Revisiting Shikarpur: conserving cultural, architectural heritage

A seminar, titled “Revisiting Shikarpur”, held at the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture (IVS) on Saturday, highlighted the indispensable need for the preservation of architectural heritage which reflects a society’s or a country’s historical and cultural heritage and speaks of the richness of a nation’s history.

Anila Naeem from the NED University of Engineering and Technology, talking about the changes being brought about by various factors in Shikarpur, referred to them as the pillage of history.

She referred to Shikarpur as the fading chapter of Sindh’s history. Explaining the geography of present-day Shikarpur, she discussed the historical footprints and said the Havelis were a juxtaposition of a variety of inter-regional influences.

She said that despite their officially protected status, these Havelis remained under threat from a growing demand for wood antiquarian enthusiasts. Through a power point presentation, she listed the houses and buildings that were demolished between 2011 and 2015.

Public awareness and intervention, she said, were imperative to preservation. “We have to create an awareness , appreciation, and sensitivity towards the traditional socio-cultural aspects of built environment.”

Naeem showed slides of various houses that were in the process of being brought down and their once fancy motifs fading as a result of many factors, mainly economic. She said that some of the houses reflecting the cultural heritage were being brought down because the owners had come down on hard times and could not afford upkeep while others were relocating because their present location afforded them no economic opportunities.

She said that the traditional, fancy woodwork of houses was being taken away by the woodworks mafia. Shahnaz Ismail, faculty member of the IVS, narrated the rich cultural heritage of Baltistan by presenting a case study of Shigar and the Shigar Fort, about a 45-minute drive from Skardu. Through a power point presentation, she highlighted the architectural heritage of Skardu, including the influences of neighbouring Tibet and Ladakh, which were prominent up until the 15th Century.

She showed pictures of the various sections of the interior of the fort that had been refurbished by IVS team. It showed how even the simplest of décor could enliven dwelling places. She stressed the imperative need for environmental consciousness which was amply

reflected in the slides. Besides, the slides showed the picturesque view of the Amacha Gardens and a really breathtaking view of the sky-piercing snow-capped peaks of the Karakorams. The slides also dealt with the exquisite handicrafts of the area which reflected Baltistan’s cultural heritage.

Saba Sami of the Institute of the Institute of Art and Culture, Lahore, speaking on the socio-cultural construct of architectural conservation within a society, said that it was based on the established value pattern of a society. Others who spoke were Hamid Soomro, faculty member of the IVS, and Ali Uzayer on Skype from Turkey. He is from the Middle Eastern Technical University.