Indian Monument Restoration and Protection thread

[Yagya]

Ancient temples submerged in Bhakra waters to be relocated, says Dhumal

Posted: Wed Apr 06 2011, 00:20 hrs
Shimla:


More than two dozen ancient temples — 12 among which are of great archaeological importance — submerged in the Govind Sagar Lake due to the construction of Bhakra Dam in early 1960s, will be relocated and restored to their original glory.

A team from the Archeological survey of India (ASI), which visited the spot after water in the reservoir had receded, has raised hopes that work in this regard will begin early.

Chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, who on Tuesday faced a volley of questions in the state Assembly over the restoration of ancient temples and protected monuments in Himachal Pradesh, said the government has already approached the Centre in this regard.

“It is basically ASI’s job. We will identify land and see that these ancient temples are relocated.The central government has already been approached so that work can begin,” Dhumal told Rajesh Dharmani of the Congress.

Replying to a question of Roop Singh Thakur of the Cong, Dhunak said the government has spent Rs 7.39 crore to restore these temples and other ancient monuments in the state.

The chief minister also announced the government’s proposal to declare eight more heritage temples as protected monuments. These include Chamunda and Bhuvneshwar temples of Chambam, Radhakrishan and Janki Nath temples of Kangra, Shiv Mandir and Kamlah Kila in Hamirpur and Bhagru Mahadev and Prashardhar mandir in Mandi.

While responding to a question regarding a proposal sent by Una Deputy Commissioner to take over Baba Badbhag Singh — famous Dera — Dhunal said that if the DC recommends the same, the government will take action.

[Yagya]

Delhi's Red Fort was originally white

Delhi's Red Fort, where Mughal emperors ruled and Nehru made his first speech to independent India, is undergoing a makeover after conservationists discovered much of the world heritage site was actually originally white.

By Dean Nelson, New Delhi 5:50PM BST 20 May 2011
According to conservation architects the symbol of Mughal power and Indian independence should be known as the 'Red and White fort' for the combination of colours favoured by its creator Shah Jahan, the emperor who also built the Taj Mahal. It was completed in 1648 and originally named 'the Blessed Fort.'

Craftsmen are now restoring three key buildings to its original colour with a traditional white 'Mughal plaster' made from ground marble, dhal pulses, lime and fruit juice after a study found they had been painted red in the mid-nineteenth century.

The Architectural Survey of India also discovered Delhi's celebrated Jantar Mantar building, an early 18th Century series of giant 'red stone' sundials and astronomical instruments built by the Maharaja of Jaipur, was also once white. They are now making plans to restore this major tourist attraction to its original colour.

The discovery and the decision to restore these buildings to their original white has set off a row among conservation architects over whether the colour should be changed after so many years, and who was to blame for painting the buildings red.

Some experts have blamed British military officers who occupied the fort and used it as a barracks after the overthrow of Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal emperor, and the defeat of the Indian mutiny in 1857. They believe the British stopped using traditional masons, who used methods of grinding white marble to make a sparking lime plaster to save money.

The gateway, which has a large Mughal arch at its centre, is believed to have been the scene of two regicides, and was home to the drummers who announced the arrival of dignitaries. It is now a war museum.
Two other key buildings, the royal hamam, or bath house, and the Rang Mahal, which contains a hall of mirrors, are also to be restored with white plaster.

KK Mohammad, head of the Architectural Survey of India said the 'Red Fort' is a "misconception" because although its exterior ramparts are red sandstone "more of the Red Fort is white than people realise."

He added that it was not clear whether the British or the Mughals themselves had painted the buildings, but work was currently under way to restore the Naubat Khana, the main gateway to the royal audience hall, to its original white lime plaster.

Ratish Nanda, a leading conservation architect, said: "The British did introduce conservation to India, but they also dismantled the system through which these buildings were preserved. Archives show the buildings were white. The Mughals played with this red and white contrast.

"But the Architectural Survey of India treats everything as ruins because they've been inspired by the idea of English follies. These are important buildings,"

niceeee

[Yagya]

Audio restoration of old classics gaining ground

PUNE: The concept of audio restoration is fast gaining ground with films, old and new, undergoing makeovers for archival purposes. The facility is available at a Pune-based studio, which is currently restoring sound for some Indian and Hollywood classics, and films made by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC).

The process involves intricate scanning, cleaning and restructuring of sounds tracks, and can sometime cost much more than film restoration.

"The concept of sound restoration is still at a nascent stage in India. However, latest breakthroughs in audio restoration technology are allowing larger volumes of films to be put through the audio restoration process, thereby making the process affordable. As compared to 10 to 15 per cent of the volume undergoing audio restoration previously, today, around 30 per cent of the volume can be taken on," says Purab Gujar, CEO of Cameo Digital Systems that has done audio restoration of regional Indian, Hollywood and European films.

A package of four films based on stories penned by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, including 'Natir Puja,' 'Kabuliwala' and 'Teen Kanya,' is currently being restored by Gujar's studio for the ministry of culture. Also being cleaned up is the sound track of the documentary on Tagore made by acclaimed filmmaker Satyajit Ray.

Soundtracks of classics made by legendary filmmakers like Charlie Chaplin, Akira Kurosawa, Michelangelo Antonioni and Federico Fellini, among others, have already been restored. "In the near future, the concept of sound restoration will catch up in India. The technological evolution is now allowing convergence of technologies related to both image and sound, thereby making restoration much easier," Gujar added.

The process of audio restoration, in layman's terms, involves analysis of the various audio defects on a film's soundtrack, cleaning, scanning and digitisation wherever required, and mastering of the restored audio tape as per the source chosen.

"The restored sound track is mastered as per the source for broadcast, like television, Blu-Ray, multiplex screening and the like. As of now, the cost of audio restoration is around Rs 15 lakh per film," says Gujar.

His team is also in the process of setting up an asset management system at the National Film Archive of India (NFAI) for easier accessibility of the three lakh-odd film reels archived there. "We hope to do audio restoration for the classics stored at NFAI," he said.

[Dr Hiroshi A Kokaji]

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/...hY0My/800x.jpg

Photo of a PVC window at the Taj Mahal Hotel Mumbai.Believe it or not, up until 2003 it still had it's original gothic/Raj/Edwardian wooden windows with arched glazing bars .

Mr Tata's great great grandfather (Jamshetji Nusserwanji Tata)built the Hotel and clearly had a lot of style and taste,it is made from German stone and it even once housed a Turkish bath.The hotel still belows to the Tata family ,but as the PVC photo shows there has clearly been a lot of genetic style and taste dilution .


ps

Yagya i thought you might like this website

http://oldphotosbombay.blogspot.com/...7_archive.html

[Yagya]

Really nice link! never knew about some of the structures posted there. Thanks for the link.

[Marathaman]

Originally Posted by Yagya

Persian Patterns emerge in Burj revival

http://www.flickr.com/photos/usembas...th/5859237390/
Before:



As of June 14th 2011:

[Yagya]

cool.

[Yagya]

Life, glory return to Doaba’s protected monuments

Chandigarh:After decades of neglect and encroachments,the protected monuments of Doaba are getting a fresh lease of life. Conservationists of the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) have been working on the Centrally-protected Nurmahal Sarai, Nakodar Tombs and Dakhni Sarai, to restore them to their original forms.

Named after Noor Jehan, consort of Mughal emperor Jehangir, Nurmahal Sarai is located 13 km from Jalandhar. This slice of history was struggling to breathe till four years ago due to encroachments on all sides. CJ Kaul, Senior Conservation Assistant, ASI, says the monument housed a PWD store, police station, a senior secondary school and a municipal committee office. There was a protracted correspondence, which started in 1951, to get the place free. “Then someone filed a PIL in the High Court, after which the police station was given a year and the school two years to vacate. The entire structure, spread over 60 kanals, was freed four years ago, after which the ASI was able to start work,” Kaul said. .


Kaul, who has been closely monitoring the conservation work in Doaba, says the ASI had to initially demolish the modern structures, like shelves and partitions. He, however, says their pleas to the police and district administration to get the parking lot removed have fallen on deaf ears.

The conservationist says the restoration of the Sarai’s Rang Mahal, which has delicate work, was one of their major feats. According to the inscriptions on the western and eastern gateways, the inn was constructed by Nawab Zakariya Khan, Governor of the Doab, between 1619 and 1621 AD on the orders of Noor Jehan. It is a closed quadrangle comprising 140 cells

The nearby town of Nakodar houses two imposing tombs that have suffered decades of deterioration. Kaul describes the monument as the Taj Mahal of Punjab. One tomb, built in 1612, has the mortal remains of Ustad Muhammed Momin, a tambura player, and the other was built in 1657 in the memory of his disciple Haji Jamal.

Kaul says initially, conservation work here did not go down well with the residents, as according to law, no construction is allowed around 100m, and beyond it till 200m, permission of the ASI is required. “We cannot allow high rises to come up all around and dwarf the tombs,” he adds.

Twelve km from Nakodar is Dakhni Sarai, which is said to be the finest and most preserved of the Mughal caravan inns. Built by Mughal noble Ali Mardan Khan in 1640 AD, the structure has 124 cells around a closed quadrangle and a couple of imposing gateways.


Kaul says this magnificent structure is spread over 100 kanals, but lacks a metalled approach road

source: the indian express

[Yagya]

the Sunehri Kothi (Golden Bungalow). This monument was built by Nawab Mohammed Ibrahim Ali Khan (1867-1930), the Nawab of Tonk.

Just came across the picture where the photographer said it restoration was going on. Did more search and here we are:

2006

image hosted on flickr

Sunehri Kothi, Tonk, Rajasthan, India by pavangupta, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

Sunehri Kothi, Tonk, Rajasthan, India by pavangupta, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

Sunehri Kothi, Tonk, Rajasthan, India by pavangupta, on Flickr

March 2011

Photographer's note: We were not allowed to make pictures inside. Restoration works need to be done in the interior. One could see it once was marvelous inside, one hopes it will once be marvelous inside again.

[Yagya]

These are some photographs I got from the site of Dharmendar Kanwar; a renowned travel writer on Rajasthan and a close aid of the Lat Rajmata Gayatri Devi of Jaipur.

Due to her experince she has been invovled in several heritage projects as an advisior etc. She writes:

I have been a part of the team that spearheaded the heritage conservation and restoration movement in Rajasthan and am happy to be still actively involved as a member of a number of advisory committees instituted by the Government i.e., Advisor, Heritage Committee, JDA, Jaipur; Member, Heritage Cell, Directorate of Local Bodies, Government of Rajasthan; Member, Heritage Cell, Jaipur Municipal Corporation and Media Advisor, Sawai Jai Singh Benevolent Trust. As co convenor INTACH Jaipur Chapter I have worked closely with the Government of Rajasthan and continue to lend support to conservation activities in and around Jaipur.

So from her page some pictures. Too bad it doesn't mention what and where they're from but they're from Rajasthan that's for sure.

Before:


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[Dr Hiroshi A Kokaji]

Great photos Yagya,thanks I really enjoyed them.

[Yagya]

Thanks

[Dr Hiroshi A Kokaji]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-14005258

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asi...ic/5052396.stm

Slightly off topic I know,but very interesting.Unfortunately there is no photo of the finished work,which is a bit thick!!

Made me wonder how many Indian sites are sponsored by The World Monuments Fund?

Hampi??

[Yagya]

Rang Mahal's paintings being restored in Amer Fort

The rang mahal is beautiful again. Artists have been working on it from 8 moths. This rangamahl is on top of that tunnel which leads to Jaigarh. The paintings here were near extinction.

Conditions were so bad that the paintings had been lost and people had put graffiti on the wall and the place was dirty with bird droppings. The rang mahal is being restored for the past 8 months with sculptures trying their best to restore the fine carvings.

The restoration is going under the management of Mranalini Bangru, a restorer from Delhi. She said that this is a very delicate process hence isn't being rushed. The curator of Amer Jaffarullah kha said the work is almost complete and after the work is completed it sure will be a great attraction to the tourists.

The mehman khana and dalram bagh are also being restored.

[Yagya]

Delhi heritage sites to be restored

Mughal prince Dara Shikoh's library, the Malcha Mahal hunting lodge of Firoz Shah Tughlaq and some ancient gateways are among the 15 neglected monuments that will get a new lease of life with the Delhi government planning to conserve and restore them after the monsoon season.

"There are several ancient monuments in Delhi which have a rich history and the government has decided to renovate them and bring them into their original form," an official of the archaeology department said.



The whole conservation project follows a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the department and the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach) which has identified 92 structures lying in a dilapidated condition or over-run by encroachers.

[Out of the 92, 48 structures have been preliminarily notified for protection and others are in progress. In 2010, the department along with Intach conserved 17 historical sites in the run up to the Commonwealth Games. This year we have decided to conserve 15 such sites," said the official.

The department itself is housed in the 300-year-old library, built by Prince Dara Shikoh, the eldest son of emperor Shah Jahan. It is in the IP College campus. Under the same project, it will vacate the premises and move to a new building while a city museum will come up at the library.


Other prominent monuments among the 15 include the gateways at Badarpur on the outskirts of Delhi, the Bagichi Ki Masjid in Mehrauli, the gateway of the garden in the Qudsia area of north Delhi.


"There are many lesser known monuments in the capital but every monument has its own value. And there are many which are in a battered condition and have lost their shine and importance. The plan of conserving them is in a process and it can be started any time soon after the monsoon," said Ajay Kumar, a senior project manager at Intach.

Traditional techniques will be used in restoring them to their original form, he said.



We will use the old techniques and original material in conserving them. For instance, we will apply lime plaster on these structures which was used by workers in ancient times," said Ajay Kumar.


The conservation of these sites had to be done in two phases. After the first phase, comprising preparation of site plans, documentation and photography, is completed, the second will entail structural and chemical conservation, landscaping and illumination.

Besides using old techniques, expert masons from Rajasthan, Agra, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh will be called to work on them.

Along with the restoration, the problem of clearing out illegal occupants and encroachers will also have to be taken care of.

"We will have to take the help of civil administration and police to clear the encroachment from these sites as no attention was paid to it for a long time," said the official from the archaeology department.

The Wakf Board has also raised some objections over the construction work on some sites. The official was however confident that the issue will be amicably resolved.

Tomb Lado Sarai is all set to be renovated after monsoon season

source

[Dr Hiroshi A Kokaji]

The last time I visited Amer Fort,I remember one of the rooms had 15mm x 15mm coloured glass/tiles stuck to the walls that tourists couldn't resist picking at.(quite a lot were missing)

Tomb Lado Sarai, fascinating how close the new build has been allowed to get.particularly the jetties which can't be more than a few centimetres away.

[Yagya]

Yes that's the sheesh mahal you're talking about. It's completely restored now.

[Yagya]

The Archaeological Department will now take care of depleted havelis in Amer. Four Havelis have been identified which are currently under the control of Municipal. Last week on a tour of Amer, Chief minister had shown concern at the state of the Havelis.

[Yagya]

Nataniyon Ki Haveli to be in protected monuments' list

AIPUR: The Nataniyon Ki Haveli, a blend of Hindu and Muslim architectures, could soon become a tourist attraction as the department of archeology and museum has started proceedings to add it to the list of protected monuments.

The magnificent monument, located in the heart of the old city near Choti Chauper, has attracted the attention of the archeology department, which has issued first gazette notification to include this heritage building in the protected monuments of the state.

When around 10 dilapidated buildings in the Walled City collapsed in rains in the past three years, this initiative of the archeology department is a positive step towards safeguarding the heritage of the Walled City.

At present, Nataniyon Ki Haveli is under the possession of the police department. When it is restored, it could become a tourist place. Superintendent, art and culture, Satya Prakash Srivastava, said, "After issuing gazette notification, the department has asked if people have any objections. And after resolving the objections, the department will announce it as a protected monument."

The monument was constructed in the early 18th century when Jaipur was starting to transform into a city. It was occupied by some diwan then, the expert said.

The haveli could be transformed into a tourist place like the Patwon Ki Haveli in Jaisalmer. A department official said, "The haveli has historical importance and its architecture, door design, the art work on walls is a perfect malange of Muslim and Hindu architecture."

Recently in 2006, the old Vidhan Sabha was declared as protected monument. Hawa Mahal and Jantar Mantar are among other protected monuments.

There are 319 monuments in the list of protected monuments in the entire state owing to their historical importance and exquisite ancient architecture. In Jaipur, there are around 60 to 65 such protected monuments, an official of the archeology department said.

The state government has started the restoration work and around Rs 60 lakh will be spent initially, an official said.

source

[Marathaman]

Uthiramerur Kailasanathar Temple being restored by REACH foundation

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rajusha...th/6072620542/