GS- PAPER- 1

• Preserving cultural heritage in India is vital for maintaining historical continuity, promoting cultural identity and diversity, driving economic benefits through tourism, fostering education and sustainable development, and enhancing social cohesion and environmental conservation. Culture and heritage indicate as the identity of a nation and society.
• Humans have always relied on their past, and heritage as a guide to construct their present and future. Preservation of culture and heritage is required to inspire the upcoming generations and creating sustainable communities.
• Ministry of Culture has been in a constant effort to aware about the Indian Culture and Heritage among all sections of the society of the country specially in youth.

 Initiative taken by Indian Govt. to preserve our culture and heritage:-

• To protect, promote and preserve various forms of folk art, culture and heritage in the country, the Government of India has set up seven (7) Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs) with headquarters at Patiala, Nagpur, Udaipur, Prayagraj, Kolkata, Dimapur and Thanjavur.
• These ZCCs organize various cultural activities and programmes throughout the year all over the country on regular basis for which annual grant-in-aid is provided to them.
• Seven ZCCs also implement a number of schemes:-

1. Award to Young Talented Artistes,
2. Guru Shishya Parampara Scheme,
3. Theatre Rejuvenation Scheme,
4. Research & Documentation Scheme,
5. Shilpgram Scheme,
6. OCTAVE,
7. J&K Festivals and National Cultural Exchange Programme (NCEP) to help artists.

Note– Also to spread awareness about our culture and heritage among youth of the country, Ministry of Culture organizes Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsavs (RSMs) through these ZCCs where a large number of artists from all over India are engaged to showcase their talents during these Mahotsavs.

The Ministry administers schemes for the youth viz. Scholarships to Young Artistes in Different Cultural Fields and Award of Fellowship to Outstanding Persons in the field of Culture, the details of which are as under:

1.Scheme for Scholarships to Young Artistes in Different Cultural Fields:  Under this scheme,

Financial assistance is given to young artistes in the age group of 18-25 years for advanced training within India in the field of Indian Classical Music, Indian Classical Dance, Theatre, Mime, Visual Art, Folk, Traditional and Indigenous Arts and Light Classical Music etc. @ Rs. 5,000/- p.m. for 2 years.

The Scholarship is released in four equal six monthly instalments.

2. Scheme forward of Fellowship to Outstanding Persons in the field of Culture: Up to 400 fellowships (200 Junior and 200 Senior) are awarded in a batch year to outstanding persons in the age group of 25 to 40 years (Jr.)

• Above 40 years (Sr.) in different cultural fields @ of Rs. 10,000/- p.m. and Rs. 20,000/-p.m. respectively for a period of 2 years for cultural research.
• The Fellowship is released in four equal six monthly installments.

Indian Culture and Heritage: –

• Indian culture and heritage is the amalgam of social mores, moral principles, age-old customs, religious beliefs, political ideologies, artifacts, and technological advancements that have their origins in or are connected to the ethnolinguistically diverse Indian subcontinent.
• India is a nation with a varied cultural heritage, made up of a variety of tiny, independent civilizations. Indian culture includes a variety of elements including costumes, holidays, dialects, religions, music, dance, architecture, cuisine, and art.

Constitutional and Legislative Provisions Related to Indian Heritage-

 The following divisions of authority over monuments, pieces of cultural heritage, and archaeological sites are set down in the Indian Constitution:

• The historical and archaeologically significant monuments and locations that Parliament has designated through legislation.
• Both the Union and States possess concurrent jurisdiction over archaeological sites and remains other than those declared of national importance by law.
• Article 49 of Directive Principle of State Policy requires the State to safeguard any monuments, locations, or items of artistic or historic interest that have been deemed to be of national significance by or pursuant to legislation enacted by Parliament.
• Every Indian citizen has a responsibility to respect and conserve the rich cultural heritage of their country, according to Article 51A of Fundamental Duties in the Indian Constitution.
• The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act (AMASR Act) of 1958 is a law passed by the Indian Parliament that establishes guidelines for the protection of sculptures, carvings, and other similar artifacts as well as the preservation of important historical and archaeological sites and remains.

Significance of Preserving Cultural Heritage

• Economic Significance: The cultural industries are key components of modern economies. The prevalence of cultural sites, services and art forms tend to boost tourism, sustain livelihoods, and attract investment.
• Historical-Social Significance: The non-economic benefits of culture include the preservation of history, the generation of knowledge, and the nurturing of creativity.

Gaps in Cultural Heritage Structures in India:-

• At Institutional level lack of efforts in mainstreaming heritage preservation as a career and providing skills remains a formidable challenge.
• There is a lack of convergence between modern-day engineering education and traditional knowledge of construction materials and practices; this is a serious hindrance to preservation of heritage.
• Heritage conservation efforts in the private sector in India largely address only the aesthetic aspect with architects typically steering these projects and structural safety is not in focus.
• Formal systems are absent in India, which recognize the need for use of scientific tools for diagnosis and quantitative assessment of residual capacity before choosing repair or strengthening strategy.
• India has a large stock of heritage structures, which has to be addressed through a formal platform focussing on their structural safety.
• Lack of Awareness: There is widespread lack of civic sense among domestic visitors who tend to deface historical monuments e.g. by inscribing their names on historical monuments.
• Environmental Pollution: There are several types of environmental pollution which are killing the heritage properties e.g. Taj Mahal was badly affected by Sulphur dioxide etc. emitted by the oil refinery at Mathura.
• Lack of Funding: Finances continue to be crucial challenges for preservation of cultural heritage. The conservation and preservation of heritage has not received due attention from public authorities.
• Lack of Centre-State Coordination: Despite the presence of some of the best conservation and heritage management institutions in India like Indian National Trust for Art & Cultural Heritage (INTACH), a multidisciplinary approach to practising heritage conservation is lacking due to lack of coordination between the centre and the state.
• Out-dated Mechanism of Excavation and Exploration: Due to the prevalence of out-dated mechanisms, Geographic Information System and Remote Sensing are rarely used in exploration.
• Local bodies involved in urban heritage projects are often not equipped enough to handle heritage conservation.

What More Can be Done to Preserve India’s Cultural Heritage?

• Changes in Foundational Level:  Holistic preservation of Indian heritage would require recourse to pedagogical changes in school and higher education intended to rediscover the ancient Indian wisdom in arts, sciences and philosophies, which hinges on mainstream fundamental research and R&D in the area.
• Value Based and Scientific Approach: It is essential that a holistic conservation plan through a multidisciplinary team is prepared following a value based and scientific approach before undertaking any conservation works.
• Integrating Heritage-City Planning: Heritage Impact Assessment of all major infrastructure projects should also be taken into account.
• Heritage Tourism and Education: By promoting heritage tourism, India can successfully preserve cultural and historic resources while boosting local economies by generating jobs, new businesses and generating revenue to the governments.

Conclusion–

• As the government endeavours to safeguard the diverse history of every state, region, and society, it is crucial for all citizens to unite and actively participate in preserving India’s rich cultural heritage. A collective pledge is needed to support the government’s noble efforts in this regard.

• To combat this on-going challenge, India must devise more effective strategies to address the issue of private collectors, auction houses, and museums engaging in the trade of stolen Indian antiques. Stronger measures are required to regulate and prevent the illegal trade, ensuring that these cultural treasures are rightfully returned to their country of origin.
• By fostering a sense of responsibility and collaboration between the government and its citizens, India can work towards securing its invaluable cultural heritage for future generations and preserving its identity on the global stage.
• India is a very ancient nation. We are blessed to have such a lovely past. It is entirely our responsibility to protect it so that subsequent generations can see and appreciate it as well. Protecting India’s artistic legacy is essential for maintaining the nation’s identity, history, and culture. It is crucial to take action to save this history so that future generations can value it.