The redesigning of Indian cities through initiatives like temples and heritage corridors has brought positive outcomes such as cultural heritage preservation, tourism growth, and economic opportunities. These projects rejuvenate historical areas and revive cultural practices while raising awareness about the city’s significance. However, challenges persist, including concerns about commercialisation, authenticity distortion, displacement of local communities due to gentrification, and the struggle to balance modern development with heritage preservation. While these initiatives showcase cultural heritage, thoughtful planning is crucial to maintaining authenticity, sustainable development, and community inclusion. The fundamental question remains: Is this transformation eroding the aesthetic and cultural essence of India’s cities?
In the midst of India’s rapid urbanisation, the transformation of its cities has become an essential component of progress. Yet, this evolution need not necessitate the sacrifice of cultural heritage. Finding a delicate equilibrium between preservation and progress is a challenging but crucial endeavour.
The concept of heritage-based urban planning for sustainable development has emerged as a solution. This approach prioritises the integration of cultural heritage into urban planning, acknowledging the significance of historic buildings, sites, and traditions as vital elements shaping a city’s identity and quality of life.
By incorporating these principles, heritage-based urban planning aims to forge cities that are economically thriving, environmentally sustainable, culturally vibrant, and socially inclusive. This strategy recognises heritage not as an impediment to development but as an asset capable of enhancing urban spaces’ livability and resilience. Through a comprehensive approach involving all stakeholders, it ensures cities in India evolve without compromising their distinct and cherished identities.
The National Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY), launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in 2015, stands as a testament to this approach. This initiative aims to preserve and revive the country’s rich cultural heritage by focusing on enhancing core heritage infrastructure in areas surrounding identified heritage sites. However, the redesigning of Indian cities, notably through projects like temple corridors and heritage corridors, has yielded both positive and negative impacts on their cultural and historical essence.
Positive outcomes include the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage. These initiatives help safeguard ancient temples, monuments, and historical sites, becoming focal points for showcasing a city’s cultural identity and attracting heritage-oriented tourists.
Moreover, these endeavours can significantly augment tourism, stimulating economic opportunities for locals and contributing to the city’s revenue. They also breathe new life into older city areas, fostering their revival and bolstering local businesses.
Additionally, these heritage projects play a crucial role in revitalising cultural practices and traditions while raising awareness about the city’s historical significance among both residents and visitors.
Yet, challenges persist. Concerns over commercialisation and the potential distortion of authenticity during redevelopment linger. The risk of displacing local communities due to gentrification and the struggle to maintain a harmonious balance between modern development and heritage preservation pose ongoing challenges.
In essence, the redesign of cities in India through initiatives like temples and heritage corridors serves as a significant tool for preserving and showcasing cultural heritage. However, it demands thoughtful planning and consideration to uphold authenticity, sustain development, and ensure community inclusion. Despite this pursuit of progress, a fundamental question arises: Is this transformation eroding the aesthetic and cultural fabric of India’s cities?
THE CORRECT ANSWER IS GWALIOR AND ORCHHA
In the heart of Madhya Pradesh, India, lie two cities steeped in history and cultural significance: Gwalior and Orchha. These cities have gained recognition from UNESCO under the ‘Historic Urban Landscape Project,’ owing to their rich heritage and pragmatic urban design that seamlessly blends with the natural terrain.
Orchha, once the 16th-century capital of the Bundela dynasty, stands as a testament to a unique fusion of Rajput and Mughal architectural styles. Its population, currently a little over 60,000, is on the rise. In contrast, Gwalior, established much earlier in the 9th century, sits at the crossroads of its historical legacy and the burgeoning modern population, numbering over a million. The city’s cultural essence resides in its ancient core, a vital asset recognised by the government, leading to its designation as a ‘Smart City.’
Both Gwalior and Orchha have witnessed a surge in religious and cultural tourism, fostering economic growth. However, this rapid urbanisation and the influx of tourists have brought challenges. The unchecked growth has strained the cities’ infrastructure and raised concerns about sustainability and preserving their unique heritage.
Despite the economic strides, there’s a delicate balance to maintain between modern urban development, the preservation of their cultural identity, and the sustainable growth of tourism. The cities’ allure lies not only in their historical significance but also in their ability to adapt and thrive amidst changing times, forging a future that honours their past while embracing progress. In recent years, India has been on a heritage, or, we can say, temple, corridor construction spree. Let us take a look at all the recently constructed or under-construction temples and heritage corridors, one by one, and all the aspects related to them.
The Kashi Vishwanath Dham corridor in Varanasi is a redevelopment project around the revered Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Aimed at modernising the area while preserving its historical significance, the initiative includes widening streets, renovating ghats, and integrating the temple complex with nearby spaces.
Assessing its success in heritagebased urban planning, the project showcases efforts in heritage preservation through restoring ancient structures and engaging in traditional architectural revival. However, concerns exist regarding community involvement, as some locals have been displaced, raising questions about inclusivity. The project also aims for sustainable development by improving tourist amenities, yet managing the increasing footfall’s impact on heritage structures and the environment remains a challenge. Overall, while blending heritage conservation with modern planning, the project faces the challenge of striking a balance between development, heritage preservation, community engagement, and sustainable tourism for long-term success.
The Mahakal Dham corridor project in Ujjain aims to enhance the pilgrimage experience in the vicinity of the Mahakaleshwar temple while preserving its ancient legacy. Contemporary amenities are deftly integrated without compromising the historical importance of the site. Positive aspects include the preservation of the temple’s significance, infrastructure improvements, community involvement, and tourism promotion as an engine of economic growth. However, there are still problems to be solved, such as how to modernise without destroying cultural property, how to manage tourism responsibly, and how to keep flexible planning and constant monitoring. When everything is said and done, the project does a fantastic job of blending contemporary with tradition; yet, ongoing care is required to preserve the site’s past in the face of urban expansion.
The much-awaited Puri Heritage Corridor (Srimandir Parikrama) will be dedicated to devotees on January 17, 2024. The Puri Heritage Corridor Project was first conceived in 2016 and unveiled in December 2019 with the objective of transforming the pilgrim town into a place of heritage of international importance. The Rs 800 crore project includes redeveloping major portions of the town and in the vicinity of the temple for visitors and tourists while creating an unobstructed 75-metre corridor around the Meghanada Pacheri (the outer wall of the 12th-century shrine). It goes without saying that the project is going to bring challenges along the way.
The proposed corridor at the Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati: The Assam government is also planning to construct a corridor at the Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati on the lines of the Kashi-Vishwanath Temple Corridor in Varanasi. The cumulative open space around the temple will increase from 3000 sq ft at present to approximately 100,000 sq ft, spread over three levels. Located on Nilachal Hill in Guwahati, Kamakhya Temple is considered one of the oldest and most sacred places of worship. Millions of pilgrims and tourists visit the temple every year, especially during the Ambubachi Mela held in June every year.
Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Heritage Corridor in Karnataka: Further, in an effort to preserve and celebrate the rich heritage of Bengaluru, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has announced the construction of the Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Heritage Corridor’ in the BBMP South Zone. The corridor will stretch for 12 km, starting from Lalbagh Border Tower and extending to Kempambudhi Lake.
CONCLUSION
The recently-built temple corridors in India stand as shining examples of the country’s dedication to preserving its cultural and religious heritage. While they showcase architectural brilliance and promote accessibility and modern technology, it is important to address potential environmental concerns,\ budgetary constraints, and community impact. By carefully considering and balancing these factors, India can continue to create temple corridors that honour its past while embracing the future. The question lingers in the minds of many: Is the relentless redesign of cities in India eroding their very essence, diluting the tapestry of cultures and aesthetics that once defined their allure? Perhaps therein lies the answer—not in shunning progress, but in finding a delicate equilibrium where the past and the present coexist harmoniously. The challenge remains daunting, yet the aspiration to retain the soul of India’s cities amidst the whirlwind of modernisation burns bright, a beacon guiding the way forward in this ongoing narrative of change.
Yogesh Vajpeyi, a renowned media professional and an expert in the field, says, “Since many of them have been traditionally small towns, rapid urbanisation brings its own pressure, such as high stress on infrastructure due to a huge influx of population, encroachment of the existing resources, dilapidating of built heritage and urban space, water tanks, increasing traffic congestion, etc. With time, the inner urban core starts to deteriorate, devoid of its original character, as the sacred space has to accommodate the floating population more than its capacity with no special planning and associated infrastructure for the frequent additional influx. Hence, it is important to analyse the impact of pilgrimage on religious cities
and the extent of issues and challenges emanating from it… The MRIDA project in Ujjain is the second major project after the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to develop a major religious city in India, combining tradition with modern technology. The premise has been developed such that it can now accommodate one lakh pilgrims at a time and 25 lakh pilgrims in a day. Though the key elements of the planning and implementation were similar, the challenges presented to urban planners were different, and different methods had to be adopted to meet them.”
The key lies in thoughtful urban planning, sustainable development, and a deep appreciation for the heritage that makes these cities truly special. Balancing progress and cultural preservation is a task that requires a delicate touch, but it’s a challenge that must be met to ensure the soul of India’s cities remains intact amidst change.