Not all is lost in Kalas Mahal fire

by A. Srivathsan

Source: The Hindu   

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A vintage photograph showing Chepauk Palace with Kalas Mahal on the right. Photo Courtesy: Vintage Vignettes, Circa 1895

The Hindu has accessed rare prints and drawings depicting the layout of the heritage building, which should help the PWD in restoring the structure in entirety rather than just the facade

The good news is that the 244-year old Kalas Mahal, ravaged by fire two months ago, will not be demolished to make way for a misfit building. The bad news is that the proposed repair and reconstruction of this heritage structure, if the recent government order is any indication, would produce a historically misleading and kitschy building.

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On January 19, the state government constituted a three-member expert committee to study the damaged Kalas Mahal and recommend future course of action. In just five days, after investigating the building, the committee recommended rebuilding of the outer facade of the Kalas Mahal as it was in the past and with the help of building materials salvageable from the site. However, it said the Pubic Works Department (PWD) was free to design the interior anew to suit the functioning of a government office.

The government has accepted these recommendations, and has not insisted on an integrated conservation plan. It also has not insisted on including a conservation expert in this restoration project and left it entirely to the PWD. Heritage experts, taking exception to this casual approach, have strongly protested the move.

“The Kalas Mahal is classified as a Grade I heritage building in the Justice E. Padmanaban committee report because of its architectural and historical significance. The interior of the building is as important as the exterior and cannot be tampered with. Unfortunately, the government-appointed experts have recommended just that,” said Sriram V., convener of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, Tamil Nadu Chapter.

“Given the poor design capabilities of PWD and their zero expertise in heritage conservation, Kalas Mahal is bound to end up as a pathetic and kitschy building. This is not the way to treat the birthplace of Indo-Saracenic architecture in India,” he added.

K. Kalpana, a conservation architect with experience in restoring the Senate House and many other heritage buildings in Chennai, is equally aghast. “It is pointless to restore only the envelope. The interior and the exterior cannot be separated,” she insisted.

The government-appointed committee has observed that no photographic documentation and drawings of Kalas Mahal exists. A senior person closely associated with the recommendations told The Hindu that since the PWD does not have sufficient information about the original design of the interior, it was free to come up with its own plan.

However, The Hindu has accessed rare prints and detailed drawings of the layout of the Kalas Mahal. The prints are part of a private collection while the drawings were made by the School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University, about eight years ago. The meticulous drawings clearly illustrate the internal layout, the façade, and some of the ornamental features of the building.

Ms. Kalpana said the existing drawings and photo documentation should be useful to the PWD. She said “the precariously loose joists, charred wooden beams and debris” — as recorded by the committee — should not be thrown away and instead studied carefully to understand the original construction system. “Many other cities in India have successfully resurrected heritage buildings that were destroyed by fire. They have restored both the envelope and the interiors. It will do well for the PWD to study these examples instead of rushing into reconstruction,” she explained.

She is also clear that designing an office space within such an authentically reconstructed heritage structure is not a challenge and is efficiently achievable.

“The first step in the way forward,” Mr. Sriram explained, “would be to appoint a conservation specialist. Second, the PWD must not adopt its usual methods and give it to the contractor who quotes the lowest price. The Senate House of the University of Madras, which was restored a few years ago, is a model worth looking at.”

“This project is a good opportunity for the PWD to work and arrive at processes which it can use in future projects. The INTACH will be more than happy to work with the PWD and use this project to train them in architectural conservation,” Mr. Sriram concluded.

Keywords: Kalas Mahal, Chennai heritage buildings

Around the country in 10 days

source:the Telegraph

From Delhi to Gir Lion Sanctuary, from Ajanta and Ellora and Bimbedka Caves to Khajuraho, the journey promises to be an unforgettable one for Ranchi’s high school students. Thanks to Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Amongst Youth (SPIC MACAY), Delhi, students across the country will get an opportunity to catch a glimpse of exquisite heritage sites. The Jharkhand chapter of the organisation will take care of students going from the state. It has already contacted 25 public schools to be part of this trip. A first of its kind, the 10-day Heritage Tour will start from Delhi on March 30. Apart from the most sought-after locales, students will visit places like Ajmer, Udaipur, Porbandar, Dwarka, Gwalior Fort, Agra, Fatehpur Sikri and Elephanta Caves. And all these will also be light on the pocket. A meagre registration amount of Rs 1,000 per student would cover all expenses including transportation, food and lodging. With the registration process for the trip still on, Rajiv Ranjan, state co-ordinator of SPIC MACAY, said they are expecting over 500 children across the state to take this maiden trip. “We have contacted 25 schools and from each school, 25 students from Classes VIII to XII will go for sightseeing,” said Ranjan. “It makes a great difference when students learning theoretically visit those places and get an insight of heritage sites. This trip will be beneficial particularly for art students, who have great interest in historical facts, which is also part of their syllabus,” added the co-ordinator. Students, on the other hand, are equally enthusiastic. “Since my final examinations will be over by March 18, it will be a much-needed break. I am eager to see Elephanta, Ajanta and Ellora. I have read about these in my history textbook and now I want to experience and explore the mysteries that shroud these popular heritage sites,” said an eighth standard student of DAV Public School-Bariatu Bobby Singh. If Singh is interested in exploring the secrets of the caves, equally enthusiastic is Ankush Rai, a ninth grader in Delhi Public School, Ranchi. “We will get an opportunity to visit the important sites, considered to be rich and valuable sources of historical information. All the sites mentioned in the itinerary are the most sought after destinations by both domestic and foreign tourists,” he said. A similar kind of tour was organised by INTACH, Jharkhand, in collaboration with the state tourism department last year.

Stately Egmore station inspires source:Express News Service CHENNAI: Even as heritage enthusiasts cry foul over the whitewash of history, thanks to the poor maintenance of most of Madras’s heritage structures, it is the simple whitewash of one alphabet that hides the true story behind the majestic Chennai Egmore Station. Peer closer at the crest on the dome above the main entrance, and you will see the letter ‘I’ painted into the background, to read ‘SR’ for Southern Railway. ‘SIR’ the original relief on the crest stood for South Indian Railway, the company that built and operated Egmore Station till Independence. But what stands out with the heritage station is the fact that you can peer into the ‘I’ and activate a link to history without feeling bad for its state. In fact, heritage conservationists are all praise for the Railway’s sensitivity and sensibility in retaining the true character of the station over the decades. “Egmore Station is well maintained. There is always scope for improvement. But Railways has taken care of the building. And that is laudable work,” says S Suresh, state convenor of the Indian National Trust For Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH). The restoration work carried out on the station has been of international standards, he adds. “Much work has been done. Extensions and additions have been made over the years out of necessity. But it is remarkable that these have been harmonised with the station’s original character,” says Suresh. �The response of Southern Railways Divisional Railway Manager S Anantharaman to the praise was modest. “We strive to maintain the integrity of the station’s original design. That is taken care of in our routine check. It is not like we take any special measures to conserve the building,” he says. �Egmore Station, though the most spectacular station of the South Indian Railway Company, was not its headquarters. SIR’s main station was in Thiruchirapalli, and the Egmore Station, that was inaugurated around eight years later, in 1908, was grander. It was due to the excellent result of this endeavour that Samynada Pillai won the contract to build the headquarters of the Madras and Mahratta Railway Company. We know this building today as the headquarters of the Southern Railways.

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HYDERABAD: On behalf of ‘Germany and India 2011-2012: Infinite Opportunities’, the Goethe-Zentrum Hyderabad is organising the ‘Hyderabad Heritage - Pictorial Essay 1975-2011’. The exhibition which will be from February 4 to 22 at the Salar Jung Museum, will be a visual representation of the evolution of the Nawabi city between the years 1975 to 2011.
Photographers Hans Winterberg and Thomas Luettge will be the presenters of the exhibition.� Also, on February 4, from 10 am to 2:30 pm, a seminar on ‘Built Heritage of Hyderabad - The Way Forward’, which will focus on conserving and taking Hyderabad heritage forward,� will be conducted at the venue itself. The seminar will also focus on the heritage sites in India that need to be conserved for our future generations. It is being organised in collaboration with the Salar Jung Museum, INTACH Hyderabad and the Archaeological Survey of India. The exhibition, 1975-2011 : Before - After, is open to all.

HYDERABAD: On behalf of ‘Germany and India 2011-2012: Infinite Opportunities’, the Goethe-Zentrum Hyderabad is organising the ‘Hyderabad Heritage - Pictorial Essay 1975-2011’. The exhibition which will be from February 4 to 22 at the Salar Jung Museum, will be a visual representation of the evolution of the Nawabi city between the years 1975 to 2011.

Photographers Hans Winterberg and Thomas Luettge will be the presenters of the exhibition.� Also, on February 4, from 10 am to 2:30 pm, a seminar on ‘Built Heritage of Hyderabad - The Way Forward’, which will focus on conserving and taking Hyderabad heritage forward,� will be conducted at the venue itself. The seminar will also focus on the heritage sites in India that need to be conserved for our future generations. It is being organised in collaboration with the Salar Jung Museum, INTACH Hyderabad and the Archaeological Survey of India. The exhibition, 1975-2011 : Before - After, is open to all.

Living History: A cannon in monumental neglect

by G. Srinivasan

source:The Hindu   

The 17th century forge-welded iron cannon at Thanjavur. Photo: B. Velankanni Raj

The 17th century big gun is said to be protected by ASI but is in a sorry state

Beerangi Medu, where a 17th century forge-welded iron cannon is mounted at Keela Alankam in Thanjavur town, a heritage monument, remains a place of neglect. Liquor bottles, plastic packets and eatables strewn around the cannon at the heritage site indicate the sorry state of affairs.

Interestingly, it is a monument protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). A board put up at the entrance of the fleet of steps leading to the mounted cannon at the site says: “This monument has been declared to be of National Importance under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological sites and Remains Act 1958. As per the Ancient Monuments and Remains (Amendment and Validation) Act 2010, whoever destroys, removes, injures, alters, defaces or misuses this monument, shall be punishable with imprisonment up to two years or with fine up to Rs one lakh or with both”. Walls of the site are defaced and names engraved on them.

The cannon is said to be one of the biggest in the world. It is of amazing size and speaks volumes of the metallurgical skill of the people in 17th century. The cannon has been made using Danish technical skills. It was mounted in 1620 when Ragunatha Nayak was the King of Thanjavur (1600-1645 A.D.).

The 26-foot-long cannon weighs 22 tonnes. It is forge-welded and has not been made by casting. The nearly 400-year-old cannon, though exposed to sun and rain, has not rusted. The outer circle is 300 mm in diameter, while the inner circle is 150 mm in diameter. Inside, it is made using 43 long iron plates and the outer of 94 iron rings. To lift the cannon eight rings were present on top. But now, only two rings are found. It was used to protect Thanjavur from enemies who used to enter through ‘keelavasal' (east gate).

Unfortunately, encroachments around the site – pucca built houses (which are not allowed around an archaeological site), – cattle rearing by people in the vicinity, wild growth of weeds rob the cannon site of all beauty. From the site (top) one can see the Sarja madi (seven-floor structure) and the Arsenal tower of Nayak Palace on the western side. The cannon is called Rajagopala cannon.

However, the Thanjavur chapter of the Indian National Trust for Arts and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) has taken steps to protect and popularise the site and to maintain it well. It organised heritage walk to the site and celebrated India Tourism day recently with foreign tourists. But after these events, the place remains neglected.

According to Rajeswaran, an INTACH member and councillor of the ward, where the cannon is located, the site can be made into an interesting tourist attraction if the ASI, the district administration, the municipality and art-lovers take steps. “There are no lights at the top. This helps anti-social elements during night time to misuse the place,” Mr. Rajeswaran said.

Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology to use Kankaria design for Bhopal Lake makeover


Dayananda Yumlembam, TNN | Jan 30, 2012, 03.23AM IST


AHMEDABAD: City's Kankaria Lakefront project will lend its design to the country's oldest manmade lake in Bhopal. The Madhya Pradesh government has awarded Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (Cept) University the project of making a detailed concept plan for the lake.

After studying the present scenario of the lake, experts at Cept University have planned to divide the 25 kilometer-long periphery of the lake into five zones including an 'active recreational zone,' which will resemble the revenue generating model of the Kankaria Lake.

The Bhopal Lake, known as the Upper Lake or 'Bada tal,' was built around a thousand years ago and is perhaps the oldest man-made lake in the country. The lake spans over 31 square km and was built by Raja Bhoj in the 11th century by constructing an earthen dam across the Kolans River.

"The zone-1 of the Bhopal Lake will resemble the Kankaria Lakefront. With eateries, tourist shopping, open plazas and landscaped areas, the zone will be alive with visitors and recreational activities," said Subhrangsu Goswami, faculty of Planning and Public Policy at Cept University, who is handling the project with another faculty Saswat Bandyopadhyay.

"The officials of the municipal corporation at Bhopal have shown keen interest in the model and the design of Kankaria Lakefront project in Ahmedabad, which is one of the most commercially successful models. They asked during various interactions to design the lake along the lines of the existing Kankaria Lake," said Goswami.

Cept University was selected from among 32 consultants, including seven international consultancy firms which applied for the project.

Apart from an 18-hole golf course and a convention centre, the lakefront will also have a "nature trail," which has been inspired by the "heritage walk" of Ahmedabad city. "The plan is to make an interesting walking trail amidst the nature to provide opportunity for visitors to get close to nature."

While a rough plan has been proposed to the Madhya Pradesh Government, Cept University will prepare a detailed plan which is slated for completion in the next 10 months.

'Mushk’ Mahal reeks of neglect

TNN

HYDERABAD: The Mushk Mahal in Attapur may be a structure like none other in Hyderabad, but the treatment meted out to it is not reflective of this uniqueness. The once imposing structure today lies covered in layers of moss and filth and curious souls who attempt to walk in for a dekko of its historic interiors are welcomed by are volting stench.

The construction of Mishk Mahal is attributed to Miyan Mishk Malik, the Absynnian commander of armed forces of the last Qutub Shahi king, Abul Hasan Tana Shah during 1678. Constructed as a getaway for the Golconda royals, the two-storeyed palace was protected by high walls with two prominent gates leading to it from the north and south. The walls long gone, the mahal has been left to fend for itself from the vagaries of nature and the ever narrowing maze of concrete.

The supposedly 10 acres of land it was built on, has shrunk to less than a fraction. The building's visage now sports deep-rooted weed growth and wild shrubs. "Mishk Mahal is a fine example of Qutub Shahi era architecture. It is one of its kind to have survived outside Golconda. Other similar structures were reportedly brought down during Mughal conquests.

Though there were plans to award the heritage structure, we could not do it last time around because the structure is not under protection. A structure of this stature needs to be conserved," said Anuradha Reddy, Intach convenor for Hyderabad chapter. She alleged that local authorities have done little to protect the heritage of the structure.

In an irony of sorts, the name of the palace has been corrupted to 'Mushk' Mahal, but the 17th century monument today actually serves the purpose of urinal for passersby and locals. A local from the area attributes this to growing encroachment around the area. "We have heard that several land grabbers with political backing are eyeing the remaining land and the mahal itself," said an elderly local. He added that a barbed fence recently put up around the monument has deterred passersby from relieving themselves around the structure.

The palace is not under the aegis of ASI or state archaeology department. It is under the patronage of GHMC's heritage wing. An official from the heritage wing admitted that little has been done to conserve the structure. "Though this issue has been brought to the notice of the government, nothing has been done to conserve the structure," he said.

Victoria Town Hall stands tall after restoration

by M. Soundariya Preetha

source: Hindu  

The Hindu The Victoria Town Hall in Coimbatore city, listed by INTACH as a heritage structure. It was restored in 1992. Photo; M. Periasamy

 

This landmark building in Coimbatore, which has stood the test of time, faced threat of demolition in the early 1990s

This landmark building in Coimbatore has stood the test of time. It is rich in history and was once the venue for public meetings, council meetings, civic receptions and banquets in honour of celebrities visiting the city, including Mahatma Gandhi and Rajaji.

The Victoria Town Hall, constructed in 1892 in honour of Queen Victoria, faced the threat of demolition in the early 1990s but has now been restored and hosts Corporation council meetings.

Municipal council meetings were held in the hall till 1953. From 1952 to 1986, a library and reading room existed on the mezzanine floor of the hall. The hall was then used as a godown to store electrical goods.

INTACH role

In 1992, a government order was passed for its demolition, says Shashi Ghulati, who was convenor of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) - Coimbatore then.

The INTACH took up the matter with the Corporation Commissioner. With the support of the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Coimbatore, the INTACH launched a campaign to save the structure. An official of the corporation says the structure was restored in 1992 at a cost of Rs.15 lakh.

According to Ms. Ghulati, the municipality granted the land and Rs.3,000 for the construction of the hall in 1892 and the rest of the money was donated by members of the Town Hall Committee (comprising prominent citizens of the city). The Town Hall was the committee's property till 1953. That year, its administration, management and maintenance were handed over to Coimbatore Municipality.

The 6,000 sq.ft structure, which includes the 3,000 sq.ft. council hall, stands on a 48-cent plot.

The entrance porch has Gothic arches and a balcony. The foyer leads to the assembly hall. The mezzanine floor is now used as a visitors' gallery for council meetings. The historical structure has walls made of stone and lime and mortar, panelled shutters for windows, and timber trusses with Mangalore tiles for roofing. A low-roofed corridor, with Tuscan type stumpy columns, runs along three sides of the hall.

According to architect Philip Fowler, who was involved along with INTACH in preparing the report and recommendations for the restoration of the Town Hall, the walls of the hall were strong and the main restoration works were taken up for the roofing and the rafters.

“When the building was used as a godown and was to be demolished, it was in a dilapidated condition. The stone slabs in the corridor were coming out, window panes were broken, and posters pasted on the walls. This was a heritage structure that was more than 100 years old and worthy of being saved for posterity.

So, why should it be ruined? And, we launched a protest to save the structure,” says Ms. Ghulati. The backing of the citizens made a difference and the support of the chamber of commerce came as a boost.

The Trust members collected details of the Town Hall and prepared blueprints for restoration of the Hall and even suggested creating a museum on the lines of New York's Empire State Building. The Victoria Town Hall was listed by INTACH in 1995, she says.

Refurbished Victoria Public Hall likely to be thrown open in June

by Deepa H Ramakrishnan

source:Hindu  

The Hindu RESURGENCE: The stage of the Victoria Public Hall in Chennai being restored. Photo: M. Vedhan

 

It was here that the first cinema show was held in Chennai 116 years ago. The Victoria Public Hall (VPH), now undergoing restoration, was quite young then. T. Stevenson, proprietor of the Madras Photographic Store, ran some shows that consisted of ten short films.

Since the late 1880s, when the hall was opened to the public, the quaint red structure, adjoining Ripon Building on Poonamallee High Road, witnessed hundreds of theatrical performances and the pioneers of Tamil play, Sankaradoss Swamigal and Pammal Sambanda Mudaliar, staged their plays at the hall. Stalwarts, including Swami Vivekananda, Mahatma Gandhi, Gopal Krishna Gokhale and Sardar Patel, addressed meetings there.

For the last 40 years or so, the hall has ceased to host such events but its historical significance has not been lost sight of. It was featured in a scene in Rajinikanth's blockbuster ‘Sivaji – The Boss' that was released about five years ago.

Designed by Robert Chisholm (1840-1915), the Victoria Public Hall was built by Namberumal Chetty to commemorate the golden jubilee of the reign of Britain's Empress Queen Victoria. Its history can be traced to a meeting in March 1882 at the Pachaiyappa's Hall in George Town when some leading citizens decided to construct a town hall. A sum of Rs.16,425 was mobilised from around 30 persons, who attended the meeting and a trust formed for the project.

On December 17, 1883, Sir Ananda Gajapathi Row, the then Maharajah of Vizianagaram, laid the foundation stone on an extent of 3.14 acres, leased by the Corporation. A plaque on the eastern wall of the hall is a testimony to this event. It took about five years to complete the construction.

An example of Indo-Saracenic architecture, the rectangular structure has two halls, one each on the ground and first floors, which together can seat around 1,200 persons at a time. The hall on the first floor has arcaded verandahs along the northern and southern sides supported on sleek Corinthian stone columns.

The Suguna Vilasa Sabha (SVS), founded in 1891, was most closely associated with the VPH. Among the many firsts of the SVS was the concept of conducting evening drama shows.

In October 1906, the play ‘Kaadalar Kangal' was staged at the VPH, said V. Sriram, historian.

For the next 30 years, the Sabha remained at the VPH and later, built its own theatre on acquisition of 36 grounds next to Christ Church on Anna Salai. It is now only a social club.

The building became a home to two more organisations, the South Indian Athletic Association and the Chennapuri Andhra Maha Sabha, which were also subsequently vacated.

As Chennai grew southward and the medium of cinema acquired greater popularity, the building gradually went out of public attention. After the expiry of the lease between the civic body and the trust in 1985, a legal battle ensued. Eventually, Chennai Corporation took over the building from April 1, 2009.

Since then, it demolished 32 shops situated on the periphery and a building that housed the Chennapuri Andhra Maha Sabha. A few months ago, a private hotel, located on a portion of the 55 grounds belonging to the VPH, was demolished, after which the majestic red brick structure has become visible.

In the last 50 years, efforts were indeed made to restore the building at the initiative of Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai in October 1967.

In 1993, when Suresh Krishna was Sheriff of Madras and an ex-officio Trustee of the Victoria Public Hall Trust, he took steps for the renovation of parts of the building. Former Maharashtra Governor C. Subramanian re-dedicated the building.

Sources in the Chennai Corporation, which is restoring the building at a cost of Rs.3.39 crore, say the work is expected to be completed by June this year.

“We have a team from the ASI, INTACH and School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University to inspect the building regularly. No cement is used. Lime mortar with jaggery and Kadukka is used,” a source said.

Most of the plastering works on the interior walls have been completed and also the wood work. The false ceiling made of wood on the first floor too is nearing completion. Besides, electrical work, flooring and work on the turrets have to be carried out.

S. Suresh, State convenor of INTACH, says the execution of the work is slow because of the complexity of the building. “We give them advice at every stage of the restoration.”

Once the hall is thrown open to the public again, it will make a difference to citizens of Chennai, particularly those in northern parts, in the social and cultural spheres of life.

Arunachal CM Asks Centre to Develop Historical Sites

PTI | Jan 13, 2012


Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki has requested the Centre to help in development and preservation of the state’s historical and holy sites and provide assistance in promotion of its rich art and culture.

Calling on Union Minister for Culture Kumari Selja, who also holds the portfolio of Housing and Poverty Elevation, at New Delhi yesterday, Tuki emphasized that Arunachal Pradesh with its vast and unexplored historical and mysterious background has a potential in promoting tourism through its historical sites and mythological importance, official sources said here today.

He urged the Ministry of Culture to facilitate conduction of surveys and investigations so that the existing historical sites in the state can be listed as heritage sites or come under the purview of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

To point out a few, he cited the ruins of Itafort in the state capital, Malinithan at Likabali, Parasuram Kund in Lohit, Taklung Dzong near Kalaktang as well as the recently discovered huge Shiv Ling near Ziro in Lower Subansiri district.

The chief minister observed that if all the sites of historical and religious importance in the state are developed and maintained, religious and historical tourism would flourish, which in return would generate employment and income for the local people, sources said.

Tuki, who has been extensively touring the districts of the state since he took over charge, expressed the need for having one museum and if possible a cultural centre in each district.

While urging the Union Minister to allow establishment of new or extension of the existing museums in the district, he, however, emphasized that libraries in every district is a must.

The Chief Minister sought assistance for establishment of libraries in all 17 districts of the state, the sources said quoting Tuki.

Talking about the rich and diverse culture of the state, Tuki also urged for a Regional Cultural Centre at Itanagar.

He said a Center of such kind would provide a common platform for cultural activities including promotion, research and documentation.

“This would also serve as a performing venue for the various tribes of the state that number more than hundred,” he added.

Kumar Selja, who gave a patient hearing to Tuki, assured to take up the requests on priority with concerned officials of the ministry.

She hoped that soon her ministry would come out with concrete plans to fulfill the aspirations of the state, sources added.

100 years of Delhi: Focus on heritage in Lutyens zone



NEW DELHI: While the legacy of the capitals of the Mughals, the Lodis, the Tughlaqs right up to the Delhi Sultanate period forms much of the shared heritage of the city, very little is talked about of the heritage aspect of British capital of New Delhi.

As it completes 100 years of being the capital, heritage experts want to bring New Delhi to the centre of the public consciousness by introducing the concept of heritage walks in Lutyens zone.

Heritage conservation group INTACH has been prolific in using the tool of heritage walks, and has conducted guided tours in past months in and around the heritage-rich areas of Lodi gardens, Sultan Garhi, and Mehrauli, among others.

Now, its Delhi chapter is planning to take the concept to the New Delhi, the last capital in present-day Delhi which has been home to seven major capital cities, dating back 3,000 years to the time of Indraprastha.

In a city which dates back to at least three millenia, 100 years is hardly history. Nevertheless, the youngest capital zone of Delhi, does make for a remarkable heritage in itself.

"As 100 years is hardly considered history, no one has looked at New Delhi from the perspective of a heritage area," A G K Menon, convener of Intach's Delhi Chapter says.

"New Delhi is now just nearing the 100-year age mark and we need to focus on it as a centre of rich heritage," he said.

Commensurate to this need, the experts associated with INTACH are preparing the contours of heritage walks in New Delhi.

The British capital, the foundation of which was laid in December, 1911, was planned by two leading 20th century British architects - Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker - who embedded it with Victorian style grandeur.

The grandeur is visible in the magnificence of the Rashtrapati Bhawan, the Parliament House, the North and South Blocks - the seats of the Indian government, besides the India Gate, the residential zone of white bungalows and the commercial centre of Connaught Place.

The heritage walk along the Lutyens zone - often associated with the present day power centre - will focus on the significance of this part of Delhi and the facts behind its planning.

"If I tell a lay man that New Delhi's planning was derived from the Garden city movement, he or she not understand much. We will have to tell people what the Garden city movement was and how it influenced the construction of New Delhi.

"This will be our focus, to make people aware of the significance of New Delhi, about the principles that guided its construction," Menon says.

Garden city principles, a method of urban planning where cities were planned as self-contained communities surrounded by greenbelts or parks, greatly influenced the design of colonial and post-colonial capitals during the early part of the 20th century, including New Delhi.

The heritage tour of New Delhi will try to cover the monuments, buildings and residential spaces in the region and given the vastness of the area, tourists might also be taken for a bus ride.

"The monuments of New Delhi have been remarkably preserved. The buildings and the mounments remain largely in good shape and the only thing that is worrisome for now is that the trees are growing old," he says.

Coronation Park: Monument to capital's civic neglect


NEW DELHI: It was to have been ready in time to commemorate the centenary of Delhi becoming the capital, but the historic coronation park, which once held the lavish durbar of King George V and houses stately statues and columns that are testimony to a bygone era, cries for a long-awaited makeover - thanks to bureaucratic lethargy and the incompetence of civic bodies.

The park, called Coronation Memorial, is situated in north Delhi, spread across 49 acres near Burari village. It is here that King George V announced the shifting of the British Indian capital from Calcutta to Delhi Dec 12, 1911.

"The whole expanse is filled with pits and puddles. It is just a dusty open space with some donkeys braying, plants growing on plinths of century-old statues of British nobility. The ground is used for cricket matches by some youngsters in the neighbourhood," lamented Nanditha Gururaj, a heritage walk coordinator.

According to Gururaj, the park has huge tourism potential. "Braving the thorns, rubbish heaps and overgrown grass, tourists still visit the place as they want to see where the durbar was held and where New Delhi was proclaimed capital of British India," Gururaj told IANS.

"It is unfortunate that after several years, the park is yet to be ready and a tourism potential site has been in a state of neglect for decades," says a city-based historian.

The renovation of the park has missed several deadlines. "The park's conservation was first conceived in 2005. With six years left for the capital's 100th birthday, the government was confident about developing 'the junkyard of history' into a cultural centre for north Delhi," said an official at the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach).

"After several hiccups and initial feet dragging by the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), the ownership of the park was shifted to the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) in 2007. Intach and an NGO were asked to prepare a concept proposal," the official said.

Nearly two years after the initial talks, DDA and Intach's Delhi chapter joined together and a contract was signed at the end of 2009 for developing the park costing Rs.16 crore.

DDA set a deadline for the renovation work on Dec 12, 2011. But till date, the park is in shambles. According to DDA authorities, the renovation work will now be completed only until June 2012.

"We submitted a detailed facelift plan in April 2010. But DDA gave contracts for civil work only in July 2011 and they signed us for the conservation work only recently," the Intach official said.

The facelift work was divided in three major components - landscaping, interpretation centre and conservation of the coronation pillar and statues.

"Only 30 percent of the work has been completed. We started the work only in September last year, as the tender process for the project had taken several months. After three months, we were not able to work because of the rains. Since the soil was wet and loose during the rainy season, we had to extend our deadline from April to June 2012," a senior DDA official told media.

"Around 150 labourers are working daily on the park," the official said.

The official also informed that the conservation of statues and pillars takes time as they have to be cleaned with certain chemicals.

"The statues and the pillars have to be chemically cleaned. The renovation programme will take time. Cleaning, repairing and restoring the park which was left untouched for nearly a century is not easy. It takes time," said a DDA official.

The Convener of Intach's Delhi chapter, A.G.K. Menon, said, "It is disappointing that the park was not ready for the centenary, but we all know how the government system works. We cannot blame only the authorities, the whole system is slow."
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Soon, no more queues to seek nod for road cuts


Deepa H Ramakrishnan
Vasudha Venugopal


Very soon, residents can apply for road cut permissions online. The Chennai Corporation will develop and test the application, said its Commissioner P.W.C. Davidar on Monday. He said that an analysis of road cut permission process showed that the file passed by 25 – 30 officials before getting the required sanction.

“At times, the file would be going in circles even. We are thinking of how the system can be re-engineered to make it hassle-free. It will be ready in a couple of weeks,” he said speaking at a session on ‘efficient and effective ULBs and Parastatals – Institutional governance framework' at the three-day Municipalika conference that got underway at the Chennai Trade Centre.




Andre Dzikus, Chief, Water and Sanitation Section, UN Habitat, said that though the car-based economy of the 20 century proved successful, it also led to loss of urban and cultural values. “Cities don't have open spaces and malls have emerged as places for social gathering. With an increase in crime rates, more and more gated communities are coming up.”

In this context, a new vision for sustainable urban planning is the need of the hour he said, adding that the old model of mixed zoning would pave the way for vibrant and efficient cities. “Most Indian cities were formed much earlier and their basic fabric is intact. They are not driven by technology and so in 20 years time, Indian cities will perform better than Chinese cities as they are more compact,” he said.

Chetan Vaidya, Director, National Institute of Urban Affairs, said that JNNURM-II, which will begin in September with a funding of 2 lakh crore would have a special scheme for town panchayats. JNNURM – I projects that have not been completed would get time till 2014. Conservation should be about integrating natural heritage into built heritage, said M.G. Devasahayam of Sustain. Questions on if conservation and development can take place simultaneously, how different conservation is from beautification and what goes in building structures that are potentially the heritage of tomorrow, were discussed by conservation activists at another session. Benny Kuriakose, a conservation architect spoke about a sustainable model of tourism that involves the local community, citing Muziris, a tourism project on at an ancient Roman port in Kerala. S.Suresh, State convener, INTACH explained how exploring and excavation of archaeological remains started mainly as a holiday hobby of western powers in India.
source:The Hindu

Arunachal to be promoted as wellness destination

TNN | Jan 23, 2012, 05.52AM IST

GUWAHATI: The Centre is exploring new ways to promote Arunachal Pradesh as a wellness destination for tourists. With pristine surroundings, salubrious environment and rich repository of traditional medicines, tourism officials believe that Arunachal Pradesh has all that it takes to become popular with travellers from across the country.

"Arunachal Pradesh - with its rich wildlife, cultural richness and pristine landscape - has the potential to attract tourists interested in wildlife, adventure, ecologu or culture. As wellness tourism is becoming popular in the country, Arunachal can successfully be promoted as a complete destination," a tourism official said.

With 68% of Arunachal Pradesh's geographical area covered by forests, wildlife, eco-tourism and adventure tourism are other niche products that could be marketed. However, experts said that inadequate infrastructure and lack of proper marketing are some of the major hurdles in exploiting Arunachal's tourism potential.

And with an increasing number of well-heeled travellers looking out for rejuvenating holidays and alternative healthcare destinations, the state has all that it needs. "The state's ethnic groups have a rich tradition in folk medicines. And its green surroundings and pristine landscape are perfect to package the place as wellness tourism product," the official said.

Prepared by Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) in 2010, the tourism development plan for Arunachal Pradesh also emphasisesoon the state's potential to emerge as a global destination for indigenous healthcare.

"The pristine, pollution-free environment of Arunachal Pradesh, along with its repertoire of traditional medicines, provide the right combination to be the wellness-cum-rejuvenation destination for tourists seeking to experience indigenous medicines of the tribal communities," INTACH said.

Govt plans to demolish historic Vakil Manzil
House Hosted Jinnah, Iqbal, Muslim Conference Office

by M HYDERI

Smaller Default Larger

Srinagar, Jan 14: Notwithstanding the government claims of reviving the lost glory of old Srinagar city –the Shahr-e-Khaas –the administration is all set to demolish over a century old historic building at Zaina Kadal which has hosted personalities including Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Dr Sir Muhammad Iqbal apart from being the office of Muslim Conference, the party which ultimately transformed into the present National Conference.
The house in question is Vakil Manzil, near Zaina Kadal Bridge in the old city, and the demolition is presumably for road widening.
The controversial move has popped up at a time when the government has been talking tall to conserve the old city heritage sites.

THE PLAN:
Official documents reveal that the government plans to procure the house from its owner and prominent political figure of the area, Muhammad Yaqub Vakil, for the proposed road widening. The documents reveal that on 30th of last month, Vakil was directed to attend a high level meeting at the office of Divisional Commissioner.
Officials while confirming the meeting said it was chaired by District Development Commissioner Baseer Ahmed Khan who is understood to have told Vakil that his house was coming in the way of the circular road project.
Vakil says the DDC told him that he would be given Rs 90 lakh as compensation for the five storey house on some two kanals of land.

THE HERITAGE STRUCTURE:
The government plan to demolish the structure seems to be in stark violation of the Jammu and Kashmir Heritage Conservation and Preservation Act 2010.
“The Act puts this particular building under legal protection and therefore cannot be damaged,” says Muhammad Saleem Baig, who heads the state chapter of INTACH, a prominent organization into heritage conservation in the country.
Baig, a former bureaucrat, who is aware of the government plan, says leave apart demolition even no “alteration or intervention of the architectural integrity of the building can be carried out without prior consultation with the authority constituted to implement the Act in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.”
The INTACH head and expert on heritage conservation confirmed that Muhammad Yaqub Vakil’s house and even some others in the vicinity are Heritage Property as they have been listed by the INTACH under the National Register Program to identify such structures.

POST CARD ATTRACTION:
The importance of the building could be gauged from the fact that in 1980s, the government had used its picture in the backdrop of Zaina Kadal Bridge to promote tourism by getting it printed on post card.
Vakil, the proud owner of this house, still holds a copy of this post card close to his heart.
“How will I allow the demolition of this house which has been of immense importance since the days it was built by our ancestors?” Vakil told Greater Kashmir while showing the old post card.

THE HOUSE FEATURES:
A magnificent structure, it was among the best riverside buildings. Observes said those days the grandeur of a house was depicted from the number of windows, traditionally called Taakh.
“For that matter this house was the plush villa of its times because it had as many as 18 Taakh,” explained a heritage expert.

VAKIL’S CONSERVATION PLEA:
Vakil said he would handover the house to government only on the condition if it is procured for conservation as a heritage building.
“But this deal too will be subject to the cost I ask, not Rs 90 lakhs which are nothing more than peanuts for such a huge building with deodar wood worth crores used in it,” he said. “Our ancestors had been so keen about the construction of this house that they had ensured that nothing except knotless deodar, something rare nowadays, was used in its construction,” Vakil explained while pointing towards the prized wood used in the house construction.
“But demolition of this house, I shall never ever allow and will be the last person to bear any such government move,” he said.
source;Greater kashmir

Delhi, then and now

SWATI DAFTUAR

Source: The Hindu  

Beato's Delhi: 1857 and beyond, Jim Masselos and Narayani Gupta, Penguin, Rs. 1499. Photo: Special Arrangement

 

Felix Beato arrived in Delhi when the city was just recovering from the 1857 revolt. In 1858, Delhi was desolate and bleak; a city that had only just begun to pick up the pieces. Beato, an Italian British photographer noted for his war photography, became the first man to photograph Delhi as it stood war weary and subdued. He was, of course, unable to photograph the actual military campaign, but managed to capture the battleground and other places of note in the campaign, photographing ruined buildings, deserted streets and new British graves.

Beato's Delhi is featured in Penguin's re-release of the book by the same name. Reproducing his work, alongside 1997 photographs of the same sites taken by Jim Masselos, Beato's Delhi: 1857 and Beyond offers a unique view of a city long gone and sheds light on how Delhi has transformed since then.

Substantial parts of Delhi were demolished or radically altered in the aftermath of the 1857 revolt and Jim Masselos' photographs capture the changed between then and now, both the obvious and the implicit. An 1858 photograph taken by Beato shows Jama Masjid being used as a field kitchen for British forces from Punjab stationed in Delhi post the re-conquest. The ridge, used as battleground, stands rocky and barren. The front façade of the Imperial Bank Building in Chandni Chowk is riddled with bullets. As Beato recorded the last embers of the Revolt, his pictures also contributed to some of the myth making about the mutiny, becoming a record of the memory and icons.

Turning the pages of Beato's Delhi, one is transported back, and the pictures recreate a city that had just been vanquished. Juxtaposed with the present day pictures of the same sites, with the Jama Masjid open to visitors, the Red Fort a major historical attraction, Chandni Chowk a bustling market place and the city itself alive and pulsating, the change is even more striking. To help readers place and situate the places photographed, two pictorial maps act as end pages.

The prints are supplemented by informative and illuminating texts by Jim Masselos and Narayani Gupta, a consultant with INTACH and a retired professor of history at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. While Masselos provides the context to Beato's work, Gupta analyses the actual ‘ways of seeing', by trying to understand how the city has been viewed and perceived for decades. Reminding us of when these photos were taken, Gupta says that these images are also significant because they were the first examples of photography in and of Delhi. There had been romanticized drawings and paintings of the capital before, but Beato captured things as they were. Of course, when Beato photographed the Red Fort or Jama Masjid, he wasn't looking at them as historical monuments.

This book isn't just a visual delight; it is also a treasure trove for Delhi buffs. It takes up the challenge of recreating history, and succeeds beautifully. Sepia prints of Beato's work, Masselos' photographs and Gupta's succinct descriptions come together to celebrate the capital's resilience and survival.

Is ‘heritage' missing from the dictionary?

By R. Krishna Kumar

Source:Hindu

neglected: Mandi Market in Mysore needs more attention from the authorities. — Photo: M.A. SRIRAM

 

Is it all talk and no action on the heritage and conservation front in Mysore? Though the Government and the local authorities have “declared” R.K.Narayan's house at Yadavgiri in Mysore as a heritage structure, will they now notify the heritage regulations which is gathering dust and without which conservation efforts will be futile? What about the fate of nearly 230 other structures listed by stakeholders including the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), Department of Archaeology and Heritage, Mysore Grahakara Parishat (MGP), and Mysore Area Heritage Task Force.

Will the Government revive the Mysore Area Heritage Sub-Committee which has not met for three years and has become defunct? These are questions bothering heritage conservationists in the city which has witnessed many false starts on the restoration and conservation of important structures.

Only success story

There have been sporadic efforts in the past to take up restoration and conservation works by the government authorities in Mysore none of which have materialised so far. The only “success story” of restoration pertains to the Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion at Manasagangotri which was funded by Infosys and the work was executed by a private conservation architect.

In 2007-2008, the authorities listed 15 buildings identified by the Mysore City Corporation (MCC) for conservation and it was announced that HUDCO would execute the project. Then came the announcement that funding would be through the JNNURM. It remained a non-starter.

A master plan for beautification and embellishment of the core heritage area around the palace made news. It is yet to take off. Finally the MCC itself came out with a plan to restore at least three markets — Devaraja, Vani Vilas and Mandi — constructed during the Maharaja's era. But none of these plans has materialised yet.

And now the public has been told that the Devaraja Market façade will be restored while the interiors will remain untouched. In the meantime, the MCC is equipping itself for the “long run” and is putting its staff through a workshop on urban heritage conservation with resource persons drawn from France and Indian Heritage Cities Network Foundation. The objective is to build the capacity of the MCC to plan, coordinate and execute programmes in the field of urban heritage conservation and regeneration. Whether the theoretical exercise culminates in practical application remains to be seen.

Though the city is strewn with over 200 heritage buildings and monuments, their conservation without budgetary support and notification of the heritage guidelines and regulations will be difficult as averred by town planners.

Even as the government dithers on notifying the regulations, some of the structures are withering away due to lack of action though there are no dearth of “action plans.”

The core heritage zone surrounding the palace includes the Lansdowne Building which is in a bad shape. Though some of the encroachments were removed recently by the district administration, there is no follow-up action to strengthen the structure.

Devaraja Market is over 125 years old and continues to draw tourists and locals alike and is an emblem of a bygone era. Constructed during the regime of the Wadiyars, it has over 725 shops but the vegetable, fruit and flower market dominates the area. There are talks and talks of its restoration.

The latest buzz is that experts from France and those attached to Unesco will give technical support and the MCC will restore the façade without touching the interiors so as to increase the life span of the building by another 100 years.

Mandi Market and Vani Vilas Market too were constructed during the rule of the Wadiyars and have served the city well during their heydays. But both the structures are in a dilapidated condition and the MCC has plans to restore them but there is little concrete action on the ground. The agrahara area adjoining the Vani Vilas Market and Ramanuja Road, which is reflective of traditional Mysore, has been neglected over the decades

Among the slew of heritage structures located around the palace are the public office buildings south of the palace which are well preserved as they are in use. But the gun house to the west of palace and which was constructed around 1910 requires intervention. The list also includes the Harsha Road stretch which is dominated by old hotels, offices and theatres and require intervention for conservation. Jaganmohan Palace, which houses an art gallery, is protected but in the absence of heritage guidelines, there was flagrant violation of norms and hotels taller than the Jaganmohan Palace came up around it. The office of the MCC is just a stone's throw away but it turned a blind eye to the violations.

Gandhi Square is in the core heritage zone adjoining the Silver Jubilee Clock Tower and the Town Hall and has old buildings and shops that have defined the skyline of Mysore for decades. The place has witnessed overgrowth in the absence of regulation.

Ashoka Road had a few old buildings some of which have been demolished to pave way for new ones or the old buildings have been modified with glass and steel and they appear incongruous in many ways.

R. Krishna Kumar

Existing and forgotten traditions of Purani Dilli

Source:Hindu

 

Chief Election Commissioner Dr. S. Y. Quraishi narrates the story of Old Delhi at a lecture organised by INTACH

“Kanmailiya”, “saqqa”, “tongawallah”, “warq beaters” and calligraphy are words slowly fading away from the dictionary of Delhi, but Purani Dilli-wallas still remember how these and several other things were an integral part of the traditions of Old Delhi.

Etiquette

“Eating with a spoon was looked down upon, and not considered good etiquette. In fact, people would not wipe their hands after washing them because it was believed that impurities from the cloth would enter the food,” said Chief Election Commissioner S. Y. Quraishi, sharing similar existing and forgotten traditions of Old Delhi.

He was speaking at a public lecture on “Old Delhi: Living Traditions” organised by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) as part of its campaign for nomination of Delhi to UNESCO's list of World Heritage cities. Dr. Quraishi, whose family has been living in Delhi for around 500 years, narrated the story of Delhi as a “personal account”. He spoke about traditions and practices that have been preserved by the city despite the changes in its appearance.

He spoke about the markets, food, culture, language, professions and mingling of cultures that is still evident in Shahjahanabad, Nizamuddin and Mehrauli.

Beginning with the marketplaces of Old Delhi, he said that most continue to deal in the same wares as they did years ago. “Dariba was a real scene of culture, not just a market…Khari Baoli was and still is the largest wholesale spice market in Asia, Chawri Bazar is for wholesale paper, Darya Ganj for medical equipment and book publishing, Urdu Bazar is famous for its street food, Nai Sarak for books and stationery, even though some sari trading shops have come up in recent times,” said Dr. Quraishi.

He also mentioned the fading and some extinct traditions like “saqqa”, who would distribute cool water in sheepskin, “kanmailiya” or ear cleaner, who was extremely important for travellers who would want their ears cleaned of dust and sand accumulated along the way.

“Poetry was a full time profession,” said Dr. Quraishi, reciting poetry of greats like Mir Taqi Mir and Ghalib, who belonged to Delhi. “Poetry was, in fact, not confined only to the poets. Hawkers, “saqqa”, “dhobi”, everyone indulged in some form of poetry. More importantly, it was not a preserve of the Muslims alone,” he added. He also spoke about the Urdu language, which was an integral part of the culture of the city.

Dr. Quraishi also brought out the “mingling and closeness of communities” in Old Delhi. “Monuments of five religions stand shoulder in Old Delhi,” he said. The Digambar Jain Temple, which is the “oldest Jain temple in Delhi”, the Gauri Shankar Temple, Sis Ganj Gurdwara, Sunehri Masjid and the Central Baptist Church, are testimony to unity that has existed in the city since centuries.

Diverse festivals

The diverse festivals celebrated in the Walled City, and the famous Old Delhi food which is still sought after, was also mentioned. Dr. Quraishi agreed that the Delhi Metro had helped put Old Delhi back on the culture map of Delhi, especially the variety of food available in the by-lanes.

He also spoke about the “tehzeeb” and culture that people took pride in. “The “ugaldaan”, “paandaan” or spittoon, which people carried with them were a far cry from the present day situation, where every several walls in the city seem to be splashed with “paan” stains,” he added.

The CEC then spoke about the sports and recreational activities that Old Delhi-wallahs indulged in, some of which are still practised, while others like “chaupar”, animal fights, “kabootarbaazi” (pigeon fighting) are slowly dying out.

He ended the talk by taking the audience through pictures of the Anglo-Arabic School where he had studied, the original building of St. Stephen's College, the Hardayal Library (which was renamed from Hardinge Library), Ghalib's house in Ballimaran and Old Delhi railway station, which despite being an architectural “eyesore”, is still an essential part of Old Delhi.

Experts visit Golconda, Qutub Shahi tombs

Jan 5, 2012, 03.25AM IST

HYDERABAD: The government-constituted expert sub-committee formed to pitch for Unesco's World Heritage Status to Qutub Shahi era monuments in the city visited the Golconda Fort and Qutub Shahi tombs on Wednesday.

The experts suggested preparation of individual plans for each monument, along with a composite conservation plan. Noting that the gardens in their present form do not represent the original layout, the team suggested that they should be laid in the grid pattern followed by the Qutb Shahis, after consulting the archival material of the period.

On the contentious Naya Qila issue, an Intach official told TOI, "This is one area which has not been scientifically excavated. At the Deccani gardens, recent excavations revealed cisterns and water channels. So it is essential to make thorough excavations at historically important sites." She also noted that the problems of new settlements coming up in the vicinity should be addressed.

The team said that a master management plan for regular maintenance was required by involving all the stakeholders including GHMC, department of tourism, APTDC, horticulture department, QQSUDA and Archaeological Survey of India. "We have suggested a high level committee or Task Force under the chairmanship of the state chief secretary," the team members said.

INTACH to hold lectures on Haryana’s heritage

GURGAON: The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritgae (INTACH) will be holding a series of public lectures on Haryana's heritage in Gurgaon and other parts of the state. As a part of an awareness campaign, INTACH also announced field trips to lesser known heritage sites in Narnaul, Rewari and Mewat for students and other enthusiasts.

On Sunday, the organization held first of their heritage lectures in Gurgaon on the ancient Saraswati river. There is ample evidence as to the route the river took through Haryana and passing into Rajasthan, but why did the river start to dry up at around 5,000 BC is still moot.

"The Saraswati, like all rivers, changed directions, changed paths very often. And there is a theory that around 5,000 BC, the river dried up due to volcanic activity in one of tributaries of the river," said Jayant Sanyal, convener, INTACH Mewat.

The tributary was in the Dhosi hills in Narnaul region, and even today the igneous rock formations can be seen in the area.

"People can visit the area and see how the volcano affected the river. It's simply fascinating," Sanyal said.

Places like Narnaul, Rewari, and Mewat, Sanyal said, should be of immense interest to Gurgaon residents, who are living in such proximity to ancient symbols and monuments. "Haryana, in a way, was the focal point of Indian culture and civilization, and most of us in Gurgaon have no idea what riches lie right in our backyard," said Sanyal.

Currently, renovation work by INTACH is being carried out in Tauru in Mewat, where the famous domes are being restored. "Apart from that we are working on the heritage spot, Chuhimal Talaab in the village Nuh," he said. A comprehensive list of heritage monuments, which need immediate restoration, is also being prepared.

INTACH has also been organizing trips of Gurgaon's school students to heritage sites, and heritage walks for the residents.