‘Heritage managers’ for a day!
During daylong programme, students manage ticket counter and guide visitors at the Residency
LUCKNOW: Around 20 students had an altogether different experience on Tuesday after the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) handed them the charge of its ticketed monument - Residency, making them ‘heritage managers’ for a day.
This was part of ASI’s initiative to sensitise the youths towards heritage preservation. Now, every week students from different schools will be trained on ticketing, crowd management and guiding visitors on the Residency premises.
The two-phased programme began at 10 am, soon after the visit of divisional commissioner Mahesh Gupta, who was the chief guest on the occasion.
“Students from Delhi Public School (DPS), Janakipuram were first trained on guiding tourists and sale of tickets in the first phase,” said NK Pathak, superintending archaeologist, Lucknow circle ASI, in-charge of the programme’s first phase.
The second phase, which envisaged of the management part, took off soon after wherein students took charge of various posts on the Residency premises.
Shyantan Sharma, a student of DPS, took charge of the ticket counter, which was among the most essential posts. “I am honoured to be chosen for such a crucial post like this. I sold hundreds of tickets on the day,” said Shyantan, as he issued a ticket to a couple.
He was assisted by Sakshi Verma, who was ensuring the availability of tickets and helping him in managing the work well.
Harshit Mehta and Abhyudaya Chaddha were assigned the task of ticket checking. “It was a job with a lot of responsibility. We stood at the gates and ensured that only ticket holders have access to the monument,” said Harshit.
Similarly, a few students well versed with the Residency’s history were deployed at the museum building, while some were deployed in the other part of the heritage structure to assist visitors.
“One has to be very careful in assisting the visitors as you can- not pass on wrong information to them. I was very careful while telling them about the heritage structure. It was the toughest post I believe,” said Mubashir Ahmed Khan, another student.
Khan said serving a place, which was once the epicentre of activity during the First War of Independence, gave him a patriotic feeling.
For the visitors to the Residency, it was a pleasant surprise to see students as heritage managers. “It’s nice to see students assisting the visitors. I haven’t seen any such activity before,” said Mohammed Aslam, a visitor, who gave his thumbs-up to the move.
The daylong programme concluded with a prize distribution ceremony, where ASI officials handed over mementos and certificates to the students.
Teachers Sameena Mumtaz & Archana Thakur, ASI officers including deputy superintending archaeologist Neeraj Kumar Sinha, assistant superintending archaeologist Anil Kumar Tiwari and others were also present on the occasion.
EVERY WEEK, STUDENTS FROM DIFFERENT SCHOOLS WILL BE TRAINED ON TICKETING, CROWD MANAGEMENT AND GUIDING VISITORS AT THE RESIDENCY