The walk as it is at present, identifying the areas of improvement.




With the changes made we will get a more cyclic structure, hence increasing the number of people walking the walk.

Stated below are few points from the discussion which we had and which helped me move ahead.

~ Finalize on the communication needs
After all the analysis made, what do you actually need to do?
What is the need of the time?

~ Fix on the Target Group
Is it for first time visitors?
How will u make it more memorable that they visit again??
Or is it for the repeaters???

~ There are three ways of looking at it.
1. DIRECT - the direct use of images or identifiers.
2. METAPHORICAL- making use of metaphors.
3. ASPIRATIONAL - Second level of value addition, that adds the wow factor.
That rings in the mind of the viewer and adds to the memorable experience. Surprise.

The Data collection and analysis stage seemed to be never ending. I decided to move on as I had already gathered enough data to help me understand the Heritage, the walks and to some extent the whole idea of 'Branding" it.

But being a student, the research stage will ever end, as there is still a lot that I need to know. As the project proceeds, I will definitely know what is missing and try to fill the gaps.

I began by trying to categorize the data as follows.

While walking the walk, I did interact with a lot of people. Some first time visitors, and some frequent visitors.

"The walk is always enriching. This is, I think, my 5th visit to the walk and I still never get bored of it. I like the way the name is written. Very clear, very specific. This has to be designed for the local minds, and not for designers mind. The other communication material needs to be worked out. Needs to decide what information to give and what not to."
Natasha Jay Singh (5th visit to the walk)


Wolfgang Eilrich was on a 14-day trip to Mumbai- Ahmedabad- Chandigarh- Delhi- Agra- Jaipur in a group of about 25 urban and traffic planner from several towns in Germany. He had three interesting days stay in Ahmedabad and during this time he went for the Heritage Walk.

Wolgang wanted to connect his digital photos with the Heritage Walk. He tried to upload them on Google-Earth, but Google doesn’t show the name of the buildings. So he wanted a special map of the walk, like the one I have uploaded on my blog. And that's how the conversation began...

1. Your experience (in total) about the walk. (goods and bads)

"I think it is a wonderful idea to create such a walk. On condition that there are a lot of interesting points in a town I like it to walk from one point to the other. And you have this situation in Ahmedabad (goods).

But when I walk like this - from point to point - , I also want to do it possibly alone without a guide. I saw no signs during the tour showing me the way. Maybe it was my problem, because we had a normal guided tour. But in other towns we walked parts of a town a second time alone and then it would be helpful to see signs to find the way. At other points during our round trip through India, we saw signs at highlight points with English explanations. In the time of digital photos we often take a photo of this explanations. Last point: the guide we had was – compared to other cities in India – not very talkative (bads)."

2. Your say on the Identity of the ' Heritage Walk of Ahmedabad' and the other communication material given (like the brochure n the map).

"I think the communication material is too poor or scanty. If there is more material existing it was not offered during our walk. To a lot of points in India I can find further informations in the web so that I can edit my photos at home. The brochure in the web to the Heritage walk in Ahmedabad has at several points only a link to a photo site without more informations to the specific point. And this photo is very small. This should be completed urgent. A map as on your blog-site would be helpful (I hope you won’t forget me)."

3. Any suggestion that you would like to give.
See above

"Altogether is the Heritage walk a wonderful idea, but the informations of Ahmedabad in the printed or digital way here in Germany are very scanty."
Wolfgang Eilrich (Germany)

Shiho Kitto, a photography student from UK, walked the walk with me. Here's what she had to say.

1. An Iconic image is needed for the walk which should be identified by the tourists as well as the locals.
2. Signage or maps are required at the locations, in case anyone wants to visit alone.
3. The present identity is more like a European and less like that of Ahmedabad. Could belong to any place.

This emblem symbolizes the interdependence of cultural and natural properties: the central square is a form created by man and the circle represents nature, the two being intimately linked. The emblem is round like the world, but at the same time it is a symbol of protection.

Some of the walks described here are permanent. But, some of them are temporary, organized only when there is demand from the visitors or on other special occasions. Some others are an every day affair.

Some walks are specially organized for students. For example, the Express Group Quest was a project conducted by the Indian Express in schools in and around Delhi. Quest aimed at stirring awareness and opinions. Today, all that the children see are shopping malls and concrete buildings. The idea behind such an activity was to create awareness about the various structures and monuments that the students do not know about. This was a specially designed programme, in order to help the students appreciate the rich culture and background of their city. This was organized in association with INTACH and ASI. The visit was followed by the students sending in articles, pictures, poems, paintings, and collages to express their experiences about the heritage walk.

Delhi Heritage Walk

These are the various places that have walked the Heritage Walk in Delhi.

Nizamuddin
Day/ Date: Sunday, 1st Feb'09
Time: 8.15 am
Duration: 2 hrs.approx
Charges: Rs 50/- per person
The focus of this area is the living shrine of the sufi saint Nizamuddin Aulia. Apart from the Tomb of the saint, there is a thirteen century mosque, several beautiful Mughal tombs of Ghalib the great Urdu poet of the nineteenth century.

Chandini Chowk
Day/Date: Saturday, 7th Feb'09
Time: 8.15 am
Duration: 2 hrs. approx
Charges: Rs. 50/- per person
The walk covers the shri Digambara Jain Lal mandir, Gauri Shankar temple, State Bank of India, Central Baprist Church, Siaganj Gurudwara, Sunheri Masjid, Paranthewali gali, Naughara, Dharampura, and Gali Guliyan. The walk ends at the gate of the Jama Masjid.

Daryaganj
Day/ Date: Sunday, 8th Feb’09
Time: 8.15 am
Duration: 2 hrs. Approx
Charges: Rs. 50/- per person
The walk goes through the publishing hub of Delhi which is also a significant historic area. The highlights include the elaborate fortifications of the walled city, two royal Mughal mosques, and streets lines with many structures with late colonial architectural features –including houses, commercial and institutional buildings.

Qutub Minar
Day/ Date: Saturday, 14th Feb’09
Time: 8.15 am
Duration: 2 hrs. Approx
Charges: Rs. 100/- per person
The Qutub Minar complex is a premier visitor attraction of the city. The walk will explore structures such as the Qutub Mosque, the Tomb of Iltutmish, the Madarsa, gateway and incomplete Minar of Allauddin. Also of course we will look at and discuss the Qutub Minar and the repairs and modifications in it down the centuries, including the additions during British rule.

Mehrauli Archaeological Park
Day/ Date: Sunday, 15th Feb’09
Time: 8.15 am
Duration: 2 hrs approx.
Charges: Rs.50/- per person
The walk covers Balban’s tomb, Jamali Kamali’s mosque and tomb, Metcalfe’s bridge, Boathouse, Quli Khan’s tomb, Metcalfe’s Guest house, Rajon ki Baoli, Mosque and tomb, Serai , Maulana Majduddin’s tomb and Khan Shahid’s tomb.

Mehrauli Village
Day/Date: Saturday, 21st Feb’09
Time: 8.15 am
Duration: 2 hrs. Approx
Charges: Rs. 50/- per person
This walk traverses the length of the village of Mehrauli, taking is sights such as the tomb of Adham Khan, palace of the last Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah, a large thirteenth century reservoir and the palace beside it, and finally the Jharna – pleasure pavilions beside a now dry waterfall.

Lodi Garden
Day/Date: Sunday, 22nd Feb’09
Time: 8.15 am
Duration: 1 and half hour approx.
Charges: Rs. 50/- per person
A beautiful landscaped garden set in the midst of New Delhi, this park contains some exquisite examples of medieval architecture. There are Syed and Lodi tombs and mosques, a Mughal garden and mosque, and other scattered structures.

Hauz Khas
Day/ Date: Saturday, 28th Feb’09
Time: 8.15 am
Duration: 2 hrs approx.
Charges: Rs. 50/- per person
The highlights of this area are the thirteenth century reservoir which has now been revived and teems with bird life; and the buildings of a renowned Madarsa beside which is also the tomb of its royal founder, Firoz Shah Tughlaq. Several other pavilions, tombs and mosques are to be
found in the surrounding park.

These walks happen only on Saturdays and Sundays. Here is their pamplet design.



Dimensions: 8.7 by 20.3 cms.
The architecture of Delhi is the main highlight here, with illustrated images of the main monuments. The border also uses the motif of the same. They don't have a proper designed symbol, but just a logotype stating the 'Heritage Walk', with just brief description of the walk and other registration details.


Jaipur Heritage walk.

The heritage walk starts at the Albert hall Museum and goes through the Film colony, Thatheron Ka Rasta, Nataniyon Ka Rasta and various temples and museums on the way along with watching the making of the traditional Lac Bangles.

Jaipur has been famous for being one of the earliest planned cities in the world. The founder, Sawai Jai Singh II, the architect Vidyadhar Bhattacharya and Prime Minister Raja Aya Mal Khatri all worked together to build this unique city. The main attractions of Jaipur include its unique architectural style, the extent of uniformity in the façade of the buildings in the main markets and the methods adopted to break this monotony.

While modernization has brought about many changes the basic layout and much of traditional plan remains unchanged. A walk through the walled city is the best possible way to observe the rich heritage and take a closer look at the city’s architecture, its art and its culture and traditions.





Map showing the different pockets of Jaipur where different craft forms flourished, indicated by colour coding.



Cartoons drawn by children after they took the Heritage walk of Jaipur, about the harm done to the monuments due to bird feeding, for a special addition newspaper.

Pondicherry Heritage Walk.

With a view of offering a sensitive revelation of the city to tourists and the citizens themselves, INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage) has planned the Heritage walk of Pondicherry. There are a very few monumental buildings in Pondicherry. Its architectural character is a result of hundreds of French and Tamil houses that give Pondiherry its identity.



The students walking the walk and a few of the publications by the department.



Dimensions: 38 by 25 cms, Accordian Fold.
This is a brochure with a Trail road map where the places of interest of the two walks that they organize have been marked using numbers and some information provided about each place.




They have given the before and after images of the houses restored by them, giving an opportunity for the people to compare the two, and hence help in the restoration and further preservation of the ancient buildings.

Hydrabad Heritage Walk



Here is a single map of Hydrabad, on which various heritage walks have been marked using numbers and colour coding.

Mumbai Heritage Walk
Route: Beginning from Azad Maidan to Crowford Market



Gandhi Aashram walk brochure



Map for Gandhi Aashram walk which was organised on the 77th Anniversary of Dandi Yatra, was marked with the identities of historic personalities.

In most of the Indian cities the need of the day is proper sanitation, especially such areas covering the Heritage Walk. Vehicular traffic on the narrow roads of the city should not be allowed as in the European countries as it creates a lot of trouble for the pedestrians and the public.

Heritage Walks outside India.
Walks outside India are somewhat similar but are packaged a bit differently.

Salford Heritage Walk (Manchester)
Here's what they have to say.

"Exercise your body and mind and explore the fascinating history of the city on our friendly and informal Heritage Walks. The programme of Heritage Walks is a great way of getting some exercise, meeting new people and discovering more about the city. The walks are suitable for all ages and are on even ground, however not suitable for wheelchair users or pushchairs. Lace up your walking shoes and step out for a fun and fact packed walk."

Comox Valley Heritage Walk (Canada)



The brochure of this walk is designed to self-guide the walker. On the first page it has the routes clearly marked on the map. From the next page onwards they tell you more about each area as you proceed the walk, by zooming on to that location and pointing on the map indicating exactly where you are.

Nayang University (Singapore) Walk


This map has been marked in a more playful way.

Balmoral Self-Guided heritage walk, Scotland.





This is a self-guided walk, having the areas directly marked on satellite map.

The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage or INTACH, is an autonomous non-governmental Indian NGO that seeks to preserve Indian Art and Cultural heritage.

It was founded in 1984 with Rajiv Gandhi, as its first chairman and its headquarters are in New Delhi, and today it has chapters in 117 Indian cities, plus in Belgium, UK and USA. INTACH is the only non-governmental Indian non-profit society working for the awareness, and conservation of Indian culture and heritage.

INTACH chapters in collaboration with Municipal Corporations, Heritage Societies and other authorities organize Heritage Walks in different parts of the respective cities.