by the ASI. It was agreed that the ASI would continue to employ private contractors for maintenance and maintenance of pumps. Water bodies, pathways and gardens would be the responsibility of the horticulture department. Continuous public and media interest would ensure that internationally accepted standards would befollowed. The press has been of great help in the conservation endeavour. Before rhe mid- I 990s ir was rare ro see heritage related story in the national press - it was not a topic considered a
worthy of regularcoverage in the daily newspapers. Today, most newspapers have a dedicated journalist to cover heritage related issues. Some major campaigns have been conducted in the press, amongthem to save theLutyens Bungalow Zone, the capital complex
which the politician-builder-official nexus has constantly attempted to e xploit fbr commercial interest. The press has also helped raise the profile of conservation work among the general public and bring into the official mainstream.In addition, in order to sprerd awareness to schoolchildren
and college students, we organized regular walks in heritage areas such as Mehrauli and Humayun's Tomb and even conducted teacher training workshops. A willingness.to work with gov-
srnment agencies in a transparent manner, together with ensuring high standards, has resulted in strong pub-
lic support for conservation. It
has
enabled us to achieve longtermtargets
in relatively short tirne frames.
If
we are to work towards conserving our past for future generations, it is imperative that those associated with conservation work together. It is now time to take steps to ensure that
conservation becomes a truly mass movement with the enhanced public interest being converted into public involvement.
Conflicting perceptions NUPUR PRCTHI.KHANNA THE ideal mix of nature and culture preferred by conservationists around the globe is best summarised in the following words of Gifford pinchot, first Director of the U.S. Forest Service, 'The purpose of conservation: The greatest good to the greatest number of people for the longest time.'
The suggestion to incorporate the needs and aspirations of a wide range of people concerned represents
the contemporary trend of consen,ation in the West and in Australia. With the formal incorporation of Cultural Landscapes as an important component ofWorld Heritage. this enlar_sed
interpretation of herita-ee has recently begun to be extended to traditional cultures as rvell through the UnescoWorld Heritage Convenrion. S ites that rvere inscribed in the past, however,
continue to contend with a narrow, primarily architecture-oriented, approach to their management.
While this dilemma has arisen largely because of our recent colonial SEMINAR 542
- Ocrober 2004
47
past' it has acquired greater
salience emperor's
boundless devotion to his of a host of other factots that are of of favturitequ""n. Huui"gattractedttre value to this world heritage ambiguous iheoretical;;t"";;t site. For ;t"- attention of Lord curr"r a".r'g iri, insrance, besides pounded by the qonvention' its architecturar world t*"t" v."*i ro rnoru in,h";;; exce.llence, heritage
due to the practical application
its spectacular siting on sites face a unique challenge ". 19th century, tt e ra; *u, ...r"u"d', the river inrheiratrempttobalancethedemands edge as well as its role as the fromUeingtJ*ro* fo."u". H;;";; grand culmination to a historical of their particular socio-cultural tra_ and efforts *i'"J. ir, conservation and dition geographicalcontextsontheonehand of river-front gardens in Agra protectioncon"*our"a-ainlyonits is overlooked in the assessment and global aspirations on the other' of physical fabric. In the p."-"otoniut itscurturalsignificance. Theneedtohighlighttheir'outstande.iusina"eainour-rutr*6;; ing universal significance' in order The riierside location of raj tod.ay, the local popularions ha; be;; (1631-164g) is an exrension for them to be granred this coveted of the activeiyasso"iu,io*iilrrr,.i.h;;;;;; iradition status often results in overlooking of residenrial and pleasure worshippingthesacredanousing-tie gurd"n, already in existence under othersignificant associations' thereby secular so that all that was conric-eJ generating potential future i."uio* Mughal emperors since the conflicts of value was well
l
in
J.
i
looked
theirmanagement'
;d'il;;
which fell into disuse meantthatit
y:olffi:'j:":'"H,'ffJ:if:?ff il#i;;;;;ffi;; heritage sites, one
was
Jffll;:ffi
Sarly 1 6th century. The range ofwater_ front gardens of the time can easily be or an ear,y
in*. *
q.,ir;
lEthcenturymapofMughalAgrathat shows 44 such complexes including
question uni- t I t versal signiricance' as it aictatJs the lfUn""werookbackintorhepast, il#fti:"'ffi;i:.?".,??i future protection and management our cultural and naturar ,"rour.", ,oduy"n"o*passseverargardensites of the histori needs to
the very concept of 'outstanding
p,","qui,i,"i;1;;:iJ*;;T:iH
ffi3_!ilT:"ffi;:#:1,?,:fi:.r *1j*H#HitH,J,T*:,ffiiil
this notion has recently faced criti- nisms. This continues to be the cism from various sections around
case fromthe l6ththroughtothe lgthcenfor many cultur;iand natural resou_ ,u.i"., besides the prominent ."untrvside iigs of the raj u"J e'g,u F"., build_
,H;::;
Tff: F :1 ilI ffiff :;*J,:HX*,fr"i'o'* thecontextofourheritage' However, British
colonisarion
ili*i{ffii4trr;lffi
'
**roll,l lJJil:;:j.x'.::#;;f::
;x;fifi{[*:frii'*::iJ*
overlooks the presence and indeed magnificentbecatesignifrcant,often t"gro.ont)rthemainmausoleumand significance of a multiplicity of perdtrr.g";;;;;iii"ii."ali*s and asso- u ri, .tru"tures ceptions associated with ourherit4ge, in its immediate vici_
ciations. As'a result the splendour nity. These rimited boundaries reflect and instead concentrates upon u Taj Mahal, in contrast to other'less a restricted, primarily architectural, ticular value or.setof valuet ttrat may grand expressions, gained in impor- ui"* ,o heritage. This narrow vision have made the building or site worth tanceintheeyesofGcoronisers. has inscribing' This preconception at Taj Mahar was one of the earli*"r:ff;:""1", initial stage of nomination tends est Indiin monuments to be inscribed ,t r"ur"n the protection create abias in favourof aparticurar ontheworldHeritagelistinlgg3for- *"i,rorrnir*onument. and manageu or thrs monument. varue oraspect in question anddistorts rowingcriterion ra ir,n" the.wider
put-
of
the
;j"::J.:'r"i#n::::
to
perspecrive regarding
48
the
operational
Guiderines to the v heritageresourceneeoingproteclion. convention on the.:oull.i!?rT n"o the issue of poruting This dilemma may be apfropriately represented a masterpiece of human Q.r*,, *.rrutt-scul" foundries and factories illustratedwithrespecttoGn;naurtur creative genius. Its statement of sigrocated in its vicinity been resolved wbrldHeritagesiteinAgra, tnaia' nificance further elaborated upon ils when the Taj was back in the heado *ff .",1",;j '#11",T;J 3, ",, n*::,n:T:".::,Til:;ii#T; earned fame as a magnificent archi_ iTd building ha. sin"e faiteO to ucknorr_ iirn".,u,"*overnment,theTajHeri_ tectural achievement signifying an ledge tf,e pr"r"*-und significance #ge co..ioor project was designed
ff.il:ff
Working Conservation
F! *tlfffiH,,';ffi :*j
to link the Taj, Agra Fort, Etmad-udDaula and Chini-ka-Roza monuments to attract more visitors. This proposed
tourism complex was envisaged as a 1.25-mile corridor with shopping malls, amusement parks and restaurants on the banks of the Yamunariver which flows behind the Taj Mahal, with 75 acres of land along the river-
a case of confl icting perceptions associated with ourheritage, this scenario
also demonstrates the risk of giving undue attention to one value (in this case architectural, artistic or aesthetic)
while ignoring
of
host of other factors significance such as its setting, a
its place in the historic evolution of design, political and economic pres-
bed being earmarked for reclamation. sures, among others. This project was sited at adistance of merely 330 yards behind the mausoleum(Devraj 2003). ott conflict created by the ", 'outstandinguniversal Even as professionals debate use of the term the damaging consequences of such a significance' has been appropriately scheme, it is important to understand highlighted by Cleere who rejects the why such adaring venture was under- assumption that any cultural property taken in the first place and that too can be truly universal when viewed on as significant a site. Anarrow interagainstthe entire range ofhuman culpretation of the resource concentrat- ture. He argues that '. . .tradition is by ing mainly on the significance of the definition regional, national or local building is, in my view, one of the pri- rather than universal' (Cleere 1996) mary causes ofthis conflict. While the and concludes that it is unlikely for a conservationists remain preoccupied traditional way of life to be deemed with the Taj monument, there is little universal in the modern world.In the significance placed on the actual sur- context of world heritage the;isk of roundings of the monuments. The applying international principles and absence ofa vision or regulations for practices of conservation uniformly to its setting tempted political and eco- diverse historic environments around nomic forces to cash in on the obvious the globe is evident in many a case in potential of the larger site. ourowncountry.
Tl"
.
This difference in perception
towards our heritage remains a major dilemma plaguing contemporary conservation practice in India. The differ-
ent'agendas' of those responsible for
Banerjee ( I 998) has highlighted this concern stating that many of our heritage sites often languish in obscurity, are difficult to access and may be victims of inappropriate develop-
administering the resource and others
ments resulting in compromising
concerned with its conservation or
western notions of aesthetics,' authen-
protection has created many situations similar to that at the Tai.
ticity/integrity', thereby lorvering their chances for nomination iln the
ince most of the eminent monu-
list. However, the aspiration of every nation to be internationally acclaimed for its heritage through representation
ments and sites fall underthejurisdic-
on the list has resulted in member
tion of the Archaeological Survey of India, a government agency, there are many tricky situations wherein
nations attempting to fulfil the prerequisites of 'authenticity' of the monuments, as r.vell as maintaining and
the political decisions remain shortsighted and not in keeping with the 6est interests of the future of our historic environment. In addition to being
regulating site contexts in keeping with westem aesthetics in an attempt to achieve 'outstanding universal significance'.
Forexample,
as
inthe case ofthe
Taj or the Humayun's Tomb in Delhi,, little recognition is given to traditional associations of heritage, at times for ease of categorisation as amonument or site (as required under the convention) or for the lack of recognition of
the intangible perceptions that have made our historic environment relevant to us to this day. The garden tomb of Humayun in Delhi was originally conceived onthe
banks of River Yamuna, which has now shifted course and is barely visible from the monument. This particular site was chosen for its significance in Islam due to its proximity to the tomb of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya (built in 1325 AD, with subsequent additions made in the 16th, 17th and 19th centuries), a Sufi saint highly
venerated by both Muslims and Hindus.
rF lhetombofNizamuddin isadargah
or shrine which continues to
be
actively used for religious and social purposes with regular prayers, functions, festivals and bazaars organised in its vicinity. Though of littleparticu-
lar architectural merit, the shrine is believed to have religiously enriched the larger landscape, resulting in the location of
a
series of tombs, mosques,
fortifications and private dwellings in its vicinity demonstrating an unceas-
ing veneration of this saint over the last few hundred years. One ofthese numerous buildings is the mausoleum of the second Mughal Emperor
Humayun {constructed approximately 1570), which was nominared aworld heritage site in I 993. Humayun's Tomb had been built in the midst of a large chahar batgh (square garden) screened by high walls with gateways to the south and west. This garden of over 30 acres as
served as more than a mere setting to
the monument;
it symbolised
SEMINAR 542
the
- Octobe r 2004
49
pretation of the significance of Hampi as consisting
mainly of spectacular built heritage, Unesco specialists have recently suggested that Hampi be re-nominated as a cultural land_ scape. The Bhimbetka site in Madhya Pradesh is already inscribed as a cultural landscape and the Majhuli Landscape inAssam too is undercon_
sideration for inscription under this category. However, renomination of an inscribed site, such as is rhecase in Hampi, highlights a growing need to understand a heritage property in its
entirety. Therefore, if this sugges_ tion is implemented, it would greatly
benefit Hampi as it would
"nrrrl incorporation of the various natural and cultural values, besides its archi_ tectural splendour, that make this site special.
E
I
or instance, recognising the ex_ ceptional quality of its natural land_ scape setting
ofgranite boulders and
hills and arevered riverscape, as well as the role of man in utilising the envi_ ronment to his bestpotential, would be an acknowledgment of man's contri_ bution to the creation ofthis heritage.
Emphasising the need to understand on going agricultural and other related activities bn site will hopefully help deepen the unique harmonious rela_
tionship between man and nature prevailing on this site. In this case, therefore, the dispersed ruins of tem_ ples and palace complexes hewn ouI ofnatural stone, though truly specta_ cular, serve merely as one of the many
significant layers of this landscape. As a means of highlighting the
complexities of the Hampi wtrld
heritage site, as also to understand its myriad values, a series of stake_
holder workshops were recently orga_ nised by the Archaeological Survey
of India in the presence of Unesco specialists. Various concerns of tour_ ism, infrastructure, employment and
agriculture were foregrounded, which otherwise may never have been dis_
To conclude, there is an urgent need to reconsider the practicality of
cussed.
implementing certain theoretical
F
c.oncepts incorporated in the opera_
tional guidelines to the Convention.
\tulrural
landscapes ot't'er an appropriate platform to discuss the mul_
Concepts such as cultural landscapes highlight efforts to undo narrow inLr_ pretations of ourheritage and empha_
tiple aspirations related to heritage; they also present feasible solutions to deal with the ambiguity ofnaruow and obsolete concepts of 'outstanding uni_
versal significance'. For this
sise a wider range of significant associations. We will have to wait awhile to discover whether we are indeed capable of effectively dealin g with the existing dilemmas facing oui inscribed sites as well as those thaiwill
r"iron,
this concept has found favourinAus_ tralia and some nations of the West. However, in ourcontext, certain issues have already arisen in the implemen_
doubtless arise as a result ofthe chang_ ing definitions of world heritage.
tation of this concept. First, the very notion of incorporating multiple asso_ ciations implies that largerareas need
References A. Banerjee, (1998) ,The problem'. Seminar 467(ConservingOurHerirage). July.p. I3.
to be nominated for this purpose giving rise to practical problems of admi_
C. Clark, (2001) Infornted Conservation * Understanding Historic Buildings awl Their Landscapes For Conservation London: Eng_
nistration and management. For instance, at Bhimbetka, the management of the core zone spread
lish Herirage. p. 62.
( 1 996) ,The Concept of .,Outstand_ ing Universal Value", inWorli Heritage Con_
H. Cleere,
over 2000 hectares and the buffer zone
over 10,000 hectares engulfing 2l
vention', Conservation antl Managiment of
Arc haeo lo g ical
tribal villages, is proving to be fairly complicated. Further, while incorpo_ ration of multiple associations is a desirable end, in realityprioritising of conflicting interests offers quite a
yol.l,
p.
22g.
R: (2003) 'Marring the Taj Mahal P?y.1j, with Malls. http//:www.atimes.corjatimes/ South_Asia/EG 24Df02.html. page consulted 08/07/a3. E. Koch, (2000) ,perspecrive: Taj Canj'in Taj
Mahal.Cu-ltrrral Heritage Distriit; Devetopl
challenge during implementation.
,A,ustralia and the West have experimented with a combination of 'conservation planning' and,management planning' mechanisms _ the former to document the crrltural significance of the resource and the latter to prioritise the associated per-
S ites,
ment Plan by Department of LandscapeArchi_
tecture, College of Fine and Applied Arts, University of Illinois at Urbana biampalgn,
USA and Directorare of Tourism,'UtLi Pradesh, India, p. I 2.
A.G.K. Menon , (1994).Rethinking the Ven_
ice Charter: The Indian ExperienJe,, .Sozal
Asian Studies 10, p. 40.
E.B. Moynihan, (1980) paradise as a Garden
ceptions and aspirations through in Persiaand Muglnl India.I-ondon: Scholar regulations to ensure its future pro_ Press.pp. I I l-t 12. tection. In re-nominating some of R. Nanda, (1999) Delti_the Buih Heritage, a Lis t ing,Yoltme I and 2. Delhi: our inscribed sites as cultural land_ Trust forArt and Cultural Heri Indian Natilonal tage, p. 292. scapes, we are acknowledging the D. Thackeray, (1999) .Considering Signipresence and significance of multi_ lT"":jn the Landscape: Developi"ng p"rio_ rities
ple perceptions. What remains unclear
is whether the management of these multiplicities will demand the development of new mechanisms or whether existing planning instru_ mentswillsuffice-
Through Conservation plannlng, in
Grenville (ed) Managing the Historic fural Inrulscape.London: Routledg e, p. 23. P- Walshe, (1999) .Conservarion plans J.
for
Con, 51 proceeclings
Gardens and Landscapes' in K. Clark (ed)
seryation Plans in Action: of Oxford Conference. London: en!fistr 1le Heritage, p. 79.
SEMTNAR 542
_ October 2004