CBSE Micro-site
As a part of its programme to promote heritage education in schools, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)—the largest board of secondary education in India—collaborated with Sahapedia to develop a micro-site.
UNESCO has identified 1052 properties around the world to be inscribed on its World Heritage List. Of these, 27 historic spaces, 7 natural sites, and 1 mixed heritage site are located in India.
Cultural mapping is an exercise in locating cultural expressions, whether tangible or intangible, in a geographically delimited area. Cultural mapping may include categories as diverse as communities, public art and built heritage.
The Rashtrapati Bhavan, the residence of the President of India, represents one of the greatest architectural projects of modern times. A unique fusion of Indian and Western classical architectural styles, the monumental building has a rich and complex legacy.
Yet its story, spanning colonial and post-Independence periods, has never been fully revealed.
Sahapedia-UNESCO Fellowship is a collaborative project to encourage fresh research on tangible and intangible heritage across India and South Asia. Articles, videos, interviews and more, supported by the Fellowship, are freely available for everyone to read, watch and hear at www.sahapedia.org.
National Centre for the Performing Arts
The National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) in Mumbai, dedicated to the preservation of India’s classical and folk arts, has a rare collection of articles by well-known scholars of performing arts.
Sahapedia, in collaboration with the Directorate of Culture and Archaeology, Government of Chhattisgarh, has undertaken the project of documenting comprehensively the rich and diverse cultural traditions and natural heritage of the state. This involves preparing multi-media modules which include articles, interviews and documentaries of a wide range of cultural forms including oral epics, performing art and craft traditions etc.
Dr Kaup Jagadish is a civil engineer and former professor at Indian Institute of Science. Considered a pioneer in earth-based construction technology, he has experimented with earth construction in combination with newer construction materials, and has worked to bring back native earth construction techniques. In this interview, Dr Jagadish elaborates on the essence of native techniques of construction in earth from his experience of working in the field for over four decades.
Ravindra Gundu Rao specialises in heritage building conservation and mud architecture. Based in Mysore, Rao has worked on conservation and restoration of several architectural buildings and spaces. He has experience working with traditional materials and techniques involving lime, brick and earth. In this interview, Rao speaks at length about the various materials used with earth in earth-based constructions.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Sun Temple in the form of a grand celestial chariot is an architectural and sculptural marvel. Did you know that the spokes of the famous wheels on which the chariot is mounted are believed to have served as sundials? (Photo source: Wikimedia Commons)
