With the magnificent Osmania General Hospital (OGH) building left to its fate without any conservation efforts for decades, a member of the erstwhile royal family of Hyderabad has stepped in backing the demand of the Indian National Trust for Arts and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) that it be permitted to re-study the structural stability of the nearly a century-old building on the banks of the river Musi. Himayat Ali Mirza, great grandson of Mir Osman Ali Khan, the last ruler of princely Hyderabad state, has joined the save Osmania General Hospital campaign with a warning that if the present state of neglect of the monuments continue, there will be no structure left by 2030. None of the monuments built by the Asaf Jahi Nizams, who ruled over Hyderabad for a little more than 200 years, is protected under law. Soon after separate Telangana was formed in 2014, ironically the Asaf Jahi structures were denotified from the heritage list. Osmania General Hospital is one such grand building that has been part of the city skyline since 1920s.

Extending support to INTACH, Mirza, who is the grandson of , argues that Osmania Hospital building can be strengthened by taking up minor repairs. Incidentally, Moazzam Jah, second son of the , had headed the City Improvement Board, which was responsible for several Asaf Jahi grand structures in Hyderabad including MJ Market, named after him, Osmania General Hospital, High Court, Pattarghatti and Unani hospital. Mirza told TOI that if the government felt the OGH building is not suitable for a hospital, it can construct a new building and leave the grand old structure, the best example of Osmanian style of architecture, as a medical heritage museum.

Osmania Hospital and its predecessor Afzalgunj Hospital had contributed richly to the advancement of modern medicine including several firsts to its credit like the chloroform commission in which it was successfully proved that chloroform can be given as an anaesthesia without causing death, producing world's first woman anaesthetist and the discovery that malaria is transmitted by female Anopheles mosquito. While structures built by Nizams till the Nizam VI, Mir Mahboob Ali Khan, had followed one style of architecture that has come to be known as Asaf Jahi style of architecture, the last Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, adopted a unique style famous as Osmanian style of architecture. Mirza regretted that several grand structures had passed into history due to neglect. “Saving OGH building is not just protecting a structure. It is protection of the modern medical heritage of Hyderabad. As long as the OGH building stands tall, people will recall how the hospital and its predecessor Afzalgunj hospital had successfully fought many a pandemic including Spanish flu of 1918 to Swine flu in 2009. It also helped in the treatment of plague and cholera cases,” Mirza said.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/bandhu-will-be-implemented/articleshow/87573870.cms, November 8, 2021

According to Anuradha Reddy, convenor of Indian National Trust for Arts and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), Hyderabad chapter, the museum of Royal Mint has been a long-pending demand of the heritage lovers of Hyderabad. The 108-year-old Royal Mint established by the sixth Nizam of Hyderabad, the first one to introduce machine-made coins among the princely states of the country those days, is going to be converted into a museum to showcase the coinage and currency heritage of the historic city, officials aware of the plan said. “We are making efforts in creating a permanent museum at the Royal Mint located at Mint Compound, Saifabad, which had produced the first machine-minted coins. We are awaiting the approval from the Centre,” a senior official of the Indian Government, Hyderabad (IMGH), a unit of the Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India Limited (SPMCIL), under Union ministry of finance, said on condition of anonymity.

As a precursor to the efforts to set up the museum, IGMH is organising an exhibition of the machinery used for minting of coins during the Nizam regime, along with the old coins, currency, dyes, casts and other rare artefacts at the Royal Mint for a week from December 6. “It will be thrown open to the people as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav programme being held to commemorate 75 years of India’s Independence,” the official said, adding that once the Centre government gives its nod, it would be converted into a permanent museum. According to Anuradha Reddy, convenor of Indian National Trust for Arts and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), Hyderabad chapter, the museum of Royal Mint has been a long-pending demand of the heritage lovers of Hyderabad. “The Mint Compound at Saifabad is a treasure of city’s heritage.

The machinery used for minting coins was imported from London those days and it should not be allowed to turn into a scrap. We have been requesting the authorities that the sprawling premises be converted into a numismatics and royal mint museum with access to the common man,” she said, adding that INTACH has been extending its cooperation to IGMH in running the week-long exhibition. According to D Raja Reddy, chairman of Numismatics Society of India, the decision to organise an exhibition of the old coinage and currency of the Nizams besides other rare artefacts of that period and the proposal to convert it into a museum was taken at a meeting of the society held at Salarjung Museum in the last week of October. “The meeting was held in Hyderabad after a gap of nearly 80 years, where it was decided that the heritage of the Nizam’s era should be showcased at the exhibition,” Dr Reddy said. Heritage conservationist Mohd Safiullah said it was in 1803 that Nawab Sikandar Jah, the Nizam III, who had first established the mint at Royal Palace at Sultan Shahi in the old city of Hyderabad. However, it was manufacturing hand-made coins, while the British were using machine-minted coins. In 1893, the Royal Mint of Hyderabad was shifted to a new building at Dar-us-Shafa, during the regime of Mir Mahaboob Ali Khan, the sixth Nizam. He introduced first machine-minted coins, known as Charkhi coins.

“In 1903, the sixth Nizam imported the sophisticated machine from London and erected it at the present Mint Compound at Saifabad. It started operating from July 13, 1903,” Safiullah said. According to Dr Reddy, even after the end of the Nizam rule with Hyderabad state being merged with Indian Union on September 17, 1948, the minting of coins at the Royal Mint, Saifabad, continued in the name of the last Nizam of Hyderabad Mir Osman Ali Khan, till January 26, 1950, when India became a Republic. The Royal Mint continued to be used for manufacturing coins by the Indian government till ‘1990s along with three other mints – Noida, Kolkata and Mumbai. Apart from coins, it was used for making medals, souvenirs and badges, Safiullah said. The mint was later shifted to its current location in Cherlapalli on August 20, 1997. Since then, the Mint Compound at Saifabad has been closed. “We hope, it will come alive after being converted into museum,” Anuradha Reddy said.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/others/hyderabad-nizam-s-mint-to-be-converted-into-a-museum-101637177398200.html, November 17, 2021

The INTACH dossier, the copy of which is with Outlook, reads, Kashmiri Craftspeople owe much in their artistic proclivity to the 14th-15th c. period of royal patronage in Kashmir. The dossier prepared by the INTACH Kashmir chapter that led to Srinagar becoming one of the 49 cities worldwide to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) is a comprehensive document about Kashmir’s craft history and its development over the past 1000 years. Saleem Beg, INTACH chapter head J&K, says before submitting the dossier he held detailed deliberations and remodelled the dossier that was prepared in 2018. “We held a number of workshops. We held workshops in the old city of Srinagar. We held discussions with the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce,” he said. He said in the document baseline survey of crafts and craftsmen were done. Mehmood Shah, Director Handicrafts, says the dossier that was prepared by INTACH is based on information and data given by the various departments.

He says INTACH has worked extensively on the dossier and it is the exhaustive document, holistically based on the craft and craft alone, which has resulted in Srinagar joining UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network. The dossier, the copy of which is with Outlook, reads, Kashmiri Craftspeople owe much in their artistic proclivity to the 14th-15th c. period of royal patronage in Kashmir. “The 16th-century Mughal rule re-organized the crafts industry and established royal karkhanas (industries). These continued to gain patronage under the Dogra rulers in the 19th-20th centuries.” About Srinagar, the dossier says, “it is one of the ancient cities of South Asia with a continuously recorded history of about 1500 years, and its cultural apogee in the 15th-16th centuries.” Located on the historic Shahra-e-Abresham (Silk Route), the city generated a wealth of ideas related to arts and crafts, and facilitated the exchange of activities in trade, cultural practices and scientific knowledge, says the document. It says historically, Srinagar has created a legacy for itself as a trade-based city whose products like shawls and carpets have been internationally recognized. The dossier says the handicraft industry forms an important economic base of the city, with 20,822 registered artisans practising various crafts in the city. “The major markets for Kashmiri handicrafts are Europe, Middle East and South-East Asia,” it reads.

“Srinagar represents a unique urban setting and natural landscape with their creative representation in the city's associated crafts. The brand ‘Cashmere’ and the motif paisley are internationally recognized symbols of the city’s distinct artistic identity. This rich tradition survives today in the form of 10 different crafts, 7 of which have received the unique Geographical Indication (GI) recognition. Craft is viewed as an important driver of the city's economy whereby it is estimated to contribute 6%-8% to the GDP of the Kashmir region,” the document reads. “In the recent past, Srinagar’s rich craft practices and people were adversely affected by a lack of cross-cultural connections with other areas of the world. The political uncertainty in the region during the 1990s was a major deterrent to the development and transformation of Srinagar’s cultural legacy. These difficulties can be overcome by valorising the traditional arts and crafts sector to its full potential by developing city infrastructure for handmade products to counter challenges of machine-made products, enhancing city spaces to nurture crafts and arts and providing opportunities to local craftspeople for global exposure,” reads the dossier.

The Department of Handicrafts has a registered artisan base of 39506 craftspersons engaged in different traditional crafts within Srinagar. Available data indicates Pashmina shawl industry as the largest single manufacturing sector closely followed by hand-woven carpets. The average export of handicrafts from Kashmir for the past three years was Rs 981.27 crores. While the crafts continue to be practised amongst families for generations, 65% of them are first-generation artisans. “This demonstrates the healthy state of the crafts sector which continues to provide livelihood opportunities as well as sustaining its historical base,” says the dossier. A majority of the artisans are trained in the traditional master-apprentice work culture, with 61% of the practising crafts persons having an accumulated work experience of 20 or more years, it adds.

The document goes on to state -

“The city of Srinagar has been extending an invitation to artists, travellers and scholars alike in addition to the general tourist population due to its immense natural beauty. This makes the city as one of the ideal destinations for artistic retreats and residency programmes. Over the past few years, the city has hosted and participated in International art exchange programmes with institutes in Europe, Asia, North America organized by Kashmir Art Quest,” reads the document. “Presently the city has a registered artisan base of 39506 craftspersons in more than 10 historic crafts out of which 7 crafts: Pashmina, Hand-knotted Carpets, Papier-mache, Sozni, Kani shawls, Khatamband, walnut wood carving have the GI recognition. 95% of the craftspersons work under the traditional karkhana (small scale industry) system. The schemes launched by Department of Handicraft, has enabled indirectly linking the artisans with the market and providing physical spaces to demonstrate their products, locally as well as internationally.”

https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/india-news-how-srinagar-joined-the-global-list-of-49-creative-cities-network/400965, November 14, 2021

Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), Mandi chapter, awarded 20 dignitaries here today for their contribution in preservation of art and cultural heritage of Mandi district. Additional Deputy Commissioner Jatin Lal was the chief guest of event, while Superintendent of police Shalini Agnihotri was the guest of honour. Among those awarded are writers, historians, painters, craftsmen, cinematographers and the people associated with nature heritage conservation. Among writers, senior writer KK Nutan, novelist Gangaram Raji and famous story writer Murari Sharma, Haripriya Sharma and Dharampal Kapoor were honored. Apart from this, historians Dr Kamal Pyasa, OP Malohtra, Dr Rakesh Kapoor, Jagdish Kapoor, Jai Kumar, Chaman Sharma and cinematographer Birbal Sharma were awarded. Painter Rajesh for contributing to Mandi Kalam, Krishna Thakur and Vinod Bahl for Pahari language and culture, Shivpal Sharma for preservation and promotion of deity culture and Anil Sharma honored for documenting the history of deities of Mandi district in Devdhara book. Dr Tara Sen was honoured for her contribution in the field of nature conservation and for promoting research on wild fruits and Leena Sharma for promoting zero budget farming. These dignitaries were honoured with mufflers, certificates and mementos. Coordinator of INTACH Naresh Malohtra said that “Our association is making efforts to promote and preserve rich art and cultural heritage of Mandi.”

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/himachal/20-mandi-dignitaries-honoured-338268, November 18, 2021

Junaid Azim Mattu, mayor of J&K’s Srinagar municipal corporation (SMC) said on Tuesday that month-long celebratory events will be held to celebrate the UNESCO tag of creative city for Srinagar.Also Read - Do You Have Pets? Now Cats And Dogs Too Can Fly With You on Etihad Airways Flights Speaking to the media, the mayor called it the biggest day for the entire Srinagar district. Also Read - Dubai Offers 5-Year Multi-Entry Visas For Foreign Workers - Who Can Apply, Cost And More Mattu said that serious efforts have been made by everyone concerned to ensure that Srinagar achieves this milestone. Also Read - Acche Din For Rail Passengers as IRCTC Promotes 'Certified Vegetarian Food' on Some Trains “We have achieved this milestone after a lot of hardwork and dedication. We have been pursuing this since 2018 and finally after the hard work and serious efforts by SMC Commissioner and other officers concerned, we have finally achieved the milestone. It is the biggest day for whole Srinagar”, Mattu said. UNESCO on Monday included Srinagar as a creative city for its craft and folk art. In the final list, Srinagar had to closely compete with Gwalior for this year’s slot in the UNESCO list. The Dossier for Srinagar’s claim was prepared by the J&K chapter of INTACH (Indian national trust for culture and heritage) with the assistance of other concerned agencies.

https://www.india.com/travel/articles/srinagar-unesco-recognition-celebration-travel-news-5090646/, November 10, 2021

Rare gold and lapis lazuli paintings and incised plaster patterns on the ceiling have also been exposed after a careful cleaning process. Conservation of Subz Burj, one of the unique double-domed architectural gems in the national capital located on a traffic island close to Nizamuddin Police Station, has been completed after three years of concentrated efforts carried out by Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC). Sandstone lattice screens (Jaalis) have been restored at arched doorways where unsightly iron frames were installed. Rare gold and lapis lazuli paintings and incised plaster patterns on the ceiling have also been exposed after a careful cleaning process done under the watchful supervision of the experts. Intricate artwork on the ceiling, which was buried under layers of chemicals used during its restoration in the 1920s, is now visible almost after 100 years. The dome and elongated neck of the structure, which was originally a tomb, is adorned once again with green, yellow and blue glazed quartz tiles.

In 1986, ordinary terracotta tiles were placed with cement mortar by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) during restoration undertaken causally, which had led to water seepage. The leakage, in turn, started damaging the ceiling paintings. According to Ratish Nanda, chief executive officer (CEO) of the trust, no information about its date of construction and the person who was laid to rest here is available. “Its architecture features such as incredible artwork, tiles, and jaalis, especially the painting on its ceiling makes it rare.

The opulent gold artwork and proximity to the shrine of the 13th century Sufi-Saint Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya suggest that the sepulchre must have been of a powerful and close noble of the ruler. Another fascinating feature is the irregular pattern of façade of this octagonal building, which is not common on Islamic monuments,” said Nanda. Originally, the structure dome was decorated with glazed green tiles thus deriving the name — Subz Burj, which means ‘green tower’.

As per the historical references, the grave was visible in the foyer till 1919, which was probably removed when the structure was converted into a police station by the British. The conservation was made possible with funds under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) from Havells India Limited, which has also helped in the illumination of the 500- year-old mausoleum built in the Timurid style of architecture from Central Asia sometimes after the defeat of the Lodi Afghan dynasty at the hand of Mughals in AD 1526.

https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/delhi/2021/nov/17/subz-burj-oldest-double-domed-monument-in-delhi-with-timurid-art-renovated-2384845.html, November 17, 2021

Tulasi Gowda, a 72-year-old tribal woman from Karnataka, was conferred the Padma Shri award on Monday for her contribution to the protection of the environment. Barefoot and dressed in traditional attire, she received India's fourth-highest civilian award from President Ram Nath Kovind during a ceremony in New Delhi. Belonging to the Halakki indigenous tribe in Karnataka, Tulasi Gowda grew up in a poor and disadvantaged family. She never received a formal education, and yet, today she is known as the 'Encyclopedia of the Forest'. This is because of her vast knowledge of diverse species of plants and herbs. Since the age of 12, she has planted and nurtured thousands of trees. Tulasi Gowda also joined the forest department as a temporary volunteer, where she was recognised for her dedication to nature preservation. She was later offered a permanent job in the department. Today, even at the age of 72, Tulasi Gowda continues to nurture plants and share her vast knowledge with the younger generation to promote the importance of environmental conservation. On Monday, President Ram Nath Kovind conferred Padma Awards at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. The 2021 list of Padma Awards includes seven Padma Vibhushan, 10 Padma Bhushan and 102 Padma Shri Awards, of which 29 awardees are women and one awardee is a transgender person.

The Padma Awards have been presented in various fields, such as art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service and so on.

https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/padma-shri-tulasi-gowda-barefoot-environmentalist-encyclopedia-of-forest-1874499-2021-11-08, November 9, 2021

For the grandchildren of foreigners interred in Shimla, reaching the town to visit the graves of their loved ones is often a frustrating and painful journey that ends in disappointment. Shimla, the erstwhile summer capital of British India, still carries vestiges of its colonial past in its five cemeteries. Some are nearly two centuries old and many of those laid to rest in these graveyards are renowned British army officers, civil servants and their family members, who had lived in the fascinating woods of Simla, as it was called then, during the British Raj.

For the descendants and grandchildren of foreigners interred in Himachal Pradesh, however, reaching the town to visit the graves of their loved ones is often a frustrating and painful journey that ends in disappointment. While they turn up with flowers and gifts in hand in memory of the dearly departed, many are met with tombs falling into disrepair in graveyards filled with garbage and trespassers. Natives residing in the vicinity of the cemeteries say that if the pandemic had not made foreign travel impossible since last year, many UK nationals embarking upon nostalgic trips to Shimla to pay respects to their loved ones would have definitely returned home heart-broken."

It’s not negligence alone that is harming these cemeteries. The heaps of garbage, litter, empty liquor bottles, torn footwear, chips packets and plastic waste that lie scattered across the graveyards are an eyesore. Defaced and missing ‘headstones’ make it almost impossible for any visitor to identify their ancestors' tombs, adding to the misery of the family members. Kanlog Cemetery, which is located on the Shimla bypass, presents an even more horrifying picture. This is the town’s oldest cemetery, a quaint place, officially covering 14 acres of area, containing graves of several Britishers from 1843 to 1920. Today, the site has fallen prey to encroachments with locals digging out the graves and flattening the land to lay out roads inside the cemetery. As many as 24 dozen natives have signed an affidavit and submitted it to the Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) against the encroachment at Kanlog. “These cemeteries are heritage places that carry sentimental value. This is a highly objectionable, illegal and greedy act on the part of those who have been entrusted with the responsibility to maintain the cemetery and protect the graves from any physical damage," the affidavit said. Media reports suggest that two UK nationals Tony Bennet and Jane Bennett visited the cemetery in 2012 to pay their respects to the grave of Tony’s great grandfather. After their long and frustrating search, both returned with teary eyes as they failed to find any sign of the grave. Rev (Dr ) Mahendra Pratap Singh, who identified himself as a priest at Kanlog cemetery accused miscreants from the downtown area of being responsible for exacerbating the condition by dumping liquor bottles, trespassing and using the space for gambling, drugs and crime.

"We have complained to the authorities, even submitted a memorandum to the earlier Chief Minister (late) Virbhadra Singh. But no help came," Singh told Outlook. He added that he had tried to stop people from trespassing, dumping empty liquor bottles and chips packets inside the cemetery but had only been met with hostility. "They have made me a target since then," he alleged. On the other hand, locals accused Singh himself of tampering with heritage by deploying the JCB to flatten the graveyard and build roads and pathways. They also accused him of putting-up illegal structures inside the cemetery recently. Kanlog Residents Association has written to Ashish Kohli, Commissioner SMC, seeking an inquiry into the illegal activities inside the cemetery. The association has also sought a ban all new construction activities that may tamper with the graves, and demanded restoration and conservation of all damaged landmarks in the vicinity. “It’s true, some people approached me over the phone, informing me about some illegal activities inside the cemetery at Kanlog. I will be sending a team to verify the fact and also take appropriate action. We will not allow miscreants to damage the heritage of the place, especially the graves of foreign families, top officers, military personnel and staff of viceroys “ Kohli said. Raaja Bhasion, a noted Shimla historian, who has written a book on cemeteries, endorses the views of the natives.

“The colonial-era cemeteries are in really bad shape. It’s painful to see how Shimla's heritage is being destroyed, allowed to ruin. There are encroachments inside heritage premises and boundaries. Headstones stolen, graves exposed to filth and dirt, weeds growing all around and places being dug up or covered over...I have no words to explain this apathy. If no restoration is done, we will lose this valuable heritage of those living thousands of miles away” Bhaison warned. Devan Khanna, a young activist-lawyer at Himachal Pradesh High Court, said he wanted citizens' action to make the administration, government or judiciary act and make effective interventions in the matter. "We need collective action to restore these cemeteries to their past glory," he said.

https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/india-news-shimlas-loving-heritage-who-is-listening-to-the-sobs-at-old-colonial-era-cemeteries/401214, November 17, 2021

All-female rainforest force battling to protect one of the last enclaves of biodiversity along the Western Ghats mountains. As deforestation and climate change ravage India’s UNESCO heritage-listed Western Ghats mountain range, an all-female rainforest force is battling to protect one of the area’s last enclaves of biodiversity. The region is home to at least 325 globally threatened flora, fauna, bird, amphibian, reptile and fish species but the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has ranked its outlook as a “significant concern”. At Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary, a group of 27 women act as guardians of the rare ferns, tree-hugging mosses and thousands of other plants that may otherwise be lost forever. “We are trying to salvage what is possible. It is like a refugee camp,” said Suprabha Seshan, one of the curators at the reserve.

It is also like a hospital. “The intensive care unit is in the pots and when you take them out that’s like the general ward where they get other forms of primary healthcare,” Seshan added. She estimated that more than 90 percent of the forests once graced the area have disappeared, a situation she describes as an ecological “holocaust”. Gurukula was created as a haven for the native flora struggling for survival because of global warming and human encroachment, in the hope of slowly repopulating the region with indigenous plants. Gurukula, which means a “retreat with a guru”, was set up 50 years ago by German conservationist Wolfgang Theuerkauf. Theuerkauf, who became an Indian citizen in 1978 and died seven years ago, started with seven acres (three hectares) of forest. Today it is 10 times that size. “Wolfgang said ‘this forest is our guru’,” Seshan explained. Three generations of “rainforest gardeners” – women from local villages in the hot and humid Kerala state – have worked with botanists to build up the sanctuary. “We have between 30 and 40 percent of the Western Ghats flora under conservation here,” added Seshan.

The work is becoming increasingly crucial. The region won its UNESCO listing in 2012 in part because it is one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots. But in its 2020 World Heritage Outlook report, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) warned of the threat of encroaching human activity and habitat loss. “Fifty million people are estimated to live in the Western Ghats region, resulting in pressures that are orders of magnitude greater than many protected areas around the world,” it said. Seshan, who has worked at the sanctuary for 28 years, has seen things deteriorate first-hand. She recalled: “When I came here plastic was still not a part of our culture. I remember when Wolfgang found the first plastic bag in the river, he said: ‘civilisation has arrived’.” The small plants of the Western Ghats are vulnerable to rising temperatures, rainfall fluctuations and the loss of habitat, said Seshan. “The more the climate changes, the more their reproductive life strategies have to change to adapt.”

Laly Joseph, another of the senior gardeners, scours the mountains for species that need to be moved to Gurukula for intensive care. She tries to find simple ways to reproduce the natural conditions for each species being cared for. It is also carefully listed in an inventory. Joseph showed off an Impatiens jerdoniae with red and yellow flowers that had been struggling before being nurtured and transplanted onto a tree. Three years on it is thriving. Joseph, who has worked at the sanctuary for 25 years, says saving a rare species and seeing it live again in a forest is incredibly satisfying. “They’re happy here, I am happy when they’re happy,” Joseph said of the plant. But she fears the increasingly unpredictable climate may destroy their work. The plants are struggling to cope, Joseph said. “They wilt, they can’t pollinate, they don’t get seeds. That is the way you lose species,” she added. “I suffer when a tree has fallen when the rainforest dies.” Dressed in big boots - to protect against cobras and insects - and brightly coloured tunics, their hair tied under scarves, the women put in long days in the forests, the sanctuary's greenhouses and its nursery. They replant the suffering flora, sift compost and seeds and make a malodorous natural pesticide from cow urine. [Manjunath Kiran/AFP].

Workers repot plants cultivated at the Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary. Fighting off bloodsucking leeches that thrive in the humidity, the rainforest gardeners tend to a multitude of endangered ferns, flowers and herbs that grow around the rocks and in the shade of tropical trees. [Manjunath Kiran/AFP]. A flowering plant belonging to the species Annual Impatiens, endemic to the Western Ghats and discovered by Laly Joseph, a plant conservationist and ecosystem gardener at the Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary. [Manjunath Kiran/AFP]. At Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary a group of 27 women act as guardians of the rare ferns, tree-hugging mosses and thousands of other plants that may otherwise be lost forever. [Manjunath Kiran/AFP]. Three generations of "rainforest gardeners" - women from local villages in the hot and humid Kerala state - have worked with botanists to build up the sanctuary. [Manjunath Kiran/AFP]. The region won its UNESCO listing in 2012 in part because it is one of the world's biodiversity hotspots, but in its 2020 World Heritage Outlook report, the IUCN warned of the threat of encroaching human activity and habitat loss. [Manjunath Kiran/AFP]

https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2021/11/4/india-women-guarding-rainforest-western-ghats-climate-crisis, November 4, 2021

At present, over 3,600 monuments and 50 museums across India are protected by the ASI, which comes under the Culture Ministry. From Dutch-era Patna Collectorate to iconic 86-year-old Asiatic Building in Bengaluru, thousands of architecturally and historically significant heritage buildings stand unprotected presently, many of which are “facing decay or demolition” amid rapid urbanisation, say experts. A top-level official of the Archaeological Survey of India on Sunday lamented the situation, saying the ASI has “several constraints” in taking up new sites, but just because a building or a monument is not listed under the ASI or any other agency, "it does not mean that the particular structure has no heritage value”. As the World Heritage Week is being marked across the globe from November 19-25, heritage custodians, INTACH officials and other experts highlighted the plight of "unprotected heritage buildings” of the country, which often get “overshadowed by well-protected and much-celebrated cultural sites” year after year.

Centuries-old Patna Collectorate, which is spread over 12 acres and despite being one of the last surviving signatures of Dutch architecture in Bihar and endowed with high ceilings, huge doors and hanging skylights, is not protected under the ASI or the state government. The Bihar government had in 2016 proposed to dismantle the collectorate located on the banks of Ganga, and replace it with a new complex, a move that had triggered a public outcry, with appeals to save the landmark coming from India and abroad, including the then Dutch ambassador. A Supreme Court stay since September 18 last year has halted the bulldozers.

Several iconic buildings, including over 100-year-old Gole Market, old Baoli Hall, 1885-built Anjuman Islamia Hall, District and Sessions Judge Bungalow, Civil Surgeon’s Bungalow, City SP Bungalow, New Police Lines, have already been demolished in the past several years by the state government authorities. The Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), started in 1925 as Prince of Wales Medical College, Bihar and Orissa’s first medical college, is also proposed to be razed for a new state-of-the-art hospital complex, despite appeal from historians, heritage lovers and INTACH to preserve its historic buildings. The college, which evolved out of the Temple Medical School set up in 1874, is not a protected site under any agency. The Asiatic Building, designed by noted German architect G H Krumbiegel, which opened in 1935, was proposed to be demolished few years ago, triggering protests, and later in 2019, the Karnataka High Court put a stay on it on a PIL filed by INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage) Bangalore Chapter. “Isn’t it an irony that people have to go to a court to save our heritage buildings,” said a heritage expert, who did not wish to be identified. The issue of unprotected heritage buildings had also come up during the recently-held conference of culture and tourism ministers of the southern region in Bengaluru, with Union Culture and Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy as its chief guest.

For any site to be listed under the ASI, it has to be “at least 100 years old, and of “national importance, noted the senior ASI official. “The ASI had its own constraints, and we are managing a large number of sites, despite shortage of staff. But, in case of centuries-old buildings like Patna Collectorate or other old structures in other states, the responsibility to protect buildings of high significance should be of the state, or any local body can also notify them,” he said. At present, over 3,600 monuments and 50 museums across India are protected by the ASI, which comes under the Culture Ministry. Various states have their own state-level listing of protected monuments and many protected structures fall under the ambit of local urban bodies. Asked if the ASI can intervene to protect significant old buildings, the official said, "Ideally, the proposal to bring any state-owned site under the ASI should come from the state authorities, as it’s a federal structure in India. They can also approach us for technical assistance, which we offer. The ASI can also appeal to a state or local authority if the structure is really significant, but the onus will lie with them, as we cannot interfere in a state issue”.

Also, ASI listing brings its own constraints, and owners of such heritage buildings — whether state government, or academic institutions or any other agency — “may not want those restrictions in an around a building” he said. Delhi-based INTACH undertook a project — SoBHI (State of Built Heritage in India) from 2015-2017 to document a large number of old buildings and structures across India, which are historically or architecturally significant, but unprotected, leaving them vulnerable to decay or demolition amid rapid urbanisation, a senior official of the heritage NGO said, lamenting the plight of such buildings. SoBHI only did a “representative mapping” of such sites, across various parameters, but the estimated number of unprotected buildings will be overwhelming, given that Indian cities — from Delhi to Indore and Kanpur to Kochi — are literally filled with old structures from big streets to narrow lanes, the officials said. “Of the several thousands of unprotected sites that were included as contributed cases and secondary source information for SoBHI study, there were about 1,600 representative sites that were taken up for primary surveys (that were undertaken with extensive inventory forms)," she said.

https://www.financialexpress.com/lifestyle/heritage-week-asi-and-intach-officials-emphasis-on-plight-of-unprotected-structures/2373305/, November 22, 2021

The civic work and enhancement of the over 450-year-old Synagogue Lane in Jew Town, delayed due to the pandemic and prolonged inclement weather, is posing a problem for stakeholders.Undertaken by Cochin Smart City Mission Limited (CSML), which was tasked with creating exemplar areas in Kochi, the work does not affect the heritage value of the area, said Shanavas S. CEO, CSML. Biley Menon, co-convenor of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) described it as a “great opportunity for a classic conservation.” Interestingly, the relaying of the road has unearthed a few items of possible antique value, including pottery, bone, teeth, coins, ceramic shards, roof tiles, and smoking pipes. “The area demands and deserves sensitive infra development, as it has great cultural value. Jew Town in Mattancherry and Fort Kochi are top global destinations,” said Ms. Menon. The 120-m heritage lane houses the famous Paradesi Synagogue, built in 1568 by the Sephardic Jews, with a 45-ft clock tower at the far end. These properties, which share a common wall with the Dutch Palace, built in 1545, draw visitors from around the world and generate a substantial amount of revenue from tourism. The main points of contention are the placement of RMU (Ring Main Unit), a sealed type of switchgear used for medium voltage power distribution, on the sidewalks; raised footpaths and the resulting danger of waterlogging. These points were discussed at a recent meeting convened by Mr. Shanavas. The enhancement proposes to place all overhanging cables and electrical wiring in an underground duct constructed in the middle of the lane, a task that is nearing completion. While this is a neat option, it requires the placement of RMUs of distribution boxes on the sides of the lane, which could be visually unappealing and also block private entrances. The issue of flooding caused by raising the skirting has been addressed by building two drains to remove excess water, said Mr. Shanavas. Stakeholders have been asked to come up with a suitable design and plan for the overall aesthetics of the area (lighting, colour coding, and common signage) that will be funded by CSML. The street was last retouched in 1968 when the Synagogue celebrated its 400th year, with former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Granite paving was done around 10 years ago. Fifty years ago, it housed the Cochin Jewish families. Today, shops, cafes, antique warehouses, and a few residences line the lane. “The vision is to restore the street to a 1952 look before the Jews began to emigrate. It was a residential area and had certain characteristics,” said entrepreneur Jose Dominic. Looking at the possible new character of the area, Mr. Dominic said that the stakeholders were in sync over the common aesthetics required — street lights on walls, embedded roller shutters for shops, no placing wares on the streets, and removal of sign boards are being discussed. To pay tribute to the past, Raigon Stanley, a history enthusiast, and Thaha Ibrahim, a resident upholding the legacy of the late Sara Cohen, who popularised Jewish Malayalam songs and handicrafts, are in touch with the Archaeological Department on the artefacts found over the past year, with the roadwork.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/synagogue-lane-in-jew-town-prepares-to-get-back-its-1950s-look/article37694442.ece, November 22, 2021

Intach Jammu Chapter in collaboration with Government College of Education Jammu today started a special series of activities for the celebration of World heritage Week 2021. On the First Day, a Heritage tour to Birpur-Purmandal –Uttarbehni heritage tourism circuit was organized. As many as 24 students, faculty members & team of Intach participated in the Heritage walk. The tour was flagged of by Dr. G.J Singh, Chief Executive Officer Surinsar-Mansar Development Authority at Sunjwan Morh Jammu in presence of S.M.Sahni Convener, Intach Jammu Chapter; Prof. Shalini Rana, Convener Cultural Club; GCOE Jammu, Dr Garo Choudhary; Faculty GCOE Jammu Arvind Kotwal; Jyoti Bhati Principal FCI Jammu; Rajesh Raina Tourist Officer Samba and Anil Paba Additional Co-Convener Sub Chapter Udhampur.

The students were apprised of the art and architecture of old temples like Rani Charki temple Birpur, Avimukteswar temples of Purmandal and Uttarbehni corridor, besides rare paintings that are inscribed on the walls of these temples, materials used for the construction and interiors of these Heritage temples of Chota Kashi.

The importance of conservation and preservation of the rich heritage of J&K was also emphasised. Many young volunteers, vloggers and cultural enthusiasts also joined the heritage walk and were enthralled to see the rich variety of built temples Heritage corridor of the region. Deputy Commissioner Samba, Anuradha Gupta appreciated the efforts of Intach team and Government College of Education Jammu for organizing the Heritage walk for familiarization of the rich cultural Heritage of Samba District.

https://indiaeducationdiary.in/intach-jammu-starts-special-series-of-activities-to-celebrate-world-heritage-week/, November 23, 2021

India Tourism and INTACH Hyderabad chapter, organised a heritage walk in the Archaeology and Doll Museum in the city on Friday. As part of the World Heritage Week celebrations between November 19 and 25, the GP Birla Astrological & Astronomical Scientific Research Institute, along with India Tourism and INTACH Hyderabad chapter, organised a heritage walk in the Archaeology and Doll Museum in the city on Friday. In view of Covid-19 safety precautions, the organisers held the guided tour with limited registrations and with a mix of families, students and enthusiasts.

“During the walk, we explained how to read and understand the signages of the artifacts, which is important to know when visiting a museum,” said K.G. Kumar, director, BM Birla science centre and planetarium. “It is important that the new generation understands the history and significance of artifacts.

Every object in the museum has a story behind it, hence we need to give the visitors a hands-on experience,” he added. The museum will soon host science shows for audiences on topics like effects of sub-zero temperatures alongside quizzes and ‘curator walks’ along the archaeology museum, science and art galleries. Interestingly, in an effort to ease fear of Mathematics among students, the organisers are set to launch a show titled ‘I hate Mathematics.’ The museum is working on providing a digital interface through smart phones for each artifact explaining the history behind it. The digital access to each object will give visitors a wholesome experience with narration in multiple languages.

https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/in-other-news/201121/special-walk-to-mark-world-heritage-week-from-nov-19.html, November 23, 2021

The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) conducted a heritage walk and talk programme for 75 rural and government school students in Thanjavur as part of the world heritage week celebrations. The children were explained the significance of heritage sites in Thanjavur by archaeology experts. The students were taken to Darbar Hall, Nayak Darbar Mandapam, Cultural hall, Clock tower and Saraswathi Mahal Library in the Thanjavur palace complex. Archaeological researcher Ayyampettai N Selvaraj explained the importance and artistic differences between the kingdoms that had ruled Thanjavur. Heritage quiz was also conducted to encourage the students to read the facts of archaeological sites across India. The winners were felicitated by the INTACH members with certificates and prizes.TNN

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/trichy/school-students-taken-for-heritage-walk/articleshow/87857228.cms, November 23, 2021

The hope for culturally responsible citizens begins with a strong foundation of knowledge, a well-rounded system of learning, and a sound milieu of like-minded individuals. The hope for culturally responsible citizens begins with a strong foundation of knowledge, a well-rounded system of learning, and a sound milieu of like-minded individuals. This World Heritage Week, keepers of heritage scrutinise the nation’s school and college curricula for its gaps and faults; the ideality of heritage education versus the reality.

M Kalimuthu, superintending archaeologist, ASI, Chennai circle
First, we should have a clear idea of what heritage is. In a broad sense, it means tangible and intangible assets of our culture and society, available to us in the form of art and architecture, archaeology, history, and ethnology. Heritage education is important and particularly, the younger generation should understand the value of our culture. UNESCO also recommends that countries celebrate World Heritage Day and World Heritage week to create awareness among the public, specifically the younger generation.

V Jeyaraj, director, Hepzibah Institute of Heritage Conservation. Heritage education must be included in school and college curricula so that we don’t destroy historical monuments. Kids must learn about heritage, how it must be preserved, the aspects of preservation, and the value of our history. Foreign countries preserve even the little of what they have but India, despite its vastness, is not able to do so. Heritage walks, workshops, rallies, exhibitions can be eye-opening and involve children in the process. The fundamentals of conservation need to be strong and that’s possible only when kids learn it from a young age.

Pradeep Chakravarthy, historian
Heritage, today, is seen in very narrow confines of something in the past. Slowly, schools must think of heritage in a broader sense; of not just the past but how it can be contextualised in the present. Rather than looking at battles and dates — which are also important in their own way — if you contextualise history into lessons for our lives today, children will get a lot of benefit from it. From history, we can learn how to live in harmony with the people and environment around us.

David J Praveen, history buff
If you look at foreign countries, there is more awareness of heritage. The way we teach history is also quite dry. When we look to foreign countries, they have a far more immersive system, even video games that are built on history and heritage. We could take cue and have the government bring video games as a mode of education. We should also make use of museums to increase awareness of history and heritage.

Nudrath Taranum, social worker
I am an executive member of the PTA of Government Hobart Higher Secondary School for Muslim Girls, which has a glorious legacy. We’re doing our best to preserve the school and promote its past. It’s certainly good for the kids; they grow up with a slice of history since childhood. Human behaviour has its roots in one’s culture and heritage, so learning history will help kids understand people and other cultures better.

Deborah Thiagarajan, founder-director of DakshinaChitra Museum
Heritage is about roots and identity; it helps a child reflect on an earlier life and what that meant, particularly for the environment. Heritage is not just about monuments. It’s about neighbourhoods, family relationships, architecture and problem solving. It’s about the arts and crafts, and the skills of the people who made them and the performers, both folk and classical, who enthralled audiences over the decades. Heritage education should include all this.

Thirupurasundari Sevvel, architect
Heritage education has been limited to art, architecture, history, tourism or allied courses. A holistic and ethical approach to understanding, conserving, and managing heritage is required. We speak about vandalism — the physical damage done to a tangible structure; we need to discuss appropriation, authenticity of research and sources, especially with abundant information online.

Anthea Dorothy Isaac, assistant professor, English, Lady Doak College, Madurai
Rather than educating through books, documentaries and video lessons, students can be asked to document resources and history in their own ways. This will help them to learn and explore the field. The fusion — of youth’s creativity along with technological advancements — will help us treasure our heritage effectively.

P Asoka, president, Approved Tour Guides’ Association
Children must be taken to heritage sites in their neighbouring localities during World Heritage Week. Except for students preparing for administrative services, I hardly see anybody pursuing history courses in colleges. Until five years back, there were only a handful of students in the archaeology department of the University of Madras. But recently, with awareness through media and workshops, more people are coming forward. A subject for students that can cover the rich heritage of the state would be a great place to start.

Sriram V, historian
The school curriculum has a considerable range of history but it is presented poorly. The problem in India is that your idea of culture and heritage may not be someone else’s. Today, everything is divided and analysed on the basis of caste and religion. It has also become a tendency to take extreme positions on everything. Children cannot be allowed to form extreme views; they should form their opinions as time goes along. They need a middle-of-the-road appreciation of heritage with the pluses and minuses of every aspect.

S Suresh, archaeologist and tourism consultant and Tamil Nadu state convener, INTACH In the syllabus framed by the education departments of some state governments and by the NCERT at the national level, limited aspects of our heritage have been included in subjects such as History and Social Studies taught between classes 6 to 9. Except this, heritage education is hardly a part of the formal academic curricula in our schools. Heritage education should include aspects of different types of heritage — natural, architectural, artistic and intangible. This would make our students preserve our valuable heritage when they grow up.

Sharmila Devadoss, president, Friends of Heritage Sites
In Madurai, INTACH ran a heritage club initiative for schools that rolled fun and learning into a multi-faceted approach towards heritage education. The research, learning and communication ensured that students found it engaging and energising. If the government facilitates such an initiative across the state, it will help shape our future generations. We can provide the framework, as we have the right resources and knowledge. Compiled by Kannalmozhi Kabilan, rama ramanan, Sahana Iyer, Vaishali Vijaykumar

https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2021/nov/25/the-intent-for-inheritance-2387699.html, November 23, 2021

The crime branch in Bhadra in the walled city of Vadodara is buzzing with activity with high-profile cases off late, but most would be oblivious of the fact that the office’s neighbour is the first royal abode of the city. Brick by brick and pillar by pillar, the once magnanimous structure is being reduced to ruins. Bhadra got its name as royals used to stay there. The building was a busy one till around 2000 with government offices like the treasury, taluka panchayat and others being located there. One by one, all offices were shifted elsewhere and Bhadra was left alone to fend for itself. The structure has an ornate ‘jharokha’ on its facade. It was the abode of the rulers till Sarkarwada was constructed by the Gaekwads around 1800.

The Bhadra was later used as an administrative building. Archaeologist R N Mehta has noted that the building came up towards the end of the 7th century or the beginning of the 8th century. He notes that it was built in a style developed after the Mughal ruler Shah Jahan. It has small rooms on the ground floor and larger ones on the upper floor that had a Zanankhana, Darbarkhand and the room of the ruler, Mehta has noted in his book ‘Vadodara: Ek Adhyayan’. Several representations and even a report prepared by experts for its restoration have not led to any developments. Architect and convener of the Vadodara chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) Sanjeev Joshi, who was a part of the team that prepared the report said that two reports were prepared for the monument in 2015, including that for a theatrical sitting at the site and another for a complete restoration.

“The possibility of using the building during the Vadfest was also being examined,” Joshi said. Sources said that the reports were prepared at the insistence of the district administration. These were also shared with the state government, but there was no development subsequently. “The structure has deteriorated further by now. Every monsoon leads to more damage in decay in such buildings. A fresh assessment needs to be made,” Joshi said. Art historian Chandrashekhar Patil said that there was still a possibility to restore the structure. “The ‘jharukha’ is very unique and one may not find a similar one elsewhere,” he said. Patil added that the teak pillars used in the structure were still intact.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/vadodara/bhadra-being-reduced-to-ruins-with-every-passing-day/articleshow/87875828.cms, November 23, 2021

In its heyday, the club catered to Class 1 officers of the administration as well as advocates, judicial and executive officers, and engineers. However, at present, the only giveaway of the history it represents is a single line on the signboard that reads ‘Established since 1930’. Dilapidated and hidden from plain sight by overgrown weeds and trees in Civil Lines is a 90-year-old British era building that houses the Gurgaon Club, a recreational facility set up in the 1930s, which is currently in a state of utter neglect.

With its expansive grounds turning into a makeshift garbage dump, the club — which was the pride of the city over the decades gone by — is now adorned with empty packets of chips, plastic bottles and polythene bags. In its heyday, the club catered to Class 1 officers of the administration as well as advocates, judicial and executive officers, and engineers. However, at present, the only giveaway of the history it represents is a single line on the signboard that reads ‘Established since 1930.’ The signboard of the club, although still standing before its boundary wall, is mostly faded and difficult to comprehend. “Similar to all clubs set up across India during the British era, the Gurgaon Club was a place where British officers, advocates and civil servants could step out of their rooms, barracks and use it for recreational purposes.

Indoor sports, such as darts, billiards and cards were common, and the place also offered its visitors meals and alcohol. It was set up completely for a non-profit cause,” said Atul Dev, convener, INTACH, Gurgaon chapter. Although marked on navigation maps, the establishment is difficult to spot, a sign of the extent to which it has been overlooked. The courtyard towards the rear end of the premises has started serving as a disposal ground for neglected items, prominent among which are a cart and a three-seater sofa, torn and worn out, which may have been used in the club. Initially owned by the then Gurgaon District Board, the premises were transferred to the Zila Parishad in 1999-2000 after the board was dissolved. During a visit by HT in October, the only persons on the club premises were three men from Jharsa village, who were seated inside one of three rooms, sipping liquor. The door of the room was broken, while the paint was peeling off and the building was riddled with seepage issues. The only pieces of furniture were four plastic chairs, three of which were occupied by the men and the fourth by a stray dog. A second room, interconnected to the first, lay in complete darkness. Upon shining a light, three plastic chairs and a centre table, all stacked one on top of the other, lay in disuse. A kitchen, attached to the room, was bare, with the only sound emanating from a faulty tap that was continuously leaking water.

The last room, meanwhile, also did not have any signs of the club’s past. Instead, it seemed to serve as a makeshift housing where a man was sleeping on a charpai. A centre table and a television set, with Haryanvi music playing in the background, were the only other items present on the premises. The only room in the entire premises which seemed to be well maintained was the washroom, which appeared to have been recently renovated and equipped with modern fittings. The men who were present at the club during the visit claimed to be friends of the caretaker and said they had been visiting the premises since the late 2000s. “The club has been neglected for a long time now, few come to visit the place and there are no facilities for recreation anymore anyway. We come here often to play cricket,” said Honey, one of the three men. “The club is in bad shape and has been deteriorating continuously. However, its condition has considerably worsened in the past one and a half years because of the pandemic as nobody pays attention to its upkeep,” he said. With the MCG currently working towards creating a new public club, it seems unlikely that there are plans to renovate or re-establish the Gurgaon Club. “We have plans to revive and renovate the club along with the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG).

We will be taking up this matter with the MCG by the end of this month and further pursue the matter jointly,” said Anu Sheokand, chief executive officer (CEO), Zila Parishad. In the MCG’s ₹36.38 crore plan for a club, a two-storey premises, with spaces reserved for two basement floors for parking, a solar roof to draw power, solar streetlights, and a swimming pool along with rooms reserved for leisure activities, has been mooted. A senior MCG official, from its engineering wing, said that the detailed project report (DPR) has been compiled and is currently being reviewed by a consultant to assess its feasibility. “The plan is to build the club on a 1.8 acre vacant land near DDR Chowk. The DPR is currently being reviewed. Once done, the project will be sent to the directorate of Urban Local Bodies (ULB) for perusal.

Once ULB also gives its approval, the tendering process will commence,” the official said, requesting anonymity. The official said that the club will have a membership system as a prerequisite to avail of its services. As reflected in the name, the new club will be titled the Gurugram Club, signifying the shift towards the future. However, the 90-year-old Gurgaon Club is a reminder of the era gone by, of a past even before it came to be the Millennium City.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/gurugram-news/gurgaon-club-a-british-era-building-now-only-found-on-maps-101637611855446.html, November 23, 2021

In its heyday, the club catered to Class 1 officers of the administration as well as advocates, judicial and executive officers, and engineers. However, at present, the only giveaway of the history it represents is a single line on the signboard that reads ‘Established since 1930’. Dilapidated and hidden from plain sight by overgrown weeds and trees in Civil Lines is a 90-year-old British era building that houses the Gurgaon Club, a recreational facility set up in the 1930s, which is currently in a state of utter neglect.

With its expansive grounds turning into a makeshift garbage dump, the club — which was the pride of the city over the decades gone by — is now adorned with empty packets of chips, plastic bottles and polythene bags. In its heyday, the club catered to Class 1 officers of the administration as well as advocates, judicial and executive officers, and engineers. However, at present, the only giveaway of the history it represents is a single line on the signboard that reads ‘Established since 1930.’ The signboard of the club, although still standing before its boundary wall, is mostly faded and difficult to comprehend. “Similar to all clubs set up across India during the British era, the Gurgaon Club was a place where British officers, advocates and civil servants could step out of their rooms, barracks and use it for recreational purposes.

Indoor sports, such as darts, billiards and cards were common, and the place also offered its visitors meals and alcohol. It was set up completely for a non-profit cause,” said Atul Dev, convener, INTACH, Gurgaon chapter. Although marked on navigation maps, the establishment is difficult to spot, a sign of the extent to which it has been overlooked. The courtyard towards the rear end of the premises has started serving as a disposal ground for neglected items, prominent among which are a cart and a three-seater sofa, torn and worn out, which may have been used in the club. Initially owned by the then Gurgaon District Board, the premises were transferred to the Zila Parishad in 1999-2000 after the board was dissolved. During a visit by HT in October, the only persons on the club premises were three men from Jharsa village, who were seated inside one of three rooms, sipping liquor. The door of the room was broken, while the paint was peeling off and the building was riddled with seepage issues. The only pieces of furniture were four plastic chairs, three of which were occupied by the men and the fourth by a stray dog. A second room, interconnected to the first, lay in complete darkness. Upon shining a light, three plastic chairs and a centre table, all stacked one on top of the other, lay in disuse. A kitchen, attached to the room, was bare, with the only sound emanating from a faulty tap that was continuously leaking water.

The last room, meanwhile, also did not have any signs of the club’s past. Instead, it seemed to serve as a makeshift housing where a man was sleeping on a charpai. A centre table and a television set, with Haryanvi music playing in the background, were the only other items present on the premises. The only room in the entire premises which seemed to be well maintained was the washroom, which appeared to have been recently renovated and equipped with modern fittings. The men who were present at the club during the visit claimed to be friends of the caretaker and said they had been visiting the premises since the late 2000s. “The club has been neglected for a long time now, few come to visit the place and there are no facilities for recreation anymore anyway. We come here often to play cricket,” said Honey, one of the three men. “The club is in bad shape and has been deteriorating continuously. However, its condition has considerably worsened in the past one and a half years because of the pandemic as nobody pays attention to its upkeep,” he said. With the MCG currently working towards creating a new public club, it seems unlikely that there are plans to renovate or re-establish the Gurgaon Club. “We have plans to revive and renovate the club along with the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG).

We will be taking up this matter with the MCG by the end of this month and further pursue the matter jointly,” said Anu Sheokand, chief executive officer (CEO), Zila Parishad. In the MCG’s ₹36.38 crore plan for a club, a two-storey premises, with spaces reserved for two basement floors for parking, a solar roof to draw power, solar streetlights, and a swimming pool along with rooms reserved for leisure activities, has been mooted. A senior MCG official, from its engineering wing, said that the detailed project report (DPR) has been compiled and is currently being reviewed by a consultant to assess its feasibility. “The plan is to build the club on a 1.8 acre vacant land near DDR Chowk. The DPR is currently being reviewed. Once done, the project will be sent to the directorate of Urban Local Bodies (ULB) for perusal.

Once ULB also gives its approval, the tendering process will commence,” the official said, requesting anonymity. The official said that the club will have a membership system as a prerequisite to avail of its services. As reflected in the name, the new club will be titled the Gurugram Club, signifying the shift towards the future. However, the 90-year-old Gurgaon Club is a reminder of the era gone by, of a past even before it came to be the Millennium City.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/gurugram-news/gurgaon-club-a-british-era-building-now-only-found-on-maps-101637611855446.html, November 23, 2021

Pandemic travel can be challenging; so take a staycation instead, and explore the city of Chennai which wears many badges on its sleeve: seat of culture, hub of medicine — the first city of modern India. Chennai has enough nooks and crannies that spin their own tales even for the native. Here are monuments, museums and memorials to explore. Pack a picnic hamper, and discover Madras nalla Madras.

Day 1
9am: Leave at the crack of dawn for the Dutch Fort, Sadras, near Kalpakkam. In the surreal monsoon light, the fort looks like a fading snapshot of colonial India. A gate with spikes, guarded by cannon stands at the entrance of this ASI monument with carved tombstones of Dutch sailors buried between 1620 and 1769. Skulls and crossbones, ships with billowing sails, and a man of war are etched into the stone. A warren of tunnels with clean sand, and dining and dancing halls leads to the moss-lined steps — you glimpse the Bay of Bengal from where the British bombed this fort and captured it in 1854.

11.30 am: Back in Chennai, make a detour to Taramani, a hub of education with institutes such as the Roja Muthiah Research Library. This is a treasure house of material on the humanities and social sciences, compiled over 200 years. The private collection of Roja Muthiah, once a signboard artist who fell in love with old books, the library has some of the finest Tamil books, the oldest published in 1804.

Noon: Stop at Santhome Basilica, a Gothic church with stunning stained-glass panels, one of three churches in the world built over the tomb of an apostle of Christ, and gawk at Santhome’s old garden houses from the Portuguese era, genteel but fraying at the edges. Down the road is the Kapaleeswarar temple, lording over streets filled with the aura of jasmine and filter coffee.

12.30 pm: Drive past the Classical-style DGP’s office, University Senate and War Memorial to arrive at Fort St George. This is where modern India was founded when the Fort was completed in 1644 and from where the Union Jack unfurled across Asia. City historian Sriram V suggests you spend two hours to explore 24 significant points in the fort. St Mary’s, the oldest Anglican church East of the Suez with its grand pipe organ plays host to the Armistice service every second Sunday of November to honour World War veterans. I travel faster than HG Wells’ time machine at Fort Museum, treading its wooden-floored galleries that stock memorabilia from the Raj and newly-independent India. Built in 1795 the Fort Museum once housed the Madras Bank and is disabled-friendly, its louvered windows open to coins, portraits and offbeat stories such as Captain Philip Anstruther’s cage in which he was held captive with his knees hammered. Also, wander through King’s Barracks, Clive’s house and the Duke of Wellington’s house.

2.30 pm: The Madras High Court complex was completed by Henry Irwin in 1892. The Indo-Saracenic structure is home to two of the city’s early lighthouses, one a Doric column of Pallavaram granite, the other atop the main building visible 32 miles out at sea. The turrets, hang high above the city’s smog and were what many first saw of Madras when they came in by masula boats. It also survived two World Wars. A gallery lined with Minton tiles and portraits leads to a court-room where the accused made their appearance through a trap door set in the floor. Other intriguing cases and prized law documents are at the High Court Museum.

Day 2
9 am: Swing the car down Poonamallee High Road taking in the sights of Madras Medical College, Central Station, Siddique Sarai, Victoria Hall and Ripon Building, Government College of Fine Arts, St Andrews Kirk and Egmore Railway Station to the Tamil Nadu Police Museum on Pantheon Road. A penny farthing used by a beat constable stands alongside a bullet-proof SUV. Inside, country bombs, pistols and modern weaponry feature alongside stories of sensational crimes. Further down the road, the red-brick colonnaded Government Museum, Chennai has the largest collection of Roman antiquities outside of Europe. Sujatha Shankar, convenor, INTACH, Chennai chapter, recommends seeing the Bronze Gallery and the Amaravathi sculptures. It was also here that the idea for the city’s first zoo was thought of by Orientalist Edward Balfour.

2 pm: It is full steam ahead to the Rail Museum, its parks filled with engines and carriages of iconic trains such as the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. One of the museum’s charming staff swings the buggy closer for me to take a look at its Caledonian blue structure.

The galleries are filled with miniatures that take you back to the hiss of hot steam and the sharp toot of the brass whistle when the train snakes around a bend. Photographs capture the Railways long journey since the first train ran from Bombay to Thane in 1853. There are also pictures of the Swiss engineers who lent the Integral Coach Factory the first technology, and luminaries such as Leonid Brezhnev and Queen Elizabeth II who have visited the ICF. Don’t miss the old world charm of cutlery from that Indian classic — the Railway Waiting Room.

4 pm: At the Madras War Cemetery where headstones commemorate men and women who died in both World Wars pause at the austere Stone of Remembrance with the words ‘Their Name Liveth For Evermore’, chosen by Rudyard Kipling to venerate the dead of the Empire. Then, as the long drawn-out twilight of the East falls on the city, drive up St Thomas Mount. On one side is the church, on the other, a birds-eye view of Chennai caught in a sweep of dusk.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/monuments-museums-memorials-48-hour-history-tour-through-city-chennai/article37677149.ece, November 24, 2021

As part of the celebrations of the ‘World Heritage Week’, a walk was organised by the G P Birla Archaeological, Astronomical and Scientific Research Institute along with India Tourism, Government of India and INTACH Hyderabad. Stone sculptures, ancient locks, manuscripts, among other unique archaeological exhibits attracted visitors, mostly students, who took part in the ‘Heritage Walk’ in the Archaeology and Doll museum of the BM Birla Science Museum on Friday. This was the first event of World Heritage Week.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/videos/toi-original/world-heritage-week-heritage-walk-in-hyderabad-attracts-visitors-students/videoshow/87798673.cms, November 24, 2021

Do you have a thing for museums? Have you ever looked at an old coin and wished that the worn-out piece of metal could talk about the hands and regions it passed through centuries ago? We caught up with Mahesh Kalra, museum professional and the director of Centre for Numismatic Information and Studies, to know how the passion for old coins and artefacts can be turned into a profession.

Edugraph: Most people don’t know much about Numismatics. Can you take us through this interesting field? Mahesh Kalra (MK): Numismatics is the study of coins but it’s not theoretical. Here you need to know how to handle the coins that are in front of you. In this field, you need to be curious and put in a massive effort to read coins as nobody becomes a numismatist without developing that ability.

How did you become interested in this field?
MK: I have always been curious about coins. I still remember getting coins from the UAE in my seventh standard. Within a week or two — there was no internet in those days — I could make out the numbers and dates written in Arabic on the coins. And there began my journey with coins and Numismatics as a subject. Even though I went on to study medicine, this passion has always been within me.

What are some of the research opportunities for young people in this field?
MK: You can work for a museum, although it might not be direct employment. My first museum employed me for three years, after which there was a year’s break and then I started working with other museums. Most museums in India employ people on contracts as they want to test your expertise and ensure that you’re fulfilling their requirements. However, there are lots of scope abroad for numismatists. I know some young Indians who have emigrated to the UK and have been working in British museums. Coin auction houses employ interns, and working there would be a great chance to gain some experience. Many art galleries are also coming up with such jobs. Delhi Art Gallery is running a fantastic exhibition at Ghare Baire, Old Currency Building, BBD Bagh, Kolkata, where a lot of art students from the city worked as interns. What educational qualification does one need to become a numismatist?

MK: You can do a master’s in Museology from the National Museum Institute or get a Postgraduate Diploma in Archaeology from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Delhi. A master’s course in Ancient Indian Culture or even an MA degree in History could be a good starting point. You can also do a master’s in Ancient Indian Culture and Archaeology — the University of Calcutta and Deccan College Pune offer this course. I think certificate and diploma courses in Persian and Arabic languages are essential as the main tool of a numismatist is the knowledge of scripts. During my stint in Kolkata, I learnt the Bengali script as Assamese and Bengali coins have scripts similar to Bengali.

Does the Centre for Numismatic Information and Studies offer any programmes or short/certificate courses for students? MK: We offer short courses in Numismatics. I have been giving lectures to students in collaboration with other departments. I’m currently doing an online workshop to display the coins in my collection. Obviously, it’s not the same as holding a coin in the palms but this is as close as you could get. I am open to tie ups with different educational departments. You worked with the curation department of different museums and organisations. Could you share your experience for those wanting to take it up as a profession?

MK: The best thing about curation is that you would be able to visit a lot of museums and develop a sense of how to exhibit an object with experience. The museum field is really growing and the role of the curator has evolved accordingly. The field of museum curation now mostly deals with ‘infotainment’ as the visitors want quick information to be presented to them in a creative way. Curation is all about how to convey it briefly by attaching small labels or information tags to objects. The other thing is going across the country and visiting other museums. Technology plays a big part in curation today. Curators now need to know how to put a light source to illuminate an artefact or a painting as they are displayed to the general public. I got my training at the British Museum, which runs an international training programme for mid-career professionals.

What is the scope of museum curation as a profession in India?
MK: You can be a general curator or a specialist curator. General curators narrate a story about any object. They are not specialists but have enough knowledge of exhibiting or enhancing a gallery and its beauty. Specialist curators are experts of a specific discipline. For instance, I’m a specialist curator for my expertise in Numismatics. I would recommend students to specialise in a discipline they are passionate about. You can really make it big but you’d also have to be patient for that. You need to do a lot of internships and collect experience certificates.

What are the different levels of curation that one can explore as a career?
MK: You should work as an intern first and then look for places that employ curatorial associates. The next step would be the position of assistant curator. Then comes the position of curator. A curator may become the assistant director or director of a museum — that’s a full career curve.

Would you like to share some tips for students interested in a career in Museum Studies or Numismatics? MK: There is no alternative to hard work — you must burn a lot of midnight oil to become an expert. For instance, you’d be barely able to recognise coins when you begin to study Numismatics. But you’ll definitely progress over time and will be able to take delight in knowing and reading the coins that seemed a mystery at first!

https://www.telegraphindia.com/edugraph/career/how-to-make-a-career-in-museum-curation-advice-from-numismatist-mahesh-kalra/cid/1840553, November 25, 2021

Six old coins were unearthed from an old fort in Sandhai village, falling under the Bilaspur subdivision of Yamunanagar district. The Haryana Saraswati Heritage Development Board, Panchkula (HSHDB), has written a letter to the Archaeology and Museum Department, Haryana (Chandigarh), to check the period of the coins and further study the site. The area, where the coins were found, falls on the palaeochannel of the Saraswati River. According to information, a villager, Balvinder Singh, found the coins in the remains of an old fort of his village and he, alongwith other villagers, handed over these to Dhuman Singh Kirmach, Deputy Chairman of the HSHDB, when he visited Sandhai village on Saturday.

Dhuman Singh said looking at these coins, it seemed these coins might have belonged to the Harappan period, therefore they had written to the Archaeology and Museum Department, Haryana, to check the period of the coins and further study the site. He said Saraswati river was the oldest river of Haryana and people lived on its banks as they got drinking water from it. “The discovery of old coins from an old fort situated close to the banks of Saraswati river proves that people lived on the banks of this river in ancient times,” said Dhuman Singh. Residents of Sandhai village told Dhuman Singh that this was not the first time that ancient artifacts had been found in the village.

According to information, in a letter written to the Director of the Archaeology and Museum Department on November 22, the Chief Executive Engineer of the HSHDB said during the visit of the Deputy Chairman of the HSHDB in Sandhai village, they found some ancient coins. In the letter, the Chief Executive Engineer said this area fell on the palaeochannel of the Saraswati river and there was a possibility of existence of archaeological evidences. “In view of this, the office desired that a team of your department may visit the site for verification and further investigation at the earliest,” reads the letter written by the Chief Executive Engineer.

Villager’s find A villager, Balvinder Singh, found the coins in the remains of the old fort. He along with other villagers handed over the coins to Dhuman Singh Kirmach, Deputy Chairman of the HSHDB Dhuman Singh said it seemed these coins might have belonged to the Harappan period.

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/ancient-coins-unearthed-from-old-fort-in-yamunanagar-district-342173, November 26, 2021

Some coins, remains of old statues and earthenware have been found at Sandhai village of Yamunanagar district. Residents of Sandhai village today handed over these artefacts to a joint team of the Haryana Archaeology and Museum Department and Haryana Sarasvati Heritage Development Board (HSHDB). The team today visited the site (remains of an old fort) here from where six old coins were found last week. The team included HSHDB vice-chairman Dhuman Singh Kirmach and Haryana Archaeology and Museum Department deputy director Banani Bhattacharya. Bhattacharya said the artefacts might be from the Kushan era. “The department will clean the old coins found at Sandhai village to determine how old these were,” said Bhattacharya. Kirmach said the archaeology department would soon start a procedure to protect the old fort site that is spread over two acres. He appealed to villagers to hand over whatever artefacts they had found to the archaeology department. The HSHDB had written to the Haryana Archaeology Department to inspect the old fort on November 22. — TNS

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/more-artefacts-found-in-yamunanagar-343288, November 27, 2021

Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), Punjab Chapter, organised a lecture on Sikhism and Travels of Guru Nanak Dev in Eastern India with special reference to Odisha by social activist and historian Anil Dhir (in pic). The lecture was held in collaboration with Rotary Club, Amritsar West and SR College. Anil Dhir has conducted research on the subject and raised his voice against the demolition of Mangu Math, said to be related to the visit of Guru Nanak Dev, in Puri. According to Janamsakhies, Guru Nanak Dev visited several places in India and Asia. Dhir said the visit to Jagannath temple in Puri was the first visit by Guru Nanak Dev and he was the most travelled in the world. "It is said that Guru Nanak Dev travelled on foot about 28,000 miles. During his visit, he composed Aarti and left a great influence. There are Oria-speaking Sikhs in Orissa and other neighbouring states. They claim to be Guru's followers. People worship the old Jagannath Puri Road, where Guru Nanak Dev walked. Since the introduction of railway in the region, the old road route lost its relevance," he said. Biswajit Mohanti, president of Green Peace India, also delivered a lecture on Wild Life in Orissa at the SR Government College under INTACH's lecture series. Professor Sukhdev Singh, Punjab State Convener, INTACH said such lectures on the historical significance of Guru's travels become imperative for awareness and education regarding Sikh heritage. "The development projects and activities must relate and communicate with people and their cultural past, heritage, ecology and environment," he said.

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/amritsar/historian-traces-gurus-odisha-journey-343549, November 28, 2021

Nyay Mandir, the palatial seat of justice in the heart of the city, celebrated its 125th Inauguration Day in isolation. Amid the usual hectic activity around it, the monument was ignored by those at the helm of the city's affairs. Nyay Mandir was inaugurated on November 30, 1896, by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III. Designed by Robert Chisholm, the building was supposed to be a vegetable market, but eventually used as the judiciary of erstwhile Baroda state. Named after Sayajirao’s wife Maharani Chimnabhai, a marble statue of the queen prominently placed inside the building is a reminder of its royal past. The building was a hub of activity till 2018 when the courts shifted to a new building in Diwalipura. While plans to set up a city museum and other facilities were doing the rounds since 2014, but little has transpired regarding the historical building, so far. The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) that is supposed to develop the facilities is yet to get possession of the building. The VMC was reminded about the date by architect Sanjeev Joshi, convenor of the Vadodara chapter of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH). Joshi had written to VMC last week about the 125th anniversary and how the opportunity could be used to set out an agenda for the building in the coming days, but in vain. “It was a missed opportunity for us to express our intent regarding the building. The silence regarding it is really worrisome,” he said. There were, however, some developments on the day that might hint at better days for the structure in the offing. Vadodara mayor Keyur Rokadiya who was in Gandhinagar on Tuesday said that he had discussed the issue with revenue minister Rajendra Trivedi and in-charge minister for Vadodara Pradip Parmar. “I have asked them to expedite the process of handing over Nyay Mandir to the VMC so that we can begin work on it,” Rokadiya said, but didn’t clarify on what the building will be used for. “We can plan anything only when we have its possession,” Rokadiya added. Sources said that there has been a delay in the handing over of the building to the VMC due to change in those at the helm of VMC and even the state government.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/vadodara/woman-appears-for-exam-on-wedding-day-in-dahod/articleshow/87990825.cms, November 30, 2021

All the caves of the Barabar and Nagarjuni hills were donated as dwellings to Ajivika ascetics. It was an ancient Indian religion that however completely vanished after the 14th century. The Barabar hills in Bihar’s Gaya district contains a unique group of man-made rock-cut caves (3rd century BCE) of great historical value and architectural and sculptural significance. At least three caves of the hill were surely excavated by Piyadasi i.e., King Asoka (r. c. 268–232 BCE) of the Maurya Empire. The caves of Sudama and Visvamitra were created in the 12th regnal year of Asoka, and the Karna Chaupar was made in his 19th regnal year. But the Lomas Rishi cave remained unfinished and hence also contains no edict of Asoka. However, the ground plan of the Sudama and Lomas Rishi caves are nearly identical, and therefore, many scholars consider the latter one to be also excavated during the Asokan period, probably sometime in the last 20 years of his reign. Further, in the nearby Nagarjuni hill, Asoka’s grandson, Dasaratha (r. 232-224 BCE), had also excavated three caves on the occasion of his accession to the throne at Magadha (Patna), with each one bearing his edict. These three caves are known as the Gopika, Vadathi and Vapiya. All the caves of the Barabar and Nagarjuni hills were donated as dwellings to Ajivika ascetics. It was an ancient Indian religion that however completely vanished after the 14th century. The religion was founded by Goshala Maskariputta, who was known to be a contemporary of Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism, and Gautama, the Buddha of Buddhism. Though nothing is known about the religious practices of the Ajivikas, K R Norman, an expert on Pali literature and the Asoka edicts, has said that these ascetics had worshipped the elephant. In this context, I take liberty to add that the name of one hill, naaga-arjuni, points to the divine White Elephant; for, the naaga means an ‘elephant’ (and also a ‘serpent’), and arjuna means ‘white colour’. In fact, the Barabar hilltop, divided into halves, appears like a pair of elephants that face each other while leaning onto the ground. The same natural feature, in my opinion, would invariably explain the name, baraabar, which means ‘on par with one another’.

The Lomas Rishi cave remained unfinished most likely because of certain technical problems like the appearance of large cracks in the granite stone while the excavation was still in progress. The interior of all the caves, including one side of the Lomas Rishi, have been finely polished, a typical feature that is well-known as the hallmark of Mauryan art, as seen in Asoka pillars topped with the capital basements that bear animal figures like the elephant, bull, lion and perhaps also a horse. Visitors to the cave have remarked that the finely polished interior stone surface reflects every figure and form in front of it, almost like a mirror. Of all the rock-cut structures, the Lomas Rishi cave stands apart, mainly because of the dwaara-torana (doorway embellishment), which has been carved with refined figures in relief. The motif of makara (crocodile) has been carved prominently on either end of the torana. These makaras appear almost like crocodiles with just a suggestion of a horn on the snout and with a reptilian tail having spines. Further, a row of 10 elephants are shown paying their homage to the stupa. The overall shape of the entrance is usually described as like the horseshoe, but more aptly as the gaja-prista-aakara (in the shape of an elephant’s back). The arch is single-pointed with the lock knob at the top centre; a row of beams are carved as support below the arch, and many crisscross strips are also carved to suggest a window in between the arch and the panel with figures. Such architectural features clearly reflect the wooden buildings that were in vogue during the time of Asoka, and even perhaps earlier. In India, the Barabar caves are the first known examples of rock-cut cave structures and led to the making of many similar monuments all across the country at a later period. The dwaara-torana of the Lomas Rishi cave later on evolved into various types of makaras—comprising parts of a crocodile, fish and elephant—and also the makara-torana that is around various iconographic representations of many divinities of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. British novelist E M Forster worked as private secretary of Tukojirao III, the Maharaja of Dewas in Madhya Pradesh, and seems to have either read about the Barabar caves or even visited them. He had introduced the caves in his novel, A Passage to India (1924), but under the fictional name of Marabar caves, where a significant event in the novel takes place. The incident in the movie (1984) of the same name, as far as I know, was filmed at Savandurga and the Ramadevarabetta caves near Ramnagar in Karnataka, but not at the Barabar caves.

Srinivas Sistla Associate professor, Department of Fine Arts, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam([email protected])

https://www.newindianexpress.com/opinions/columns/2021/nov/30/the-earliest-rock-cut-monuments-in-india-2389672.html, November 30, 2021