ABSTRACT

Heritage Conservation in Postcolonial India seeks to position the conservation profession within historical, theoretical, and methodological frames to demonstrate how the field has evolved in the postcolonial decades and follow its various trajectories in research, education, advocacy, and practice.

Split into four sections, this book covers important themes of institutional and programmatic developments in the field of conservation; critical and contemporary challenges facing the profession; emerging trends in practice that seek to address contemporary challenges; and sustainable solutions to conservation issues.

The cases featured within the book elucidate the evolution of the heritage conservation profession, clarifying the role of key players at the central, state, and local level, and considering intangible, minority, colonial, modern, and vernacular heritages among others.

This book also showcases unique strands of conservation practice in the postcolonial decades to demonstrate the range, scope, and multiple avenues of development in the last seven decades. An ideal read for those interested in architecture, planning, historic preservation, urban studies, and South Asian studies.

part I|72 pages

Developments in heritage conservation: Institutions and programs

chapter 1|16 pages

The evolving role of India’s foremost heritage custodian

The Archaeological Survey of India

chapter 3|18 pages

Heritage management and conservation planning for historic cities in India

The case of Jaipur and Ajmer

chapter 4|16 pages

Tools for heritage advocacy in Lucknow

Active civic engagement and public interest litigation

chapter 5|9 pages

Heritage education

An essential element in elementary education

part II|60 pages

Critical challenges in heritage conservation

chapter 6|13 pages

History, memory, and contestation

Challenges in preserving Amritsar’s diverse heritage

chapter 7|16 pages

Loss of cultural artefacts

Continuing challenges around antiquities trafficking from India

chapter 8|13 pages

India’s modern heritage

Conservation challenges and opportunities

chapter 9|16 pages

Heritage conservation and seismic mitigation in small-town India

The case of Chamba, Himachal Pradesh

part III|64 pages

Emerging trends in heritage conservation

chapter 10|14 pages

Making heritage accessible to all

Experiments with digital technologies for urban heritage conservation in India

chapter 11|16 pages

Reclaiming neighbourhood, rebonding community

Urban conservation initiatives for Kolkata’s Chinatown

chapter 13|16 pages

Craft as intangible heritage

The Thatheras of Jandiala Guru, Punjab

part IV|82 pages

Sustainable approaches to heritage conservation

chapter 14|14 pages

Ghats on the Ganga in Varanasi

A sustainable approach to landscape conservation

chapter |22 pages

Past forward

Preparing heritage conservation in India for the 21st century