Victorian buildings earn Mumbai 3rd UNESCO tag
Two building clusters of Victorian Gothic and Art Deco styles get World Heritage panel nod
In a double cheer for India, two building clusters of Victorian Gothic and Art Deco architectural styles in Mumbai were on Saturday jointly inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List, pushing the country's financial capital high on the global cultural map.
This is the third such honour for the metropolis after the Elephanta Caves and the majestic Victoria Terminus — rechristened Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station railway station —which earned the coveted tag in 1987 and 2004 respectively.
“Just inscribed as @UNESCO #WorldHeritage site: Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai, #India Congratulations!,” UNSECO tweeted. The decision was taken during the 42nd session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee (WHC), currently underway in Manama, Bahrain.
Mumbai-based conservation architect Abha Narain Lambah, who prepared the voluminous nomination dossier ‘Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai’, said it is a great honour for the city and for India. “These buildings are of iconic architectural styles. They represent a living heritage of the country, and the evolution of the landscape of the city over nearly two centuries. It puts Mumbai, perennially described the ‘financial city’, high up on global cultural map.
“All 21 countries in the WHC supported the nomination which is very rare. Azerbaijan called it the ‘perfect’dossier and France as observer country termed it ‘magnificent’,” Lambah told PTI over phone from Manama.
India hailed the decision as a “remarkable achievement”.
The Union Culture Ministry said that with this UNESCO tag, the count of World Heritage sites in the country has now risen to 37, of which 29 are cultural, seven
natural and one mixed site.
In a statement, it said the ensemble consists of 94 buildings primarily of 19th century Victorian Gothic revival and early 20th century Art Deco style of architecture.
“The Victorian buildings form part of the larger Fort precinct situated to the east of the Oval Maidan. These public buildings, include the Old Secretariat (1857-74), University Library and Convention Hall (1874-78), the Bombay High Court (1878), the Public Works Department Office (1872), Watson's Hotel (1869), David Sasoon Library (1870), the Elphinstone College (1888),” it said.
Union Minister of State for Culture Mahesh Sharma congratulated the residents of Mumbai and the entire country for this landmark achievement. “The international recognition to the heritage precinct of the city of Mumbai is a matter of great pride to the nation and it will boost the local economy in a number of ways.
“This achievement is expected to give a tremendous fillip to domestic and international tourism leading to increased employment generation, creation of world-class infrastructure and augmentation of sale of local handicrafts, handlooms and heritage memorabilia,” he said.