The central government’s decision to invite corporate sponsorship for the conservation and restoration of heritage sites across the country through public-private partnerships is a welcome initiative. I have overseen the restoration of several important sites in Mumbai through PPP initiatives, including the Elephanta Caves and the Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum. The extraordinary Gharapuri caves, as they are locally known, were in a sad condition in the late 1990s, with families cooking inside the caves and young boys playing cricket in the large hall. The fences were corroded and broken, an open drain full of garbage ran along the edge of the site and the custodian’s cottage lay in ruins. There was no signage or information text to guide visitors. In 1997, Sir Bernard Feilden, senior advisor to UNESCO, had threatened to delist the site and gave a leading newspaper a front-page interview criticising the lackadaisical approach to our heritage sites that has long been a familiar refrain among experts and people who cherish our heritage.
I had been newly appointed as convenor of INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage) Mumbai, and Pupul Jayakar, then chairman of INTACH, asked me to investigate and prepare a plan. The project spanned five years and included the detailed documentation of the site, preparing a comprehensive site management plan, ensuring the upliftment of the local communities, preparing a potential development plan and much more. There were serious local vested interests who made every effort to block our work. But we persevered.
INTACH didn’t have funds at the time, so we did a very successful fundraiser and UNESCO was so pleased with the initiative that it too contributed. We restored the custodian cottage and converted it into a site museum and cleaned up the entire surrounding area. We not only worked on the conservation of the site but also prepared an environmental and tourism master plan. The site master plan prepared in conjunction with the ASI included detailed maps and recommendations and was the first prepared in India for a heritage site. I believe the Elephanta template, where we approached the site holistically, not looking at heritage in isolation — that is, just the monument — but working with all the elements that contribute to ensuring the stability of the site, and benefitting the community, is very important. Ajay Shankar, then DG ASI, acknowledged that the ASI did not have the 360 degree expertise required to prepare such a plan. So we brought in experts from several fields and from across the globe, including the UK and Australia.
Twenty-five years ago, the project was viewed as out-of-the-box and there was no MOU. The project was executed by INTACH Mumbai Chapter under my stewardship in good faith. We achieved a lot but without an agreement to manage the site, things fell apart. Today the site museum at Elephanta lies locked up and the stairs leading to the site on which the locals hawk trinkets to tourists are a disaster waiting to happen. We had put together an access plan that included a tourist haat and places to rest and enjoy the beautiful ambience, but local politics ensured this was never implemented. However, if there is political will, much can change. We are in a different world today in which social media and soft power impact other economic indices. Tourism presents India with an unprecedented opportunity to script a narrative that can capture the imagination of the world. It can also provide much needed jobs and give a tremendous boost to the economy.
Partnerships are the way forward to preserve our incredible cultural assets, but much thought needs to be given to their structure so that outcomes are achieved. Another PPP project I have helmed has sustained despite many odds because an agreement was in place. We have had a long 21-year PPP at the Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum which today is acknowledged as one of the best public museums in the country. In 2005, the Museum Restoration Project won the UNESCO Asia Pacific Heritage Award of Excellence for Conservation. Much credit goes to the Mumbai Municipal Corporation, which owns the Museum, and the Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation for their support.
However, much more can be achieved with patience and determination and Mumbai can show the way forward for the country, not only for heritage sites but equally importantly for museums. The larger objective must be to be as good as the best in the world. To achieve this, we need to study and understand success stories from across the world. We need to restructure the management of these heritage assets and allow experts to manage them. It is essential that experts and government officials work together in mutual trust and respect to achieve goals.
One of the biggest challenges we face in this endeavour is a dearth of skilled man power, and of leadership. This is where corporate India can attract the best talent to provide expertise in heritage and ecological management as well as skilling and uplifting the communities that live and work at and around the sites. It can also marshal the latest technologies to enhance visitor experience and make operations more efficient. Inviting corporate India to participate in this important initiative should not be just about funds and restoration but also about promotion and community welfare. Let’s make our magnificent heritage sites live forever and inspire our imaginations.
The writer is managing trustee and director, Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum and former vice chairman and Mumbai Convenor of INTACH
