Hampi Conservation

The 'Hampi Conference' was held at the Institute of Science (IISc) in Bangalore from 16th to 18th January 2009. It was a way for some of us to learn that Hampi means so much to so many people. There were scholars both from India and from abroad who have lived in Hampi and researched its many complexities for more than a quarter of a century. People who have spent so many years of their lives to document, to analyse and to share the history of the societies that have lived in the Vijayanagara region. There were the local residents from the Hampi area who shared knowledge of the indigenous ways of living that have been responsible for the survival of the Hampi Ecosystem.

An Ecosystem has been defined as "a living community along with its physical environment, considered as an integrated unit". The many layers that were uncovered at the Hampi conference affirmed that the way to approach Heritage Conservation at Hampi had to be simple in thought so that it could flow in and out of all the complexities and bind them together once again. An "ecosystem approach" recognises that humans with their cultural diversity are an integral component of many ecosystems. How could we strengthen the involvement of the local community in the process of revival?

Hampi has been declared as a 'World Heritage site'. The 'Hampi World Heritage Development Authority' has been formed. There will be teams of professionals in various disciplines who will work towards a Master Plan for Hampi. However, the objective is not something that lies at the end of this road. The objective is to respect substantially the human component of this ecosystem and that lies in the "process". In a Biological ecosystem, energy transfer takes place through the food chain which makes its beginning from the sun. In a Conservation ecosystem, it is a similar transformation of energy that must happen and this makes the 'process of conservation' a key element in the Hampi efforts.

Is it possible to establish a small space/cell within Hampi where any passer-by can walk in to know about the current happenings on the 'World Heritage Project'. This could be similar to the Information Cell, for instance that the 'City of Rotterdam authorities' set up for its citizens in The Netherlands, where information leaflets, books, fact sheets and films were available on what had been documented of the past and what was being proposed for the future. It was a glass-fronted shop with large, wooden models of the existing urban fabric and of the new developments being designed for its people.

This cell, could have a meeting room where local residents could discuss with the authorities on how they could participate in the project. It could provide access for scholars and experts to old historical maps and to the new 'Digital Elevation Models (DEM)' or the scientifically prepared georeferenced basemaps that are being now generated for Hampi. It would house a comprehensive library with books, documents, newspaper clippings on Hampi's heritage efforts and current development plans, on the Hampi Utsav & how to contribute meaningfully to it, correspondence on hampi's conservation efforts and much else. It is possible that more people from Hampi will begin to have a reverence for their architectural and natural heritage.

The main purpose of this cell would be to create enthusiastic teams of people all over Hampi who want to be a part of the Conservation effort and to bring back the indigenous ways of sustainable development back into our lives.

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Based on a comment on this blogpost, i am adding this note. Here, a Conservation ecosystem for Hampi is seen as a long-term vision in which local residents play an important role. It would be essential to understand and influence positively their thoughts, ideas and actions towards the Hampi region.

Secondly, an ecosystem approach would focus on a revival of the indigenous skills that made Hampi a world heritage site. Perhaps, the traditional building artisan and his skill will sustain if there is a continuous flow of projects to execute. Therefore, we may want to work towards enhancing artisan networks and connect them to on-going traditional and contemporary architectural work.

We may want to document or codify traditional knowledge so that it becomes a part of the present design and conservation education programs in India. At the Hampi conference, Dr.Cheluvaraju from Kannada University had observed that "In the past, myths and rituals made local people preserve natural and built heritage"

Bhimili

In India, there are mainly two kinds of architectural heritage that receive attention, the “Indian” heritage and the “Colonial” heritage, the latter mostly in the form of public buildings. There are government agencies, professional bodies, and concerned individuals working to conserve some of this urban heritage. On the other hand, there are many, many small towns spread all over the vast country that have quaint and historic streets which remain obscure and neglected. These are streets lined with hundred-year-old, tile-roofed houses that hold a record of the history of the place.

The houses are also a record of the indigenous building skills that have evolved over time, but they are now being demolished to be replaced by modern concrete constructions. The price of the land is now higher and more important than the price or the historic value of the house that sits on it.

Bimilipatnam is one such town near Visakhapatnam on the east coast of India. It was a historical trading town, whose importance diminished as a new port was developed in Visakhapatnam, 25 km away. Bimili is the second oldest municipality in the country. It has some English, some Dutch, and some Indian heritage.

Bimilipatnam having once been a Dutch settlement, the Netherlands embassy was willing to be part of an initiative which would involve the residents of the town, the Andhra Pradesh government, and local non-governmental organizations for its development with a view to restore and preserve the architectural and natural heritage of the town.

Built-heritage inTranquebar

Tranquebar is an old danish settlement, 100 km south of Pondicherry, in Tamil Nadu. It is now called Tharangambadi. Today, much heritage conservation work goes on here. The Neemrana group of hotels began to restore a dilapidated house some years ago. The 'Bungalow on the Beach' is now a heritage hotel.

The Bungalow, the Fort Dansborg and the waters of the sea in the serene environment of Tranquebar create together a very special experience.

The old bungalow facing the sea & the fort was adapted for re-use as a hotel by the INTACH pondicherry team . This has become the starting point for more restoration work also by a Danish foundation. Now, several more houses have been restored in Tranquebar.

Francis Wacziarg, Co-founder of Neemrana hotels believes that the interest in restoring heritage properties has been steadily increasing in different parts of the country. Earlier, people built a new house where the old one crumbled. Today, they want to consider converting it into a hotel. "We get about three proposals a week.” (Ramakrishnan, The Hindu Metroplus 2006)

Amongst the old maps of Tranquebar, Peter Anker's map gives a vivid picture of the Fort and the street patterns that were originally planned. Here is a link to the Old maps of Tranquebar and to the history of this town on the Coromandel coast.

Hampi

Hampi stands today as a land where Hanuman lived and where the children of tomorrow will continue to be. Conservationists have worked on this World Heritage site for many years now. George Michell, who has spent more than twenty-five years researching Hampi proposes, in 'Reflections on the Conservation of Hampi' Traditional and Vernacular architecture Seminar, Madras Craft Foundation, Jan 2001 that we focus on the following key problems :

"1. Ignoring the Natural Heritage
Hampi-Vijyayanagara occupies one of the most remarkable natural settings to be found anywhere in India. It is this landscape that gives the site its unique personality, and which demands protection from needless road building, quarrying, sign painting and other acts of destruction.

2. The Site versus the Monuments
No adequate legislation, it seems, is available to protect entire Heritage sites in India, only individual monuments.

3. Lack of appropriate Conservation Guidelines
An overall confusion exists among the archaeological agencies on what constitutes a suitable conservation policy for Hampi. Inpite of a long-standing state government order restraining quarrying at the site, boulders and sheetrock continue to be quarried in order to fashion new architectural elements.

4. No mechanism for Coordination or Control
Archaeological deposits uncovered by the excavation branch are threatened by water, piped in to create gardens by the horticultural branch. The village panchayats have permitted unchecked development around the Virupaksha temple. The Jain ashram has erected ugly and intrusive accommodations on the hill overlooking Hampi, without permission from archaeological authorities.

5. How to constitute an Effective authority
A need for a higher authority to negotiate between the different governmental, religious and private agents that are active at the site. Such an authority would have to be both skilled and empowered.

6. How to conceive a New Heritage Management system
Nothing can or must be done until a comprehensive plan for Hampi-Vijayanagara has been conceived."

Here is a link to another article : Hampi - the Bazaar