India Heritage Walk Festival 2018 : A Heritage Walk in Jodhpur, the Blue City

JODHPUR:
Set in the stark landscape of the Thar Desert, Jodhpur has multiple epithets to flaunt; cultural capital of Rajasthan, Blue City, Sun City, a microcosm of the country due to the diverse cultures and faiths that have been harmoniously accommodated here over the ages. Each epithet defines a distinctive feature of Jodhpur, the second largest city of India’s desert state.
The vibrancy of the city, as exhibited by its festivals, rituals, historical buildings, palaces, havelis, temples, ponds, stepwells, old marketplaces, textiles and the iconic 15th century Mehrangarh Fort with its beautiful stone carvings, will be refreshed in the memory of local residents as part of a curated walk series of the ongoing India Heritage Walk Festival (IHWF).
A former princely state Jodhpur is among 20 cities hosting the month-long, multi-city IHWF 2018 organised jointly by Sahapedia (sahapedia.org), the online encyclopedia of Indian arts and culture, and Yes Culture, the cultural division of Yes Global Institute, a practising think tank of Yes Bank, to encourage citizens to explore the tangible and intangible heritage of their cities and towns.
The two heritage walks in the city, to be held on February 15 (Thursday) and February 16 (Friday), will be led by INTACH Jodhpur Chapter with Mehrangarh Museum Trust as partner. The three-hour walk will explore the various nooks and crannies of Jodhpur with experts narrating the tales behind the city’s handicraft industry, famous for its quality and craftsmanship. Bandhani textiles and colourful mojari juttis (footwear) are particularly popular among tourists due to their unique design.
The Mehrangarh Fort, now a museum, displays weapons, paintings and royal palanquins. It overlooks the walled city where many buildings are painted in the city’s iconic shade of blue. Those joining the walk can also treat themselves to delicacies like mawa kachori, mirchi bada and rabri ladoo which form part of Jodhpur’s exquisite local cuisine.
Details about the walks and other programmes of IHWF 2018, map routes and registration information are available on http://www.indiaheritagewalkfestival.com
Vaibhav Chauhan, Festival Director (IHWF) and Secretary, Sahapedia, says, ‘The India Heritage Walk Festival 2018 is a celebration of all that Sahapedia stands for. In an attempt to create authentic, credible, and exhaustive content on our rich heritage and culture, we are developing a network of cultural practitioners across the country. This festival is a part of this pan-India movement, making heritage spaces more popular, more accessible and more experiential. This is exactly why the festival tries to involve people from various walks of life with a range of thematic experiences covered through the walks and caters to as many people as possible.’
Rana Kapoor, MD & CEO, Yes Bank and Chairman, Yes Global Institute, says “India is blessed with a rich heritage and cultural history, which is abundantly manifested in monuments and architectural sites across our country. Civil society participation in our Nation’s heritage, aided by activities such as heritage walks, is integral to the preservation and conservation of these sites. Such heritage tourism initiatives, with the wholehearted participation and involvement of local communities and citizens, have the potential to instill immense national pride and further the agenda of heritage development,”
Preeti Sinha, Global Convenor, Yes Global Institute, says, “The understanding of heritage in 21st century India has expanded from the protection of historic buildings and monuments to focus on more general understanding of the wider context and preservation of tangible and intangible cultural forms. Through active engagement with built, natural and living heritage through the design of walks, talks, and digital media such as films and social forums, the festival is a touchstone for conscious thinking towards formulating historically-sensitive policy and decision making.”
IHWF 2018, covering 20 cities and towns around the country, features walks to historical monuments and shrines, well-known landscapes, places known for art and culture, cuisine and flourishing trade.There is an online film festival of documentaries based on cultural themes and lecture series curated as ‘baithaks’ and Instameets as part of nearly 70 events scheduled throughout the month.