Center for Heritage Conservation

CEPT Conservation Site School brings to you a blog post by Jigar Rathod on Blending Traditional Craftsmanship and Sustainable Practices of Restoring Structural Integrity that was recently implemented at Kalidas Jethabhai House, Dharmaj. To read the complete blog titled 'Kalidas Jethabhai House - Blending Traditional Craftsmanship and Sustainable Practices of Restoring Structural Integrity', visit the link: https://lnkd.in/dKvU5mFH You can also subscribe to our blog for regular updates on our activities and insights into our work and experiences at Site Schools. Jigar Rathod Ashna Patel Jigna Desai Meeta Patel Maya Patel Alpana Patel Avni Patel CEPT Research and Development Foundation BandukSmith Studio Kalidas House Ami Engineers, Consulting Engineers Gandhiconstructionco Avichalheritagefoundation #conservation #culturalheritage #siteschool #blog #historic #architecture #education #chccept #ceptuniversity #woodenarchitecture #timberconstruction #conservation #restoration #restorationprojects #heritage #architecture #woodendetails #woodenjoineries #heritageconservation

We are pleased to announce that Five Cross Architects and the Centre for Heritage Conservation (CHC), Centre for Research and Development Foundation (CRDF), have signed an MoU for the heritage conservation project - Saanjho Bhadreshwar: A Heritage Conservation Initiative. This project focuses on restoring the Human, Cultural, and Natural heritage links with Bhadreshwar; Gujarat, one of India's oldest port towns. This collaboration seeks to establish a partnership focused on Research, Education, and Interventions in the field of Heritage Conservation, addressing both the built and natural environments. Our joint efforts aim to safeguard Bhadreshwar's Cultural Heritage while promoting a Sustainable and thriving future for its communities. Adil Dholakia Vishakha Gangar Poornima Balakrishnan Jigna Desai Ashna Patel @jigar.a.rathod CEPT University CEPT Research and Development Foundation #HeritageConservation #CulturalHeritage #SustainableConservation #HistoricIndia #CulturalPreservation #RestoringHeritage #NaturalHeritage #GujaratHistory #ConservationCollaboration

#buildingswithwhichweinteract Mata Bhavani’s Stepwell at Asarwa, derives its name from a small shrine of Mata Bhavani at the back of the circular shaft of its draw-well. Burgess mentions that the stepwell evidently belongs to the pre-Sultanate period of Ahmedabad, possibly from 11th C. As per Burgess, the stepwell may belong to the period of reign of Karna Solanki (1063-1093 AD) or as per the Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency Volume IV: Ahmedabad, may be the only remnant of Asaval or Karnavati. Burgess comments that the shrine does not appear to be of the same period as that of the stepwell and is possibly a later addition. Mata Bhavani at the stepwell is revered as the ‘Kuldevi’ of several families of the village of Asarwa. Some local people believe that Mata Bhavani is ‘Madri’, mother of Nakul and Sahadev, the youngest two of the five Pandavs in the Hindu epic Mahabharata. Making a reference to possibly the same belief, Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency Volume IV mentions that the shrine of Mata Bhavani is believed to be the work of the five Pandavs. Presently, the temple receives maximum number of devotees during the historic one-day Nilkanth Mahadev Fair of Asarwa associated with the Nilkanth Mahadev Temple in the locality. This fair is organised on Shravan Vad 15 Amas (last day of the Shravan month/ in or around August). The stepwell and its use have become a cultural and religious marker of the neighbourhood and the community around it. Asarwa Lake, located immediately towards the eastern side of Mata Bhavani’s Stepwell, is indicated as a water body within the larger setting of the stepwell in the archival map of the city and its environs provided by Hope, Biggs & Fergusson. Mata Bhavani’s stepwell, along with other stepwells in and around the historic city of Ahmedabad, is testimony to the local and traditional wisdom of sustainable use and management of water in the city and the region. Image Credits: Jayashree Bardhan and Ishani Pradhan Ishani Pradhan Nigar Shaikh Jayashree Bardhan Jigna Desai CEPT Research and Development Foundation #heritageofahmedabad #stepwellsofahmedabad #waterstructure #waterandheritage

CEPT Conservation Site School brings to you a blog post on Bridging the gap between the virtual and the tangible by Vivek Shiyani. It highlights a study done to identify the best techniques for structural strengthening and rehabilitation in the case of Tankshal ni Pol Mosque. To read the complete blog titled 'Bridging the gap between the Virtual and the Tangible: Structural Strengthening and Rehabilitation of Tankshal ni Pol Mosque', visit the link: https://lnkd.in/gRzYTZ5g You can also subscribe to our blog for regular updates on our activities and insights into our work and experience at Site Schools. Ishani Pradhan Nigar Shaikh Ashna Patel Jigna Desai Vivek Shiyani CEPT Research and Development Foundation

*Last Date to Apply is Approaching!* Don't miss your chance to join the Modern Architecture Conservation in India course, organized by INTACH Heritage Academy in collaboration with the Getty Conservation Institute and CEPT University. January to February 2025 Online and in Ahmedabad We have partnered with the Getty Conservation Institution (J. Paul Getty Trust) to offer a training course in India designed to address the region’s growing needs in modern architecture conservation. The course will introduce participants to a broad range of issues related to the conservation of modern architecture, with a focus on case studies to offer practical and technical skills. This program consists of four weeks of online teaching and one week in Ahmedabad where CEPT University will be our Knowledge Partner. The course is designed for professionals engaged in or interested in modern heritage conservation, including architects, planners, engineers, conservator-restorers, policymakers, site managers, advocates, and related occupations. International applicants are welcome, but preference will be given to participants from the Indian subcontinent: India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. To know more, visit https://lnkd.in/gf7DUYRy Registration Link: https://lnkd.in/grACSTvp Last Date to Apply: October 9, 2024

Jigar Rathod, the Research Associate at CHC – CRDF, presented his Directed Research Project (as part of Master’s in Conservation and Regeneration) titled “Understanding the Material Fabric of Kalidas Jethabhai House through the Material Characterisation Process” at the ANVESHAN International Conference hosted by the Indian Institute of Architects (IIA) in Trivandrum from August 29 to August 31, 2024. Additionally, he participated in a workshop on the “Conservation of Heritage Structures” organized by IIT – Bombay, where he secured second position in the research paper poster presentation competition on September 21, 2024. Jigar Rathod Nigar Shaikh Ashna Patel Jigna Desai IIA Trivandrum Centre Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay

The Center for Heritage Conservation (CHC) has secured the Heritage Amplified Grant from CyArk. This project will result in a Tapestry virtual experience of the historic water system of Jaigarh Fort with its meticulously planned network of water collection channels, capacious storage tanks, and well-engineered internal distribution. It will integrate spatial narratives around its daily operation to bring out valuable insights into sustainable water management practices. The initial phase of the project, which involves storytelling workshops, began in the first week of September 2024. During this phase, key narratives, vision, and goals will be established through brainstorming sessions with team members from CHC, JPCT, and CyArk. The project is supported by Iron Mountain and Jaigarh Public Charitable Trust (JPCT), which leads to the ongoing preservation efforts at the fort. JPCT and CHC have entered into a MoU titled Sustainable Conservation of the Jaigarh Fort Precinct. Stay tuned as we document the site and develop its virtual experience CyArk The Jaigarh Public Charitable Trust CEPT Research and Development Foundation Jigna Desai Ashna Patel Saatvika Pancholi Jigar Rathod Ishani Pradhan Nishra Shah Chandni Chowdhary, PhD Nishit Raj Singh

CHC hosted Jamal Oliver for an internship from June to August 2024 through the International Exchange Program (IEP) organised by World Heritage USA in support of ICOMOS-USA. Jamal is the Program Manager for Historic Preservation at Tuskegee University, while pursuing Master of Design Studies at Boston Architectural College, specialising in Historic Preservation. Jamal worked on CHC’s endeavour ‘Mapping Heritage: A Digital Repository of Historic Sites in India’. Jamal got an exposure to sites and activities of the organisation and also contributed through sharing his experiences. We are pleased to share some activities of Jamal’s engagement at our organisation. We wish him success in his future endeavours! 1 & 2. Jamal presenting his work to the CHC team. 3. Attending a session on site safety by Nigar Shaikh. 4. Attending introductory sessions on ethics, photogrammetry and GIS in the CEPT Professional Program and Mrudula Mane. Digital Documentation of Built Heritage Batch-3’. Sessions by Jigna Desai, Maniyarasan R and Vagmi Patel. 5. Visit to the Historic City of Ahmedabad. Bhadra Fort through Jamal’s lens. 6. Visit to Vaso, a site of CHC’s EWAP project. Appreciation of historic building crafts through Jamal’s lens 7. Visit to CEPT Conservation Site School at Dharmaj Jigar Rathod. 8. Jaigarh through Jamal’s lens. Visit to CEPT Conservation Site School at Jaigarh Fort and getting a glimpse of the ongoing educational activities. riyaz tayyibji Kairavi Maniar. 9. Jamal presenting the ‘Heritage of Tuskegee University, USA’ to students of the Master’s Program in Conservation and Regeneration (MCR) and Master’s in Architectural History and Research (MAHR), CEPT University. 10. Screenshot from the online closing ceremony of the IEP, organised by World Heritage USA. Jamal Oliver Jigna Desai Jayashree Bardhan Ashna Patel Saatvika Pancholi Vagmi Patel WorldHeritageUSA CEPT Research and Development Foundation Tuskgee University Center for Applied Geomatics, CRDF

We invite you to the open house at our cept conservation site school at the 'House at Nagarvado' in Patan, on 2nd October 2024, Wednesday from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm. Join us for short heritage walks, site school visits, and open discussions Saatvika Pancholi Nigar Shaikh Ashna Patel Jigna Desai CEPT Research and Development Foundation #Conservation #siteschool #openhouse #woodenarchitecture #discussions #patan #Nagarvado #historiccity #ancestralhome #timberconstruction #polhouses

Private Property: Public Property - The Complicated Nature of Architectural Heritage in India' at CEPT University, we are happy to bring you a series of expert talks on the political and spatial history of Jaipur, with a specific focus on Jaigarh Fort as the main site for the studio. The lecture series has been facilitated by CHC-CRDF as one of the academic components under its wider collaboration with Jaigarh Public Charitable Trust (JPCT) for the Sustainable Conservation of Jaigarh Fort. It is intended to enhance students' interpretation of the site and its context. Each lecture is designed to give students a deeper understanding of the complex relationships between architecture, history, and society. The studio is led by Riyaz Tayyibji, assisted by Kairavi Maniar and jointly supported by CHC-CRDF and JPCT. The lectures are open for all to attend and will be streamed on YouTube live. The venue details for the in-person lecture ( on 29th August ) will be announced shortly. To join us, please go through the links mentioned below: Day 1 - https://lnkd.in/d-HhVQJi Day 2 - https://lnkd.in/diuMeYcF Day 3 - https://lnkd.in/d3mtj9TG Day 4 - https://lnkd.in/dTY-hV3y CEPT University CEPT Research and Development Foundation The Jaigarh Public Charitable Trust Ashna Patel Jigar Rathod Jigna Desai riyaz tayyibji Kairavi Maniar Gauri Bharat Chandni Chowdhary, PhD Nishit Raj Singh