World Heritage Day: Mumbai's guardians suggest tips to improve its tangible past

A twofold processRajan Jayakar solicitor and city historianAbout Mumbairsquos tangible past I would like to do away with all kinds of encroachment of heritage buildings We should rid the structures of alterations too and then look into restoration work Restoration should be carried out in a way so that the original charm and grandeur of the buildings are reinstated with the help of technology The resources I refer to for a better understanding of heritage in the Indian context keep changing as per need and time Since there are many articles available online one should know what one is looking forDr BDL MuseumWhat is heritageAtul Kumar founder and trustee Art Deco MumbaiAt this point it is important to redefine lsquoheritagersquo We think of heritage as structures that are over 100 years old or have some kind of monument status But in several parts of the world especially so in Mumbai the homes we live in or the neighbourhoods we grew up in are of historic significance as modern living heritage The discourse on heritage itself needs an upgrade I donrsquot think there is any one definitive source to continue learning about the topic However a good example in books is mdash Bombay The Cities Within by Sharada Dwivedi and Rahul Mehrotra The text contains rare insight Loginmumbai an online Urban Design Research Institute initiative is also quite useful to look up various layers of information about the city mdash land use plans population density infrastructure and so on It is important information to corroborate research queriesKeep an eye on city aestheticsTasneem Zakaria Mehta managing trustee and honorary director Dr BDL Mumbai City MuseumI would like to create an Urban Arts Commission that could monitor the aesthetics of the city and ensure that buildings coming up in heritage areas respect scale and sight lines It should be an inclusive body thatrsquos not restricted to south Mumbai There is a plethora of online and print material to look at for the different aspects of city history The Asiatic Library and the library at the Dr BDL Museum are extremely important for primary sources of Mumbairsquos history Meher Marfatiarsquos column in midday is also an interesting source Apart from these there is a lacuna in terms of sources that can be easily accessed for information on MumbaiLook beyond the predictableDeepti Anand cofounder Past Perfect Heritage ManagementWe have definitely seen a rise in peoplersquos interest in and engagement with city heritage but there is a lot more that we as heritage professionals hope to achieve One of the first additions would be planning more heritageinspired activities for children That way kids can grow up valuing and admiring their city I also hope to see tech installations and setups that can make our learning experiences more interesting Without a doubt one should ensure that the technology installed is not destroying our heritage but in fact elevating interactions with it Lastly we should expand the geographical horizon of our stories to other parts of the city Usually we tend to stick to certain precincts but explorations in other parts would be a lovely addition For us at Past Perfect learning happens through oral history Interviews with residents of the city have only opened up varied fascinating nuggets about Mumbai Peoplersquos stories of their neighborhood their families their interactions with Bombay and then Mumbai over the years are truly a treasure troveStart youngHarshavardhan Tanwar travel guide and cofounder No FootprintsI would like to improve the situation that currently exists between heritage sites and the younger generation By all means children and youth have to be involved in the cause of heritage and be made aware about these places and their significance Heritage also concerns the community The young minds should be able to engage with all of it Secondly heritage sites should be made accessible For instance the Delhi High Court should be reopened We should have access to Mumbai University Convocation Hall or be able to attend a light and sound show at Kanheri Caves or Mahakali Caves Books are the greatest tools to keep learning about cities and their inheritance Sharada Dwivedirsquos books open up new avenues Granth Sanjeevani an online portal run by The Asiatic Society is a helpful site for those who wish to consume knowledge