Symbiotic

10/04/2018

Need a entry level Research Assistant for Internship to undertake tasks in Heritage Education and Outreach Activities for Schools.

Interested Candidates email CV and covering letter on [email protected]

Scope of work includes: - Desk research - Compilation of desk research and its applicability on site - Site visits - Field Reports - Coordination and liasion between multiple stakeholder- Assistance in conducting workshops & activities on Site

24/04/2016

03/03/2016

Surviving the test of time and tide...seaside temple along adgaon beach

07/02/2016

06/02/2016

17th century english cemetry in surat

15/12/2015

History being told via vernacular architecture

25/07/2015

Unadulterated, non-instagrammed! Pure authentic konkan coast...welcome to edge of india off the arabian sea..at adgaon village. Raigad district

07/07/2015

Ladakh

28/01/2014

Why Do Old Places Matter? In this fifth post in a series Tom Mayes looks at the connection between Civic, State, National, and Universal Identity.

16/01/2014

CULTURAL TRADITIONS OF INDIA: Paush Purnima 2014

Paush Purnima 2014 will be celebrated on 16th January. Paush Purnima comes on the full Moon day of the Magha month of the Hindu Lunar Calendar. This date is considered very auspicious to take a Holy Dip in the river.

It is believed that by taking these Holy Dips a person is freed from all the sins of this birth and the previous one. As per the Hindu religion we have to pay for all the sins we commit in all our lives. We get stuck in the vicious cycle of our own Karmas.

To break this cycle and start afresh we can observe this sacred day of Paush Purnima. Devotees from all over the country descend to the banks of various rivers and take a Holy Dip there. It is believed that this washes away all the dirt of our soul. After the Holy Dip, they perform the Surya Puja (worship of Sun) and chant Mantras.

Spiritual Significance of Paush Purnima

It is believed that by observing this day we get rid of the past Karmas and begin a new life. The auspicious day of Paush Purnima is also known for fulfilling all the desires of the devotees. This day also marks the last full Moon day of the winter season. So, understanding the immense significance of the day, we all should use this opportunity to burn the baggage of past. While carrying the baggage of the past Karmas we are not able to live our life to the fullest. By observing festivals like Paush Purnima we can end the darkness around us and within us.

Days like Paush Purnima make us believe that we are all connected to the Universe and the changes in it affect us to a large extent. Our traditions teach us to live in synchrony and harmony with the Universe. Living with the flow makes our life much easier and simpler. These festivals are nothing but a way to tune the human kind to the rhythm of the Universe. We do not exist as separate entity and are a part of this vast Universe. Therefore, it is very significant to tune ourselves with the entire Universe.

14/01/2014

Community based conservation for sustainable development

The first thought that comes to our mind when we say ‘heritage conservation’ is that of unusable abandoned structures which a minor population of experts is looking into. It is hardly being acknowledged as community responsibility of local neighbourhoods. One of the major challenges in community based heritage conservation activities is as simple as lack of interest from local communities. It is taken for granted as so much a thing of the past that hardly anyone would give it priority in our daily life. Caught up in the routine of family, work, social life the neglected remnants of our history are dissolved into oblivion without any of us even realizing what we have lost. Like every other great thing in life which we take granted for, we realize the importance, only when we lose it.

There is a need for a common platform to support the local bodies willing to undertake conservation activities in their regions. The crux of facilitating successful heritage conservation lies in ‘community participation’. Local communities should be introduced to their heritage from the perspective of it being a resource for sustainable development.