CAMPUS EVENTS CULTURE ADVENTURE CELEBRATING DELHI’S HERITAGE
On World Heritage Day, we explore the connections that the Capital’s architectural marvels have with Bollywood RED FORT HUMAYUN’S TOMB QUTAB MINAR
Think of Saif Ali Khan wooing Kareena Kapoor Khan in Kurbaan (2009) at Humayun’s Tomb or Aamir Khan dancing to Chand Sifarish in Fanna (2006) at Qutub Minar, none can deny the fact that these timeless heritage sites have provided an excellent backdrop to Bollywood films for ages. On World Heritage Day, today, we take you for a heritage walk in the Capital.
“We need to showcase our rich heritage and culture as our cinema reaches all over the world. When things are in our backyard, we tend to overlook them,” says Kunal Kohli, who filmed Fanna at these locations in Delhi. Voicing similar sentiments, director of Baar Baar Dekho (2016), Nitya Mehra, who shot a short film, The Cherry On Top near Humanyun’s Tomb says that these monuments represent Delhi. “They are rich, beautiful and entrenched in history. A scene against any of them establishes the characters to be set in Delhi. As filmmakers, we constantly try to make our stories believable. It’s like when one shoots in Paris, inevitably a shot of the Eiffel Tower emerges. In a world that’s evolving as fast as this, it’s amazing to have monuments that stand the test of time. Cinematically, no set or construction can ever match up to the scale, beauty and grandiose of any of these,” she says. Speaking on the importance of preservation, she adds, “Scribbling on monuments should have consequences. People shouldn’t be spared. In fact, they should be fined.”
WALK DOWN HERITAGE LANE
On 18 April, International Council of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) celebrates the International Day for Monuments and Sites, whose establishment was approved by the 22nd UNESCO General Conference in 1983. The day sees activities, such as, visits to monuments planned across the world. In the Capital, too, a non-profit body, Sahapedia, has lined-up a week-long celebration. Walks, such as, Exploring Feroz Shah Kotla, Exploring the Qutub Minar Complex, Nature walk: Aravalis Sacred Grove have been organised. “World Heritage Day is such an important day. We always talk about India’s great civilization, but the youth is not connected to it. People love the idea of heritage walks as they let one absorb the architectural value of a place on foot with friends,” says Vaibhav Chauhan, secretary, Sahapedia.
The Qutub Minar walk will focus on the socio-political history of the Sultanate period. Aamir Ahmed, who will conduct the walk says that the visitors will get to know interesting facts about the place. He says, “There are multiple opinions on why Qutub Minar was built. While some believed it to be a watch tower, some though it was for call for pray for Quwwat-ul Islam Mosque.” Sources: Delhi Tourism,
UNESCO This site, which becomes a riot of colours on the Independence Day, was built as the palace fort of Shahjahanabad, the capital of the fifth Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan. The walls of red sandstone, Located in Nizamuddin East, this regal Mughal architecture has been the background of many romantic numbers. Built in 1565 AD, nine years after Humayun’s death, by his widow, Bega Begam, the monument has garden squares (chaharbagh) with pathways water channels, a mausoleum exceeded by a double dome. In 1857 AD, Lieutenant Hudson captured the last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah II from here. adjacent to the Salimgarh fort, built by Islam Shah Suri in 1546, forms the Red Fort Complex. While the planning of the palace is based on Islamic prototypes, each architectural element reflects a fusion of Persian, Timurid and Hindu traditions. Built in 1193 AD by Qutabud-din Aibak, a 72.5 metre high tower of victory in red and buff standstone, Qutub Minar is an architectural delight. It houses India’s first mosque, Quwwat-ulIslam Mosque and a seven metre high iron pillar. The construction that was started by the first Muslimruler of Delhi in 1200 AD was completed by Firoz Shah Tughlak, who built the fifth and the last storey.