N TAHER advocates that it is time to settle differences amongst stakeholders and carry out the planned and time bound conservation for the preservation of the Basilica of Bom Jesus. I am an archaeologist by profession, having carried out conservation of protected heritage properties while working for ASI for more than three decades at different stations within the country and abroad. I served two tenures in Goa, as site manager and officer in charge of the World Heritage from 2003 to 2009 and 2014 to 2016. Hence I am aware of the significance of the property as protected monument and as a Church and its international status as a designated World Heritage Property, as also of its intangible value, since the sacred relics of St Francis Xavier are preserved within the Basilica and their exposition are held every ten years.

Moreover, I have made presentations of the Basilica’s upkeep and its conservation at local, national and international platforms. During this period, I was asked pertinent questions, on the status of conservation of the Basilica, the methodology adopted, funds required for its upkeep, availability of skilled workers, plan of disaster management and on its management module. Having made the above statement, my mind goes back to July 7, 2017 when I was presenting a research paper, at an International Conference in Lisbon on ‘Preserving Transcultural Heritage: Your Way or my Way’, the title of the paper being ‘Preserving The Exfoliated Weathered Fabric of Basilica of Bom Jesus, Old Goa: Approach - Approach Conflict’. Here, while making a strong case for treatment of the exposed laterite core of the facade and walls of the monument, I stopped midway and my mind wandered and wondered for a few seconds as to why I am presenting this paper in Portugal when it should be presented in India. However, the paper has been published and is in public domain for critical review.

The suggestion is for first treatment of the exposed surface with a ‘Laterite Pack’ or replacement of damaged portion by fresh mature laterite brick cut to size. The former technique has been implemented at the St Augustine Complex, Old Goa and at a Buddhist Site at Dhamnnar in Madhya Pradesh by the author and his team. Secondly, if need be with the consent of stakeholders, the treated surface could be covered with a sacrificial coat similar to that of other Churches and Convents in Old Goa, ie lime plaster. This methodology has been presented to the Panel of Experts (POE) of ASI and has been forwarded to the Expert Committee for their approval. For record, the Basilica was deplastered by the erstwhile Portuguese government in Goa as a conservation policy as that prevalent in Portugal in 1950s. Now, let us glean into what is conservation and what is the policy of conservation in India and abroad. Conservation is an ongoing process to retard the aging process as a result of decay/deterioration due to the vagaries of nature and negative intervention of humankind; to prolong the life by nurturing both natural and human made objects, with a belief that we would preserve it in its original form as much as possible; to be transmitted to the next generation as a historical tangible evidence of the past events without being tampered. Further, each generation contributes their inputs to this chain, either in the form of repairs or restoration. Thus, the contemporary present is blessed with the sum total of the past, which we designate as Historical Sites and Monuments. Hence, the present generation has the obligation to protect, preserve and manage these assets of the bygone era. Now, let us view if it is really happening. UNESCO’s, International Charters and Manuals on Conservation and their policies, practices, profess preservation of these monuments and sites for posterity. The member countries in general and India in particular, have also been inspired to frame their own guidelines, combining the international regulations with its own time-tested module to draft its own Policy on Conservation, 2014. This complements the Acts of the Parliament – The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 and Amendment and Validation Act 2010.

Making a generalisation, these documents speak volumes in theoretical framework on good practices to be adopted. However, the ground reality while implementing these concepts in the field situation appears to undergo subjective interpretation. Thus, the decision making and decision taking is inconsistent due to intervening variables. Like, varied skills of the artisans, non-availability of raw material, inappropriate technology and the most significant is the inconsistent application of mind, even though we may have followed the Conservation Manual in principle and spirit. The resultant end product, after following due process, would either be harmonious with the original structure or be completely incongruous.

Needed, roadmap for future
The first step in preserving the Basilica is to protect the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the site. This can be done by safeguarding its significance and historical value, retaining its physical and cultural authenticity, protecting its integrity as a single unit and having a strong legislation and management to safeguard any negative interventions within the property itself, which is the core area and the buffer zone surrounding it, as spelt out in the nomination proposal. Let us glean on the four parameters and see where infringement has happened which could jeopardise the World Heritage Listing of the property. Firstly, the significance is retained. Secondly, the authenticity is sufficiently maintained since no major intervention has taken place and even then all repairs and conservation was undertaken as per the norms using period material and retaining the original fabric. Thirdly, integrity has been sufficiently retained even though a de-notified national highway is bisecting the property, which needs to be pedestrianised in the near future. Fourthly, legislation is in place – AMASR Act 1958 and amendment 2010 – which demarcate the area into Protected, Prohibited and Regulated areas which overlap with the UNESCO terminology – core and buffer zones. Further, it’s obligatory for the state party to follow the ‘Operational Guidelines’ and the status of the property is monitored every six years through the periodical reporting undertaken by the state party and submitted to UNESCO, though no funds are given by UNESCO for the conservation of the World Heritage Property nor sought by the State Party. Thus the tag is only for branding and creating awareness amongst the community on the historical significance of the site. Then, where is the problem and why is there so much of a hue and cry in the papers. The answer is simple. Lack of communication between the major stakeholders, that is owner of the property – Church Authorities – and the custodian of the property – Archaeological Survey of India. One refers to the structure as a ‘Church’ and other addresses the same as a ‘Monument’. To one, it is of immense spiritual value and to the other it is a World Heritage property. So the two, as in the past years, should have sat together and listed short term, intermediate and long term strategy for the repairs and conservation of the assets. Agreed, there could be shortfalls from either side, but since conservation is an ongoing process a document – Management Plan – is mandated and state of conservation be documented on priority to address all the conflicting issues that need to be addressed in the next five years. Hence, let good sense prevail amongst the stakeholders and settle the conflicting issues internally by carrying out preventive conservation round the clock, while planning major interventions after following due process and detailed documentation.

The way forward is to frame a functional Management Plan in which the State government can take the lead and expedite the scheme envisaged in 2007 by the writer and also the then Collector North Goa, Keshkamat to formulate an ‘Old Goa World Heritage Management Authority’ similar to the one at Hampi World Heritage Site. The final draft had been forwarded to the State Law Ministry for vetting and notification by the competent authority. However, it got stalled, not due to administrative will but due to the political equations that existed at that point in time at Old Goa. I conclude by confessing that delisting of the property by UNESO is not the immediate concern of the custodians. The property was listed in 1986 and the evaluating body, the ICOMOS even then had suggested that the property be listed as World Heritage and simultaneously be declared World Heritage in Danger, so that all the regulations of management and safeguarding of historical context and conservation can be first put in place. Now is the time to sit across the table and settle the differences amongst the stakeholders and carry out the planned and time bound conservation for the preservation of the Basilica of Bom Jesus.

https://www.heraldgoa.in/Review/Preserving-a-World-Heritage-Monument/160394, May 10, 2020

Today couldn’t be a more beautiful day in Gwalior. The skies are blue and clear. But there is a stillness that chills in the air. The more I look out over the property, the more anxious it makes me feel. The reverberations of crowds of students and tourists no longer echo in the central courtyard. The grass has grown riotously; I finally allow my daughters’ cows to graze in the hope that they will somehow manage to give it a much-needed trimming. Ordinarily, I would lose my temper if the cows were allowed to roam on the grounds, but these are hardly ordinary times. The gates are closed, engulfing the Jai Vilas Palace and HH Sir Jiwajirao Scindia Museum (in memory of the grandfather of my husband, Jyotiraditya Scindia) in an eerie calmness; there are only a handful of people on the premises. I am struck by the symbolism behind the etching of the first recorded written zero on our fort; “Shunya”- it stands for nothing, yet represents everything.My projections for this year were positive; I had hoped to mend the roof, build a stronger museum team, bring in a consultant, and most importantly, give our staff a bonus. My son Aaryaman, and I worked tirelessly to bring to life Cercle, an immersive music event this January. And next on the cards was Cymbal, a two-day art and culture festival with environmental conservation at its core, taking place on the premises of our home. We wanted to showcase the best of Madhya Pradesh through this celebration of life, and to shine a light on eco-warriors. Those plans have been indefinitely postponed. Under the current circumstances, I can’t imagine people travelling out of their cities soon, especially to smaller cities like Gwalior. Tourism may not return fully until March or April 2021. That’s a year of revenue lost. Our staff remains in lockdown in their homes, wondering what their financial future entails. As newspapers report daily on employees being let go, they worry about their fate too.

Private museums like ours depend heavily on ticket sales. While the Scindia Museum is eligible for grants, these grants come with a lot of rules, which, in the long run, make it difficult for us to look for additional funding. Even so, funding does not pay salaries. I often hear people say that Maharajas are lucky to live in their palaces. I assure you that, to us, the palace exterior is just the shell of what lies within. A palace is a vessel of stories, of history, art and heritage. The walls have been witness to innumerable historical moments, secret rendezvous, heads of state, deaths, births and so much more. In 1950, when Indian states unified to become one country, the royal families of India paid Rs77 crore to kickstart our country’s economy. This large sum was provided in the form of jewellery, land, palaces, personal effects, armies, educational institutes, healthcare, and infrastructure like railways, which still stand proud today. If the same amount of money was equated in today’s terms, it would work out to be around Rs9,97,000 crore. That’s a pretty penny in my opinion, but later even the promise of a privy purse was removed. So our forefathers were forced to evolve. We moved on with the times and had to do what was best for our homes, families and the people who loyally stood by us through all these times. Therefore, there is a certain duty we feel to work relentlessly to preserve bits of our history, of India’s history. To some of us, historians have been careless or unkind, but we have fought on. I took over operations of the Scindia Museum in 2002, and we’ve had a good run. Dedicated to Jivaji Rao Scindia, it occupies about 35 rooms of the Jai Vilas Palace.

While the palace was built back in 1874, the museum was established in 1964, and is well-known for its collection of manuscripts, sculptures, coins, paintings, weapons. Our chandeliers and model silver train are world-famous, but the maintenance of palaces and artefacts is an expensive and tedious affair. The going has never been easy, but we managed to keep going, slowly. The strength of our team grew, and we were able to employ a lot more people to work on the museum. We finally completed our website. But it’s not simply a matter of advertising a museum or hotel; we work on marketing Gwalior and Madhya Pradesh as a destination. We worked towards getting more flights to come in, and more passengers on those flights. We depend almost entirely on tourists. They arrive curious to explore, and shop, and they leave with the stories of small, historically rich and quirky towns. There are a plethora of palaces, castles, forts, history, legends and more in Madhya Pradesh. In Chanderi, our craftsmen weave magic from the threads in their looms and sell their exquisite creations for a fraction of the retail price. Sarees by Rama and Kothari are beautiful too. But we have cool new local brands too, like Amrutam skincare, and clothing by Chambal. Eat the best laddoos at Bhaduras and kachoris from AS Kachoriwala. The stunning Killa Kothi on the fort is a must-visit, situated on the Scindia estate, and run by the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board. Our forests and reserves like Panna and Bandhavgarh boast some of the best tiger sightings in India. Our jungles are the inspiration for Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book. Yet, even today, many Indian and international travellers have not discovered the treasures of this heart of India. It is a chicken-and-egg situation: we need more tourists to visit in order to gain sufficient funds to conserve and maintain our natural and cultural heritage, which will, in turn, attract more tourism. The rise of COVID-19 has accelerated the process of digitization and the use of technology in museums around the world. My sincere hope is that we manage to leap into the future along with retaining a foot in the past: Virtual tours to guide you through revolutionary artillery, antique furniture, and exquisite rooms that you can only imagine. But with that, we want to be able to tell you stories that may sound like fairy tales but are most certainly true.

One of my personal favorites is the fact that eight elephants were made to walk on the roof of the Darbar Hall in the Jai Vilas Palace to ensure it could withstand the weight of two of the world’s largest crystal chandeliers, weighing more than 2.5 tonnes each! (They are still spectacular and majestic to look at, but you can only imagine what it is like to clean them!) Perhaps in the future, we can not only show you the details of these masterpieces but use 3D projections to recreate the elephants moving along the roof! The possibilities are endless and we must keep looking for new and exciting opportunities. At the same time, as custodians of this tremendous treasure of architecture, lifestyle, art, and most importantly a Maratha museum in northern India, we realise that there is much that cannot be replicated and delivered via the internet. We want you to come, touch, feel and experience what we have to offer. I cannot possibly recreate the moment of excitement that people feel when they arrive at the home of a Chanderi weaver, and have a cup of tea, and listen to the story and history of weaving against the famous Madhya Pradesh sunset. There is something special about coming to a beautiful property like ours for a festival and to be fully immersed in the past for two complete days, sampling ancient recipes with authentic ingredients, and listening to old caretakers with memories of the days gone by. And yet, you can do so along with many others, who come from all across India and all parts of the world. It is an extraordinary mix of old and new, the past and present, and singularly unique. You cannot transport the ambience, vibe or energy; it is a coming together of so many moving parts. So, as we try and go digital to keep you engaged with us, and as we pray for things to settle down soon and this tragic time to end, I hope you will add Madhya Pradesh, Gwalior and the Scindia Museum to your travel bucket list and come visit us when you can. Please do travel more in India and discover our riches and secrets with your family and friends. We will be waiting to welcome you. Let our chandeliers be your guide, come take a seat at our table, and let the silver train pass you some treats.

Email [email protected] for information on the HH Sir Jiwajirao Scindia Museum.

https://www.cntraveller.in/story/international-museum-day-gwalior-palace-plea-princess-save-india-museums-heritage/, May 17, 2020

In open letter to PM Modi, over 60 retired IAS & IPS officers have said Central Vista plan is against basic tenets of Delhi Master Plan that stipulates no new offices should be built in New Delhi.Over 60 retired IAS and IPS officers, including two former secretaries in the environment ministry, have urged the Narendra Modi government to not go ahead with its ambitious Central Vista project. In an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Urban Development Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, former secretaries, environment ministry, Meena Gupta and Tishyarakshit Chatterjee, and Narendra Sisodia (former secretary, finance), senior IPS officer Julio Ribeiro, former ambassadors Aftab Seth and Ashok Kumar Sharma, a former Income Tax commissioner A. Selvaraj and others have said, “Construction and redesign on the scale planned in the redevelopment project will significantly affect the heritage nature of this precinct, and destroy it irrevocably.” Over 60 retired IAS and IPS officers, including two former secretaries in the environment ministry, have urged the Narendra Modi government to not go ahead with its ambitious Central Vista project. In an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Urban Development Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, former secretaries, environment ministry, Meena Gupta and Tishyarakshit Chatterjee, and Narendra Sisodia (former secretary, finance), senior IPS officer Julio Ribeiro, former ambassadors Aftab Seth and Ashok Kumar Sharma, a former Income Tax commissioner A. Selvaraj and others have said, “Construction and redesign on the scale planned in the redevelopment project will significantly affect the heritage nature of this precinct, and destroy it irrevocably.”

The Central Vista plan In a controversial Rs 20,000-crore project, the Modi government seeks to redevelop the iconic Central Vista, and build a triangular Parliament building next to the existing one, common Central Secretariat, revamp the 3-km Rajpath, build a new Parliament House on a 9.5-acre land near the existing building, reportedly shift the Prime Minister’s residence and office near the South Block, and build the Vice-President’s new house in the vicinity of the North Block. Despite opposition against the plan on account of environmental degradation, obliteration of Indian heritage, and allegations of spending crores on this project at a time of a public health emergency, the government has not halted the project. In their letter, the retired officers have also said the government has provided no details about the necessity of the project, and instead the purpose of the redevelopment seems to be to leave the stamp of a particular government on Delhi. “This project began, if reports are to be believed, because of a superstitious belief that the present Parliament building is ‘unlucky’, as well as with the thought of leaving a particular government and its leader’s impression on the architecture of Delhi,” the letter states. “There was no Parliamentary debate or discussion that preceded the decisions taken. Moreover, the redevelopment plans were not substantiated by any public consultation or expert review. Instead a hastily drafted and inappropriate tender was rushed through in record time to select an architectural firm in what was an extremely flawed process.” It adds, “The selected architectural firm appears to have been given carte blanche to make whatever changes it wishes, with all government departments seemingly mandated to do whatever is required to enable the firm’s actions.” The plan to concentrate offices of the central government in one place, moreover, belies the Modi government’s own stated aim of “Minimum Government, Maximum Governance”, the officers have said. “This is against the basic tenets of the Master Plan of Delhi which stipulates that no new offices should be built in New Delhi and that efforts should be made to decongest it. It is also out of sync with the maxim of ‘less government, more governance’, which the present government had in its manifesto,” the letter states.Letter questions ‘haste’ The officers have also raised questions over the “haste” with which the project is being pushed through despite an unprecedented countrywide lockdown, which has stalled all routine governance and economic activity throughout the country. “It is sad to note that approvals of empowered supervisory bodies like the Environmental Assessment Committee of the Ministry of Environment and the Central Vista Committee have been pushed through in great haste at meetings convened at short notice while the country is in lockdown due to the Covid 19 epidemic, and despite the absence of private members who expressed their inability to attend and advised waiting till the nation returned to normalcy.” The letter says, “The clearances are being given despite the matters being sub judice. These bodies have, unfortunately, been reduced to mere rubber stamps with notes of dissent not even recorded.” At a time when crores would be needed to boost the economy as it slumps in the face of the lockdown, the government trying to push a heritage redevelopment project of this nature is akin to “Nero fiddling while Rome burned”, the officers have said. “We strongly believe that this project needs to be stopped forthwith for the multiple and complex reasons we have mentioned above. We appeal to the government to see the fallacy in going ahead with this project and to issue the necessary notifications forthwith to stop the work from going ahead.”

https://theprint.in/india/dont-destroy-heritage-60-ex-ias-ips-officers-urge-pm-modi-to-scrap-central-vista-project/423714/, May 17, 2020

Much like the role of a library, a museum’s responsibility is to make heritage a part of our lives. And to that end the development of digital curation for cultural pursuits cannot be ignored anymore. Here’s Sahapedia’s pick of lesser-known museums that have a virtual presence, enabling us to enrich our lives from the comfort of our homes.Visiting a museum is both a physical and intellectual activity. Few experiences can replace the feeling of standing in front of an artefact as it becomes a passageway between the viewer and the work in front, connecting them across time, space and cultures. But as the COVID-19 pandemic forced shut galleries and museums, how these institutions collect, preserve, study and exhibit cultural heritage had to be reassessed. What emerged from this was the instrumentality of digital technology in creating meaningful interactions online, bringing us, somewhat, close to that feeling of standing in front of an artefact again.

Much like the role of a library, a museum’s responsibility is to make heritage a part of our lives. And to that end the development of digital curation for cultural pursuits cannot be ignored anymore. The experience of virtual museum-going via ‘interactive user-driven walk-throughs’ or ‘story-based audio walk-throughs’ in oddly empty galleries is obviously different from our usual experience of visiting these spaces as part of a crowd; demonstrably closing in on the recognised show-stoppers.

However, once you shed some of your traditional expectations, a virtual museum opens up new avenues of knowledge-sharing and exchange of ideas. Many well-known museums have already begun curating their virtual environments by uploading digitised content and pre-recorded guided tours on their Web pages. The National Museum (Delhi), National Gallery of Modern Art (Delhi), Indian Museum (Kolkata), and Bhau Daji Lad (Mumbai) are examples of illustrious Indian museums that have committed to connecting with their visitors outside the confines of the museum building. But aside from these, many lesser-known museums are innovating to recreate the experience of the museum online, to keep their collections relevant and alive. Here are some. Just remember, your browser should be able to run Adobe Flash to properly access these.

https://indianexpress.com/article/parenting/events-things-to-do/this-international-museum-day-meet-at-virtual-museums-6415724/, May 18, 2020

Sir,
I read with dismay the news that politicians are asking the Chief Minister for funds to demolish and re-construct Devaraja Market and Lansdowne Building while we are all in the midst of this most terrible global pandemic (‘SOM’ dated May 17). Politicians worldwide should be concentrating on the Coronavirus epidemic, not on asking for funds to demolish and reconstruct heritage buildings. I do not have any solutions to this standoff between heritage conservation and development but here’s a thought: Will every “improvement” to India’s infrastructure require us to give up more and more heritage buildings? The preservation of Devaraja Market and Lansdowne Building must be on all our minds. There will be no chance to renovate or to save this historic site once it’s gone. And we can never be certain what will be valued in the future.

This reality brings to light the importance of locating and saving buildings of historic significance ― because once a piece of history is destroyed, it is lost forever. The local Governments in India seem to be on a bulldozing-spree, targeting all historic buildings. This has happened because there’s little protection given to heritage buildings in India. All this will do is ring the death knell for many of India’s treasured monuments. We have to and must preserve the monuments and showcase them to the next generation. The contributions and achievements of our ancestors worldwide are important. We need to care to make the past the present. COVID-19 has brought the best and the worst out in a society that we can see all around the world. I urge the Chief Minister to kindly put on hold all demolition, expansion rebuilding plans in the whole of Karnataka while we deal with this worldwide terrible pandemic.

https://starofmysore.com/demolition-of-heritage-buildings-will-ring-death-knell-for-indias-treasured-monuments/, May 19, 2020

Darshan Dudhoria

According to a notable British historian Robert Orme, Jagat Seth, a resident of Murshidabad (a district, 250 kms from Kolkata) was the richest man in the world in the early to mid-1700s. To put his wealth into perspective, a local story is narrated where it is said that the only way to stop the flow of the Ganges was by building a wall using the gold coins of Jagat Seth and when the Ganges would stop flowing, everyone would know that half of his coins were put to use! Jagat Seth was the primary financier of the Nawab of Bengal, one of the richest provinces of the then Mughal empire. It is not ordinary to hear that this area, now a part of rural Bengal, contributed to 5% of the GDP of the World. Yes, 5% of the business in the world was getting generated in Murshidabad, a humble district in Bengal, 4 hours from the City of Joy, Kolkata. The popular folklore is that the twin city of Azimganj-Jiaganj had more wealth than the combined wealth of the entire British aristocracy. In this part of the world, heritage has a vast and a deep meaning for the common man. The common man here is proud of what his ancestors have left behind. He is proud, not only about his region which boats of the best architectural marvels in the country, such as the Hazarduari Palace (Palace of a thousand doors), the Kathogla Palace, the Katra Mosque or the 200-year old Jain temples, but is equally proud about the Biryani recipe that his grandmother used to make. He is equally proud about the collection of beautiful Murshidabad Pure Silk Sarees that his mother was gifted by her great grand aunt on her wedding day. This was the silk that the British came to India for! One of the locals here, Mahadeb, is the most proud that his lawyer-great-grandfather left behind one of old manuscripts of a legal instrument which is written in the most fascinating script. Heritage of the common man usually gives us a glimpse of the then prevalent society, the culture and most importantly, the social fabric. The heritage stories bring to light the then prevalent purdah system, the role of women in the society and the influences on the families that shaped their future generations. For a common man, his heritage are the belongings of his family, whatever it may be; coins, clocks, paintings, food recipes, documents, furniture, clothes, anything that has a story or a memory attached to it.

One of the heritage that the Sheherwalis (a local community of notable families who migrated from Rajasthan to Bengal in the 1700s) are most proud about is their Cuisine. The heritage Sheherwali cuisine boasts of influences from the Mughal lifestyle, the Bengal ingredients and the Rajasthani palette. The story of cuisine for the Sheherwalis further extend to witnessing letters that were written by the Royal Families of England thanking them for the mangoes sent in the late 1800s. One wonders how many months it would’ve taken for these mangoes to travel from India to England without getting spoilt! Maybe, heritage mangoes had a different shelf life! However, the sun had to set on Murshidabad and time unleashed its wrath on to the land. The capital of Bengal shifted from Murshidabad to Calcutta and Murshidabad over the decades, earning an infamous title of the ‘unknown wealth capital of the world’. The palaces, temples and mosques were abandoned and locked down and with it, its heritage.

It was only 5 years back that an ambitious project was embarked upon to preserve, restore and promote the heritage of the land in the form and shape of Bari Kothi. A 250 year old former ancestral home to Rai Bahadur Budh Sing Dudhoria was restored into the first Heritage Hotel of Murshidabad. The dream project was the brainchild of the 6th and 7th generation father-son, Mr Sudip Kumar Sing Dudhoria & me, which was led by a Canadian restoration specialist architect, Dr. Samar Chandra. Bari Kothi boasts of 15 suites and is situated on the banks of Ganges over an acre of land with 3 gardens, 7 courtyards, 35 curated experiences, 50 local community team members, 250 years of legacy and 1000 stories. The project is managed by me and my sister Lipika and is aimed towards preserving, conserving and most importantly, promoting and developing the heritage of our family, community and region. ‘We do not sell rooms, we create experiences’ is what best describes the thought process for opening our home to the world. In order for the heritage of Bari Kothi to survive through generations, it was imperative that the project was sustainable and it wasn’t a one-off restoration exercise. Heritage had to be put in action to save it.The perception of Heritage of and for a common man has usually been restricted towards tangible assets. However, curated experiences in Bari Kothi break that barrier and offer guests an opportunity to truly witness the heritage of the common man! Darshan Dudhoria, is the co-owner of Bari Kothi. The property, located in Murshidabad, is a part of the RARE India Community of ‘conscious luxury’ hotels and travel experiences in India and the sub-continent.

https://www.outlookindia.com/outlooktraveller/explore/story/70473/darshan-dudhoria-talks-about-the-perception-of-heritage-for-a-common-man, May 25, 2020

Uttara Gangopadhyay Tucked into Pakistan’s remote northwestern hills, along the border with Afghanistan, is a cluster of three villages whose residents are still trying to preserve their language and culture in the face of advancing modernity and religious conversion. The tribe, known as Kalash, is said to have descended from soldiers of the army of Alexander the Great who travelled this way in 324 BCE. However, many scholars deny the story even though it has not been established finally yet how these people, their language, dress, and their nature-worshipping culture—in marked contrast to the Islamic culture that surrounds them—evolved and survived through the centuries.British author Rudyard Kipling allude to these people of ‘Kafiristan’ in his book The Man Who Would Be King (1888). According to several scholars, it was Kipling’s story that gave rise to the myth that they are descendants from Alexander’s army. It was Kipling’s story that was adapted for the eponymous film directed by John Huston and starring Sean Connery, Michael Caine, Saeed Jaffrey, and Christopher Plummer as Kipling (the anonymous narrator). For centuries, the Kalash lived in a remote mountainous region which now spreads contiguously across Afghanistan and Pakistan. According to reports, the people who resided in the area now under Afghanistan were converted to Islam by political design and their land renamed as Nuristan. However, Kalash people who lived in the region now under Chitral district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan carried on the legacy. Today, they form the smallest of Pakistan’s minority ethnic groups (numbering between 3,000 to 4,000 people) and can be found in three valleys: Bumburet, Rumbur, and Birir. The Kalash language is said to be part of the Dardic group of Indo-Aryan languages. Earlier, the people followed a simple life, mostly dependent on agriculture and cattle rearing. Buckwheat and other crops were grown in the river valleys. Surrounding orchards provided fruits of various kinds.

Milk from the cattle was used to make ghee, butter and cheese. Wine was made from grapes. Food was cooked over wood-fired ovens. They followed a nature-oriented faith, which later some researchers equated with animistic form of worship while others found similarities with ancient Hindu concepts. The Kalash follow various social customs and rituals. One of them that has been much discussed is the custom of sending menstruating as well as pregnant women to the ‘bashaleni’, a dorm-style building far from the main village. Modern interpreters of culture often refer to it as a form of oppression. But according to Kalash people, it is the women who handle the bulk of everyday work; the time out in the bashaleni is to give the women rest from the daily chores. The traditions continue even today but have been much influenced by the incursions of modern lifestyle as motorable roads (rough and dusty) have made the remote villages accessible. Shops have opened in the valleys which provide meat and other food items, consumer products, etc. Electrification has made televisions, mobile phones and computers accessible. While men of the Kalash community have long adopted Pakistan’s popular dress (shalwar kameez), the women still wear the traditional attire—a colourful headgear over their intricately braided hair, a voluminous full-length black robe cinched at the waist, and loads of beaded necklaces. Apparently, the embroidery seen on the women’s dress is of later vintage. Even though the Kalash people and their culture had been changing slowly over time, the elderly keepers are worried that the advent of modern lifestyle and the younger generation’s proximity to Islamic lifestyle and teachings (when they go to schools and the only university in Chitral) are likely to usher in many irreversible changes. Although conversion to Islam was not unheard of, the rate has gone up recently, according to village elders. The area has also seen controversies over availability of foreign aid. However, there are rare Kalash residents, such as Sayed Gul, who are trying to preserve the tribe’s culture and customs. Tourism has also made inroads into the Kalash villages. Unless hindered by political situations, tourists arrive in spring and summer (winter can be harsh) to see the rugged breathtaking beauty of the region and the unique lifestyle of the Kalash people. The villagers too look upon tourism as a way of earning and have set up homestays and hotels, and shops selling local handicrafts. One of the best occasions to visit the Kalash villages is during the festivals. Popular festivals include Joshi (also Zoshi) in May, Uchao in August and Choimus in December. Usually related to various harvesting periods, the festivals see a lot of music, dancing and feasting. The cultural performance of the Kalash people recently got much publicity when Britain’s Duke (Prince William) and Duchess (Kate) of Cambridge visited the Bombaret village (October 2019). Dressed in traditional headgear, they watched the performances sitting alongside the local people. Incidentally, William’s mother, Princess Diana had also visited the valley in 1991.

https://www.outlookindia.com/outlooktraveller/explore/story/70475/have-you-heard-about-the-kalash-tribe-of-pakistan, May 25, 2020

Patiala in Indian Punjab is a city celebrated for its extra-large peg of whisky, its famed Patiala Gharana of Hindustani classical music, and for jutties, the traditional Punjabi footwear. But its most iconic treasure, the Qila Mubarak, had fallen on hard times over the years, and was named among the 100 most endangered monuments in the world by the World Monuments Fund. Built in 1763 and lying desolate and neglected for more than a century, in the last few years Qila Mubarak has finally got some much needed attention from the authorities. After a long and obstacle-strewn path of restoration, the fort was on the verge of reclaiming its lost glory when the coronavirus struck. The lockdown is only the latest delay in restoring the fort.

As and when normal life resumes, the Punjab state government has an ambitious plan to get a UNESCO world heritage site tag for the monument. The restoration work, which started around three years ago, saw allegations of misappropriation of funds. In September 2018 the local press reported that central funds for restoring the monument to the tune of 45 crores had been deflected to other projects by the previous state administration.

As per reports, Malvinder Singh, representative of INTACH and brother of incumbent chief minister Amarinder Singh, confirmed the fact that the funds had gone missing. Things were eventually sorted out and restoration work gathered speed. That the incumbent Chief Minister of Punjab belongs to the Patiala royal family can only have helped. Most of the restoration work has been done under the watch of the Indian National Trust for Arts and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) and the Archaeological Survey of India. Lime plaster is being used instead of cement to match the fort’s original construction material. The palace of the fort (Qila Androon) is known for its impressive murals.

In the past these quarters housed many governmental offices resulting in damage to a lot of these paintings, which largely depict scenes of Krishna mythology and of royal undertakings, executed expertly by artists from Rajasthan and the Kangra school. It is one of the richest displays of miniature art in any of the palaces in India, executed with delicate care, artistic expression and playfulness. These paintings have also been restored as part of the project. To make visits to the fort more fulfilling, recently restored Durbar Hall now houses a museum and a restaurant. Qila Mubarak was built by Baba Ala Singh, founder of the Patiala royal house, 256 years ago. Originally a kachigarhi (mud structure), the fort was later refurbished using baked bricks. The fort complex is essentially divided into two parts, an outer public space and the Qila Androon (interior fort) which served as the private palace of the royal family. The outer fort has several independent buildings including the Ran Baas (guest house) and the Durbar Hall, some of which are already restored while others await their turn, in stages of disrepair. These buildings are an exquisite example of Sikh architecture, which is an interesting amalgamation of Rajput and Mughal architecture.

Some of its later buildings built during the Raj bear clear colonial influences. As one enters the main gate one sees an impressive white edifice on the right. This is the Durbar Hall, built during the colonial period. It is open to the public and contains an impressive display of Belgian chandeliers and weaponry. On one’s left is another imposing building, the Ran Baas, the palace of the queens or the Guest House. It is an impressive building with many residential quarters set around an open courtyard in the middle of which is a huge rectangular fountain and water tank. The building is also currently undergoing restoration. Located in the middle of the Old City with congested lanes and lanes, the fort is spread over 22 acres of land. The streets around the outer walls are busy and congested lined with all kinds of shops, selling bangles, jutties and colourful clothes.

With all the shops and concrete structures around it, it becomes a challenge to appreciate the fort properly. But that might change in the near future. The state government has further plans to develop the main street leading to the fort as a heritage street, similar to what was done around the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar. The aim is to improve the aesthetics of the area in the fort’s near vicinity while preserving its heritage value. To be executed by the Patiala Development Authority, the project, for which a consultant has been hired, is estimated to cost around 50 crore rupees.

https://www.thecitizen.in/index.php/en/NewsDetail/index/9/18810/Qila-Mubarak-Patiala-On-the-Verge-of-Reclaiming-Lost-Glory, May 29, 2020

Six tribal communities of India rise up to face a changing world and resist dilution of their identity and culture. It is the tendency of popular media and culture to homogenise our ways of life. Movies show a single India that speaks Hindi and dances at lavish weddings. Newspapers barely distinguish between an Indian city and village life. Amidst all of this, cultures that did not adapt and move into the mainstream risk being ignored, or worse, turned into objects of ridicule. In White as Milk and Rice, Nidhi Dugar Kundalia takes us to the tribal communities in India that have resisted dilution of their identity, while maintaining their old ways of life.

The book focuses on six communities from across the country, from distinct landscapes such as coastal, central and north-east India—although these communities have a culture that’s different even from other groups in their neighbourhood (or even the state-level mainstream). Often, they are limited to a small geographical area, away from the cities or even the villages, and their interactions with the larger world are limited to essential commerce. For one reason or another, each of these communities stretches the boundaries of “civilised behaviour” as the mainstream defines it.

The Kanjar community’s members have traditionally been dacoits, not hesitating to murder their victims if the need arises. Warriors in the Konyak community have been headhunters during inter-clan battles. Teenagers from the Maria tribe live in a sexually permissive “common house”, allowing them to explore their urges before they finally settle down into a household. A tribe in Andhra Pradesh is traditionally composed of shamans who give out charms for various magical purposes. It is instructive to realise the breadth and varieties of cultures within India itself. But let’s not make the mistake of expecting a dry ethnographical account. Most such books tend to look down upon the communities they chronicle, implicitly treating them as oddities and “inferior people”.

There may also be the hidden eurocentrism in the discipline that drives such an attitude. Kundalia, in this respect, is extremely empathetic. She treats the tribals’ way of life as something that has evolved over time to cope with their environment—sometimes their coping strategy contains elements that the modern world would do well to learn from. Most of the studied cases, for example, understand the resources of their environment intimately—edible and medicinal herbs, unknown to medical science, or animals that we would not think of eating.

In so doing, they place as low a burden on Earth’s resources as possible. There’s another aspect of Kundalia’s empathy with her subject. As a mechanism to walk us through the community’s ethos, she selects one or two people from the community and walks us through their life story. For the Halakki community, for example, she selects Sukri, a woman who sings her way through life.

We see Sukri first as a young girl, then follow her as she gets older, marries, winds up a widow, and finally is welcomed to the wider world as an ambassador for her culture. For the headhunting Konyak tribe, we start with Pangshong, a young man from the tribe who has actually grown up in Delhi, but is drawn back to Nagaland to learn about his culture from his grand-uncle Wangloi, a once-fearsome warrior. The chapter flashes back and forth between Wangloi’s life today and his heyday. The stories are as gripping as any novel.This is a book to expand your world. Read it. White as Milk and Rice
By: Nidhi Dugar Kundalia
Publisher: Penguin
Pages: 256
Price: Rs 399

https://www.newindianexpress.com/magazine/2020/may/31/book-review-white-as-milk-and-rice---unknown-heritage-2149278.html, May 30, 2020

Mysuru, Kalaburagi, Vijayapura and Ballari may be on the list. Karnataka has proposed to develop four heritage cities under the Smart City Project of the Union Government. Urban Development Minister B A Basavaraj has written to the Centre seeking to include Mysuru, Kalaburagi, Vijayapura and Ballari under the ambitious project. He said he will visit New Delhi soon with the proposal finalised by the state government. While Mysuru boasts of the rich legacy of the Wadiyar dynasty, Vijayapura, known for its world famous Gol Gumbaz, was the administrative capital of the Adil Shahi sultans. Kalaburagi was the seat of Bahamani sultans and Ballari was connected to the Vijayanagara empire. The cities have historical monuments dating back many centuries. Seven other cities – Bengaluru, Tumakuru, Mangaluru, Shivamogga, Belagavi, Davangere and Hubballi-Dharwad – are already being developed under the Smart City Project. If the Centre accepts the proposal, all the top 10 cities of the state after Bengaluru will come under the national project which aims at transforming urban clusters into “user-friendly” living spaces.

Basavaraj who wrote a formal letter to Union Urban Development Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, said he has “big plans” to beautify the cities. “The entire infrastructure will be upgraded and made user-friendly. Roads, footpaths, public transport, parks, street lights and the entire urban landscape will be improved,” he said. Former urban planning secretary Anjum Pervez who had taken up a lot of pioneering works under the project said, “The idea is to have integrated planning.

Vancouver in Canada is an example of how good planning works. An entire unplanned space of the city was removed and redeveloped. Cities can be planned and managed better. Once networked, one can know how many street lights are working and commuting can be made easy through electric vehicles.’’ Another expert said, “The project will ensure that the cities are developed and important historical monuments, some of which date back five-six centuries, will be woven into the present... Vijayapura has the Gol Gumbaz, Ibrahim Rauza and other fascinating structures. Mysuru has the Palace and many other historical monuments, while Kalaburagi is known for Khwaja Bande Nawaz Dargah among others. They will be made easier to access which is currently an issue. Public transport and other infrastructure will all be developed under the concept.’’

https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/2020/jun/01/karnataka-wants-to-make-four-heritage-cities-smart-2150537.html, May 31, 2020