CULTURAL HERITAGE & ITS IMPORTANCE

INTRODUCTION

Heritage is anything that is considered important enough to be passed on to the

future generations. Heritage is broadly categorized into two main divisions:-

Cultural Heritage refers to the cultural aspects like heritage sites, monuments, folklore, traditional activities and practices, language etc. that are considered vital to be preserved for the future generations.

It gives people a connection to certain social values,beliefs,religions and customs. It allows them to identify with others of similar mindsets and backgrounds. Cultural heritage can provide an automatic sense of unity and belonging within a group and allows us to better understand previous generations and the history of where we come from.

HERITAGE

NATURAL HERITAGE

CULTURAL HERITAGE

OBJECTIVES

Following are the objectives of preparing this assignment:-

(a)To discuss the need to preserve our cultural heritage

(b) To explain the types of cultural heritage.

(c)Understanding the significance or importance of cultural heritage.

(d)Contribution of cultural heritage in Tourism in India.

(e) Role of govt. bodies in Conservation of Cultural Heritage in India.

What is Cultural Heritage?

Cultural Heritage is an expression of the ways of living developed by a community and passed on from generation to generation, including customs, practices, places, objects, artistic expressions and values. Cultural Heritage is often expressed as either Intangible or Tangible Cultural Heritage .

Intangible Heritage refers to those aspects of a country that cannot be touched or seen. For example traditional music, folklore, language etc.

Tangible Heritage refers to those significant places that advocate the country’s history and culture. For example monuments, mosques, shrines, monasteries etc.

Cultural Heritage Types:

(a) Built Heritage: One of the most visible forms of heritage is built heritage (Buildings, Townscapes, Archaeological remains). Built heritage should be deemed to mean those buildings, artifacts, structures, areas and precincts that are of historic, aesthetic,architectural or cultural significance and should include natural features within such areas or precincts of environmental significance or scenic beauty such as sacred groves, hills, hillocks, water bodies (and the areas adjoining the same), open areas, wooded areas, etc. On a daily basis we are reminded of historic events and past lives through the built legacy around us. e.g:- Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya, Bihar, Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi, Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi.

(b)Natural Heritage: Natural Heritage includes all components of our surroundings which have not been created by man and which are of cultural, aesthetic, spiritual, biotic or ecological value and which could also be of directly usable resource value . e.g:- Kaziranga Wild Life Sanctuary, Assam , Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur ,Rajasthan,India , Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks,Uttarakhand,India.

(c)Artefacts:- something made or given shape by man, such as a tool or a work of art, esp . an object of archaeological interest. An artifact is an object recovered by archaeological endeavor, which may have a cultural interest. Examples include dance forms,food,stone tools, documents,paintings,pottery vessels, metal objects such as weapons, and items of personal adornment such as buttons, jewelry and clothing etc.

Understanding the Significance of Cultural Heritage

There are 4 main aspects to understand the significance of cultural heritage sites. These aspects help to determine the management policies and procedure pursuant to the particular site. Thus It is very important to understand and determine the significances before embarking on a heritage project.

The four Main aspects are:-

Historical Significances

The age or relationship to historical era, person or event. Historical significance is a relatively easy and over bearing trait in heritage management.

Social Significances

Social Significance is hard to ascertain. It refers to the social, spiritual and other community oriented values attributed to a place. This maybe because the place has existed to serve a certain important role in the society for a period of time.

Aesthetic Significance

It refers to this special sense of Importance of a place. This could be in terms of architecture, scale or even the designs seen on the place.

Scientific Significance

It refers to the scope or possibility of scientific findings from a site, monument or place. Here the importance lies more in the information that may yield out of understanding and researching the place or site. This can mostly be attributed to archaeological sites or ancient monuments.

Cultural Heritage and Tourism

The link between culture and tourism is the most visible aspect of the contribution of culture to local development.37% of the global tourism has a cultural motivation. When tourism is identified as part of an overall development strategy, the identification, protection, and enhancement of historic resources is vital for any sustainable effort. Heritage visitors stay longer, visit twice as many places,and so spend 2 1/2 times more than other visitors. Worldwide, wherever heritage tourism has been evaluated this basic tendency is observed: heritage visitors stay longer, spend more per day, and, therefore, have a significantlygreater per trip economic impact. In some places cultural heritage tourism is one of the main economic contributors. The tourism sector is the ‘industry’ that uses Cultural Heritage to the greatest extent as support for its backbone activities like hotel accommodation, transport and catering. The impact of heritage driving the tourism industry is obvious in our cities. Due to the exploitation of heritage, many new jobs were generated in the tourism sector and as a result the figures are even more impressive. When heritage tourism is done right, the biggest beneficiaries are not the visitors but the local residents who experience a renewed appreciation for and pride in their local city and its history. The tourism industry of India is economically important and grows rapidly. The World Travel and Tourism Council calculated that tourism generated $121 billion or 6.4% of the nation's GDP in 2011. It was responsible for 39.3 million jobs, 7.9% of its total employment. The GDP of the tourism sector has expanded 229% between 1990 and 2011. The sector is predicted to grow at an average annual rate of 7.7% in the next decade. In a 2011 forecast the World Travel and Tourism Council predicted the annual growth to be 8.8% between 2011 and 2021. This gave India the fifth rank among countries with the fastest growing tourism industry.

Role of govt. bodies in Conservation of Cultural Heritage in India

The  Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), as an attached office under the Department of Culture, Ministry of Tourism and Culture, is the premier organization for the archaeological researches and protection of the cultural heritage of the nation. Maintenance of ancient monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national importance is the prime concern of the ASI. Besides it regulate all archaeological activities in the country as per the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. It also regulates Antiquities and Art Treasure Act, 1972.

For the maintenance of ancient monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national importance the entire country is divided into 24 Circles. The organization has a large work force of trained archaeologists, conservators, epigraphist, architects and scientists for conducting archaeological research projects through its Excavation Branches, Prehistory Branch, Epigraphy Branches, Science Branch, Horticulture Branch, Building Survey Project, Temple Survey Projects and Underwater Archaeology Wing.

The Archaeological Survey of India’s Science Branch is responsible mainly for the chemical conservation treatment and preservation of some three thousand five hundred ninety three Protected monuments besides chemical preservation of museum and excavated objects countrywide. 

The Taj Mahal being repaired

CONCLUSION

Cultural Heritage plays a very important role in our life.It is what keeps us

attatched to our religion,traditions,& beliefs. It today’s context we refer to

cultural identity which means (feeling of) identity of a group or culture, or of an individual as far as he or she is influenced by his belonging to a group or culture.

It is necessary to improve awareness of Cultural Heritage and the ethics of its care in study curriculaum and to identify tools that can be developed to help communities to better understand and conserve their heritage. Heritage education needs to be developed in schools and through informal education.

The best way to preserve our cultural heritage, whatever it may be, is to share it with others. It is our responsibility to keep world history intact for the coming generation so that they may have the same opportunities to learn about the past and their own roots as we have.

Now the main question arises that what contribution can we do for the prevention and conservation of our cultural heritage?Here is the answer:-

(i)we can teach our own children to practice the traditions and beliefs of our ancestors and tell them to continue to pass it on to future generations. Teach them to be proud of their roots especially if they know very few other children of the same cultural heritage.

(ii) we can also donate to or participate in associations that fund workshops and museums that help to educate others about our cultural heritage. These organizations will be around for many years to come and are probably one of the best ways to educate others about the history of our ancestors.

References:

The Importance of Cultural Heritage, http://www.cultivatingculture.com/2013/04/05/the-importance-of-cultural-heritage/.

Culture in development, http://www.cultureindevelopment.nl/Cultural_Heritage/What_is_Cultural_Heritage.

Tourism in India, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_India.

Archaeological Survey Of India, http://asi.nic.in/asi_cons_prev.asp.

http://voices.yahoo.com/ways-help-preserve-cultural-heritage-5817.html

Contributed by: Tousif Raja