Conservation of Heritage in India-Challenges, Issues, Agencies, Technological Advancements: Fid-Bau Portal

Conservation of Heritage in India-Challenges, Issues, Agencies, Technological Advancements

Vijayalaxmi, J.

Conservation of heritage is important as it entails protecting the cultural resources that define the very essence and character of a civilization. The various aspects of heritage which needs to be conserved are the arts and crafts of a place, the buildings of heritage importance and the cities, towns and places of heritage value. Arts and crafts include traditional textiles (handloom weaves and patterns and the method of weaving), Carpets and embroidery making, Handicrafts made with vernacular materials such as bamboo, cane, grass, wood. Paintings and murals such as Warli and Madhubani on fabric as well as on Canvas, Brassware and Earthenware along with various finishes, Unique jewellery such as Minakairi, Chettinadu jewellery and leather products tell tales of historic times. It is easier to preserve these products, but the significance lies in conserving the process too. It is utmost difficult to conserve buildings and cities of historic importance due to the urbanization and also the cost involved. Architectural conservation is the preservation of important buildings or architectural values. Ever since it first appeared, the preservation and repair of architecture has been seen as an essential virtue. With the intention of safeguarding the heritage so that it has an embodied reality for its interpretation, efforts have been made to understand and interpret it in order to show how the world was before us. This Chapter deals with the various bodies in India that work towards preservation and conservation. Efforts at conserving various religious art, folk art and commercial art by various Governmental bodies, NGOs and private players have been assessed. The conservation strategies have been discussed too.