It is undeniable that the template for a modern India was established by the colonial regime. The British built up the infrastructure for modernization by ushering in industrial and scientific revolutions. Based on these developments, knowledge systems became increasingly sophisticated in independent India. But beyond sustained technological advancement, to what extent have the legacies of colonial modernity lived on? Can it be claimed that a consciousness of modernity also develops alongside the progress in science and technology?

Technical expertise in historical conservation has been updated over the years, but how much of conservation has actually entered everyday behaviour and attitudes? The preservation of culture cannot take place independent of the public sphere. “There is a fundamental disconnect between the people and the monuments,” as Shobita Punja, art historian and conservationist, puts it. For this reason, Punja believes in envisioning the role of the ASI in more holistic terms. From excavation work, the ASI has to make the transition to the “maintenance and management” of the sites. And these activities would become meaningful only if awareness-raising — through guided tours, audio-visual media and public-interest activism — is carried on in tandem.

The restoration of the gardens of Humayun’s tomb — through the joint efforts of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture and the ASI, under the aegis of the National Culture Fund — initiated a major shift in the working principles of conservation. Completed in 2003, it was the first private-public partnership project of a World Heritage Site in India. Its objective was to revitalize the gardens, pathways, fountains and water-channels of the châhar-bâgh — the four-part paradise garden surrounding the tomb — according to the original plans.

The revitalization was conceived of in comprehensive terms. The focus of conservation work, while remaining on the garden itself, also included issues of public interest. For instance, wheelchair access — seldom seen anywhere in the country — was introduced. Keeping in mind the needs of the physically challenged, bridges were built across the water-channels. Workshops were organized with children not only to make them aware of the historical significance of the tomb itself, but also to explain the idea behind the conservation work.

Following on this venture, the AKTC, in association with the ASI, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Central public works department and the Aga Khan Foundation, have undertaken an urban-renewal project for the area made up by Humayun’s Tomb, Nizamuddin Basti and Sundar Nursery. Ratish Nanda, conservation architect for the project, spoke to The Telegraph about this. An excerpt:

What makes the restoration of Humayun’s tomb, and now the urban renewal project, unique in the history of Indian conservation?

RN: Both projects have a multidisciplinary approach and depend heavily on master craftsmen. People from various disciplines — conservation architects, landscape architects, archaeologists, botanists, art historians, urban historians, civil engineers, hydrological engineers, geologists, material conservators, graphic designers — participated in the garden project. The project we are embarking on will include professionals trained in health, education, community development and so on.