Heritage Conservation

Nearly 60 properties on tentative list of Unesco's heritage list: Govt

There are nearly 60 properties in India which find a place in the Tentative List for further inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List, according to information shared by the government in Parliament on Monday. A Tentative List is an inventory of those properties which each State Party intends to consider for nomination as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The 46th session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) is being held in New Delhi from July 21 to July 31. India is hosting the key event of UNESCO for the first time. The mound-burial system of the Ahom dynasty in Assam -- 'Moidams' -- was on July 26 inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, making it the first cultural property from the Northeast to get the coveted tag. 'Moidams' was submitted as India's nomination for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List for the year 2023-24. The site was put in the Tentative List of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2014. In a written response to a query in Lok Sabha, Union Culture

Country which doesn't cherish its heritage loses its future too: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said a country which does not cherish its heritage has a bleak future. Modi launched the Rs 1,200 crore Gandhi Ashram Memorial masterplan at Sabarmati in Gujarat's Ahmedabad city and inaugurated the redeveloped Kochrab ashram at a function on the anniversary of the famous Dandi Yatra, or salt march, taken out by Mahatma Gandhi on March 12, 1930. "A country which does not cherish its heritage lose its future also. The Sabarmati Ashram is not only a heritage for the country but for the entire mankind," he said. "The Sabarmati Ashram has become a pilgrimage not only our freedom movement but also for 'Viksit Bharat' (developed India)," Modi said. He said the government formed after independence had no mentality or political will to maintain heritage sites like the Sabarmati Ashram. "There were two reasons - one looking at India from the foreign lens and another was appeasement politics which resulted in the ruin of our heritage," Modi said. The

Rs 800-cr heritage corridor project inaugurated around Jagannath temple

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday inaugurated the Rs 800-crore heritage corridor project around the historic Sri Jagannath Temple in Puri. The Srimandir Parikrama Prakalpa was officially unveiled by Patnaik in presence of Gajapati Maharaja of Puri Divyasingha Deb and representatives of around 90 temples and thousands of devotees. The project has been possible due to the blessings of Lord Jagannath, the CM said. It includes parking areas, a new bridge and a road to ease pilgrim movement, a pilgrimage centre, restroom facilities, cloakrooms, toilets and other amenities for devotees in and around the Jagannath temple, officials said. The pilgrim town of Puri has been decked up with flowers, colourful lights and graffiti for the occasion, they said.

Delhi's master plan proposes conservation plans, heritage cells, more

The draft Master Plan of Delhi - 2041 envisions identification and preparation of conservation and revitalisation management plans for cultural precincts, adaptive reuse of old buildings and constitution of heritage cells, a move that seeks to promote holistic development in the historic city. The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) on Tuesday approved the draft master plan with Lt Governor VK Saxena highlighting its thrust for inclusive development, sustainability and innovative interventions such as transit-oriented development hubs, land pooling, heritage and Yamuna rejuvenation, and regeneration of the city. Besides proposing to boost infrastructure growth, the voluminous vision document also includes norms for heritage zones, archaeological parks and cultural precincts as well as instruments for improving conservation of heritage buildings to promote Delhi's rich history and culture. It suggests for "identification and preparation of conservation and revitalisation management pla

Centre spent Rs 27,000 lakh on conservation, preservation of cultural sites

The central government has spent Rs 26,957.32 lakh on conservation, preservation and maintenance of monuments and sites of national importance in 2021-22, Parliament was informed on Thursday. Union Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy, in a written response to a query, also shared data on the revenue generated through entry fee at monuments and sites at 143 locations in the country during the last three years. There are 3,696 centrally-protected monuments in the country which fall under the purview of the Archaeological Survey of India, including 743 sites in Uttar Pradesh, 506 in Karnataka, and 412 in Tamil Nadu. Reddy also shared details on the expenditure on conservation, preservation and maintenance of monuments and sites of national importance during last three years. In 2019-20, the figures stood at Rs 43,538.76 lakh while the corresponding figures for 2020-21 was Rs 26,083.41 lakh, and Rs 26,957.32 lakh for 2021-22, according to the data shared.

Railways to roll out hydrogen-powered trains on heritage routes by Dec 2023

"This will mean that these heritage routes will go completely green," said Vaishnaw

Heritage campaign kicks off, walks to be held in five cities from Dec-March

A campaign that seeks to rediscover the cultural and heritage potential of Indian cities through a series of heritage walks was launched on Tuesday. As part of the campaign 'My City My Heritage', thematic walks will be conducted in five cities -- Prayagraj, Bhubaneswar, Nashik, Hyderabad and Indore -- over the next few months. It will end in March, organisers said. It focusses on rediscovering the culture and heritage potential of Indian cities, and the campaign will be further sustained through a series of heritage walks starting December, they said. InterGlobe Foundation (IGF), the philanthropic arm of InterGlobe Enterprises, made the announcement during an event held here. G Kamala Vardhana Rao, director general, Ministry of Tourism, was the chief guest and keynote speaker. A panel discussion was also held. Amita Baig, executive director, World Monuments Fund, India, and Junhi Han, programme specialist and chief of section (culture) at UNESCO Office here, were among the paneli

Grab a slice of history and folklore exploring India's historical monuments

While tour operators are offering attractive deals, corporations are doing their bit with sound and light shows, maintenance, tech and other tourist-friendly moves to offer a bigger bang for your buck

Heritage corridor project around Puri's Shree Jagannath Temple gets nod

The temple's management has approved a Rs 800-crore heritage corridor project aimed at redeveloping the 12th century shrine's surrounding areas

Conservation must improve lives: Ratish Nanda of Aga Khan Trust for Culture

Conservation of a monument cannot be limited to the monument itself, says Nanda

Architect Abha Narain Lambah explains the political power of her vocation

Narain also discusses the need for a vision and the usefulness of chai