A tale of 20 historical towns: Pune students document lesser-known facts for exhibition

The 20 places that have been covered by the students include Menawali, Sadar Bazar, Bidar, Talegaon, Dhamdhere, Phaltan, Bhor, Junnar, Ahmednagar, Pandharpur, Goa and Saswad.

“We are showcasing the research after a detailed study. The works on display include research work done by students over the past 10 years. To study one place in detail, the students need to put in at least six months of research. The study highlights the heritage and ways to conserve these places,” Sudhir Chavan, principal of the college.

Talking about the places covered by the students and their findings, Chavan said, the town of Bhor has tremendous heritage potential and is unique in its sense due to the Maratha town planning. The Rajwada (palace) was the political centre at one point, which is also reflected in the town planning. The presence of socio-cultural elements like the bazaars, shops etc. add to the character of the town, he said.

“To cover the town Tera in Kutch, the students of first year masters in architecture course studied the settlements at Tera in Guajrat, which is one of the important pilgrim towns in the Kutch region. The fortified settlements with man-made lakes continue to live with the traditions and cultures of the place. An old haveli was also studied and documented in detail for which adaptive reuse was proposed,” said Chavan.

At Pandharpur, a spiritual centre in the state, the team studied 90 temples. The place, according to Chavan, has both religious and historic importance and is associated with the values. The history of the place, its architecture and cultural practices like wari, the planning, growth of the town and development of the place were then studied and concluded with comprehensive conservation strategies. “We have prepared an elaborate report of our work carried out in Pandharpur and will be sending it to the UNESCO proposing the city to be considered for the World Heritage Site list,” he added.

In Pune, the team studied the Raviwar Peth and Somwar Peth area. Study of Raviwar Peth highlights the evolution, growth of the neighbourhood from historic period till date and saw the students studying the commodities sold in the commercial lane, culture, religion along with the architecture of the place.