India. However, her interest in maps began only in her forties. In a London map shop one day, she found Indian maps were still marked in old currency long after decimalisation, as no one had bothered to look at the folders. So she prepared a list of maps of India drawn before 1800 as an aid to their identification and different versions for the dealers and the collectors. Hence began her collection of maps, forgotten and discarded, ruined and perhaps ravaged, like memories of the past, or ancient cities and journeys lost in a haze. She became an avid collector of maps, especially seeking out maps etched on the complexity of Indian tradition, often left to their fate. She joined the International Map Collectors Society after she returned to the United Kingdom. She was heading it for nine years, while she edited its prestigious journal for 16 years. Thereby, she found access to the larger canvas of map-making, like an art form, as much as precious archival evidence. Her book, ‘Early Maps of India’, is an important narrative in the relationship between history and society. Susan Gole was recently invited by INTACH to give a lecture in Delhi on ‘Indian Mapping: Local Tradition or Foreign Influence’. According to INTACH, “She illustrates how, contrary to popular belief, Indians had a prolific mapmaking tradition before any foreign influences arrived on the subcontinent. Aided by the map collection in the City Palace, Jaipur, she explores the cartographic traditions of India in cloth maps of Kashmir, Surat and Nasik. The lecture is both a study of Indian mapmaking and a call for the preservation of these maps.” For those who have visited the Jagannath temple in Puri, despite the anthropologically tribal motif of the “gods and goddess”, who seem all too human and primordial, and so unlike most Hindu gods, the interiors to the sanctum sanctorum acquires a different narrative as you travel with the map. It’s like walking through magic realism fiction. The pilgrimage route to Mansarovar, sublime as it is, appears like a manuscript engraved in sacred space. However, nature is at once negotiable, even when it is inaccessible and difficult to reach. Most exquisite is the town of Srinagar embroidered on a shawl. So what is the meaning of life, you may ask? The meaning of life is the complex and meticulous embroidery, or, mappings, which an artist has engraved, in a loved tribute to this magnificent city with its beautiful people. The shawl is at once the medium and the message. Indeed, in a country, where tribal and rural art and artisans have been dumped in the garbage can of history or degraded, humiliated and pushed into the margins, where walls, trees, temples, mosques, calendars, oral traditions and story-telling are marked by the painstaking craft of hand-made aesthetics, the town of Amber on a wall is a reminder that maps are our moments of revelation and realism. That we are all social beings, a collective, in synthesis with heritage. That maps can unite, and show the way.

- http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/spectrum/arts/zigzags-of-history-and-its-people/420351.html June 12, 2017

Kashmirs lone Shri Pratap Singh museum is a treasure trove for art lovers, history enthusiasts and curious minds as it houses rare artifacts and items of historical significance, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the state. Situated on the banks of river Jhelum in Lal Mandi area of the summer capital here, the museum was established in 1898 AD by then Dogra ruler of Jammu and Kashmir, Maharaja Pratap Singh, in his summer guest house, largely based on collections transferred from the state Toshkhana (palace treasury). A century later, the museum got a new building ? adjacent to the old one. Though it has not been completed yet, the museum was thrown open for public recently owing to widespread demands from different quarters. The foundation stone of the new building was laid in 2008 by then chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and the construction project was handed over to the Police Housing Corporation (PHC), which was scheduled to complete it in two years time. Approximately 80,000 artifacts and objects ranging from archaeological items, sculptures, numismatics items, decorative art, weapons, paintings, anthropological and natural history items and textiles are housed in the museum. The three-storey building has 10 major galleries ? archaeology, numismatic, decorative art, jewellery, culture and society, arms and armoury, textile, painting, manuscript and natural history. It provides a multi-layered history of the cultural heritage of the state. The ground floor exhibits the antiquity of a man in Kashmir followed by the developments that gave rise to the settlements around 5,000 years ago. "The work of art in terracotta, as old as second century BC, stone and bronze showcases the archaeological development and the vastness of the cultural heritage of the state,? Director, Archives, Archaeology and Museums, Jammu and Kashmir, Mohammad Shafi Zahid told PTI. Zahid said the new museum complex is designed in a way that a visitor starts his journey of Kashmirs history corresponding to the start of 5,000 years. The visitor then follows the Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and other eras. "The archaeological gallery narrates the history of a man in Kashmir from around two million years down up to 5,000 (BP-before present) when he settled down and built villages to introduce farming for sustenance and invented arts and crafts. "The terracotta gallery is exhibiting the works of art from first to eighth centuries that mostly remained associated with the Buddhist faith in Kashmir," he said. The director said the museum has sculptures of various Hindu deities from eighth, ninth and tenth centuries, carved in single stones. The bronze sculptures from ninth century exhibited in the museum belong to various religions. The numismatic gallery in the museum has been arranged in a way that shows a visitor the evolutionary development of coins starting from third century BC. "Punch-marked coins, Greek-era silver coins, Mughal, Afghan and Dogra-era coins are on display in the museum and narrate the evolution of currency at different stages along with the political and economic situation of the country," he said. The museum, the director said, has one of the richest artifact collections in India. "There are many unique and rare collections in the museum. For instance, the Gilgit manuscripts with painted covers of the seventh century regarding Buddhism, a rare bilingual birch bark document in Shardha and Persian of the 16th century relating to the purchase of land and a copy of Shahanama Firdausi (worlds longest epic poem written by a single poet),? he said. Zahid said while most of the galleries have been transferred to the new complex, there are some like the painting, manuscripts and natural history galleries which are still housed in the old building. "Once the construction is over, we will shift all of the items to the new building which offers healthy environment for prolonging the life of the collections," the official said. The new building has large open spaced reserves and new display techniques for dissemination of knowledge. "The new complex is disabled-friendly, has children discovery rooms, auditorium and a seminar hall. The museum also provides guided tours to the visitors," he said. The director said while there was some damage to the organic items like paper-machie in the 2014 floods, the inorganic items are completely safe. The new museum complex has a 65-foot deep foundation, and is quake and fire resistant, damp-proof and highly secure. It has been designed by local architects and the exteriors depict the traditional Kashmiri architecture even as the interiors have state-of-the-art facilities. Zahid, however, added the museum lacked a backup generator in case there was power outage as well as human resource like sweepers etc. PTI SSB MIJ SRY

- http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/kashmirs-lone-museum-opens-for-public/1/976056.html June 12, 2017

In the mid-14th century, during one of his summer hunting expeditions to the western periphery of the city, the Sultan of Delhi, Firuz Shah Tughlaq, became extremely thirsty. His caravan had exhausted its supply of water. At that moment, he spotted by the road a pretty girl carrying water. She seemed to have lost her way. At Tughlaq’s request, the girl gave him a draught of water. The king fell in love. He gave the girl, a member of the Rajasthani Bhatiara community, a shikargah (hunting lodge) he had built nearby soon after becoming sultan. Later, she converted it into a sarai (inn). According to RV Smith, an expert chronicler of Delhi’s folklore, that’s just one story of the origins of Bhuli Bhatiyari ka Mahal, a lodge whose name and history are shrouded in mystery. Those who subscribe to the tale of the girl think Bhuli Bhatiyari ka Mahal means ‘the palace of the lost Bhatiari’. Others believe that the lodge was the residence of a nobleman named Bu Ali Bhatti, a theory attributed to Asar-al-Sanadid, a mid-19th century survey of Delhi monuments by the scholar Syed Ahmad Khan. Smith said he’s heard yet more stories, for example that Bakhtiyari was the name of an old caretaker. Whatever its origins, the lodge still exists. It lies in the ridge behind Jhandewalan metro station. Ghostly rumours Smith said that legends about the history of the lodge are complemented today by rumours that the place is haunted. He described reports of eerie whispers of a woman’s voice emanating from its precincts at night. According to Smith, the area surrounding the lodge was once used by manjha (kite string) makers who took advantage of the open landscape to wind yards of their string onto the charkhis (reels) used by kite flyers. He said they would complain of an old woman’s ghost pulling their hair and ears while they slept. “Over the decades, several mysterious stories have been developed,” said Smith, “but none of the claims can be substantiated.” Vikramjit Singh Rooprai, a heritage enthusiast and a blogger, said he has also encountered rumours of paranormal activity on his visits to the lodge. “During one of a photo-walks organised by me, two members of the group went deep into the forest,” Rooprai said. “They spotted a white wall and tried to take a picture but found it had disappeared. We went to check with them but could not find the wall.” Mohammad Zahiruddin is an old caretaker of Mir Afzal Khuda Numa, a dargah situated around 200 metres away from the ancient building. “Because of the popular belief, several people come enquiring about the place,” he said of the lodge. “Some even come with their family but return disappointed as they don’t find any spirits there.”

Restoring the past
Till recently, the ramparts of the 14th century monument were crumbling, wild shrubs filled the courtyard, and an unpleasant odour wafted from the grounds. A security guard said the lodge had turned into a haven for homeless people and drug addicts. But in October, the Delhi state archaeology department decided to take up its conservation along with 18 other historical buildings in the city. The restoration job was handed over to the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage. One conservator who was not authorised to speak to the press told Hindustan Times that the project should be completed by the end of June. Already the shrubs have been cleared, and you can see that the old walls are being restored. The unanswered questions of Bhuli Bhatiyari ka Mahal, however, still linger.

- http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi-news/eerie-voices-mystery-wall-ghostly-14th-century-palace-in-central-delhi-gets-a-facelift/story-z11XUUPenL1gos7AfB5OML.html June 12, 2017

A public consultation on Srinagar master plan (2015-2035) was held in the institute of Engineer SonwarBagh by INTACH. Srinagar’s Masterplan (2015-2035) has been drafted and put out in public domain by Town Planning Organization, Kashmir for a betterment of Srinagar in terms of its historicity, civic amenities and comfort of living, due to inappropriate planning and lack of urban governance over the time. In the panel the consultants who were present were former chairman Public Service Commission M. ShafiPandit, Chairman Institution of Engineers Ashraf Fazili and the lead presentation summarizing the Masterplan was presented by Convenor INTACH (J&K Chapter) M. Saleem Beg. The consultants said that the Master plan is the key planning document which should concern us all. “We as citizens and residents need to have a stake and an opinion of how this city should grow and how it should be transformed so that it again becomes an urban space that caters to physical and non-physical needs,” reads a statement issued here. The statement reads that INTACH finds it highly imperative that this new Master Plan be presented in a lucid format to the citizens so that the same can be understood and further deliberated upon. VC SDA Tahseen Mustafa was also present in the consultation programme. “It is a sketch and not a painting. The panting is to be done by experts. A team will sit and finalise the plan. Experts gave their inputs but the final plan will be done be series of workshops in SDA,” he said. A number of civil society were also present on the occasion on the occassioin and expressed their views. They said public participation was missing in all previous Master Plans.” It is worth appreciating that the present document has been put on public domain for comments. SWOT analysis missing in the whole exercise.” They also said that losing wetlands, no mention of how wetlands would be reclaimed. Srinagar city is historic in entirety.

- http://www.risingkashmir.com/news/public-consultation-on-srinagar-master-plan-held June 13, 2017

A model of water conservation adopted successfully by the authorities in Nalanda district of south central Bihar, has been selected for the national award for excellence in the Mahatma Gandhi national rural employment guarantee programme (MGNREGP), by the ministry of rural development. The award for excellence will be conferred on ‘Project Jal Sanchay’, the water conservation model developed in chief minister Nitish Kumar’s native district, at a function to be organised at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on June 19. Nalanda deputy development commissioner (DDC) Kundan Kumar said he water conservation programme began just as an administrative initiative, but soon turned into a people’s movement. “Nalanda has been an agriculture oriented district, but it always remained affected by drought like conditions, which impacted cultivation and farm production. Though, during monsoon there were flash floods in the area, the water run off used to be so high that within 15 days the entire water got washed away,” he said. It was under these conditions that ‘project jal sanchay’ was launched under MGRNREGP, to offer farmers a wide spectrum of solutions to their water crisis. “So, check dams were created and traditional Aahar-Pyne irrigation system and traditional water bodies were desilted and renovated, accompanied by campaigns to create awareness about rainwater harvesting”, Kumar said. “But during field visits our team realised that knowledge of the traditional water conservation system could be most useful in water management and in maintaining water table in the area”, he said. So the things were discussed with local farmers and the traditional wisdom so collected was later incorporated into ‘jal sanchay project ‘ design. “What were have here now is a blend of modern day techniques and technologies with traditional knowledge to evolve a holistic approach to the problem of water conservation and it worked well,” the DDC said. The water conservation project, under MGNREGP, has not only improved the availability of water but has also positively impacted farm production in the areas covered by the project, he added.

- http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/nalanda-model-of-water-conservation-chosen-for-national-award/story-C9RNsxjgQM87xYS4ubRnQN.html June 13, 2017

The Kallai, a 4.3 km long wall built by Mughal emperor Akbar along the Hari Parbat hill in the centre of Srinagar, has seen no conservation despite being declared a protected monument six years ago. The centuries-old wall was originally 4.3 km in length. Years of vandalisation had destroyed 826 metres of it and damaged another 719 metres, according to a survey done by the Indian National Trust for Art and Culture Heritage (INTACH). To protect it from further destruction, the state declared it a protected monument under the JK Ancient Monument Protection Act. As per the Act, all construction made within 100 meters of the wall before 1992 had to be relocated, and the construction done after that year had to be demolished. Neither any demolition nor any relocation has taken place. The state of the Kallai is still what it was before it was declared as a protected monument. Within 100 meters of the wall that is by law a no-construction area, numerous residential colonies exist. The government has not even demolished its own structures in this radius. At many places across the wall there are many government schools and also a division of the water works department, all intact and functional. The 16th-century watchtowers that were built at regular intervals within the Kallai are now either missing or partially destroyed. They now serve as a habitation for dogs. In-charge Srinagar Municipal Corporation Commissioner Shafaqat Khan told Kashmir Reader that he was not aware of the protected status of the Kallai. He said he will look at the records to know the status and act accordingly. “Kallai is an important historic monument in the city. I will do whatever I can to ensure its protection. Let me read the Act and the orders first,” he said.

- http://kashmirreader.com/2017/06/13/kallai-wall-built-mughal-emperor-not-conserved June 13, 2017

More than a year since the Postmaster General (PMG) of the Mumbai region said that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) be signed with the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) to restore and preserve the General Post Office (GPO) in Mumbai, little has moved forward. Data accessed under the Right to Information Act (RTI) by public interest activist Anil Galgali reveals that the January 29, 2016, letter according “urgent priority” to the work meandered between postal divisions for months. Five letters on the subject were issued and despatched from the PMG’s office in January, February, August, September and November 2016. INTACH is a private trust that has the requisite expertise to handle heritage architecture restoration. Divay Gupta, principal director at INTACH, told The Hindu, “It is true that we were approached two years ago to take a look at the condition of the GPO building. Our preliminary assessment was followed by our advisory to cordon off areas of the building that were in a very bad state and faced imminent collapse that could cause serious injuries. We had suggested this as an immediate first measure that would entail no cost, but would ensure no loss to life or limb occurred.” Danger to hundreds Mr. Galgali says that the PMG had directed urgent and immediate action as the heritage building functions as the headquarters of the postal department and is visited by hundreds of people, besides the 1,000-plus government staffers who work there. The GPO chief had also pointed out in his January 2016 instructions to the head of the State buildings department that portions of the ceiling in different places had collapsed, even injuring a woman, who had sued the postal department. In response to his RTI query, the postal department informed Mr. Galgali, “Civil suit number 4735/2012 was lodged by a woman injured after a roof slab collapsed. The case is sub-judice (and the process of) fixing of vicarious responsibility upon the department (in currently ongoing over the incident).”

Sheer negligence
Mr. Galgali said the negligence of the postal department officials was glaring. “Consider the fact that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation-approved Mumbai Heritage Committee declared four of the 633 heritage structures in Mumbai as ‘poorly preserved buildings’, which included the GPO building. The GPO also got the distinction of being the only government building amongst the four dilapidated heritage structures; the three others, including the Watson Hotel building, are private structures.” The GPO’s restoration and maintenance was expected to cost ?47.58 crore in 2015, with an expected cost escalation of 10 to 15% per annum.

- http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/plan-to-restore-gpo-still-on-paper/article19034000.ece June 14, 2017

The exhibition ‘Ganga: River of Life and Eternity,’ on view at the National Museum until June 20, is “the largest exhibition on the mythologies, history and the ecology of the Ganga unto date”. Curated by Tara Sharma and Boston-based architect and urban designer Shakeel Hossain, the exhibition brings together artworks in a variety of mediums dating from the Gupta period to the present day. The individual pieces and their range are breathtaking and the mixing of classical with contemporary striking. The artworks have been borrowed from the National Museum, the Alkazi Foundation, the Kalakriti Archives, Hyderabad, as well as commissioned from contemporary artisans. We know well that the Ganga is one of India’s most important rivers – for millions, it has been and continues to be a source of spiritual and material life. We have never been to an exhibition on the Ganga before, and never one at the National Museum. So high expectations are natural. But when we aren’t presented with any revelations, any new interpretations of known narratives, we are disappointed and puzzled, despite being awestruck by the objects on display. The exhibition moves through three themes – Svarg (heaven), Prithvi (earth) and Patal (underworld). A large wall inscribed with Rig Veda verses on the sacredness of rivers opens the exhibition and leads us to the first section.

The first theme, Svarg, presents stories of celestial or Akash Ganga: her origins, abodes and descent onto earth. On display here are miniature paintings and sculptures that depict Ganga emerging from the water in which Brahma washed Vishnu’s feet, a contemporary series by Sunita Kanvinde on Ganga’s descent on her makar or crocodile, and wooden and bronze renditions of Vishnu lying on Sheshnaga. There are also miniature paintings and contemporary works by Kanvinde depicting Shiva bringing down Ganga in his matted locks. The story goes that when King Bharata’s sons interrupted Sage Kapila’s meditation, Kapila scorched them to ashes in anger and Bharata appealed to Shiva to restore his sons to life. Other exhibits capture Ganga’s many roles and identities, as narrated in the Hindu epics.

Ganga is consort and favourite of both Vishnu and Shiva. In some stories, and in the artworks on display, she is shown as so close to Krishna (an avatar of Vishnu) that she embodies Radha. In others, Shiva is Gangadhara, or Holder of Ganga: she is a mermaid in his hair. Ganga is, therefore, sister and rival of Parvati, Shiva’s wife. Ganga is also foster mother of Kartikeya, the warrior guardian of heaven who was conceived when Agni dropped Shiva’s seed into her waters. She is the wife of King Shantanu and mother of their only surviving son Bhishma, the gallant hero of the Mahabharata. The second theme, Prithvi, revolves around Ma Ganga or Ganga as the benevolent mother goddess who is revered spiritually and materially. She is benefactor of life and conferrer of moksha or liberation, as represented in scripture and iconography and evoked through rituals and pilgrimages. She is sacred and potent throughout her course but most so at tirths or sacred centres of pilgrimages. Here we have stone and bronze sculpture and displays on the Kumbh Mela at Allahabad and the Ganga arti in Banaras. Unfortunately, the modern-day Ganga arti at Dashashwamedh ghat is the only one that has been described.

This arti was established about a decade ago by a private organisation. Over the years it has gone on to eclipse the smaller, more aesthetically appealing artis that took place all along the ghats, through its pompous style and the importance it has garnered for tourism purposes. The display describes this arti in a typically celebratory fashion, as a popular practice arisen organically. We come next to small displays on other religious and popular practices that revolve around the Ganga: the immersion of the tazia during Muharram festivities, Kanwariya traditions, the Bera festival of Murshidabad and the immersion of Durga Puja images. This is a welcome enrichment of the previously classical Hindu focus of the exhibition. Sadly, here the exhibition begins to resemble something at a school annual day, with ‘models’ to be stared at and ‘charts’ ‘explaining’ the models. The giant replicas of a tazia, Bera raft and Durga idols, crafted by artisans, are beautiful and worthy of display. But the accompanying texts are solely informational and flat in their lack of questioning and nuance.

It seems a bit as though, without the already-enriching sculpture and miniature paintings at hand, the curators ran out of ideas of what to say and how to say it in ways that would do justice to the material. Prithvi also explores Ganga as ‘the river of Indian civilisation’. This section retells Indian history as a history of the Ganga, beginning with the Stone Age and the Harappan civilisation, through the Mauryan and Guptan empires, which formulated influential religious and artistic traditions, the Mughal empire, which synthesised Indic and Islamic traditions into the Ganga-Jamuni culture, and the British empire, which expanded trade and industrial development centred on the Ganga, to the present day. A wall of European maps showing India intra Gangem and India extra Gangem, or the regions west and east of Ganga, is a treat. We finally come to the last part of the exhibition. A wall of posters of Bollywood films – Jis Desh me Ganga Behti Hai, Ganga Jal, Ganga Jamuna and others – shows how Ganga metaphorically enters popular imagination and iconography. This wall leads to a contemporary installation and artworks on the pollution of the river, including a 15-foot painting by Madhubani artist Ajit Jha. Hossain says, “We forget to respect Ganga as a vital river of life.

We are literally washing all our filth – body and soul – into the river without any value for the river itself. There is a difference between performing rituals and worshipping. Central to worship is respect.” We cannot but agree with this. Unfortunately, like some of the previous displays, the installation is somewhat literal in a school assignment kind of way and misses the opportunity to really provoke viewers into thought. Hossain explains that the exhibition is “narrative and not object-based”. This distinction is a curious one for the viewer, even while we understand it may have been useful in the curatorial process in a technical sense. Any narrative is after all only made of its components, which in this case are the objects selected for display. How the objects make meaning when juxtaposed against each other and in groups is exactly what forms the narrative. So, what exactly does this distinction mean? The distinction is also curious because the objects on display are so spectacular. One could spend at least half a day in this exhibition poring over one beautiful, surprising detail after another.

That is in the end the merit of the exhibition. In fact, it is because of how inherently fantastic the objects are that the narrative has the potential to become important and interesting. In itself, the narrative the exhibition purports to tell – Ganga’s celestial origins, her descent, her ‘veneration and abuse’ on earth, or, as the curatorial note says, “the unbroken continuity of Ganga’s veneration and her role in the making of the region’s diverse and rich cultural geography” – is a conventional and not very interesting one. It’s something we hear and continue to hear in various forms, especially by those who want to extol the greatness and continuity of India’s culture and traditions without explaining why it should matter to do so.

On the whole, we wouldn’t have minded curatorial interpretation to bring some three-dimensionality and dynamism into the displays. The texts and explanations that accompany the displays are curiously detached, as though the objects are just beautiful objects, empty of any nuance or politics, found and brought together in celebratory innocence. What are the implications of the choices behind the particular objects and the way they have been organised? And ultimately, there’s a whole lot left out of the exhibition that could help rub against the flatness of the narrative presented. One doesn’t quite leave the exhibition with a deep sense of the millions of real lives tied to the Ganga, in the past and today, and moved to reflect on the complications of their perseverance and precariousness.

Just as obvious examples, what about the hundreds of pandits and purohits and the Dom specialists and Nishad fishermen and boatmen who fuel expansive economies along the river’s banks and whose material lives are completely dependent on it? To take from what the exhibition already includes, who are the Kanwariyas or the residents of Murshidabad who conduct the Bera festivities? Why does what they do really matter? It’s a shame we don’t have more to say about one of our richest sources of spiritual, cultural and material life, more than that is what it is. Nandini Majumdar is a freelance writer based in New Delhi and Varanasi. She also works on projects in education and the arts with NIRMAN, a non-profit organisation (www.nirman.info). She is the author of Banaras: Walks Through India’s Sacred City (Roli Books, 2014) and five children’s books, including Satya’s Boat (Tulika, 2014).

- https://thewire.in/147044/ganga-exhibition-national-museum June 14, 2017

As Delhi's historical stepwells lie in ruins with the ongoing urbanisation drive, a new initiative seeks to preserve seven baolis across the city. The baolis which were once a major source of water for civilisations that sprung up around them, are being digitised by The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) in collaboration with Google. Titled "Baolis of Delhi - Stepping into Step Wells", the project features baolis constructed between 1210 – 1540 and offers a virtual tour of the structures through specially curated photographs. "The effort would help to reach out to more people and provide them information about the architectural heritage of our city. "By reaching out to more and more people we are creating public awareness which is the first step towards conservation," Swapna Liddle, Convenor of INTACH's Delhi chapter, told PTI. With over 20 baolis spread across the city, most of these structures, Liddle said, have been neglected due to lack of awareness among people.

Besides documenting the popular stepwells -- Agrasen Ki Baoli in Lutyen's and the baoli at Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah, the project also introduces the lesser known baolis along with interesting narratives around them. Viewers will also get a virtual experience that enables them to have a look at the reservoirs which no longer have public access. These include the baoli at Feroz Shah Kotla and Purana Qila among others. The photographs can be viewed on the website -- Google Art and Culture (GAC), and also on the corresponding application on both iOS as well as Android. Talking about the need for collaborating with governments for initiatives to conserve historical structures, Liddle noted how a baoli in Dwarka is being restored by the Delhi government. "We need to work in collaboration. The INTACH Delhi Chapter in fact has had a very fruitful partnership with Delhi government through which we are studying and restoring several heritage structures for the Delhi State Department of Archaeology," she said.

When asked why only seven baolis were shortlisted for the project, Liddle said, the material picked up by Google was part of tourist literature and not a comprehensive list. Simon Rein, programme manager - India, GAC said that the initiative is inclined towards making India's rich heritage and culture more accessible to people at home and abroad. "It stems from Google's broader mission to organise and make information about world heritage more accessible to people. We want to enable users to discover artworks in new ways and help the cultural sector make the most of the digital opportunities," he said.

-http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/internet/google-digitises-delhis-baolis/articleshow/59142609.cms/, June 15, 2017

Ever wondered how pilgrims negotiated their way to the Chardhams – the famed religious circuit comprising four Hindu shrines – through the treacherous Himalayan terrain when there were no roads? The historic trails are now being mapped by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), a non-profit organisation that works for conservation of cultural heritage. As a part of the project, geographical information system (GIS) mapping of the traditional routes - which are largely forgotten now - will be undertaken. ‘Pilgrim Trails to Kedarnath’, a route spanning about 380 km between Haridwar and Kedarnath, has already been mapped.

Work on the second phase to map the Haridwar-Badrinath stretch is likely to begin soon. “We’re documenting pilgrimage routes from the past that are no longer in use and have been forgotten by the people after the construction of roads and highways. Once they are all mapped, we’ll also try to revive them so that they can be used by present-day pilgrims wishing to take the traditional routes,” INTACH’s Uttarakhand chapter co-convener Lokesh Ohri told Hindustan Times. Besides GIS mapping, INTACH experts are documenting important sites falling along the route and recording their heritage/religious significance.

“Traditionally, the pilgrimage required devotees to make a stopover at some important places and perform certain prescribed rituals on the route for their yatra to be considered complete. We’re also chronicling those places,” Ohri said. The project aims to attract the spiritual people as well as the adventurous youth. “The thrust is on reviving these (forgotten routes) for their spiritual value besides also popularizing them among youth who wish to seek some spiritualistic adventure instead of getting airdropped (flying to the shrines through choppers),” he said.

-http://www.hindustantimes.com/dehradun/pilgrim-trails-old-chardham-routes-to-be-mapped/story-szyzfskctJFE6WAvSb7YMJ.html/, June 15, 2017

Vijay Kumar is a cost accountant on an audit of priceless returns — that of bringing India's idol heritage home safe and sound.In 2013, Kumar, a Chennaiite who now lives in Singapore, started the India Pride Project (IPP), a completely volunteer-driven organisation that has been instrumental in tracking invaluable trafficked temple idols from India. His online movement #BringOurGodsHome has been gaining traction, his latest victory being the return of a 1000-year-old narasinee statue from an Australia gallery (they called it the lion lady), which was stolen from a temple in Vridachalam. Kumar was in the city on Thursday for a talk organised by heritage organisation Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage on the IPP, its work and the 'Homecoming of our Heritage'. Although the IPP got its name only in 2013, Kumar had started documenting temple art in his bilingual blog 'poetry in stone' — writing extensively on sculpture in 2006. It was this that led to a movement to retrieve lost temple art. "We need to document and build an online searchable archive of temple art to preserve it as well as prevent its theft.

The IPP is doing this solely using the power of social media. People see an artefact and they click a picture and post it. We take it from there," said Kumar. The IPP's first big art save came in early 2013, when he and his team were instrumental in retrieving an Ardanari idol that belonged to the Vridachalam temple. "The theft was not reported for 12 years, but we spotted the statue at a gallery in New South Wales and then worked towards its return to India," he said.

"In the pre-IPP era, the idol wapasai happened with no dealers names ever mentioned, no one ever facing the consequences of having stolen idols from temples in India and smuggled them overseas," says Kumar. "The idols were returned to the country, the perpetrators went scot free and no questions were asked. A movement like IPP wants to change that. There needs to be a deterrent in place to prevent art theft," said Kumar, giving the example of how in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, one of displays is a Chandraketugarh artefact "presented" to the gallery by idol smuggler Subhash Kapoor in "honour" of his daughter.

Kapoor is lodged in Puzhal jail, with just three cases lodged against him, despite police finding more than 2,600 stolen items in some of his warehouses in New York. "I estimate that we are losing around 10,000 artefacts every decade and that's why I believe we need to work together to safeguard it," said Kumar.

-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/an-idol-enthusiast-fights-to-get-back-lost-heritage/articleshow/59167548.cms/, June 16, 2017

The Centre has declared the temples of Odisha's Ranipur-Jharial, and their adjoining ruins, as monuments of national importance. In a preliminary notification, published in the gazette on May 25, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has sought for objections, if any, in the coming two months. The group of temples, dating to a time period between the 8th and the 11th centuries, are located in the ancient trade route connecting Titlagarh and the erstwhile Madhya Bharat. The temple sites also house the famous Chausath Yogini temple, a centrally-protected monument.

The ancient complex was found to have over 120 temples as per the ASI's report of 1876. The site is surrounded by a host of historically important sites like Narisinghnath, Maraguda, Podagarh, Asurgarh, Belkhandi, Saintala and Patnagarh. "A proposal to recognise the ancient temple complex as one of national importance was submitted to the Culture Ministry around 2014. A brief investigation was carried out, and the complex needs attention and proper conservation," said Rakesh Tewari, Director General, ASI. While the Yogini temple is already centrally-protected, the ASI's notification seeks to extend central protection to the Somesvara group of temples and its adjoining monuments in Jharial, and the Indralath temple, remains of the Kapileswar Mahadev temple and the remains of the Dhabaleswar Mahadev temple in Ranipur. The temples are dedicated to a host of deities, including Shiva, Vishnu and Yogini.

The group of temples imbibes a host of different architectural styles like rekha, khakara, pidha and hypaethral, along with different types of building material such a granite, sandstone, bricks, stucco, etc.

-http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-odisha-temples-get-national-importance-status-2474120/, June 16, 2017

Around 1,000 runners and heritage enthusiasts including children participated in the ‘Go Heritage Run - Hyderabad’. The event was organised by Hyderabad Runners Society in association with INTACH Hyderabad, Telangana Tourism and iKeva at Taramati Baradari on Sunday. This run saw participation from children as young as six years old and as old as 79 years. The 21km run started at 5.30 am and saw 400 participants, followed by the 10km run, which was attended by 450 runners and about 150 participants joined the 5k run. About 75 volunteers from Hyderabad Runners ensured that all runners had adequate support including water and electrolytes. Care Hospitals, the medical partner for Go Heritage Run – Hyderabad provided medical support, paramedics and emergency standby vehicles. Anuradha Reddy, INTACH Hyderabad, led an exploration of the history of Taramati and relationship between ‘Diamonds and Golconda’ after the run was completed.

-http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Telangana/2017-06-18/In-love-for-heritage/307255, June 19, 2017

Aiming to inspire young people to expand their knowledge and encourage documentation of India’s rich cultural heritage, Sahapedia, an open online resource on Indian arts in partnership jointly with Unesco, launched a fellowship programme here on Friday. The Sahapedia-Unesco Fellowships, available to post-doctoral scholars, doctoral candidates, post-graduates, and graduates is expected to generate critically researched, engaging content in multimedia formats that will be hosted on the Sahapedia website. The fellowships, available in two variants - the Sahapedia Project Fellowship (SPF) and the Sahapedia Research Fellowship (SRF) - gives the applicants the option of participating either at the level of primary documentation or in the content curation process. “It is a privilege to have the support of an organisation like Unesco for our documentation and conservation efforts. The aim of Sahapedia is to provide as much of the vast and diverse body of cultural knowledge in India as possible, especially about the lesser known practices and traditions in India,” Sudha Gopalakrishnan, Executive Director, Sahapedia, said.

-http://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/art-and-culture/sahapedia-unesco-fellowships-in-indian-cultural-heritage-launched-4708413/, June 19, 2017

Delhi saw its first “jute” idol on Durga Puja last year. This year, that idol has paved its way from the Arambagh Durga Puja Samiti pandal to the National Crafts Museum, the largest crafts museum in the country. The 13-foot-tall jute Durga idol was designed by Gouranga Kuila, a Bengal-based artist and winner of the National Award for handicrafts in 2002. It has been presented to the museum by Abhijit Bose, the president of the samiti which is one of the oldest Durga Puja communities in the city and is located at Panchkuian Road. However, the idol, which took three months to be completed, is yet to be inaugurated officially in the museum. On asking what made him think of creating an idol out of jute in Delhi, Mr Bose said that he wanted to create awareness about the “dying” jute industry while also helping in reviving it. “The condition of jute industry in India is very critical today. We decided to go back to our roots and focus on preserving the dying traditional art forms from Bengal. This is the reason last year’s theme was titled ‘In Search of Roots,’” he said. Not only the main idol, but the pandal was also the first of its kind and was made entirely out of jute. It was designed by Subrata Kar, who made his first jute Durga idol in Kolkata in 2015. The pandal gate, with a 45-foot-high artwork of a woman holding a diya, also signified hope for the dying industry. “Since the idol is environment friendly, we couldn’t immerse it. So, I wanted to preserve it. After the festival was over, I started contacting Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum, National Museum of India, and other organisations. Then I thought since it is a part of handicraft, why not preserve it in the crafts museum. I wrote to them and they agreed to showcase it. It’s been 20 days since the idol has been installed in the “West Bengal Hut.” It will be inaugurated officially in the next few days,” Mr Bose said. He believes that the government should promote the jute industry by making the use of jute products mandatory. “I have made an effort to revive the dying art form by preserving the idol in the museum. However, only when the people start using jute products will the industry become competitive and sustainable again,” said Mr Bose.

-http://www.asianage.com/metros/delhi/180617/jute-durga-idol-makes-it-to-museum.html, June 19, 2017

A major roadblock in building the East West Metro corridor was removed with the Archaeological Survey of India granting permission today to build the track and a station near three monuments in the heart of the city. The ASI today submitted to the Calcutta High Court a copy of its order permitting the Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation Limited (KMRCL) to lay the underground metro line and build Mahakaran station at Dalhousie area, near the heritage Currency Building. The office of the regional director and competent authority in West Bengal of the National Monuments Authority (NMA) today submitted a copy of its permission order to bench of Justice Dipankar Datta, removing a major impediment in laying the metro line. Nandini Bhattacharya Sahu, the competent authority, granted permission for construction of the Mahakaran Metro station in the regulated area near the Currency Building, a national monument.

Apart from the Currency Building, there are two synagogues which are also heritage buildings. Laying down the conditions for such construction, the NMA said “all construction above the ground, including Mahakaran Metro station, shall be beyond the 100-metre prohibited area of Centrally Protected Monuments.” It also said that a “joint committee shall be set up under the chairmanship of the regional director, ASI, which will include technical experts from IIT, Kharagpur and officers of KMRCL.” “This committee shall monitor the proposed works and shall ensure all possible measures which are required to be taken for the safety of the three monuments in question,” according to the conditions laid down by NMA. It said a monthly report on the progress of the project shall be submitted to NMA and Director General, ASI. Reiterating its concern over the safety of the monuments during and post-construction and to monitor it on real time basis, the NMA said “for this purpose, KMRCL shall install equipments on all protected monuments along the proposed route capable of measuring vibrations, structural impacts when construction activities are on and during the metro operations.”

It also said that any adverse effect in any of the centrally-protected monuments in the vicinity due to the KMRC project has to be taken care of by KMRC under the supervision of the superintending archaeologist, ASI, at Kolkata. The permission also said that KMRCL should set up a separate fund for the purpose of heritage promotion and campaigning for the cause of Kolkata’s heritage. Justice Datta had, during the previous hearing, asked the Centre to make efforts to find out ways to make an exception in the ASI’s heritage building rules to facilitate the construction of a tunnel, which will pass through places near or under three such buildings and of Mahakaran station.

AFCONS, which is carrying out the construction work of the tunnel, has moved the high court seeking relief over delay owing to the issues related to occupiers who are not evacuating five old buildings in Burrabazar area and permission for construction near or under the three heritage buildings in Dalhousie area. AFCONS has claimed that stoppage of the working of huge boring machines that are being used for the purpose, will lead to financial loss to the company and also further delay in completion of the work. The 14.67 km-long East West Metro corridor connecting Howrah with Salt Lake Sector V has suffered delays in completion schedule owing to various reasons. Tunnel boring from the Howrah side is being done and at present work is on under the Hooghly river.

After passing through the riverbed, the metro tunnel will enter the highly congested Burrabazar area, which is the wholesale trading hub of eastern India, and then it will reach Dalhousie where the heritage buildings are located.

-http://www.india.com/news/agencies/asi-permits-construction-of-metro-line-stn-in-dalhousie-area-2251249/, June 20, 2017

EARLY WORKS of celebrated artists from M F Husain to Salvador Dali, some unseen by the outside world for years and all exclusive to Air India’s collection, are set to go on public display. Air India, however, cannot give a date yet, with the inauguration of its museum postponed from August because the funds haven’t yet been raised. Spanning 9,000 sq ft on the first floor of the Air India building in Mumbai, the museum will display artworks and paintings by more than 300 artists from across the world, including Anjolie Ela Menon, B Prabha and V S Gaitonde, besides Husain and Dali. “Many artists such as Prabha and Gaitonde got early exposure through displays at Air India booking offices. They were bought by the airline for meagre amounts, between Rs 50 and Rs 500. Other artists often got free tickets abroad in return for paintings,” said Meera Dass, consultant to Air India for the museum, and a former member of the National Monuments Authority. Other displays will include glass paintings. “Back then, artists such as A Almelkar, Ratnadeep Adivrekar and others from across the world were commissioned to do glass paintings exclusively for Air India. These paintings, which then adorned the walls of the airline’s reception offices and waiting rooms, will be a treat to visitors,” said Uttara Parikh, consultant for Air India’s art collection. Then there is an ashtray designed by Dali. “Back in the 1950s, the airline asked Dali to make a model of an ashtray to be offered to business class passengers. Some passengers gave these away to museums, which later auctioned them. Air India will show one of these for the first time in the country,” Dass said. Officials say the interiors of the museum remain to be worked upon. The museum is being set up at Rs 5 crore and tenders for Rs 3.5 crore were floated last month, but the contract has yet not been awarded. Officials said Air India expects the museum to be funded partly by the government. “Although we have received positive responses from bidders, we are yet to receive financial sanction for the work,” said an official. “The airline is at a sensitive stage financially at this point. We cannot give a specific timeline of when the process will be over.” Dass put the current art collection at around 10,000 items. “We are yet to receive some of the works from our offices around the world,” she said. The gallery will include works representing various cultures of society. “The museum will have archaeological works, glass paintings, sculptures dating to the tenth century, wood carvings, metalworks across cultural segments of the country. Different themes expressed with respect to religious beliefs or myths will be on display. For example one of our works displays Kaalia Mardan (stories of Lord Krishna) in folk style painting,” Dass said. “The museum will not only narrate the history of the artwork and paintings but also Air India’s timeline,” she said. “The cost of our collection should be in the range of hundreds of crores. We also possess several artefacts whose cost is difficult to evaluate.”

-http://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/art-and-culture/air-india-museum-early-works-by-top-artists-ready-for-display-once-ai-gets-funds-4712423/, June 20, 2017

Barmer is not only famous for its desert but also for its intricate and colourful embroidery. No wonder then, people in India and abroad are huge fans of this handicraft. Now, to give impetus to Barmer's embroidery and to increase the income of craftswomen, the newly appointed district collector of Barmer, Shiv Prasad Nakate has launched a campaign.Looking at the embroidery being done in almost all homes of Barmer and its demand across the globe, a programme in Shilpgram, Barmer will be organised on June 23. The idea behind this is to give a platform for its marketing. Union textile ministry officials, many companies and craftsmen from all over the district have been invited for the same. Efforts are being made that a market for embroidery is developed at Barmer's Shilpgram and cultural programmes are being organized to lure the public. Nakate inaugurated six skill development training camps at Barmer in which more than 80 women are being trained in crafts.

-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/barmer-embroidery-to-get-a-boost/articleshow/59223446.cms, June 21, 2017

One of the most historical water bodies, Hauz-e-Shamsi, is shrinking. Residents around this water body fear its extinction. Once spread over 100 hectares, this water body (locally known as the Shamsi talaab) has shrunk into a patch of filthy water over the years. Rainwater from nearby catchments is the only source of water to the lake. Due to concretisation, there has been a massive loss in water restored to the lake. “Loss of catchments, dumping of waste, sewage discharge and lack of political will are some of the cited reasons behind the present state of Shamshi talab,” says Lalit Gupta, secretary of the Shamsi Talaab Resident Welfare association (Mehrauli). The water reservoir comes under the purview of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

“Seeing the dismal state of water body, we went to the ASI for support for cleaning and maintaining sufficient water by redirecting surplus water from nearby sewage treatment plants. We only got assurance of regular cleaning, which was also not taken up after 2015. Despite all promises, nothing is done on ground,” adds Gupta. Praveen Singh, superintending archaeologist at ASI has a different narrative, “We are working on cleaning and restoring the water body and nearby monuments. The water-related issues such as desilting and refilling are not in our jurisdiction. We are planning to work in collaboration with Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to look into this matter. To facilitate the process, we are also interested in making provision of funding as well.” There are channels and drains that are connected to the reservoir to divert rainwater from available catchments, but this is not sufficient enough to maintain appropriate level of water.

To address this, community came forward and started a local initiative led by the association. They targeted municipal sewage drains that collect sewerage from neighboring colonies. This drain is present along the lake. To treat sewage water and to use treated water to fill lake, members of the community established a decentralised sewage treatment plant (STP) by spending Rs 60,000. After initial operationalisation of four to five months, they found that the water level rose upto to 10 feet. The regular water quality monitoring was also done by the residents itself. But ASI officials closed the unit and promised a new treatment system in collaboration with DJB in due course of time. “Till date, no work has been undertaken by either DJB or ASI. They are just empty promises and nothing more than that,” adds Gupta.

V K Jain, founder of Delhi-based non-profit Tapas, who moved court for saving Delhi’s lake and water bodies, says, “We received order from courts for cleaning water bodies several times, but a regular monitoring and cleaning is never done. Initially, it was done for two or three year, but then the programme stopped. Frequency was never maintained for cleaning activities, hence, whole exercise lost its value.” Even if the lake is cleaned regularly, the concern is the lowering water level.

It is time we realised that if water level is not maintained, the remaining aquatic life in the lake will soon disappear. “Treated wastewater available from nearby operational STPs with BOD (biological oxygen demand) level less than 3 mg/L can be a good alternative to filling the lake,” adds Jain. The present situation of Shamsi Talab is a result of the apathy of government agencies. Once a water-sufficient lake now looks like an unhygienic, mosquito-breeding site full of aquatic weeds. Apart from creating awareness, there is an urgent need to make provision for water supply to the lake, in addition to regular cleaning and desilting. Otherwise, it will soon be lost and turn into a dry dumping ground.

-http://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/13th-century-water-body-in-delhi-dying-for-lack-of-attention-sustained-action-58133, June 21, 2017

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan today asked the Odisha government to support UNESCO's plan of developing Chilika lake as World Heritage site. "UNESCO in association with ONGC is planning to support the development of Chilika as World Heritage site and enhance the value of the lake to become a brand of conservation linked sustainable development," the Union Petroleum Minister said in a letter to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Regarding initiatives to preserve the ecosystem around Chilika, the largest coastal lagoon in India, Pradhan said he had discussed the issue with Shigeru Aoyagi, Director and UNESCO Chief Representative to bhutan, India, maldives and Sri Lanka. ONGC and UNESCO are in a process of taking short and long-term measures to conserve Chilika lake, protect animals and birds, and improve the livelihood of fishing community, Pradhan said in the letter. The measures also include income generation and welfare activities in the lake area. UNESCO has also proposed to set up a world class conservation centre with climate change observatory and state-of-art data and monitoring facilities, the minister said.

He said that these plans require the mentorship and guidance of Odisha Government and Ministries of environment and Forests and Culture. "I am writing to you for soliciting your support in taking up various development works in the area," Pradhan said. Bhubaneswar, Jun 20 Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan today asked the Odisha government to support UNESCO's plan of developing Chilika lake as World Heritage site. "UNESCO in association with ONGC is planning to support the development of Chilika as World Heritage site and enhance the value of the lake to become a brand of conservation linked sustainable development," the Union Petroleum Minister said in a letter to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Regarding initiatives to preserve the ecosystem around Chilika, the largest coastal lagoon in India, Pradhan said he had discussed the issue with Shigeru Aoyagi, Director and UNESCO Chief Representative to Bhutan, India, Maldives and Sri Lanka.

ONGC and UNESCO are in a process of taking short and long-term measures to conserve Chilika lake, protect animals and birds, and improve the livelihood of fishing community, Pradhan said in the letter. The measures also include income generation and welfare activities in the lake area. UNESCO has also proposed to set up a world class conservation centre with climate change observatory and state-of-art data and monitoring facilities, the minister said. He said that these plans require the mentorship and guidance of Odisha Government and Ministries of Environment and Forests and Culture. "I am writing to you for soliciting your support in taking up various development works in the area," Pradhan said.

-http://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/support-unesco-to-develop-chilika-as-world-heritage-site/1080028, June 21, 2017

Constructed with an aim to boost the city’s tourism, the replica of the famous Lahore Food Street, Urban Haat, is crying for the attention of the district authorities as the project has failed to attract local residents as well as traders. The project lies non-functional, even after a year of its inauguration. The project, during the entire year of its existence, failed miserably to get on board any prominent food outlets of the city and the few food outlets, which had opened on its premises, shut their shops a few months ago. Notably, the then Punjab Government had restored and revamped the abandoned 124-year-old colonial building of Victoria Jubilee Hospital in consultation with the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, to attract tourists to taste Amritsar’s cuisine.

Sushil Kumar Jain, a city-based businessman, said, “I remember a festival was organised, but more than that I never thought of visiting the place, as it does not offer anything nor was it widely written about.” “I am curious to know what exactly is this building about? It has been closed for long,” remarked, Shruti, a school student. The project was inaugurated by the then Deputy Chief Minister, Sukhbir Singh Badal, in May 2016 amidst much fanfare by organising Amritsar Heritage Festival in which people from 20 different states had taken part. According to the plan, the deserted place, spread over 4.5 acres and divided into six blocks, aimed at providing eight suites, guest rooms, a gym, an ATM facility and a crafts bazaar. JS Grewal, Additional Chief Administrator, Amritsar Development Authority, said, “We are focused on this project. We are working towards it. It will be one of the finest projects in the city and the people will see a positive change soon.” - See more at:

-http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/amritsar/a-year-on-urban-haat-project-lies-in-limbo/425837.html, June 22, 2017

To collaborate and encourage research to conserve, preserve, and manage the heritage of Indian Railways, the Centre for Heritage Management (CHM) recently inked a memorandum of understanding with the Indian Railways Institute of Civil Engineering (IRICEN). As part of the agreement, the two institutes will engage in a series of activities for capacity-building of railway personnel by integrating the heritage perspective in their training and work practices. Th e collaboration will help incorporate heritage management in the curriculum of IRICEN and create awareness about railway heritage.

The MoU will also facilitate research on heritage-related themes with the Indian Railways. "The CHM will consider pursuing heritage-related research that will help in achieving the objective of conservation, preservation, and management of Indian Railways heritage," said Devanath Tirupati, the CHM in-charge. Experts said that the introduction of heritage management will provide deeper understanding of heritage tourism to civil engineers of the Indian Railways. Debashish Nayak, the director of the CHM, said: "Indian Railways is not only known for being the world's longest railway network, but also for its rich history." Indian Railways has a treasure lying across the country, he said. "Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, for example, is already on the World Heritage List of UNESCO," he said

-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/railways-takes-heritage-track/articleshow/59260021.cms/, June 22, 2017

Just a few years ago, the BBMP was forced to drop its plan to demolish the Krishna Raja and Johnson markets after concerned Bengalureans raised a hue and cry about it. It seems to have forgotten the lesson learnt then as it now plans to bring down 13 old markets to construct multi-storied parking lots. The list contains five markets that are historically famous spaces – one of which even figures in the government’s list of heritage buildings. One of the markets at Cubbonpet is said to have been built by Otto Koenigsberger, a German architect, who built many public offices in Bengaluru during the Mysore State administration. The list has these names: Austin Town Market, Moore Road Market, Murphy Town Market, Darjipet Market, Ballapur Market on Avenue Road, Srirampura Market, Akkipet Market, Magadi Road Market, Balepet Chowk Market, SKR Mutton Market, Cubbonpet Market, Sirsi Circle Market and Chikkamavalli Market.

The authorities’ decision was based on the reported increase of vehicular traffic in these areas, the age of the market buildings and the paltry rent paid by the shops. Markets at Cubbonpet, Magadi Road, Chikkaaavalli, Austin Town and Murphy Town have a history, apart from being among the oldest shopping spaces. These date back to pre-independence years and early 1900s. The Murphy Town Market was included in a list of heritage buildings that was submitted to the state archaeological department by the government a few years ago. Conservation architects associated with Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), who recently inspected the heritage markets that are on the chopping board, traced rich history of the architecture of the buildings.

Take the Cubbonpet Market that has a unique structural design -- There is a possibility that this was built by Otto Koenigsberger, the German architect and chief architect and planner of Mysore State between 1939 and 1948. Koenigsberger has built many other buildings in Bengaluru including the city corporation offices and the MN Krishna Rao pavilion. Looking at his architectural style, Cubbonpet Market seems to have his touch (this has been validated by Rachel Lee, who has done her PhD on Koenigsberger). However, there is no other proof to certify this. Sonali Dhanpal, an architect, who works with INTACH said, “The building’s front facade has simple cylindrical volumes flanking a semi-circular arch forming the main entrance. The design looks predominantly utilitarian with protruding chajjas and a flat terrace. On entering the structure, it becomes evident that the plan is open allowing various activities to thrive within the complex. High plinths serve as informal display spaces for vendors and the clear pedestrian paths are demarcated in between them. Despite the building not being in its finest state, the ingenuity of the design can be seen in details such as small storage spaces accommodated in the raised plinths that are small yet deep. The street fronts are full of activity and with shops.’’ One of the oldest occupants of Cubbonpet market is M Muniraju and his wife Pushpavani. They have been flower vendors for over 25 years and before that Muniraju was a seller here. The news of the market coming down has left them distraught. “The market has been here since my father’s time and we are familiar with the space.

Our main business is from regular customers. It would be a shame if we had to move, our familiarity with the people here would be lost entirely,” Muniraju said. Some of the other markets are not especially noteworthy structures from the point of view of architecture -- Moore Road Market, Austin Town Market – but then we assume the parking lots wouldn’t be architectural marvels either. The Murphy Town market, constructed during 1913, is predominantly a meat and poultry market. The hallmark of this market is a colourfully painted stone building with a large open space, which is a remnant of the architecture of the bygone era. One of the shops, the over 100-year-old V M Stores in the market is vintage.

A huge parking lot already exists near the Chikmavalli market, but the space is mostly underused. Some of the markets are on narrow streets and so building parking lots on those lanes could add to the traffic chaos. Architects suggest that at least some of these markets can be revived, rejuvenated and reused with better facilities such as a basic clean-up, improved lighting, drainage, garbage segregation and disposal, toilets. INTACH’s co-convener Meera Iyer said there is a need for the authorities to try something different.

-http://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/bangalore/others/markets-get-set-to-go/articleshow/59276616.cms?, June 23, 2017

The Indian government is planning to promote destinations that are associated with "warriors.” According to Press Trust of India, the tourism ministry has already planned a Warrior Circuit, on the lines of the Krishna and Ramayana Circuits launched last year, promoting regions linked to epic heroes. "Such warriors would be identified from the Jat belt of Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh, from the northeast states as well as from South India," a ministry official said. As per plan, a part of the Greater Noida-based Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya institute of Archaeology, under the ministry of culture, will be turned into a museum for a local Gujjar warrior, the official said. Stories of bravery are also being identified in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, where three museums are proposed to be set up. "The circuits will mark many warriors who fought the Mughals such as Shivaji.

There is also Lachit Borphukan, who fought the Mughals in Saraighat in Assam." said the official. Another battle in history whose protagonists are going to find a place in the circuit are those who were involved in the Kakori conspiracy. The looting of a train near Kakori in Lucknow in August 1925 became known as the Kakori conspiracy. The looters comprised several people involved in the Indian independence movement. A memorial to those revolutionaries exists in the town. If the project outlay for the other circuits are anything to go by, the Warrior Circuit, if approved and put in place, is likely to boost tourism in the areas earmarked. The tourism ministry had launched the Swadesh Darshan Scheme in 2014-15 to develop theme-based tourist circuits in the country. Under this scheme, 13 thematic circuits have been identified for development.

They include the Buddhist Circuit, North-East India Circuit, Coastal Circuit, Himalayan Circuit and Krishna Circuit. Apart from these, the ministry has in mind a Desert Circuit, Eco Circuit, Wildlife Circuit, Tribal Circuit, Rural Circuit, Spiritual Circuit, Ramayana Circuit and Heritage Circuit.

-http://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3194668, June 23, 2017

For the last few years, Dr Chithra Madhavan, a scholar in south Indian temple architecture and iconogra phy, has been called to conduct lectures from an institution not commonly associated with academia -the tour and travel company. Not too long ago, her place was commanded by the "all-knowing" tour guide who would liberally spin tall tales to keep the tips coming. For instance, visitors to Rajasthan's Chittorgarh fort were captivated with stories of Rani Padmini's fair skin -so translucent that you could see the paan juice going down her throat. Travellers to Taj Mahal were awed by the legend of Shah Jahan cutting off the thumbs of masons who built the monument so they could never replicate it. These may entertain but visitors who would rather be enlightened prefer a more scholarly guide, schooled in their special interest to broaden the mind. When an Indian travel company first asked Dr Madhavan if she would accompany a group of suits to Mahabalipuram for the day and introduce them to Pallava temple art and architecture, she had her doubts.

Though she was accustomed to the public lecture, this was another kettle of fish. Where should she begin? How far in should she wade? She developed a technique: "I try to gauge my audience at the very beginning by asking them questions. That's when I know how to pitch my delivery without making it too shallow or too complex," says the scholar. The explosion of 21st century travel in the slipstream of rising incomes has enlarged the tribe of the `road scholar' (what a Boston-based travel company cleverly calls itself). So increasingly , anthropolo gists, naturalists, geologists, textile scholars and others with a fine focus on a discipline are being commissioned by travel companies to conduct `intellectual tours'. "Those who have a specific interest, and limited time prefer an interaction with an expert," says Mala Tandan, director of Greaves India. The company's roster includes historians like Sohail Hashmi (for Old Delhi); William Dalrymple: (Lutyens Delhi, Rashtrapati Bhawan); Raaja Bhasin (Shimla and Himachal) and conservation architect Navin Piplani, a core member of the Taj Mahal Conservation Collaborative. Abercrombie & Kent commissions Sunil Raman, journalist and author (Del hi Durbar 1911 -The Complete Story). "Many academics have reservations about conducting tours for lay people, probably feeling they've spent years in deep research, and may have to convey a dumbed-down version to the tourist," says Dr Madhavan. "The academic part of the tour can go for a toss when you have someone asking you for a good place to eat," says conservation AHARAJ architect Vikas Dilawari, who showed Prince Charles around CST.

The job is well-paying for those willing to dip their beak in -from Rs 10,000 a day to Rs 50,000 depending on the expert's celebrity , popularity, and the size of the group. Swapna Liddle, scholar and author (Chandi Chowk: The Mughal City of Old Delhi) funnels her fee to INTACH (Delhi Chapter), of which she is the convenor. She conducts these tours to promote Indian heritage and INTACH. She says, "I think everybody has a right to be taken on a tour if interested. Who am I to discriminate and say I'll only take serious scholars."

While the expert-led tour in India is still peopled by Westerners, Indians are starting to queue up too. Shankar Ganesh, director of The Road Less Travelled, a six-month-old travel company , says Indians are keen to take travelling lessons from pundits.Ganesh's clients, for example, have n the high road with astronomers and taken the high road with astronomers and Indian mythologists. Travellers too are expected to do their homework. Some travel companies furnish them with reading lists before the trip. Oth ers encourage them to exchange emails with the experts beforehand, and signal areas of special interest. Usually, the travel ler's every question is addressed on the field. Save the odd one that demands to know why India doesn't look after its mon uments better.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/move-over-raju-the-guide-the-phd-travel-experts-here/articleshow/59305077.cms, June 27, 2017

Museums across the world took part this last week in #MuseumWeek, an online event celebrating museums and culture. Among them were four Indian institutions — Government Museum Chandigarh, Bhau Daji Lad, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya and the NGO Heritage Lab, all of whom tweeted about interesting artworks from their collections. On the occasion, Gargi Gupta spoke to Simon Rein, of Google Arts & Culture, the tech behemoth's initiative to digitise the collections of museums.

Are museums relevant today? What is the future of digital museums like the GA & Culture vis-a-vis museums? People love art and nothing can replace experiencing it in person. Technology, too, has an incredible role to play, by enabling anyone anywhere to explore art and culture, and to help museums reach new people. Users can travel around the world's museums with just a few clicks. An online encounter with an artwork is the first step towards bringing people through a museum's door — I don't think that will ever change. GA & C began by digitising art in museums and private institutions. How does fashion tie in with this? During the course of our engagement with museums, we discovered plenty of content around clothes and textiles. When we started talking to curators and experts, we realised that nowadays we wear a mix of influences gleaned from multiple sources. But we aren't as aware of the history, meaning, craftsmanship, and original function — the cultural background — that surrounds the clothes.

We thought it would be fascinating to uncover the hidden stories of clothes and to decode their cultural meaning. We thought we would start small, but today we have 183 institutions from around 42 countries contributing to the fashion chapter. There are about 10 partners from India in the fashion chapter and over 45 Indian partners in the entire programme. Seven years on, what is the progress on Google Art Project? What is its acceptability among museum bosses? GA&C puts over a 1000 museums at your fingertips. We've gone beyond art into performing arts, natural history, world monuments and historic sites. We're incorporating intangible cultural heritage. It's about culture as a broader narrative.

On of our finest examples of how culture has evolved over the ages is Women in India: Unheard Stories — an experience that showcases pioneering Indian women, from a Sufi princess to trailblazing scientists. GA&C is increasingly working with Virtual Reality (VR) that includes Cardboard and now Tilt Brush. What's in the pipeline? We are trying to get people excited: feel a little bit of joy every time they zoom into an artwork. And technology can complement the experience. Technologies such as the Art Camera, ultra-high resolution imagery or Virtual Reality can offer experiences not only outside but also inside museums that otherwise would not be possible. Tilt Brush is another such tool to make art in virtual reality. We've also added a new annotation feature in Panoramic View (think of it as a digital museum guide) that gives you key insights about the artworks on your virtual museum visits.

How does the cultural initiative tie in with Google's identity as a tech company? (It's) in line with our mission of organising the world's information and making it universally accessible. We feel that the physical world of high culture has not embraced the digital enough. In the digital tech world, we are moving at an extremely fast pace, but we're not moving at that same pace when it comes to cultural communication from the institutions.

- http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/interview-on-a-virtual-museum-tour-2482873, June 27, 2017

The recent discoveries by the Department of Archaeology and Museums after the Megalithic excavations in Jangaon and Siddipet districts in Telangana will provide a unique and new dimension to the narrative of that period in the state. Two simultaneous excavations started in March this year - Narmetta in Jangaon and Palamakula in Siddipet - are not just rare but also have several ‘firsts’ to the department’s credit.

The excavation from the Megalithic period - 1500 BC to 500 AD - throw light on the artistic and aesthetic sense of that era. The excavation in Narmetta, that is widely popular for the Kolanupaka temple, a religious destination of the Jains, led to the finding of what is being considered as the biggest capstone ever discovered in South India, according to the Department officials. “It is the biggest and also unique as it was arranged in an anthropomorphic manner where only the body weighs 42 tonnes. Another piece of the capstone is in the form of a human head.

This is the first time in the Department’s history that we have unearthed something like this,” informed NR Visalatchy, director. This apart, over 22 stone pieces, the highest till date, which are predicted to have been dismantled from a neck piece, were also excavated. The consistency of these diamond-shaped pieces in their precise and uniform cutting points to the artistic sense of people of that era, said the director. Fire stands, uniquely heavy bottomed and with holes to let out smoke, were also discovered at Narmetta. Meanwhile, the discovery of a cist grave, made out of four stone slabs, with another cist within, at Palamakula village reiterates the belief of life after death of the Megalithic people. Bones and a human skull were found buried in it.

“The careful arrangement of a cist within a cist and bone remnants is also a first time discovery and it signifies that extra care was taken in case of the burial,” pointed the director. Pre-mended pottery, where broken pots stuck together with some kind of adhesive and buried back again, were also excavated. While all of these belong to the Megalithic period, the Department has sent samples for scientific dating to the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology.

- http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/telangana/2017/jun/26/excavations-unearth-a-new-narrative-to-megalithic-era-1620945.html, June 27, 2017

All these years, the Partition of India and Pakistan, the biggest mass migration in the last century, has been confined to refugee accounts and nightmares, literature and cinema, and lived on in the fears and longings of later generations. There was no physical memorial anywhere to Partition — perhaps because it was seen as too flammable, too painful. Now, 70 years on, a small museum in Amritsar's Town Hall marks the traumatic event which led to 12 million people crossing the border, and killing somewhere between one and two million. "It's a people's museum," says co-founder and CEO Mallika Ahluwalia. "It's not about assigning blame, but to acknowledge the experience of those who lived through it." It is their voices and memories that echo in the four rooms of the museum currently open for viewers. In one of the rooms, an installation of a well is a quiet reminder of the violence, rape and honour killings of women.

At another point in the room, a still-brilliant Phulkari coat and a battered leather briefcase tell a painful love story. The Partition Museum is still very much in beta — it will open all its rooms to the public on August 17. While the material first came from the personal networks of its founders and trustees, Kishwar Desai, Dipali Khanna, Bindu Manchanda and Ahluwalia herself, all from Partition-affected families, she says they were overwhelmed with the stories that poured in. The museum's visitor's book has others offering more personal accounts. "We want to do an oral history archive, one where anyone can come and search, perhaps hear their great-grandparents' voice," says Ahluwalia.

The Partition Museum is one of several memory museums that have sprung up around the country. They flip the logic of traditional museums, where you go to look at objects and exhibits — here, the objects are made meaningful only because of the events and experiences they emerge from. The Remember Bhopal museum is about the survivors of the 1984 gas tragedy telling their own story, in sharp counterpoint to official versions. "The museum is not meant to evoke pity or anger alone, but also their ongoing protest, their fight and resolve," says museologist and journalist Rama Lakshmi, who curated the museum. The objects are not showpieces — they include the inhaler of a woman with respiratory illness who marched all the way to Delhi, the bangle broken when an activist was jailed. Rusted locks and corroded utensils speak of the damage of the gas tragedy, the betrayal of its survivors. The Conflictorium museum in Mirzapur, Ahmedabad makes a more oblique point about the conflicts and differences that make us. There is no explicit mention of the 2002 riots, but the museum calls for an examination of political, social and personal conflict. A room with the silhouettes of leaders like Gandhi, Ambedkar, Nehru, Jinnah, Sardar Patel and Indula Yagnik, with red lines running between them, is also a reminder that these figures and their thoughts were often in argument and opposition. "These criss-crossings exist, and they're fine. That's the beauty of the Union of India, that there is no coherent idea but many thoughts that collide and come together," says Avni Sethi, founder of the museum. None of these museums are encyclopaedias pinned to the wall, or storehouses of objects — they are meant to make you feel, to engage the senses and the imagination. "There are 22 museums in Ahmedabad, and hardly anyone visits, so why another one? Maybe we're not a museum-going culture, maybe we're more oral and tactile. So we did away with traditional museum etiquette. There are no yellow lines or glass boxes, you can touch and feel and add and subtract to the displays," says Sethi. The museum is not about the exhibits alone — it's a dynamic space, with movie screenings, poetry readings and stand-up gigs. "In India, we've only known the British model of collections exhibited like trophies, a sculpture gallery, a numismatics gallery and so on. We need more storytelling in museums," says museum designer Amardeep Behl. For that to happen, historians, designers and storytellers must first think together, then get the specialized curators in, he says. "One needs to create immersive experiences to trigger emotions.

It's about the design, rather than the technology or the text," says Shekhar Badve, who has designed the 'Swaraj' museum in Pune dedicated to early freedom fighters, among others. The day the Bhopal museum opened, one of the women cried for hours, in front of her own infant son's frock in a display case, says Lakshmi. She had donated it to the museum herself, not so long ago, but something about seeing it aestheticized, lit up, with his picture and her voice telling the story, just devastated her. Many of the survivors are taken back to their own experience that awful midnight, in the pitch black of the first room in the museum.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/sunday-times/indias-new-museums-are-more-about-memories-than-objects/articleshow/59302578.cms, June 28, 2017

Once upon a time, traders from Dubrovnik in eastern Europe landed in Goa in their quest for spices. They created a colony, Sao Braz, after their patron saint, St Blaise. Today, the only remembrance of the colony is the church they built, back in 1563 CE, in Carambolim, Goa. This interesting piece of localised history can be found, not in a school textbook, but on the website Live History India (LHI). "The problem today is with the way history is being told. It is made to look boring when it actually is fun and it affects the way we live," says head of research Akshay Chavan. Digital marketer Chavan and journalist Mini Menon, who call themselves 'closet historians', launched LHI in May this year. "Our mission is three-fold — rediscovering our history, reviving works from the archives, and championing the cause of restoration," says Menon, editor. To this end, they are looking to collaborate or partner with people working on restoration or reviving Indian history. The idea, they say, is to use the digital medium to allow the average Indian access to research that is usually confined to academic circles. For this, they have a network of 650 noted historians, academics and writers, to share their expertise on the site, besides in-house researchers, journalists and archaeology students. LHI has 157 stories already, and is working on 150 more. "We are agnostic historians. We are not typecasting history into narrow confines.

All we seek is a great story," says Menon. The ideas for the stories are sourced from articles they've read, older research or just conversations with each other. LHI has stories cutting across all genres — food, travel, trade, textile, monuments, religion, art, and more, showcased in long-form articles, video and photo essay format. For example: History in a Dish covers the origins and history of popular food items — India's oldest known dessert, malpua, finding Mysore pak at the century-old Guru Sweet Mart in Mysore, and the popular millet based Chhang. Mumbai features in stories about the Bombay Stock Exchange's origins from under a banyan tree; the township that was once resided inside Vasai Fort; and the legend ofâÂ?Â?Buddha who visited Sopara (now Nalasopara). "We don't want to be preachy. We'd rather coax every Indian hooked to learning to know more about their history," sums up Menon.

- http://www.mid-day.com/articles/website-explores-indian-history-beyond-textbooks-mumbai-guide/18376180, June 28, 2017

THE CENTRAL RAILWAY (CR) will rope in skilled labourers from across the country to undertake preservation work of the world heritage building of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSTM). The labourers, who have earlier worked for the preservation of other historic monuments and structures in the country, will work on conservation techniques for the building, officials said. Last month, the CR had asked heritage conservation expert, Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), to study corrective works required for the building in order to enhance its ‘heritage’ appearance. While INTACH submitted its report earlier this month, the work would only commence after July. “Due to ageing and pollution, the building has started losing its sheen.

Certain irregularities, including broken window glasses and structures around the building, were not adding to the look of the structure. The report by INTACH thus guides us on what corrective measures we can include,” a senior CR official said. According to the CR, tenders will be floated to invite contractors for conducting preservation work of the building. Vertical cleaning of the building with sand and replacement of glasses in the window panes with coloured ones will be some of the works. “The work will include inculcating more ‘heritage feel’ to the building. The coloured glasses will lend an archaic feel to the structure. Removal of a lot of side-structures and encroachments around the building is also on the cards,” the official added. Officials said that while the work will not take much time, hunting for the required material for the corrective measures will. “For example, we will be making use of the finest quality teak wood to re-build certain broken wooden structures. Repairs are also suggested to be carried out on certain statues made on the building that include the gargoyles.

On the eastern side of the building (opposite to the entrance to platform number 10 of the station), we will build a huge wall in stones to cover up certain existing constructions,” the official added. The report states that an estimated Rs 4.05 crores would be needed to carry out the conservation work. The State Bank of India will officially fund the project for the railways. “We will finalise the entire list of works to be done by July-end. We are also looking at other funding agencies to fund the project for us,” Vishal Agarwal, Additional General Manager, CR, said. Heritage conservationist Vikas Dilawari, who also contributed to making the report, said: “We will officially consult the railways on how the work should be done. The major works listed will take at least nine months to be completed after the contract has been awarded. We will also be listing out the dos and don’ts to the railways to preserve the work carried.” Improving the facades of the building and enhancing the look for visitors and commuters would remain the aim, officials said.

HERITAGE GALLERY
Old cutlery used by the railway officials from the Great Indian Peninsular Railway (GIPR) – predecessor of the CR, lamps used by the then guards to light up tracks at nights and old number plates of trains could adorn the renewed heritage gallery of the CSTM building. Old photos of the building and other memoirs related to the suburban railway structure could be part of the gallery. The heritage gallery, at present, includes replicas of the original drawings of F W Stevens, the chief architect of the CST building, as well as photographs and documents from the archives about the growth of the railways and the city. Expansion of the gallery will take one more year. “We will also make an effort to search the old bulbs used in steam engines then which could become a part of the gallery. Remembrances of earlier trains which ran on Direct Current (DC) in Mumbai, old tickets and printing machines used then will also be included,” a CR official added.

Name change
In an official notification announced on Wednesday, the CR has called for an official change of the name of the existing Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus. Post the notification, officials said, the corrections will be made in the alphabetical list of railway stations in the country.

-http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/maharashtra-chhatrapati-shivaji-maharaj-terminus-cr-to-bring-in-skilled-workers-from-across-country-for-preservation-work-4728499/, June 30, 2017

THE CENTRAL RAILWAY (CR) will rope in skilled labourers from across the country to undertake preservation work of the world heritage building of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSTM). The labourers, who have earlier worked for the preservation of other historic monuments and structures in the country, will work on conservation techniques for the building, officials said. Last month, the CR had asked heritage conservation expert, Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), to study corrective works required for the building in order to enhance its ‘heritage’ appearance. While INTACH submitted its report earlier this month, the work would only commence after July. “Due to ageing and pollution, the building has started losing its sheen.

Certain irregularities, including broken window glasses and structures around the building, were not adding to the look of the structure. The report by INTACH thus guides us on what corrective measures we can include,” a senior CR official said. According to the CR, tenders will be floated to invite contractors for conducting preservation work of the building. Vertical cleaning of the building with sand and replacement of glasses in the window panes with coloured ones will be some of the works. “The work will include inculcating more ‘heritage feel’ to the building. The coloured glasses will lend an archaic feel to the structure. Removal of a lot of side-structures and encroachments around the building is also on the cards,” the official added. Officials said that while the work will not take much time, hunting for the required material for the corrective measures will. “For example, we will be making use of the finest quality teak wood to re-build certain broken wooden structures. Repairs are also suggested to be carried out on certain statues made on the building that include the gargoyles.

On the eastern side of the building (opposite to the entrance to platform number 10 of the station), we will build a huge wall in stones to cover up certain existing constructions,” the official added. The report states that an estimated Rs 4.05 crores would be needed to carry out the conservation work. The State Bank of India will officially fund the project for the railways. “We will finalise the entire list of works to be done by July-end. We are also looking at other funding agencies to fund the project for us,” Vishal Agarwal, Additional General Manager, CR, said. Heritage conservationist Vikas Dilawari, who also contributed to making the report, said: “We will officially consult the railways on how the work should be done. The major works listed will take at least nine months to be completed after the contract has been awarded. We will also be listing out the dos and don’ts to the railways to preserve the work carried.” Improving the facades of the building and enhancing the look for visitors and commuters would remain the aim, officials said.

HERITAGE GALLERY
Old cutlery used by the railway officials from the Great Indian Peninsular Railway (GIPR) – predecessor of the CR, lamps used by the then guards to light up tracks at nights and old number plates of trains could adorn the renewed heritage gallery of the CSTM building. Old photos of the building and other memoirs related to the suburban railway structure could be part of the gallery. The heritage gallery, at present, includes replicas of the original drawings of F W Stevens, the chief architect of the CST building, as well as photographs and documents from the archives about the growth of the railways and the city. Expansion of the gallery will take one more year. “We will also make an effort to search the old bulbs used in steam engines then which could become a part of the gallery. Remembrances of earlier trains which ran on Direct Current (DC) in Mumbai, old tickets and printing machines used then will also be included,” a CR official added.

Name change
In an official notification announced on Wednesday, the CR has called for an official change of the name of the existing Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus. Post the notification, officials said, the corrections will be made in the alphabetical list of railway stations in the country.

-http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/maharashtra-chhatrapati-shivaji-maharaj-terminus-cr-to-bring-in-skilled-workers-from-across-country-for-preservation-work-4728499/, June 30, 2017

Delhi is a city built and re-built over time, a city with myriad influences spanning centuries and culture. Lutyens Delhi has been much documented and written about. It is however the building of modern Delhi, a change from the British Era to the Indian one, which gave it a distinct character, symbolising growth and development. Modern Delhi, 1950s onwards, saw the influence of a number of renowned architects, each leaving an unmistakeable imprint on its buildings. Several iconic structures emerged. INTACH has come out with a list of 62 buildings, which deserve the modern heritage status and needs to be preserved. It includes office complexes, cooperative group housing societies, cinema halls, shopping complexes, all designed post-1950s, each a study in itself with its own charm. What makes the INTACH list more interesting for me is that our residence (Yamuna Apartments) is part of it as the first cooperative group housing society in Delhi. A common factor or thread in all the buildings mentioned is that a majority of them were shot by one man — the legendary photographer Madan Mahatta.

Working in an era when there were curbs on importing equipment, doing with the little infrastructure in place, he worked with some of the finest architects involved in the design and building of modern Delhi. Documenting their work and at the same time documenting the growth of the city. He understood architecture and was able to compose his shots showing off the buildings splendidly. As leading architect, Kuldip Singh, says, “My association with Madan Mahatta started in the 1960s, He was highly dedicated. He would go to a great extent to get the right shades, colour and textures, show the composition to us before shooting. At times if the ambience was not right, a second visit was arranged. The distortions were corrected through his Linhoff camera.”

The architects with whom Mahatta worked reads like a who’s who — Raj Rewal, Kuldip Singh, Charles Correa, Habib Rahman, Ranjit Sabikhi and Ajoy Choudhury (Design Group), J.K. Choudhry, J.A. Stein and Achyut Kanvinde. Mad passion. The sheer volume of work is mind boggling. Mahatta single-handedly shot almost over a lakh images of modern Delhi. Mahatta’s closed their retail (at Connaught Place) last year, but continue with their commercial work and studio above their showroom, which used to be their darkroom. What comes through is a mad passion to photograph the growth of a city. It might have taken hours, days or months to document. The cameras he used from childhood to his professional life included baby brownie by Kodak, Zeiss Super Ikonta, Rolleifex, Nikon (35mm ) the F, F2 , F3 , Linhoff (medium format), Hassalblad (Medium format). The photographs are still being documented and digitised. Pavan Mahatta, who now takes care of the company with his brother Pankaj and son Arjun says, “There have been several outstanding buildings in Delhi even in the recent past but the finest of them were built between the 1950s and the 1980s.

It is not to say that architects today are not good, but those who created the buildings then had vision, they used a wide spectrum of materials and each design philosophy was different from the other. The sheer vibrancy and depth of work were amazing. “It was an exciting phase. This was a period of better patronage from the Government, where they tried to involve private architects to raise the standard and add a new dimension to buildings. Once the actual construction of a building started, one did have the feeling that he or she is part of an evolving city,” adds Singh. And did the city evolve? Yes, it certainly did, the pictures are proof. They speak a thousand incredible words. There is an aerial shot of the Jantar Mantar, Park Hotel area, all lush with just a few buildings; the NDMC building was yet to be built. There are shots of the American Embassy designed by Edward D Stone. There is a black and yellow ambassador parked right at the entrance; it must have been possible to drive so close to the embassy.

There is a shot of a plane landing at night, when the first night landing commenced at the Palam Airport, the runway lit by a plethora of lights . It must have taken some determination to document the changing face of the city so methodically. There are shots of the Safdarjung Tomb beautifully reflected in the water surrounding it. A shot which made me nostalgic — of bunking school for movies and ice-cream — was that of the inside of the famous Nirula’s restaurant next to Chanakya cinema. There is also a picture of the once happening mall of Delhi — Super Bazaar, where everyone shopped before the mall explosion. Then the Bahai Temple, an architectural marvel. Says Pavan, “My father was involved with it from the time the model was built.” There are shots of the Centaur, Akbar, Maurya, Oberoi and Ashoka Hotels. Raj Rewal’s Hall of Nations is well documented as are Kuldip Singh’s NDMC building and Palika Kendra. There is Charles Correa’s Jeevan Bharati and Stein’s Habitat Centre and India International Centre.

“My father was partial to Stein’s work,” smiles Pavan. There is a beautiful shot of January 19, 1961 — an open cavalcade in which Queen Elizabeth rode with Dr. Rajendra Prasad around Connaught Place. There are crowds lining the streets and the aerial shot captures the tranquillity of the place. He recalls how when Palika Bazaar was being built, they would shoot every month, so that the growth of the bazaar and the entire area could be recorded. The Odeon cinema, Supreme Court… the collection is a picture-perfect slice of the past. “Even when my father became unwell (he had cancer), he would insist on being driven around. He would mentally register the progress of the Metro through its pillars.” Wonder how he would have reacted to the demolishing of Raj Rewal’s architectural beauties at Pragati Maidan?

-http://www.thehindu.com/society/history-and-culture/vignettes-of-old-delhi/article19174632.ece, June 30, 2017

A 16th century stepped well was spotted at Morjampadu village of Guntur district by the Cultural Centre of Vijayawada and Amaravati (CCVA) in their scheme ‘Preserve Heritage for Posterity’ said CCVA CEO Dr E Sivanagi Reddy on Thursday. Speaking on the occasion Reddy said that during a survey held by the team in Guntur district they spotted a stepped well which was built by local shale stone in a typical Vijayanagara style of architecture known as Kupa Vastu, which was served as Pushkarini for the local Siva temple. He said that the entrance and the wells of the four tiered well was depicted with the sculptures of Krishna leela, Siva and Parvathi, Saptamatrikas, Kaliya mardhana and erotic scenes.

He further said that it was one of its kind in Guntur district and appealed to the officials of the state department of archaeology and museums to protect for posterity. Temple tourism and endowment department director Ratnakar accompanied Reddy.

-http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Andhra-Pradesh/2017-06-30/16th-century-stepped-well-cries-for-protection/309491, June 30, 2017