Mangaluru: The Mangaluru Chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) concluded World Heritage Week with a series of impactful talks on heritage-related topics. The week-long event, held at the Kodialguthu Centre for Arts and Culture, featured an exhibition titled “Udupi Sub-Jail that Survived Demolition Verdict” and daily talks by subject experts from 19 to 25 Nov 2023.
Commencing the week, Architect Niren Jain delved into “Exploring Mangaluru’s Street and Place Names Through Time” on 20 Nov, followed by Architect Caroline D’Souza’s insightful exploration of “The Heterogeneous Layered Urbanism of the Old Port of Mangaluru” on 21 Nov.
Author William Pais, Director of Gallerie Orchid, engaged the audience on 22 Nov with a talk on “Heritage as Collective Memory.” Drawing on his 16-year experience promoting local artists, Pais emphasised the vital role of creative endeavours in fostering balance and peace through poetry, art, music, and culture.
Subrahmanya Bhat, a Vastu Vidwan from Udupi, brought his thirty years of expertise to the discussion on 23 Nov, focusing on “Traditional Temples and Houses in Tulunadu.” He elaborated on the construction and planning of traditional structures, emphasising the importance of artisans’ happiness in the process.
On 24 Nov, Architect Sindhushree shed light on the “Kattes of Mangaluru,” emphasising their significance as local landmarks. She shared ongoing documentation efforts, covering approximately 130 kattes, revealing the objectives and methodology of the study.
The final day, 25 Nov, featured Subhas Chandra Basu presenting “The Ruin: The Raipur Zamindar Bari,” offering detailed architectural documentation with historical context. Being of Bengali origin, he elaborated on his involvement in this project as it is located in West Bengal. The partially restored site’s adaptive reuse proposal was also unveiled, connecting the Zamindar family’s history to the inception of Shantiniketan as an international centre of education.
Caroline D’Souza, a Life Member of INTACH, concluded the week by summarising the events and expressing gratitude to the approximately thirty attendees who participated in the daily talks and exhibition.
