THE HERITAGE STANDARD: GRAND AND THE MONUMENTAL

Lahore Fort upholds its significance because of the royalty that resided there. The Badshahi Mosque (the Royal Mosque) is a wonder because the name itself pays tribute to the ruling elite. The grandeur buildings and their eligibility to be considered heritage remains certain. However, it is thought-provoking how often the grand and the monumental is epitomized as heritage.

Heritage can un-problematically be identified as ‘old’, grand, monumental and aesthetically pleasing sites, buildings, places and artefacts. This privileges monumentality and grand scale, innate artefact or site significance tied to time depth, scientific or aesthetic expert judgement, social consensus and nation building (Smith 2006).

In accordance with this criterion, a set of building stock affiliated with small factions of the once privileged elite heavily overshadows the heritage of subaltern groups. This creates a hollow perception of heritage, claiming a set of an extravagant built structure as the sole representative of the diverse peoples’ legacy.

In doing so, selective monumental heritage is elevated on a pedestal, and disconnected from its roots; the people, traditions, emotions, and alternative legacies. This process compromises the evolving social, economic, psychological, and cultural values of everyday life - values that are the rightful essence of heritage.