Need to preserve heritage stressed at Mandi govt college workshop

A seven-day international workshop titled “Promoting Education through Protecting Heritage” started at Government Degree College at Panarsa in Mandi district on Thursday. The event is being organised in collaboration with the Heritage Foundation, Pune. Experts from Australia, England, Bangladesh, Thailand, South Korea and the USA along with 51 students and the faculty of the college took part in the workshop conducted on the hybrid mode on the first day.

Bhujang Ramarao Bhobde, Director of the Heritage Foundation, urged the participants to rethink heritage. “Heritage extends beyond monuments to include rivers, traditions and everyday life,” he said. He stressed applying knowledge for moral and practical development and highlighted the relevance of the Indian knowledge system in modern education.

The afternoon session featured hands-on activities, with students creating art using natural materials found on the campus. Another virtual session by Kanchan Amte Joshi from Australia, titled “Indian Traditional Art: Colours of Time – The Story and Preservation,” explored the evolution of folk art forms, from cave paintings to Madhubani and Pattachitra, rooted in storytelling and nature.

Practical preservation techniques formed a core part of the curriculum, covering protection of artworks from pests, sunlight, moisture and physical damage.