XXXIII INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON THE CONSERVATION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE Coatepec, Veracruze. October 1 - 4, 2013
Theme 5 Intangible Heritage and the permanence of memory
Title of the paper
A conflict between heritage management and “Place”, A case study - The Historic City of North India- Lucknow. Key note address by Arch. Vipul B. Varshney, Lucknow, India
03rd October 2013
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XXXIII INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON THE CONSERVATION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE Coatepec, Veracruze. October 1 - 4, 2013 Theme 4- The Intangible and Tangible Heritage as inseparable categories of Cultural Heritage Title of the paper
A conflict between heritage management and “Place”, A casestudy - The Historic City of North India- Lucknow. Key note address by Arch. Vipul B. Varshney, Lucknow, India 03rd October 2013
“Not Rome, not Athens, not Constantinople not any city I have ever seen, appears to me so striking and beautiful this, and the more I gaze the more its beauties grow upon me.” Sir William Russell, correspondent of London Times. He was sent to India to cover the campaign of Sir Colin Campbell, the British Commander-in-Chief, entrusted with the suppression of the Indian Mutiny, otherwise called the first war of Independence. To assimilate the new into the old to look to the present and the future for inspiration as well as to the past, lies Lucknow‟s attraction in midst of disorder. As the mughal power in Delhi declined so the culture of its successor state, Lucknow flourished and artisans and artists, poets and musicians flocked to the city where the rich and powerful lived. Lucknow has had its share of development, it is not fossilized, yet there is enough of visible history in stone, bricks and mortar, town planning, parks and artifacts, to stir the heart of the citizen and the imagination of the visitor. Lucknow is known for its rich history and culture – manifest not just in its many magnificent monuments but an intrinsic part of its lifestyle. While the city has
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archaeological remains dating back to 3000 BC, At the time of the first war of independence in 1857, the city suffered a lot of damages and the old past was replaced with new developments during the British period. The main monuments and buildings in the city are- Bara Imambara, Roomi Gate, Chotta Imambara, Clock Tower and Picture Gallery, Kaiserbagh Complex, Maqbara Asfudoalah, Residency. Lucknow is also known for its characteristic cuisine, music, Art and Craft traditions: Zardozi, Bidri, Chikan, silver work, calligraphy, brass and copper ware, perfumes and clay pottery with the nature of its residents and its overall ambience – each of these elements of Intangible heritage together with the more tangible buildings combine to create the heritage experience that is Lucknow. The Historical Backdrop of Lucknow Oudh, comprised roughly of the broad, flat, fertile plain between the Himalaya and the Ganga River, had been a defined as a political region for two millennia before it was absorbed into the British Empire. Its distinctive dialect is Oudhi, a form of Hindi, which developed over the centuries and is still the speech of the countryside within the physical boundaries of what was once Oudh. After the Muslim invasion, Persian, and later Urdu, became the language of the court and the city of Lucknow, while Oudhi held strong in the rural areas. Successive Hindu dynasties ruled it from Vedic times until it was conquered by the Muslim Sultanate of Delhi between 1206 and 1526. The heritage interpretation Heritage interpretation can enrich civic life and the urban experience, of promotion on both local citizens and visitors, in many ways. There are inhabitants who, though they belong to the place, feel culturally uprooted owing to economic iniquities which often have to do with losing their perceived local advantage to those who are better
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off than themselves and to newcomers. These advantages, in today‟s context, include economic investment which every city would like to attract. Key Issues
Economic potential of heritage tourism and Sustainability.
The composite culture and the harmonious coexistence of different communities;-hindus and muslims.
The cultural realities of the time to which the interpreted precinct belongs and its significance in today‟s context; i.e. cuisine, crafts, music and dance with monuments.
Provision of required infrastructure for the tourism development without disturbing the original vernacular flavour.
The effect of increasing globalisation on local culture.
The Contribution of Nawabi Rule The beginnings of Nawabi rule in Awadh date from the second quarter of the 18th century. Sa‟adat Khan, the first Nawab, was appointed Subedar of Awadh in 1732. He and his two successors, Safdar Jung (1739-1754) and Shuja-ud-daula (17541775), rules from Faizabad and lived mainly there. They did not build anything significant in Lucknow, nor did they play any important role in its cultural life. Shuja-ud-daula‟s son, Asaf-ud-daula (1775-1797), shifted the capital from Faizabad to Lucknow, marking the beginning of the evolution of the city to its present form. This evolution started in the vicinity of Lakhna Qila and Machchhi Bhavan, and extended eastward along the river. The Asafi (Bada) Imambara complex, Roomi Darwaza, the Daulat Khana complex, all belong to this period. Roomi Darwaza today is virtually the signature of Lucknow.
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Equally important is the advent of European influences during the latter part of this period, when the Residency and the buildings by Claude Martin and other European architects and engineers were begun. Sa‟adat Ali (1798-1814) was the next Nawab, whose reign saw a continuation and consolidation of the building activity and of the European influences. His successor, Ghazi-ud-din Haidar (1814-1827), was the first Nawab to be officially „crowned‟. Muhammad Ali Shah (1837-42) was the next major builder among the Nawabs. His contributions to Lucknow include the Hussainabad or Chhota Imambara and the Jama Masjid. His buildings, integrating with Asaf-ud-daula‟s in an impressive scheme of urban design, brought a sense of a well-defined order to the Hussainabad area. Wajid Ali Shah (crowned 1847) was the last Nawab, a prolific builder, a patron of poetry, music and dance, and himself an accomplished artist. To his reign belongs the Qaiserbagh complex of palaces and gardens and Sikandar Bagh. He was dethroned and deported to Calcutta after the annexation of Awadh by Lord Dalhousie. This was one of the sparks that ignited the uprising of 1857. 1857 and after The uprising of 1857, referred to by the British as the Mutiny, followed within a year of the annexation of Awadh. Substantial parts of the architectural heritage of Lucknow were lost during 1857. Machchhi Bhavan, perceived as a stronghold of rebel forces, was blown up. Monuments in other precincts were damaged. In the Residency, too, many buildings suffered heavily
Rumi Darwaza
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owing to shelling, but the precinct as a whole emerged without loss of architectural identity, and is now one of the best protected heritage complexes in Lucknow. In the aftermath of 1857 both the physical form and the social organization of the city underwent dramatic change. For similar „security‟, reasons, further to the south, the authorities cut straight, wide roads across the fabric of the city, previously a maze of streets and lanes. Also as part of the measures following 1857, large parts of the Qaiserbagh palace complex were demolished, and the buildings spared were either appropriated by the British for their own use with modifications or granted to “friendly natives”. Significant among these are the Legislative Council (now the Vidhan Sabha), the courts and the university, all conceived it a time when the capital of UP was in Allahabad, and some of them built with donations from the Taluqdars. Lucknow Architecture –The Pursuit of Aesthetics While
in
Delhi,
the
mughals
were
gradually losing ground to the British and was striken with squalor and poverty, the state of Avadh, - Lucknow build on the debris of the mughal empire and were rolling in wealth and affluence. To boast their newly acquired status they began patronizing art, culture and architecture. Asafi Imambara
Lucknow – The Centre of Shiite Beliefs In India, an overwhelming majority of muslims have been Sunnis, including the Mughals, thus the Sunni form of Islam was practiced and patronized, on the other hand the other religions including the Shia sect was subdued. But the founder of the
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nawab dynasty was a Shia from Iran as were the subsequent nawabs. Hence the Shias of Lucknow attained a complete freedom of faith and started to assert their presence in the socio-cultural and political matrix. To immortalize their dominance over the others they started erecting monumental buildings essential for their way of life. To perpetuate the memories at the kerbala, Imambara have taken an important part in Shiaâ€&#x;s life, which can be seen very obviously and categorically, and nowhere in Asia such types of buildings in such overwhelming scale are erected. The uniqueness of this cultural tradition and the evolution of Imambara There is a very interesting fact about the Great Imambaras and buildings of Lucknow which form a substantial sum of the total Nawabi buildings. Sunnis and Shias contribute the two main and major sects of Islam. The Sunnis are the traditionalists among the Muslims accounting for almost 70% of the muslim world. Differences between the sects arise from their diametrically opposite views on issue of succession to the Prophet. While the Sunnis recognize and venerate the first three Khalifas, the Shias brand them as usurpers. Shiate is based on two cannons – affection for Ahle Bait and condemnation for the foes of the Prophetâ€&#x;s family which includes his daughter, son-in-law and two grandsons. When Imam Hussain and Hasan, to safeguard their religion and tribe, were killed mercilessly at the battlefield of Karbala, mourning for the martryrs assumed great significance for the muslim in general and Shias in particular. Even though both the sects condemn the killing of Imam Hussain at the tragedy of Karbala, the Muharram celebrations have become more linked with the Shias. It is for the Karbala tragedy which forms the pivot of these Moharram, the basis for the manifestations of the unique and mass expression of grief, and reverence toward Imam Hussain being not lesser than towards Allah. This had led to the development of Imambras or the place
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of Imam, not in any way meaner to the mosques, mainly meant for observing Moharram rituals although during idle periods, it can be used for non religious and social purposes also. Originally set as „Husainia‟ or „Majlis‟ in Iran and Iraq they came to India, as „Imambara‟ in the north and „Ashurkhana‟ and „Astana‟ in South. One such example is the Imambaras built essentially to house the „Tazia‟ or the replica of the tomb of Imam Hussain and perform „Matam‟. Devout Shias donate food, as they come to hear, in their black mourning cloth of the calamities faced by the matyrs of Imam Hussain and time stops for them as the‟Hadi Khwans‟, „Vaquia Khwans‟ and „Soz Khwans‟ narrate the tales, and they overcome with sorrow, weep again for them with renewed fervor. To perpectuate the memories at the Karbala, Imambaras have taken an important part in a Shia‟s life and even the poorest Shia has a place of honour set aside for the „Tazia‟, even if it is a small niche in the wall. Families better off have allocated rooms for this purpose with a raised platform, the Shah-ne-Shin, for keeping the Tazia which remains screened off when not in use, and the room is used for sitting at other times of the year. It is considered an act of charity by the affluent Shias to make Imambaras and organize the Muharram celebrations. Imambaras at any scale can be experienced in Lucknow especially in the areas with a higher Shia density. The Imambaras of Lucknow Nawabi architecture concluded the last phase of the mughal style of architecture, which had maintained a high standard for over two hundred years. Presently there are about a hundred listed monuments built within a short span of eighty Bada Imambara
years. As observed by the eminent historian Percy Brown-
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“Inspite of this record being one of purposeful magnificence, the examples of the building art thus presented although often impressive--the art appears to have reached that point at which all the essential problems of construction have been solved and when the major elements of the style had been brought to perfection, so that no further progress was possible. In a work it had not Rumi Darwaza
only reached the limit of its performance but had gone beyond it. In these circumstances the main work found that the only hope of advance, lay in the direction of celebration and repetation to larger scale of that which had been already to the highest degree of fulfillment.� Thus, it is obvious that the religious complexes in corporated the Imambaras which are of unique architectural form, designed and developed especially in Lucknow to mourn the Kerbala tragedy. Heritage beyond Built Form The rise of Awadh, as we have seen, coincided with the decline of Mughal rule. Consequently, during the Nawabi period, the centre of patronage of art and culture in North India gradually shifted from Delhi to Lucknow. Delhi did retain its superiority of status (and arguably its greater sophistication) but Lucknow offered more opportunity. Catering to a different kind of client they adapted their skills to the new demands, which resulted in a distinctively different ethos. This was reflected in the transformations which occurred in the established arts and crafts as well as in the new forms which emerged. Thus Lucknow developed its own identity not only in architecture but also in the decorative arts, music, poetry, theatre, dress, etiquette, hospitality, cuisine, and a number of other aspects of culture. The predominance of Shia culture also
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meant that religious observances and the rites associated with them had nuances different from the more widespread Sunni culture of Muslims in India. Of particular importance in this respect is the observance of Muharram in Lucknow. What is more, Muslims and Hindus alike identified strongly with all these aspects of culture. It was a truly composite culture, and its essential features are recognizable in the city to this day. Celebration of Life Lucknow clothes have a refreshing palette of colour. At any point of time, in the semi-dark corridors of baradari, one can day-dream a women in rustling silks in paisleys with embroidery of mughal lotus flower and pazeb making sensual tinklings, a pearl lad-mala shimmering over a organza dupatta, as the candle light of the lamps, shiver in evening breeze. The colours became stronger and more vivid in the
World famous Embroidery Chikan Work
sawan or rainy season. Swings were put on the trees and women moved out into the mango groves. Songs were sung celebrating the advent of cooling showers and refreshing breeze that were a sharp contrast to the hot and dusty summer mind. Chikankari – the famous embroidery The popular art craft is believed to have been introduced by Noorjahan who was the Mughal emperor Jahangeerâ€&#x;s wife. The Nawab Shuja-uddaula of Avadh was greatly influenced by this craft and it was his initiative and interest which promoted this craft in present day Lucknow, during the eighteenth century the Bengali migrants, influenced by the Portuguese traders,
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who came from Decca in eighteenth century to settle in Lucknow brought this art of surface ornamentation and chikan work came into production by the nineteenth century. The name chikan has been derived from the Persian word chakoen or chaken meaning cloth wrought with needlework. It consists of 36 different stitches – lipchi, bakhiya, hool, zarzeera, rahet, phonda, munni, jaali, darzdari, peehari, bijli, kapkapi, bulbul- chasm, keruri etc. Zardozi Embroidery
Zardozi Work
Zardori embroidery is the glitteringly ornate, encrusted gold thread work practiced in various parts of the Lucknow. An imperial craft brought to India by Delhi‟ s first Turko- Afghan sultans in the 12th century, Zardozi
became
eqully popular with the wealthy Hindu Muslim and European
Zardozi Work
elite down the ages. Today several families in Varanasi, Agra, Lucknow, Rampur, Bareilly and Farukkabad have this old craft to supply exquisite zari embroidered bridal outfits and salwar kameezes to boutiques around the county. In recent years, Zardori is also combined with Dabka work and is originally said to be from Lucknow. Reaching to God with Music Only Wajid Ali Shah in his moment of intense grief could say poignant verses like: “Babul mora naibar chhuto jay, chaar kahaar mill doliyan utthave” Today, we have many acoustically superior and comfortable auditoria all over the city, but the mehfils of the past had a certain intimate atmosphere wich is missing in these halls. Lucknow offered lavish patronage and lavish darbars to decaying Delhi‟s
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music, dance and poetry. In Wajid Ali Shah‟s books „bani‟ and „Najo‟, the nawab has given details for kathak „gats‟. Similarly, his books, Diwan-e-Akhtar and husn-eAkhtar, contain his compositions covering, thumris, dadras, ghazals and others with Qawwali. Lucknow has a exclusive and distinct place in Indian music. The Gharana tabla, Lucknow‟s (poorab) „ang thumri‟, Dadra and Ghazal singing have contributed greatly. The city has seen, rise, prosperity and fall of classical music and kathak dance for the last three centuries. Ustad Pyare Khan, Basat Jaffer, Bahadur Haider and Nasir Ahmad Khan, Ghulam Hussain, Mehndi Hussain and Kalawant Raza Hussain etc. were the adornments in the darbar of Nawabs. The Evolution of Kathak Dance The kathak came to Lucknow from Allahabad where Maharaj Ishwari Prasad Mishra and his brothers called it Natwari Nritya. Ishwari‟s Prasad‟s nephews Prakash, Dayal and Harilal became court dancers of Nawab Asaf-ud daulla. The origins of kathak lay in the ancient Raasdhari and kathavachaka traditions, interconnected with the spread of Krishna bhakti and patronized in the hindu temples.
Kathak Dance
Cuisines of Lucknow Chronicles list about 37 types of breads, 47 types of pulao, 35 types of zarda, 19 types of kababs, 5 types of meat curry and 37 types of halwa cooked in those day. Lucknow is also proud of its Kababs. The Kakori Kababs, Galawat ke Kababs, Shami Kabab, Boti Kababs, Patili- ke Kababs, Ghuwa Kababs and Seekh Kababs are among the
Pulao
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known varieties. The 100 years old Tunde ke Kabab in chowk is the most famous outlet for choicest Kababs even today. Areas of Historical Importance Areas of historical importance and monuments declared as „Protected Monuments‟ in the city though are scattered all over the city their concentration is mainly along the right bank of river Gomti. Three zones have been identified as heritage zones which are as follows:1. Hussainabad Complex – Heritage Zone 2. Qaiser Bagh Complex – Heritage Zone 3. La-Martiniere Complex – Heritage Zone Issues of Heritage Management in Heritage Zones Circulation & Parking, Lack of managed open Spaces, All the buildings stand in isolation because of the lack of connectivity between the buildings (Physical & Visual), Lacks the importance of a conserved monument, Encroachment & Slums, Sanitation, Signages, Mismanagement due to ownership, Awareness about the importance of Hussainabad Complex. The ecological problems are aggravated in case of cities and towns due to concentration of population, automobiles and industries. So, the development activities of various types including tourism should be very carefully handled so that the environmental hazards are not created by man himself. During the last decade there had also been a huge migration of population from the surrounding rural areas to the city. Most of this migration is out of sheer economic compulsion. The poor rural workers arrive in huge numbers and settle down in the city in the most unhygienic conditions. The existing congestion in the city and
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mushroom growth of dwelling houses in an unplanned manner is the result of that factor and slums have come up in large numbers in deserted parks. The population explosion has led to many problems. Degradation of liveable environment in the city because of existence of very high densities of population in the core areas of the city, it is creating problems because road pattern and the service network of this area were never planned for a such a high density, practically there is no space on the road length or in the ward itself to augment the services. The various water bodies such as river Gomti, Kukrail Nala, Chinhat Lake, Chand Jhil and Ahal Jhil, though have a tremendous potential for functioning as recreational areas but have not been utilised properly so far. About a dozen drains without being treated find their way into river Gomti. Also the problem of encroachments is multiplying day by day particularly in front of the river. Tourist Environmental Policy Implementation of the above resolution required the adoption of a tourist environmental policy. 1. Protected areas or natural reserves where attempts at the very least should be made to conserve or re-establish the natural balance (national parks, forest reserves etc.) 2. New developments should confirm to a definite plan drawn up by a multidisciplinary team of experts in legislation, tourism and ecology. 3. To establish suitable reception capacity at the resort in order to plan the communication and transport infrastructure and the distribution of areas for building a recreational plan so avoiding traffic problems, air pollution and noise congestion etc.
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4. Architecture and the general aspect of buildings and the situation of sports facilities or camping sites should be so designed as to ensure harmony with natural surroundings and vegetation. 5. In planning parks, forests or even the countryside, the competent authorities should also ensure that ecological principles were applied and prevent the destruction of trees, flora and fanna by determining the areas to be set aisde for the construction of buildings and by creating paths and other means of access which were not harmful to the beauty of the sites. Conservation Aspect For tourism the quality of the environment is the basis for attracting visitors and needs to be concerned. It has been seen that major social benefits accure to tourists themselves. But tourism also has valuable spillover benefits for tourist receiving countries. Notable among these is the contribution of tourism to the preservation of historic sites and cultural values. Careful cleaning and beautifying ancient monuments, clearing the areas around the monuments and improving them for tourism purpose. Through tourism development, the environment is not degraded but in fact can be improved. A modern concept of conservation is that of science and ecology. Conservation means the exercise of rigid controls to prevent habitat destruction, habitat homogenization, reduction of species and natural resource pollution. Conservation, in the sense of preservation of the cultural heritage is popularly supported today. Many manmade artifacts have a scarcity value that becomes as important to societyâ€&#x;s well being as to the natural resources. Conservation deals with the aspect of preservation of cultural/architectural heritage such that it does not become a dead piece of museum.
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Like any other city it is growing and evolving a new culture and a new life. To save old Lucknow, one has to allow a new Lucknow to grow. Economic forces have already overtaken the inherent cultural Nawabi ambience of this city. But this is a process of growth, a sign of change; an exhibition of vitality symbolic of the fact that Lucknow is not dying but is growing. But we have to ensure is a proper management of this transformation. Conservation Policy Are inadequate to safeguard heritage against vandalism and dilapidation a comprehensive unified act is required to enable the agencies concerned to take effective measures for conservation of areas and buildings of historic and architectural importance. The act should include the major aspects of conservation as follows:
To declare the area for conservation as controlled area after identifying and listing of such areas.
To require alteration in the structural design and façade.
To restrict the construction or removal of buildings which effect the visual or aesthetic character of listed monuments and buildings.
To empower the local planning authority to frame appropriate by laws for this purpose.
Based on the above for conservation is becomes essential to incorporate the following
The character of the streetscape particularly Chowk (from Akbari Gate to Gol Darwaza), Aminabad, Kaiserbagh, Lalbagh and Hazratganj area be maintained. New buildings in the development process which are not in harmony to old ones should not be allowed.
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The monuments and buildings listed for conservation to be maintained. Alternative use of the buildings be thought without altering its exterior.
The land use in the areas around monuments be specified to maintain its unified character.
The diversion of heavy traffic be given top priority wherever necessary to improve the circulation.
The Building Byelaws should incorporate the area and height restrictions such that the visibility of the monuments is not obstructed.
The hoardings, electrical wires which deteriorate the aesthetical aspects be removed.
Conservation of monuments and sites need be taken as integral part of the preparation and implementation of master plan of the city. Nature of restriction and development controls should also be included in such planning.
The monuments and site, which are owned by private owners or trusts and are not maintained properly, be acquired otherwise owners or trusts should be subsidized so that these may be maintained properly.
Research, documentation and study of such areas be taken up by identifying institutions and setting up cells of regional levels.
Proposals to make Lucknow a Tourist Hub 1. Inculcate a sense of pride among Lucknowites for the city. 2. Revive the lost glory of heritage zones like Hazatratganj, Kaiserbagh, Hussainabad and La Martiniere. 3. Establish Lucknow Haat Arts & Crafts Bazaar with Awadhi food court and amphitheatres for live cultural performances. Here the people can taste the flavour of the famous music and dance of the city like kathak, thumri, and ghazals - 16 -
etc, This will not disturb the original flavour and ambience; instead will help in preserving the rich culture of Awadh. 4. The old buildings which can be used and are structurally safe should be readapted and reused in other forms, may be like living museum or public library or may be turned into performance venues with handicrafts and souvenirs shops inside them. Simulate Sham-e-Awadh experience with a cultural extravaganza from Awadh. 5. Establish 5-7 additional 5, 4 and 3 star hotels & ensure large-scale budget accommodation. 6. Establish Radio Taxi Service with meters and an efficient city bus service. 7. Create world class multisports stadium & convention center to attract tourists from these sectors. 8. Clean Gomti and encourage riverside tourism development. 9. Encourage bread-and-breakfast stay arrangements and heritage tourism in havelis and Kothis. 10. Develop small tourist circuits around Lucknow, involving places like Dewa Sharif & Kakori. 11. Make each monument more tourist-friendly with English-Speaking & well-trained guides & hygienic public conveniences & extend heritage walk to cover Kaiserbagh & Hussainabad. 12. Ensure an excellent web presence for Lucknow with lot of content creation for travel magazines, travel agents & holiday portals. 13. Develop & implement effective communication strategies for marketing tourism in the city.
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Carrying Capacity of Heritage City- the arrival of CONFLICTS The great increase in number of visitors to any tourist place results in rapid unplanned construction of hotels and other buildings for use of tourists and for migratory service employees. This unplanned growth threatens to destroy the very environment which is tourist attraction. Attractions are the basic tourist resources and the main problem is developing a tourist area is how to exploit them to the full without damage. In this work for the Unite Nations in the Irish Republics, Michael Dower has developed the concept of the capacity of tourist resources. If the capacity is exceeded the result may be discomfort to the people using it or damage to the resources itself. The capacity of a resource, therefore, depends on the chosen objectives. If it is proposed to increase the capacity of a resource by investment when it is likely that there will be number of thresholds to cross, which require a large investment and hence a large ensuing development to obtain an adequate return. Thresholds are common in the increase of water supply or power and sewerage provision. In preparing a detailed plan for an action area it is important to estimate the capacity of all the facilities that visitors will use. The planners must consider the environment process wherever large investments are made in tourism development. As the people on holiday are more sensitive to the quality of their environment than they are at any other time. Tourism development can become a positive factor for improving the environment, if certain amount of intelligent basic planning is done. Repercussions and problems in the development of the city Mass Transit The plan to lay metro track underground in as Hazratganj is in the pipeline. Despite the fact that the two were initially considered sensitive and that any underground
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structure could have been a cause of concern for the security of the area. Also, a poor drainage situation too has been a challenge for construction of an underground metro rail track or the station. The assessment of the route for the metro rail project had initially been taken up the authorities have been directed to set the civic infrastructure in order before the metro rail project actually takes off. Essentially, it was the survey of the underground cables - both telephone as well as electricity -which needed to be taken up by the authorities. And for Lucknow, which is witnessing a swift rise in the number of immigrants, the mass rapid transport system, Metro Rail, is need of the hour but all the heritage buildings have to be taken care off in terms of their foundations and the distance between the metro rail and the buildings. Globalization-a big threat to a sense of „PLACE‟ The reason – the conflicts The planning, to bring into Metrorail as a faster means of transportation either underground to onground is a big threat to the city‟s heritage and its skyline..The emergence of Mall culture in and around the old city is again giving a new mixed dimensión to the cultural history of the city.The comingup of IT parks even at the outskirts have the impact on
the residing population with the new migratory
population. The relationship between the heritage whether tangible or intangible with the sense of “Place” is complicated with these necessary yet harmful developments on the management and upkeep of these cultural elements, so important to keep them in original flavour, The language ,which is liked all over south Asia – “urdu imbibed hindi”, with the famous tehzeeb of‟ “pehle aap” is about to vanish, with the advent of new linguistic habits of IT park youngsters and mixing with local residents.
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The threat to the Crafts- International and internal- the conflicts of Benefits This fine filigreed needlework worked upon gossamer muslin, crepes and chiffons, is supposed to have been brought from Persia by none other than the Empress Noorjehan herself. What makes chikankari such a distinctive needlecraft is that it is the only embroidery in the world which is so special in its discipline that each stitch is used only for one purpose. This art was limited to a fast depleting community of Chikan Work
Chikankari artisans, mostly Muslims concentrated in muhallas of old Lucknow. Exploitation was rampant as the middlemen grabbed the profits, giving a pittance to the 'kaarigars'. A day of back-breaking labor would yield just about ten or fifteen rupees! Since the payment was per piece the workers would try and turn out as many as they could, greatly compromising the quality of work. A lot of fine traditional designs and stitches were being corrupted. From among 32 known stitches merely six were in common uses. The good artisans were abandoning the trade for more lucrative zardozi. Crude and substandard shadow work was sold even in Lucknow's posh market in the name of Chikan. Young children were employed by these contractors, made to work ten to twelve hours and paid as little as five paise per piece. They were people living in abject poverty. Prostitution, alcoholism was common. The living conditions were miserable and it was felt that the women were the worst sufferers but with the popularity and advent of international designers, the craft have been corrupted and mixed with other type of ornamentation which makes it loose its originality and purity from the genuine craft but for the economic upliftment of the artisans, it is a necessary nuisance which has to be taken care of very sensitively. - 20 -
The loosing sheen of old bazaars- the conflicts of development Lucknow's upcoming glittering shopping malls and multiplexes may be a huge attraction, but it is also true that shopping for ethnic wear is incomplete without a visit to its old traditional markets, especially Chowk. Extending from the south-west of the historically significant Pir Muhammad Hill, in the walled city, lies this market. Connected with the narrow bylanes called, 'gali's', this nearly two hundred centuries old market cum residential area beginning from Medical College Crossing going up till Akbari Gate has around 5000 shops. This pocket-friendly and all purpose market that offers retail plus wholesalers' stuff could be any buyer's destination and any tourist's delight, is losing customers daily due to over congestion. It is now one of the most important commercial areas of the city with very high property rates. Unfortunately, due to heavy encroachments and no maintenance, Akbari Darwaza has lost its entire majestic look. The Chowk market, known for its Nawabi glamour still retains one of the best shops offering a variety of chikan garments, jewellery, along with gold and silver utensils. It is for this reason that it is called the treasure house of historical and cultural heritage of Lucknow. The dilemma of old City Square- the conflicts of old and new Since its inception, this Central Square has been regarded as a unique centre of commerce, art and culture. If we talk about the Mughal architecture, the area was planned in a way that there were rows of double-storied structures on either side of the streets, with shops on the ground floor. But this was the situation in the good old days. Though the original style remains the same, but many of these structures have now been replaced with multi-storied buildings, resulting in a huge expansion. The idea of revamp has wide acceptance and willing from all quarters, especially the builders.
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Construction is booming and so is the demand for both residential as well as commercial structures. Residential demand is high mainly because the business communities with their shops in the same market want to live close-by, and secondly, the old denizens do not want to move out of their comfort zone as they identify themselves with the narrow lanes and moholla culture. The rates are sky high. The residential property is around Rs 4000/sq ft. Though, the commercial property rates have actually no limitation, but to get a fair idea, it is Rs 10,000/sq ft. Apart from congested surroundings, poor drainage system is a very important issue that must be taken up by the concerned authorities. Chowk, once a plush green area has now been converted into a concrete jungle and therefore, it is essential that urgent measures are taken to re-organise the market, so that the traditional and historical relevance of the whole area can be restored for future. Public amenities like toilets and clean drinking water must be provided, especially for the women clients. It is important to preserve the heritage buildings, markets and roads of the city, as over a certain period of time these areas show decay and disintegration. Particularly, in the old city, the problem of encroachments by the pavement dwellers is major. Then due to mixed use pattern of buildings, there is no harmony in the architectural vocabulary of the street, which have outgrown over a period of time. Therefore, we see all types of colours and finishes on the building facades with no symmetry or balance in the street scape.
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Conclusion We can conclude that it also means the exercise of rigid controls to prevent habitat destruction, habitat homogenization, reduction of species and natural resource pollution with the protection of our heritage whether tangible or intangible. Like any other city it is growing and evolving a new culture and a new life. To save old Lucknow, one has to allow a new Lucknow to grow. Economic forces have already overtaken the inherent cultural Nawabi ambience of this city. But this is a process of growth, a sign of change; an exhibition of vitality symbolic of the fact that Lucknow is not dying but is growing. But we have to ensure is a proper management of this transformation. Let a new Lucknow expand and prosper but let us preserve its cultural genesis for posterity by creating conditions for them to survive. To identify the difficult but increasingly urgent task, in a changing world, to gather these two categories – tangible and intangible heritage, that are subject to three main threats: globalization, internal and external migration. The above issues for the sustainability of living, intangible heritage and its connection to place are ones that are worthy of discussion. For a balance between change and continuity is essential for the survival and sustainability of living heritage, both in its original space, and its possibilities to continue to live elsewhere.
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