By: Dr. Vinod Chandrashekhar Dixit
World Heritage Day is observed on April 18 every year with an aim to increase awareness about the importance of protecting culture and diversity. It is a collective effort of the communities in the world to do the needful. This day is celebrated to maintain the legacy and save the rich heritage which has been given to us by our ancestors. The preservation of heritage properties is an important undertaking. Nelson Mandela rightly said “Our rich and varied cultural heritage has a profound power to help build our nation”. Our heritage is all that has been passed to us by previous generations. Cultural heritage is a legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes of a group or society – man-made heritage. It is disheartening to note that some people, forgetting that they are doing an irreparable damage to invaluable archaeological masterpieces by inscribe their initials, names, love messages on these national treasures. This special day offers an opportunity to raise the public’s awareness about the diversity of cultural heritage and the efforts that are required to protect and conserve it, as well as draw attention to its vulnerability. Our Heritage is a legacy from our past. It is something we live with today and, hopefully, something that we can pass on to future generations.
Heritage means what we inherit from our ancestors and from our past. India is a land of varied cultures and traditions. People from numerous castes, religions, and creeds reside in our country. Each ethnic group in our country has its own tale of origin and its set of unique traditions and culture. The traditional skills- arts of decorations, fairs and festivals etc. and different varieties of dances, music, paintings, architectural styles, literature of different languages enrich our cultural landscape and heritage. In every country, cultural heritage is both a record of life and history and also an irreplaceable source of creativity and inspiration. We must learn to value our inheritance for reasons beyond their mere utility and their functional use. This is because each heritage is unique and exceptional; it is the responsibility of the current generation to preserve it. The Archaeological Survey of India has also decided to organize online pledge taking ceremonies for school students in which they will read a pledge to safeguard and respect the monuments and their heritage. The conservation and protection of these monuments cannot be neglected any further. It is the reflection of the identity of the people of a nation. One identifies herself or himself with hers or his heritage, which gives a sense of pride. Our cultural heritage is a mirror of our national unity. We know that India has a large number of magnificent sites and monuments like Ajanta Caves, Ellora Caves, Elephenta Caves, the Taj Mahal, Qutub Minar, Buland Darwaja, Victoria Memorial, Rashtrapati Bhawan, the Parliament House, India Gate and many more.
World Heritage Day gives us an opportunity to conserve and preserve our heritage culture which is of ancient significance. They have an outstanding universal value. The tales of the heroes of the Mahabharata and the Ramayana are great assets of Indian Culture. Our heritage connects us to our roots and to each other. When we protect it, we preserve stories, skills, and identities for the future. As the saying goes, “A people without the knowledge of their past, origin, and culture is like a tree without roots. Let us respect and try to maintain and preserve it at all costs.
Author is a Freelance Journalist,
Writer & Cartoonist
