Preserving past, losing legacy in Punjab
What is unfolding across the state is not the safeguarding of heritage but its commodification, degradation and, in some cases, active erasure
Updated At : 07:04 AM Jun 03, 2025 IST
At the 16th-century Mughal garden Aam Khas Bagh in Sirhind, recent renovations like uniform red sandstone paving have stripped away historical subtleties and variations in texture.
Over the last three decades, I have had the opportunity to work across Punjab’s diverse geography, engaging in the conservation of cultural heritage — documenting neglected historic sites, proposing adaptive reuse frameworks, shaping tourism development projects, and co-authoring the Punjab State Cultural Heritage Policy in partnership with UNESCO. These efforts, supported through schemes such as the Asian Development Bank’s Infrastructure Development Investment Program for Tourism (IDIPT), the 13th Finance Commission, and the Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) in Amritsar — which received a UNESCO Asia-Pacific Award — marked critical steps toward strengthening the role of heritage in Punjab’s development narrative.
