Culture, the soul of the city

But a city is more than a place in space, it is a drama in time’ said Patrick Geddes, the well-known Scottish sociologist and pioneering town planner. He authored several reports on town planning in the Indian subcontinent in the early 20th Century. What he possibly meant by these words is that a city is more than its buildings, roads, parks, and trains; every city has a human side, a soul too.
This could possibly be captured in one word – Culture. Indeed, most cities have over the years, acquired recognition for specific aspects of their lives. Mumbai for instance has been and is still known for its efficient and professional work culture attracting large corporations including leading multinationals to set up their offices in the metropolis inspite of its high real estate costs. Bengaluru, always known as the ‘garden city’ due to its vast gardens and green spaces has during the last three-four decades acquired the ‘IT hub of India’ tag. Given its tech orientation, the city also now supports a thriving start-up ecosystem. Pune has for decades been the seat of culture and the arts and also known for its fine educational/academic institutions which are still an inalienable part of the city. Almost every city, has its distinct cultural identity and a unique place of pride inscribed in the rich tapestry of India’s heritage.
Festivals such as the Durga Puja, though celebrated all over the country, are closely connected to a city; Kolkata in this case. There are many cities known for the remarkable talents of artisans with rare skills passed down generations – woodworkers, metalworkers, garment makers – the list is long. Then there are the unique, fabulous food and culinary wonders of so many of our cities. Or the unique traditional costumes and attires of the local populace.
Needless to say, cities need to preserve these intangible cultural assets – traditions, customs, lifestyles and rituals – of our cities just as they do to protect its architectural and archeological assets. There could be several possible ways to do this. One example is the organizing of special festivals such as the 10 day Pune Cultural festival which showcases performances by top artistes as well as some special events during the Ganesh festival in the city. The Rann Utsav in Kutch, Gujarat, or the Desert festival in the city of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan are other examples of such festivals. The Dasara Festival celebrated in Mysore of Karnataka State is a 10-day event marked by grandeur being celebrated reportedly from the 15th Century during the times of the Vijayanagara Empire Kings. There are many more examples from across the country. These events attract visitors from not only all over the country but also from overseas thus showcasing the city and its importance. In fact the city and the cultural festival become inseparable from each other.
Cities must bring together various stakeholders in this exercise to preserve and nurture their culture and showcase it to the world. Local governments, academia, civil society and indeed the common man, can all play meaningful roles. The city can then come alive and thereby improve livability by several notches.