A new beginning... Re-Imagining Heritage

“The heritage of the past is the seed that brings forth the harvest of the future.” — Wendell Phillips

Heritage is the legacy that can be passed from one generation to the next generation. It is related to the valued objects and qualities like buildings, natural elements and cultural traditions. Cultural heritage includes wide ranges of properties like a family house, Havelis, forts, etc. as well as natural resources like mountains water bodies vegetation. Not only the built forms but the cultural aspects such as dance, paintings and crafts are also part of the heritage.

Since my childhood, I have always been fascinated with the old buildings. It always gave me a deep sense of connection to my surroundings. Having grown up in a town which has a rich historical background, the sense of connection within myself is strong. Also, being an Architect my interest in heritage structure got flourished with new ideas and a different perspective towards it. It is true that historical buildings are the link to our past but heritage buildings are those which are strongly associated with people’s emotions.

Tradition Houses on the streets of Ahmedabad 

Bhaje Cave: Rock cut caves dating back to the 2nd century BC

Heritage is not only in monuments or architectural masterpieces, but Our culture is also as important as our historic buildings. Not only the built forms but the cultural aspects such as dance, paintings and crafts are also part of the heritage. It is strongly related to the people and their livelihood. Heritage gives the idea of the community and forms a belief system. Because built heritage is always incomplete without people living in it. Tangible aspects are always associated with intangible and monuments that are incomplete without intangible aspects.

Warli painting

Built heritage is always incomplete without people living in it. Many a time even the way of life of the people reflects heritage. Heritage buildings are those who are strongly associated with people’s emotions. It includes religious places like temples, masjid, churches or residential complexes or private owned houses

The wooden toy market in Sawantwadi

Monuments or architectural masterpieces are silent without their intangible aspects. Heritage is not only monuments or architectural masterpieces. A city’s heritage is about the streets, public spaces, crafts and craft’s people and livelihood and contemporary creativity. Cultural heritage is a resultant of the community, its origin, settlement pattern, livelihood activates, their support structures, social institutions and cultural spaces, and most importantly the way they have their carried their identity architecturally and through cultural symbols. Heritage is also about the way the settlement is evolved in relationship to its natural surroundings. Heritage is because of the people who are practising their art, craft and culture. Heritage is nothing but the identity of the city’s and its people’s livelihood.

Pols of Ahmedabad

As strongly interested in arts, I always look forward to collecting information about new art and craft and trying to learn that art. We don’t care about these art forms the way we focus and care about our built heritage We have a wide range of variety of art and crafts in India. I’m always interested to know more and more about the crafts and various art forms. These art and crafts are integral parts of our rich heritage.

This is the small step to know more about our rich architecture as well as cultural heritage. 

“A nation’s culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people.” – Mahatma Gandhi