Finally the die is cast and not merely rhetoric about the issue of revival, restoration, preservation and maintenance of heritage sites but the actual work slated to be started shortly is a grand step towards giving a shape and sheen and the form that these sites more or less would require. Now since the problem of funds is nowhere going to be any type of hindrance in the entire exercise of restoration work, the only concern is whether original architecture of these monuments will be maintained. Funds having actually been released and kept at the disposal of the Deputy Commissioners , the decks therefore are cleared for the actual process to start but keeping in view and strictly following the Detailed Project Report (DPR) in respect of each of the proposed sites in the first phase to be covered. Since to start with – 35 sites, 18 in Jammu and 17 in Kashmir- are to be covered, there needs to be the element of supervision of these works not to be compromised as the same are the mute testaments of our glorious past. In other words, the repairs and renovation works to be undertaken by the UT Roads and Buildings Department assumes lot of significance and shouldering of a unique type of responsibility. It is more so due to the fact that majority of such sites in Jammu comprise historic forts of very special design and some places of worship. What is needed is a systematic approach in the sensitive area of heritage conservation.
Having all the regard for the original scheme, architecture and design of these monuments when our civilization was at its peak of glory in an era when all those facilities and guidance for architecture like computers, research work, design guidelines and modern construction techniques were nowhere and everything was done meticulously but all manually even preparing the composition of the mortar for fixing of stone slabs /bricks and even making colours and dyes. It is quite satisfying ,therefore, that the Department of Archives, Archaeology and Museums has passed on necessary guidelines to the executing agency in this regard. Since adequate funds have been kept at the disposal of the district authorities, proper expertise could be outsourced too. We hope that this aspect must have been well taken care of as the heritage value cannot be expressed in any measure or units.
What is the reason , what are the factors responsible for these monuments having managed to survive the onslaughts of time and changes due to various reasons all these years down the history, in common parlance, can be attributed to not only maintaining highest standards of quality and precision but also due to increasing levels of the knowledge of the architectural know-how. While we must be proud of such a glorious past of our many faceted culture and arts, designing and architecture, tastes and mathematical calculations and precisions and the like , it becomes our duty to look at the work of revival , restoration and conservation with all the seriousness deserving. Since works of utilities too are proposed to be carried out along with restoration and repairs like providing drinking water, washrooms, eating vends, lighting and signage(s) etc most of these restored sites could become favourites of tourists as well. The concerned Departments need to make mass awareness about the changing fate of these sites so that a chain of continuity of people thronging these sites could take place .
It may be underlined that conservation and preservation are not merely concepts in respect of heritage sites but process of retaining structure’s historical shape and ”returning” a structure as nearly as possible to a known earlier state easily distinguished by the material used in it. It should not be a thing presented after repairs, renovation, restoration and preservation process that it invites criticism and disdain .
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