The AMC Heritage Walk: From Temple to Mosque

On March 2015, 8 am, at Swaminarayan Temple in Kalupur in Ahmedabad city in Gujarat State in India, a group of 30 people had gathered to walk through the old city to experience the rich heritage, culture and people of the old city. The excitement level was very high in the group. Later after the walk, they were exhausted and sweaty, but they shared their experience with the volunteer who lead the walk. "One of the Walled City's greatest charms is that it is a `living museum ' with unending instances of contrast between the old and the new, and the best way to truly experience this culture is to explore the city walking." The volunteers were happy hearing this feedback and were very proud of being a part of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) heritage walk which was designed by Mr. Debashish Nayak and initiated by the AMC in 1997. The walk which was very popular in India and outside India, also accepted as a model for inner city renewal to revive old heritage cities in India. However, the walk had been facing issues and challenges for the last few years. Mr. Debashish Nayak, who was earlier looking after the heritage walk and heritage management activities with the AMC, joined as the director of Center for Heritage Management in Ahmedabad University. So this created a vacuum in the AMC to lead and coordinate the walk. The AMC couldn’t support the walk the way it had earlier due to its multiple activities related to heritage management in the city. There was also a scarcity of volunteers and issue of regular and adequate remuneration to existing volunteers. There were changing expectations of different stakeholders associated with the walk, so managing the expectations and coordinating with various stakeholders were also big challenges.For the AMC, it was a matter of sustainability of the walk in the long run. How to solve existing problems and challenges was a topic of concern. Whether this walk should be kept under the AMC or hand over the management to an agency? The AMC was also worried because if the walk would be given to an agency, how would the AMC identify and hand over the management to an agency to continue the service of the walk. It was also important to upgrade and train volunteers, assure maintenance and management of the route to assure a quality experience for the visitors. These challenges and issues forced the AMC to think about whether the objectives of the walk were still relevant and how the perception related to the walk had changed with time. As many other organizations had also started heritage walks on different routes and different themes AMC debated whether it was time to redesign the walk? What would be included and excluded while redesigning it?

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Ahmedabad City: Journey of More than 600 years

Ahmedabad city was founded on 4th March 1411 AD by Ahmed Shah I of Gujarat Sultanate on the bank of Sabarmati River. It was the capital of Gujarat Sultanate from 1411 to 1511 AD1. It was a walled city with 21 entrance gates.  Later it was ruled by the Mughal Empire, the Marathas, and the British Empire. During the freedom struggle, Ahmedabad became well-known because of Mahatma Gandhi, who laid the foundation of freedom movement against the British Raj from this city. The Sabarmati Ashram was at the forefront of India’s nonviolence struggle against the British exploitation. The famous Dandi March against the British rule was initiated in this city. In the 19th and 20th centuries AD Ahmedabad was known as Manchester of India mainly because of its textile mills.Today Ahmedabad is the seventh largest city in India. It is also the main economic and business hub of Gujarat State.The heritage of the 600 year old city of Ahmedabad lies in its fine Indian-Islamic monuments, exquisite Hindu and Jain temples and intricately carved wooden ‘havelis’ (big house with multiple windows). It is also known for its Pol Culture. The ‘Pols’ are a unique neighborhood feature of the old city of Ahmedabad. In essence, they resemble a gated housing society where all the houses belong either to people of a particular family, caste, profession, religion, etc. The king Ahmed Shah invited Modh Brahmins ( the community has a connection with old Persia and mostly known for their religious knowledge and educational activities, the community is a part of the upper strata of the society) in the city, and the first Pol was built which was called ‘Mahurat Pol.' Many of the Pols were built with the oldest being aptly titled the ‘Mahurat Pol’. There are nearly 600 such Pols in the old city. These Pols were built by community members to protect their respective groups in times of communal assaults and other such disturbances, and thus, every Pol had an entrance gate which was manned at nights and secret passageways for emergency escapes. A typical Pol would consist of clustered interconnected houses along with at least one temple, a well and a ‘Chabutra’ (bird feeding tower). Mostly old houses and havelis have rain water harvesting system and a rainwater storage tanks called “Tanka” are very common features in these houses and havelis. The architectural heritage of Ahmedabad has a unique blend of Indo-Islamic, Hindu, Jain, British, and Maratha styles. They are concentrated in the old city.Unlike other Sultanate capitals, such as Murshidabad, Bidar, and Ahmednagar, which have decayed over time, Ahmedabad has not only retained its historical character but also flourished as a 21st-century vibrant cosmopolitan city. The city has a mixed population of Hindus, Muslims,

1Achyut Yagnik (2011): Ahmedabad from Royal city to Megacity , Penguin Publishing

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Parsis, Jains and Christians, each preserving its unique tradition of harmony and festivity for hundreds of years.

Structure and Design of Ahmedabad Heritage Walk

The Heritage Walk of Ahmedabad was launched by the AMC in association with CRUTA Foundation, an NGO, on 19th November 1997, during World Heritage Week with the singular intention of showcasing the essence of the city to the citizens and visitors.2

The walk begins from the early 19th century Swaminarayan Temple Kalupur comprises 20 main spots besides several areas and aspects of the old city and completes at the eminent 15th century Jama Masjid. Hence, the Walk is popularly known as the journey of 'Mandir to Masjid.' The Mandir-se-Masjid tak (From Temple to Mosque) Walk aims to strengthen the bond between various communities and religions.The walk is for a duration of 2 hours 30 minutes which includes a slide show of 15 minutes in the beginning. The walk operates every morning from 8 a.m. The walk is closed during the time of Diwali. One can enjoy the heritage walk at a minimum fee of Rs. 50 in the case of Indian, SAARC nationals and Rs. 100 in the case of foreign nationals. Volunteers conduct the walk. This fifteen minutes presentation shows the context of the city and the walk. The walk covers 20 points (Annexure 1), Swaminarayan Temple, Kalupur, Kavi dalpatram chowk, Lambeshwar Ni Pol, Calico Dome, Kala Ramji Mandir and Shantinathji Mandir in Haja Patel ni Pol, Kuvavala Khancha, Doshivada ni Pol, Jagvallabh Mandir, Nisha Pol, Zaveri vad, Sambhavnath Ni Khadki, Chaumukhji ni Pol, Doshivada ni Pol, Astapadji Mandir, Harkunvar Shethani ni haveli, Fernandez Bridge, Chandla Ol, Muharat Pol, Manek baba’s mandir, Manek Chowk, Raninohaziro, Badshahnohaziro and Jama Masjid. The model of Heritage Walk in Ahmedabad is being replicated in many other historically significant cities and towns of India like Jaipur, Amritsar, Lucknow, etc. The walk gives people a chance to understand and view the culture of Ahmedabad. The journey starts within the narrow serpentine lanes of the ‘Pols’ of Ahmedabad. As one walks through the Pols, one can see old ‘havelis’ with intricate wooden carvings and large overhanging verandas, numerous temples with ancestry dating back to 400 years and a way of life that has been preserved for generations. The distinctive ‘Chabutras’ or bird feeding towers and the British built iron poles with directional arrows stating the direction of the underground sewer are some of the unique features of the Pols of 2 Retrieved on 22nd August, 2015 from http://www.egovamc.cpm/AhmCity/Heritage.aspx

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Ahmedabad. Through the walk one discovers gems like a 400 year old underground Jain temple, built underground to save it from being demolished by Aurangzeb’s generals. Even more intriguing is the 400-year-old Kalaram Ji Temple that is perhaps the only other temple in India that has a statue of a dark-complexioned Lord Rama in a sitting position. Amidst the overdose of temples, one stumbles upon a temple of another kind – The Calico Dome. This used to be a showroom space for Calico Mills and stands out for its unique ‘geodesic’ design that was inspired by the great American futurist and architect Buckminster Fuller. Unfortunately, much of the structure was consumed by the 2001 Gujarat earthquake and is now getting restored by the AMC. The Calico Dome is considered to be a reminder of the golden era of Ahmedabad’s once famous textile industry. The walk ends at 10:30 a.m. at the splendid Jama Masjid. It was one of the most magnificent structures in all of the India and was said to be one of the largest mosques in the Indian subcontinent till Shah Jahan built Delhi’s Jama Masjid in 1650. It was built by the city’s founder Sultan Ahmed Shah in 1424. According to the AMC officials, the changes in the heritage walk over the last 18 years, have been the restoration of houses in Pols, the bird feeding towers also have been restored, the route of heritage walk has been cleaned, landscaping has been done, and lamp posts have been designed.The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation Heritage Walk: A Beginning

Heritage walks have been used to explore old heritage, rich culture and to create awareness and to educate people to preserve its heritage, culture, and traditions across the world. Many European countries used heritage walks for bringing back cities to its people. Inspired by them, Mr. Debashish Nayak who was also an Ashoka Fellow3 initiated a Heritage Walk in Kolkata. The heritage walk in Kolkata emerged from a necessity to prove the point that local people don’t know their city very well; they neither visited nor appreciated old areas of the city and its rich heritage. His vision and objective were “Getting the City Back to the People “. Following his objective, he approached the AMC in the 90s and explained the importance of heritage walks and connecting communities and people with walks and heritage. The AMC felt the need of preserving rich heritage and culture of the old city and allowed Mr. Nayak to work with it. The AMC’s involvement was at various levels. Annexure 2 shows the primary role of the AMC. Debashish felt the need of knowing the city more closely. Initially, he lived in the old city; spent time with locals, collected their stories, experiences, histories, and anecdotes which he used in designing heritage walk. His model of old city revival and urban development dealt with various issues of the city. The model is depicted in Annexure 3. The model had AMC as a parent organization and has worked in major three areas; spreading awareness, empowering the system and creating a financial support system. Various tools and activities were used to fulfill the objectives. Community 3 Retrieved on 22nd August, 2015 from http://india.ashoka.org/fellow/debashish-nayak

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participation was key, and multiple activities started like meetings with communities in Khadia ( a neighborhood in the old city); World Heritage Week celebration in “Desai ni Pol”; Freedom Walk; celebration of Netaji Subash Chandra Bose’s ( a freedom fighter and leader from West Bengal) birthday in Bengal House; Poet Meets and Street Plays. From Beautification of Façade, creation of Dalpatram Chowk and Akha Bhagat Chowk, Restoration of City Gates and Development of Manek Burj, City Museum, where he worked with the AMC and Archeological Survey of India (ASI) and used community crowdfunding and public-private partnerships for their revival. He engaged the government and local authorities and communities. The AMC collaborated with French Government and Housing and Urban Development Corporation Limited (HUDCO) for restoring and renovating old heritage houses. Later, the AMC had collaboration with the Dutch Government for Dutch cemetery conservation and restoration. From starting the walk from Swaminarayan Temple to getting permission to end the walk at Jamma Mosque, the walk got support not only from politicians and the AMC officers but local communities and religious groups’ also. There was an involvement of Municipal Councilors and Member of Legislative Assembly in this movement from the beginning. One of the AMC Officers who was very actively involved in initiating the walk shared his view; “The walk was possible because there was a father of the cause; we at the AMC took complete ownership and were involved actively. We supported Debashish and his cause completely.” Initially, the municipality had to shell out money for the walk, but once it was established, the municipal corporation not only recovered the investment but also generated revenues that were utilized to pay the volunteers. Debashish stated; “It is always important for a walk to be launched officially; because then it gets an official recognition and then the duty of the officials is to see that the walk continues. “Initially, Debashish himself used to conduct the walk on request. His wife suggested that he should create a system for it rather than doing it all by himself. She then designed an ad saying, “If you are interested in history and heritage of Ahmedabad, and you want to share it with visitors and communities of Ahmedabad, please apply for this.” This gave birth to the volunteer system. The volunteers were given Rs 100 for a day, and every day someone had to be present to guide the walk, and this process then continued. He started training, mentoring and guiding volunteers. One of the volunteers shared his experience: “I don’t work for money but for the cause; I learned a lot; met very interesting people, I have very close relationship with Debashish sir, and he always encouraged and motivated us. He trained and mentored us. He was always there to help us.” Later, The Heritage Regulation of Ahmedabad act was developed to support heritage management activities and initiatives in the city. According to Debashish; the methodology of using heritage walk as a tool for protecting the heritage of the city was possible due to active support of the AMC and local residents. Annexure 4 shows all

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the activities linked with the walk. He stated;” Utilizing heritage walk as a tool for urban renewal is a very complex issue and to dissolve a complex issue one needs a simple process.”In India, there are many initiatives started by government and non-government agencies understanding the importance of heritage management, old city renewal, and revival considering challenges, issues, and problems of urbanization. Urban renewal project for historic cities in India by Aga Khan Foundation in Nizamuddin Basti in Delhi is one of the examples of such projects. Annexure 5 explains the projects and its outcomes. Recently ministry of urban development, the government of India launched a scheme called National Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yogna ( HRIDAY) on 21st May 2015. The scheme will utilize 500 Cr for 12 cities for 27 months and will support the development of core heritage infrastructure projects4. The AMC Heritage Walk: Impact and Effects

The impact and effects had many dimensions. The heritage walk created its identity; it became one of the must do activities for travelers and visitors visiting Ahmedabad. Various travel blogs and sites recommend the walk to travelers. The following are quotes from travelers, visitors, participants who shared their experiences on TripAdvisor, travel blogs and to the author after the walk. Overall people had a good experience; they liked old city culture, temples, mosques and lanes and by-lanes of the old city. Many also felt that there was room for improvement. “The walk is overall a part of a conservation drive to save the invaluable heritage of the old city and is chaperoned by conservation enthusiasts volunteering as our guides.”5

“The old city has still maintained the fragrance of our culture and heritage. There is a beautiful combination of Persian, British, Mughal and Maratha architecture in one specific passage of a Pol. This is our culture; this is our heritage! Rich in architecture, Wonderful in sculpture!”6

"Islamic structures, tall Hindu temples, grand Jain derasars, hundreds of havelis, unique minarets, Pol houses, and stunning step-wells coexist here," Scores of structures, which blend Hindu, Jain, and Islamic influences, exemplify the liberal outlook of the city.

4 Retrieved on 25th April 2015 from http://hridayindia.in/ 5 Retrieved on 22nd August, 2015 from http://www.burrp.com/ahmedabad/know/food-drink-stories/anjali-jain 6 Retrieved on 22nd August, 2015 from http://vaibhavihdesai.blogspot.in/2013/12/thewalledcityrevisitingroots. html

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“Each time you take the Ahmedabad Heritage Walk, it is a step towards rediscovering yourself of what it means to be an Amdavadi, to be a part of a more than 600-year-old urban culture.”7

“No doubt, a walk to see the heritage of a city is always exciting..so was this with so much information about Ahmedabad history..but the pathetic state of most of the buildings with some houses about to crumble, and people still living in them amidst the danger...and more importantly, the dirt and filth at some places were too dangerous for people...”8

“First of all, I want to be clear that this tour has everything necessary to be great. Being my first visit to Ahmedabad, it allowed me to weave through the narrow streets of the old city without getting lost (or wandering into any unsafe neighborhoods). It also stopped along most of the major religious sites I wanted to see while pointing out various architectural nuances that would have gone otherwise unnoticed. The guide was very knowledgeable and explained a lot about the history found within the city.  But there was so much time wasted. The tour was scheduled to be approximately 3 hours, which would have been the perfect amount of time given the unrelenting heat. Then...we left late because a family joined the tour after the clearly stated departure time (and took their sweet time to the first site which the rest of the group had already completed). At every stop, the tour guide would spend 5 minutes having us guess the answer to a random historical fact about the house/monument/building before us. And because the tour group was quite large, 15-20 people, and the lanes quite narrow, the guide would repeat the question/answer game for those in the back/not paying attention during round 1. Overall, I'm glad that I went, but I think the organizers should seriously reconsider their reservation system, capping their group sizes and avoiding so many rounds of trivia.”9

The heritage walk created employment and income generation avenues for local communities. House of Mangaldaas, Diwanji ni Haveli, Baronet Haveli, Hatheesing ni Haveli, Jagdip Mehta’s Heritage House and French Haveli were some examples of how old houses were renovated, restored and converted into heritage hotels, Bread&Breakfast places, and cultural centers. According to Debashish, more than 100 old houses were restored and renovated in the past 18 years. Before 1997 many elites and well-off families left the old city and rented their houses for commercial or residential purposes. Many owners of old houses had family disputes over their properties, so they abandoned them. 7 Retrieved on 22nd August, 2015 from http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Amdavadistofollowcitysharmonyblueprint/

8 Retrieved on 20th January, 2016 https://www.tripadvisor.in/Attraction_Review-g297608-d2461945-Reviews-Heritage_Walk_of_Ahmedabad-Ahmedabad_Gujarat.html 9Retrieved on 20th January, 2016 https://www.tripadvisor.in/Attraction_Review-g297608-d2461945-Reviews-Heritage_Walk_of_Ahmedabad-Ahmedabad_Gujarat.html

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As the city was growing with more population and traffic, many families found houses in the western part of Ahmedabad where the societies and apartments were less congested and more spacious. Earlier with the help of the AMC, the government of France and HUDCO some families restored their houses because they got support including full or partial financial incentives for restoring their houses. Later many owners realized the importance of restoration and conservation of beautiful old houses not only for economic benefits and tourism but pride and values of their rich tradition and culture. More tourists, not only from other states but across the globe, started visiting the city because of this movement. It gave employment to many locals; they got employment in Heritage hotels, and Bed & Breakfast facilities and some of them started working as tourist guides.A caretaker of the recently renovated old house shared his feelings,” I am from old city; I am not educated and have not acquired any skill. I have a problem in my eyes, so not many people were ready to give me a job. I am now taking care of this house. Many tourists come to see this house, I got employment but also got respect as some of my neighbors inquire about whether I meet foreigners; how they behave. I am feeling lucky and privileged.”One of the residents of Khadia area in the old city shared his views; “On Uttarayan (Kite festival), we give our terrace to foreigners; they come and stay with us. Our house was renovated two years back when we saw French Haveli after renovation was used as Bread&Breakfast; we thought it is a good opportunity for us to renovate our house. We didn’t take help of the AMC or any other organization; we did renovation using our funds.”One of the residents whose house is on the route of the walk shared “ Earlier nobody knew us; now every morning we see many foreigners and people across the world come and see our houses, meet us, talk to us, we feel very proud.”Another resident stated: “We renovated our house as a part of the AMC French Government project; we got financial support for renovation as well as French architects tried hard to keep its true essence of rich heritage and culture. Now our house is used as Bread & Breakfast, and we are happy hosting foreigners as well as we are earning money.” One of the residents of Jamalpur stated: “ We also had beautiful and big havelis and houses, and this construction mafia demolished them and made apartments and flats, but nothing was done to preserve heritage in our area for the last 18 years, it didn’t stop commercialization and concretization of our area.”The walk was also considered helpful for local businesses and markets. It also impacted its economy and brought business opportunities for local traders and businesses. The old city has the biggest market of Gujarat State,

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and it is famous for its textiles, cotton, block printed fabric, handicrafts, oxidized jewelry, and local products. Many travelers and visitors do shopping after the walk. The market has many foreign buyers now, and many travelers from other states buy textiles and handicrafts from the market. One of the shopkeepers stated, “My shop is famous for cotton fabric; we have best quality cotton material, block printed fabric, Gamthi (traditional Gujarati style with mirror work), dresses and fabric, Bandhani, South cotton and much more. We have many foreign customers, and travelers are visiting Ahmedabad. Our work is based on referrals; people recommend our shop. We also send our fabric and dresses in Europe and other western countries. We feel proud we have all kinds of buyers, and they like our offerings.”Another shopkeeper near Jama Mosque shared his views, “Since heritage walk started, we have many travelers visiting our shops and buying goods from us. It helped us financially.”Not only does the Heritage walk have economic implications but also social implications. It changed people’s perception of people living in the old city. People started admiring and respecting rich heritage and culture. One of the residents shared, “There was a phase when everyone was shifting in the western part of Ahmedabad. My relatives and friends were telling us to shift because it was cool to be in posh societies and apartments in newly developed areas of the city. Now they want to come back to the old city; they want to celebrate Uttarayan, Diwali and other festivals in Old City. They know there are many local and foreign tourists visit us and known to us. We feel very proud when these visitors appreciate our lifestyle, our house, our culture, our community and show interests to live our life.” Many foreign architects, artists, painters and conversationalists visit Ahmedabad; they study, research and document its architectures, culture, tradition and community lifestyle. Many NGOs and organizations started working with local communities in old city after this movement. Recently Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA, one of the largest NGO for self-employed women) has restored one of their properties in the old city and started a design studio to help local artisans, especially women artisans doing block printing, from the neighborhood. The movement is also used for education. Many schools and colleges organize heritage walks for their students. Many corporate institutions and organizations have organized heritage walks for their employees. You can find heritage clubs in schools as well as elite institutions like Indian Institute of Management and Indian Institute of Technology. World Heritage Week Celebration is a big event in Ahmedabad. Every year it is celebrated across the city, and many activities like heritage film festivals, art exhibitions, Sufi music festival and heritage walks are organized.

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The incharge of Self Employed Women Association (SEWA) Cooperative Federation told the author; “ We felt a need to help local arts, crafts and artisans so we restored our old property in Khadia and created a design studio where artisans come and display their work, and we have a store where we keep artifacts and handicrafts items of 13 women cooperatives . We also created a craft walk to help local arts and artisans, but it is a beginning.”There are many experts who feel it was a good initiative but a lot more can be done with the walk, and it is the time to evaluate the walk and redesign the walk. It should be more inclusive. A heritage management expert explained: “The movement is very powerful, it was a trigger to create awareness, educate people about their rich heritage and culture. Not only does it boost tourism, but it brings pride to local people. Locals started appreciating and celebrating their rich culture and heritage that was missing earlier.”Another expert shared her views: “I went to this walk many years ago. That time we felt that the walk was too limited to some monuments, temples and Havelis. It did not reflect the living experience of people, diversity of cultural and religious makeup of the city as well as the economic history that makes a city what it is. It does not talk about the conflicts in the city that Ahmedabad is very known for. Heritage here is very commoditized and apolitical construct that has upper caste, upper class, and dominant religious narrative as an overarching framework. It is also unable to cater to those who are academically inclined and not just tourists for temporary sightseeing the purpose.” The conservation expert shared: “The main roads are lively with shops, especially craft paper, and stationery stores, it is extremely difficult to walk on the sidewalk – more like a curb in places – is often broken. The walk does not cover some valuable heritage like Sidi Saiyed ki Jali. One does not get the essence of Islam as hardly any Islamic Pol is covered in this. And one does not get a glimpse of the Islamic way of life even though Ahmedabad is a primarily Islamic city as Ahmed Shah built it. The Islamic culture has not been given importance. The multiple characters of Ahmedabad have to be brought out. The walk has not evolved over the period. There are no additions to the narration. In the walk, not only the construction of houses but also the lifestyle that was maintained by the residents should be explained. Also, the difference in lifestyle during different time periods should be elucidated. People’s potential is not utilized. There are various people who work on a volunteering basis and are interested in contributing to the society in some ways, but there are no platforms available. These things should also be there so that it is a mutual benefit for the community as well as for the people who are passionate about their work, not just volunteering. “

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One of the heritage experts shared his concerns:” There is no clarity of the objectives this walk serves; there are many important places which were not included. Though a Muslim emperor built Ahmedabad, this walk doesn’t include Islamic heritage except Jama Mosque. The majority of renovation and revival work has been organized in Pols with Hindu community; you hardly find any activity of heritage conservation and restoration in Pols with the Muslim community. The walk doesn’t cover food, handicrafts and art forms or representation of these; it also doesn’t talk about different communities, their lifestyles, rituals, festivals, etc.” A professor from a business school suggested, “Why can’t different heritage walk circuits be created, and different people with their expertise manage them, one walk can't include everything, so people with art background will organize a walk that represents arts and handicrafts; sociologist can organize a walk focusing on communities and their social structure, a food expert, can organize a walk exploring local food and delicacies”.Another professor from urban planning background felt that the context and time when this was designed and initiated have changed in the last 18 years. It requires up gradation because it became a run off the mill affair.Current Challenges

Many argued about objectives and goals of running the AMC Heritage Walk. It started as a big heritage management movement, and old city revival project in Ahmedabad and later many other cities in India followed the model. Its objectives and goals are interpreted differently by different stakeholders. There are different expectations of various groups and stakeholders that are difficult to be fulfilled. One of the residents of in old city commented, “We see all activities around Khadia, Manekchowk, and Teen Darwaja areas; Ahmedabad has more than 600 Pols and many monuments, why are other areas not included if the objective was to revive old city using heritage walk as a tool?”Another resident of Khadia area shared,”Our house is very old, we don’t have money to renovate and restore the house, this is the work of rich people, they buy houses from people like us and make millions using connections with officers of the AMC, and we are not getting any benefits. ”One of the participants of the walk shared her views, “I have tried it three times in the last 15 years, but it has not changed; the narration, places, and experience are very same. It should be changed and include new places and new routes.”A foreign participant also stated, “My experience of heritage walks in Europe was different, the descriptions were detailed, the narration was interesting

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and entertaining. The volunteers here couldn’t connect with the participant, seems they were reading a scripted document.”One of the artists of block printing shared his concerns: “ The visitors and participants of the walk go to big stores and shops and buy our products in thousands, but we are paid peanuts; we had expectation that, the AMC will include us and will do something for many artisans like us; but we are still waiting that, the craft and art will be a part of heritage management activities.”Over the years; the AMC was highly involved in supporting and helping the walk; it created heritage cell and a heritage management department to carry out various activities like creating awareness among communities, organizing heritage week in the city, restoring city gates, walls, old houses, and Havelis in the city. The earlier complete focus was on the walk; now there are multiple activities going on in various areas of the city. One of the concerns is, with multiple activities and initiatives, how to continue and support the walk. As Debashish joined Ahmedabad University, the AMC couldn’t find anyone who can lead the walk with the passion and enthusiasm which he was showing. Though he is a part of advisory committee, the walk seems without leadership. There is a requirement of the AMC to coordinate with volunteers, local residents, communities, vendors and businesses and civic workers to assure that; the walk would be managed well, and participants would have better experiences. So, support from the AMC is very crucial for its survival. One of the AMC officers shared his view, “There is no ownership in the AMC; nobody wants to take responsibility for improving, managing and developing the heritage walk. Till I was heading the department in AMC, I was spending time with Debashish every week and taking updates on the development and used to provide support wherever he needed.” Confirming the view of theAMC officer one of the volunteers stated that there was no authority and a head managing the walk since Mr. Nayak joined Ahmedabad University. There was nobody to take care of administration and coordination related to the walk. They were busy with their work so they could not take care of administrative and other responsibilities. An expert stated,” the AMC officers should be educated for goals, means and stakes of urban conservation.”Another volunteer suggested; having facilities of clean drinking water and washrooms on the route of the walk, clean walking routes before the walk starts and without the support of the AMC it is not possible. The walk is a self-sustained model; it has been running every day for the last 18 years. Volunteers are managing the walk very effectively without any intervention from the AMC and Debashish. The volunteers who earlier were trained and mentored by Debashish have other jobs and profession also.

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During peak tourist season, especially October through March, they face scarcity of volunteers; people who joined later as volunteers were not trained under experts. Debashish felt that “AMC should identify a professional agency that can take care of the management of the walk to assure the continuation of the walk. Some young volunteers should be hired; they should be trained and mentored so they can represent the history, heritage and other details effectively. Their upgradation and training will assure a quality experience for visitors. It requires more incentives for volunteers to be part of this cause and assure maintenance and management of the walk.”One of the volunteers shared: “We need more volunteers, we wish more trained youth can join this cause. During October to March which is a peak tourist season, we need more volunteers.” There is no clarity on payments to volunteers and guides, so we have only two regular and 2-3 other volunteers. We conduct walks because we feel it's our responsibility to this city. Otherwise, this walk will be stopped if we stop coming. Sometimes we have to manage groups with more than 50-60 participants, and it is difficult to manage the groups and maintain the quality. If we have 70 participants, we need at least two guides, and that is not possible due to the scarcity of volunteers and guides.” A volunteer showed concerns that, “the remuneration increased from Rs.100 to Rs.300 per walk which is very less for volunteers to conduct a walk, we get more when we take the independent group, and it is not economically feasible for volunteers to run the walk.”Over the period, Debashish with other organizations and individuals designed and initiated heritage walks (Annexure 6), but they didn’t get attention and popularity like the AMC heritage walk. They are not regular, like the AMC heritage walk. Annexure 7 shows brief descriptions of heritage walks in Amritsar, Pune, and Lucknow. In every big and tourist city various heritage walks and culture walks are being conducted by various agencies, organizations and individuals. They charge from Rs. 200 to Rs. 2000 per participants for a walk.Many organizations and individuals also started heritage walks in Ahmedabad. Annexure 8 shows the organizations conducting various walks. They created their niche and included places and areas that were not included in the AMC Heritage walk. There are heritage clubs in different schools and institutions that are involved in heritage management activities. They also have designed different walks that are covering different areas, routes, and festivals. They are also popular among foreign and domestic tourists. One of the participants stated; “We want to see different places, try local food, want to know different communities living in the old city; we want more

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variety, so we try various walks organized by different organizations and individuals.” Various organizations and individuals charge differently for the walks. The rates are based on the type of services given to the walk. In Ahmedabad, these private organizations and individuals charge from Rs.300 to Rs.1500 per participants for a 2 hours walk. Some walks include breakfast or light refreshments. Many tourists and visitors are ready to pay for better services and experiences. One of the participants suggested, “The walk doesn’t show houses from the inside, there are no toilets on the route. It will be good if they include breakfast or exploration of some food joints, so people can eat something if they have come without having breakfast.” Earlier collection from the walk was going to CRUTA Foundation (an NGO started by Debashish), but later when Mr. Nayak left the AMC, the collection is managed by one of the volunteers. Volunteers who are regular are paid as and when they require payment. Volunteers are getting Rs.300 per walk which is neither adequate nor regular. For the volunteers, the walk never had an objective of generating revenue or profit; it was started for a cause, but now they feel tha, it is important to have a systematic and structured approach to managing collections and finances related to the walk. According to Debashish; it is important not only to start the walks but to make it a sustainable model. It should not only be a recreational activity or a tourism activity. It has larger goals of urban development and inner-city revival. It is important that the walk should survive on its own. Later the walks in Amritsar, Pune, and Lucknow cities could survive because either they are supported by some nodal agencies like; municipality, state tourism department, private firm or non-government organization or by an individual who is highly motivated and committed to this cause. Though the objectives of urban development through heritage walk as a tool, whether the objective of urban development has been fulfilled and how to sustain the walk with current challenges? The AMC felt the walk can be managed and organized by an independent agency to resolve some of the challenges, and the agency should run professionally with better coordination and management. The agency can coordinate with the AMC and follow up for better facilities on the route. It might bring experts to train and upgrade the volunteers. It might hire more volunteers, and existing volunteers might get better and regular remunerations. They might increase the fees to make sure it will be commercially viable to run and manage the walk. The volunteers have a different view on this; they felt that the agency might take care of their benefits, but the agency might have only commercial objectives and volunteers hired by them might work only for remuneration and not for the love for the heritage of the city. They also felt that, whether the local residents and communities accept them the way these old volunteers were accepted and supported. Whether the agency would get the support of the AMC, communities and old volunteers as they are closely associated and

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they respect each other because they know all are working for the city, not for any commercial gains and benefits. One of the experts shared his views: “If the objective was of urban development except restoration of some building and tourism other issues of urbanization have not been focused, how an agency will help to achieve the objectives if Mr. Nayak, his team, the AMC and other organizations have not been able to achieve them”.

Conclusion

The AMC officers in their office were pondering on whether the walk will be sustained in the future with the challenges that are coming from different sides and corners. They wondered whether objectives defined in 1997 were achieved and if they were still relevant in 2015? Was it time to redesign the walk? What would be the structure of the walk and what would be included in the new walk? Whether the walk should be under the AMC or it should be operated by an independent private agency? Whether bringing an agency to manage the walk would be helpful to resolve some problems and challenges?

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Annexure 1

AMC Heritage Walk Route10

10 Retrieved on 23rd August, 2015 from http://www.houseofmg.com/heritage_walk_route.php

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Annexure 2

Preliminary Roles of the Municipal Corporations11

1. Intervene strategically. 2. Start with available resources. 3. Elicit support from local architects, professionals, and NGOs. 4. Get the support of local people. 5. Identify implementable projects. 6. Involve elected wing. 7. Coordinate with other government and non-government agencies. 8. Establish a heritage unit in the local government. 9. Sensitize all official agencies towards heritage work. 10. Recognize and cooperate with International bodies and coordinate their actions

11 Retrieved on 23rd October http://www.cmdachennai.gov.in/pdfs/seminar_heritage_buildings/Heritage_Conservation_in_Ahmadabad.pdf

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Annexure 3

Urban Revival Integrative Model

Figure is taken from “Getting the city back to the people” by Debashish Nayak12

12Retrived on 20th August, 2015, http://www.cmdachennai.gov.in/pdfs/seminar_heritage_buildings/Heritage_Conservation_in_Ahmadabad.pdf

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Annexure 4

Heritage walk: A tool for Inner City Revival13

13 Proposed by Mr. Debashish Nayak

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CITIZEN PARTICIPATION

Town planning regulations Incomes using

heritage assets

Developing community spaces

Creating awareness

Ownership and pride of heritage

Heritage Building Restorations

Capacity building, work force

development, reviving crafts

Mapping intangible heritage resources

Heritage Walk

Annexure 5

Urban Renewal Project for Historic Cities in India: A Case Humayun's Tomb and Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti (local area) in Delhi

In India, there are many heritage management and city urban renewal projects that were initiated by government and non-government organizations in the last 20 years. One of them is Humayun’s Tomb and Nizamuddin Basti Urban Renewal Project. Humayun’s Tomb and Nizamuddin Basti is a world heritage site located in the heart of Delhi. This site is the tomb of Humayun, who was a Mughal emperor and father of Akbar. There is an Islamic shrine of very famous Muslim Sufi Saint Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya and Sunder Nursery near the monument. Aga Khan Foundation started the urban renewal project in 2007 after the restoration of Humayun’s Tomb garden in 2004. The project was a public-private partnership, and this non-profit partnership included the Archaeological Survey of India, the Central Public Works Department, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the Aga Khan Foundation and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture14. The project integrated conservation, socio-economic, urban and environmental development objectives. The project had the following outcomes in the last eight years.15

Restoration of Monuments: 30 Landscaping: 150 acres

14 Retrieved on 20th January, 2016 from http://www.akdn.org/hcp/india.asp15 Retrieved on 20th January, 2016 from http://www.nizamuddinrenewal.org/about-us.php

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Employment to Craftsmen: 2000 individual craftsmen and 2750 jobs created for the community members

Plantation: 20,000 Trees Medical Help:

o Upgraded MCD Polyclinics o 3,00,000 patients treated at Polyclinics o Started pathology labs in the Bastio Started specialist consultations in gynecology, ENT, and Eye

care. Sanitation: Community Toilet complexes built and managed by

resident groups Education:

o Started Early Childhood Care and Development Programso Improved primary education in schools run Municipal Corporation

of Delhi in the Basti through the introduction of art education, interaction with parents, improvement of school management.

o Started Vocational Training Program English and Life Skill Programs

o Taught 400 children English language with the help of British Council

Tourism: 1000% increment in number of visitors visiting the monument Urban Improvements: Mapped and Surveyed the Nizamuddin Basti

area and following initiativeso Planning of improving streets conditionso Planning of creating parks for women, childreno Planning of landscaping of the area o Planning to make public toilets

Culture Revival: Cultural Revival througho Heritage Walkso Festival Celebrations o Performing Arts like Qawwali ( Sufi Music form invented by

famous Sufi Saint and Poet Amir Khushru in the 13th Century) o Craft Workshops

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Annexure 6

Heritage Walks Designed and Initiated in Ahmedabad

1. Kranti Yatra: Launched on 14th August 1997 which was connecting freedom struggle and people and places which were related to Freedom Fight against Britishers

2. Jain Walk: This connects Jain Religious Places in Old Ahmedabad. This was funded by City Heritage Center (CHC)

3. Ahmedsahi Ahmedabad Walk: This starts from Ahmed shah’s Mosque and ends in Manekchowk. Center for Environment Education (CEE) had designed this before Debashish started AMC walk. Later Debashish later redesigned it

4. Craft Walk with Self Employed Women Association (SEWA): Designed by Vijay Ramchandani with the support of Debashish

5. Poet Walk with Gujarat Sahitya Parishad ( an organization for promotion, development and education of Gujarati Language)

6. Ashawala Walk with 3 Foundation ( It links story of Ashawala Village which was before the foundation of Ahmedabad City)

7. Auto Heritage Tour8. Gandhi Ashram Walk with the support of Girish Gupta ( he is one of the

volunteers)

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Annexure 7

Regular Heritage Walks in Other Cities

Amritsar Heritage WalkAmritsar is a 400 year old city of Punjab state in North India. Amritsar’s Golden Temple is the most important and world famous pilgrimage of Sikh Religion. The Heritage walk was initiated by Punjab Heritage Tourism and Board with the help of Asian Development Bank. Heritage walk starts from Saragarhi Gurdwara, Quila Ahluwalia, Chowk Jalebiyan Wala, Akhara Sangalwala, Darshani Deori, Chaurasia Attari chowk, Radha Krishan Mandir, Crawling street, Puratan Rasta and concludes at Akhara Brahm Buta. Later participants visit Golden Temple. It was launched in the year 2011 and continued in the last five years. It is conducted every day morning and evening. Rs.100 per participant is charged for the walk.16

Pune Heritage WalkPune Municipal Corporation started Pune Heritage Walk with Janwani (an NGO). Starting from the PMC main building, the walk extends into the core city area of Old Pune where majority heritage sites are clustered.This 2.5 km walk is multi-thematic and culturally diverse. Among the major sites covered are Shaniwar Wada, Kasba Ganapati, Lal Mahal, Nana Haud and Nana Wada, Dagdusheth Ganapati, Mandai, Belbaug Mandir, Jogeshwari Mandir and Vishrambaug Wada. The guided walk will conclude at the Vishrambaug Wada 16 Retrieved 1st February, 2016 from http://www.punjab-tourism.com/tour-packages/amritsar-heritage-walk-tour-package.php

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where cultural events and the small marketplace have been organized under the banner of ‘Pune Kasba.' Participants will be given information brochures which include a map of the route. The signature walk includes guided tour, refreshments, brochure and Pune Kasba. The regular walk only includes guided tour. Rs. 350 per participants and Rs.200 per participant are collected for the signature walk and the regular walk respectively.17

Lucknow Heritage WalkIn Lucknow UP tourism started Lucknow Heritage Walk. The support of the government and media helped it to be popularized among people. It charges Rs.200 per participants. It is also a guided tour, starts from Lal Pul, Tila Wali Masjid, Bara Imambara, Gol Darwaza, Chowk Bazaar, Phool Wali Gali and ends at Akbari Darwaza. It includes some light refreshments.18 At the end of the walk, a tiny bottle of fragrance (Itr) is given for remembrance. It is now operated due to committed volunteers.

Annexure 8

Heritage Walks of Various Organizations and Institutions

1. D*TOURS an Audio Guided Walk by House of MangaldassThe House of Mangaldas is a heritage hotel very popular with foreign tourists. Its heritage walk popularly known as D-TOURs19 presents a unique way to discover the Walled City – ‘D-Tours,' an audio synchronized heritage walk, complete with instructions and interviews with common people. It includes market sounds, vendor calls, people chatter, temple bells, mosque chants, birds feeder and other road sounds. This unique walk will lead one through the vibrant streets of old Ahmedabad with a voiceover guide giving historical information and anecdotes and virtually guiding you through every lane. Starting from The House of MG to the Sidi Saiyed Mosque, to the Bhadra Fort, the busy Gandhi Road, the Teen Darwaja Gate and The Jumma Masjid mosque – you will slowly walk towards the old center of the city. It ends at a stunning wooden Haveli in Lakha Patel ni pol. Not only will one discover the Walled city’s beautiful Indo-Islamic architecture, its tranquil Jain Temples, and its colorful bird feeders, but one will also get immersed in the old city’s fascinating communities and ‘pols.' This 80-minute tour is an authentic ‘sonic walk’ mixing architecture, history, and folklore. It includes interviews with local figures, insights by famous residents, movie sound bites, and music that make up for an original content not to be found anywhere else. It allows one to explore the city at one’s pace, as we just 17 Retrieved on 1st February, 2016 from http://janwani.org/site/projects/pune-heritage-walk/ 18 Retrieved on 1st February, 2016 from http://uptourism.gov.in/post/lucknow-heritage-walk 19 Retrieved on 23rd August, 2015 from http://www.houseofmg.com/heritage_walk_intro.php

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press ‘pause’ whenever we need more time. Debashish Nayak has designed the Ahmedabad D-tours with Abhay Mangaldas, and it has been produced and directed by two Belgians, Valery Lippens, and Charlie Dupont, who create similar D-Tours in London, New York and Brussels. One simply has to press ‘play’ The ‘D-Tours’ MP3 rental is available at The House of MG, Monday through Sunday from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM. The recommended hours are – before 9:00 AM and after 5:00 PM (to avoid the sun and the traffic).

2. VaarsoVaarso is an organization started by Rahil Patel, who owns very a beautiful old house in Ahmedabad old city. It also offers a special Kids Heritage Walk. The Heritage Walk of the Walled City operates on three routes. The route A is operative every day but for route B and C, one needs prior group booking. Every route has the same starting point, but a different ending point. The motto behind starting a kid’s heritage walk was to imbibe the young minds with the idea of our priceless age-old Heritage – Culture – Tradition. There is 2D Educational Animation Film to implant the seed into the growing minds.20

3. City Heritage CentreCity heritage center21 was established in 2006 by some professional from real estate sector. They are into restoration and conservation of old houses, organizing heritage walks and other education and awareness programs in Old Ahmedabad city. They have started Jain Walk; Art and Crafts walk and Kranti Walk (Freedom Walk). These walks are getting popular among tourists and visitors. City Heritage Centre has tie ups with various agencies and organizations, and they offer customized walks based on requirements of the tourists.

4. The Heritage Club: Indian Institute of ManagementA student initiative started in 2013 to promote local heritage, art, culture and tradition. The Club is a recreational club designed interesting walks like; Rathyatra Photography Walk, Iftar Ramadan Night Bazaar Walk, Muharram Photography Walk; Diwali Night Bazar Walk. The club designed five heritage walk routes covering places and communities that are not included in heritage walks organized by other organizations. It covers places like; Hateesingh Jain Temple, Conflictorium ( a museum of conflicts), Rani Roopmati’s Mosque, Rani Sipri’s Mosque, Alif’s Mosque, Sultan Ahmed Yatimkhana (Orphanage), Shaking Minarets, Victoria Jubilee Hospital, Dada Harir’s Stepwell, L.D. Museum of Indology, Ahmedabad’s Gufa ( Cave), Sewa Café.

20 Retrieved on 23rd August, 2015 from http://www.vaarso.com/21 Retrieved on 23rd August, 2015 from http://www.cityhc.org/71/heritage-walks

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