Beyond Protected Heritage Sites: A Geospatial Study of Malaprabha River Valley

Suganya, Kuili (2022) Beyond Protected Heritage Sites: A Geospatial Study of Malaprabha River Valley. Doctoral thesis, NIAS.

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Thesis advisorRajani, MBmbrajani@nias.res.in
Abstract: The three heritage epi-centres of the Malaprabha River Valley, in Karnataka: Aihole, Badami and Pattadakal are developed as heritage precincts of Early Chalukyan heartland. Although the Valley is a lived landscape housing heritage structures from times before and after Early Chalukyan period. Though the heritage charters (national and international) and pedagogies advocate for integrated study of heritage by including their landscape and recognise the limitation of a monument centric approach, the existing processes remain monument centric.The primary objective of the doctoral research was to identify, document and geospatially analyse the Valley’s heritage built environments for addressing questions around built heritage and their landscape by not limiting to the protected monuments. This doctoral research used water harvesting features and hydrology to explore, study, and analyse the Valley’s heritage built environments. Towards this, a list of heritage built environments (both protected and unprotected) were compiled, geotagged, and geospatially analysed. This list - from multiple sources (such as colonial records, cartographic sources, and existing online government databases) - had to be freshly prepared due to non-availability of ready reliable geospatial data. The present study visualized and analysed the Valley’s built environment as an imbricated palimpsest, by foregrounding their physical landscape which enabled the appreciation of ecological and socio-cultural significance of the many unprotected structures. The study highlighted that the structures that qualify as heritage need not carry the typical physical fabric similar to the protected monuments. Rather, they can be architecturally insignificant, mundane-looking structures having continuity into the present times through collective memories and carry socio-cultural significance. The statistical analysis indicated the importance of recognising the potentials and strengths of the settlement’s physiographic parameters (as hydrology, hydro-geomorphology, geology, and soil). Recognising the relevance of the small structures and thoughtfully made subtle terrain modifications at Badami's environs highlighted the dependency of the protected monuments on such inconspicuous landscape features. The present work emphasizes that water features (both natural and man-made) proved to be the visible or sometimes invisible link that weaves together the Valley's protected and unprotected heritage built environments.
Item Type: Thesis (Doctoral)
Additional Information: The thesis was submitted to Manipal Academy of Higher Education Manipal. [Year of Award 2022][Thesis No. TH66]
Keywords: Malaprabha River Valley, Protected Monuments, Geospatial
Subjects: School of Humanities > History
School of Humanities > Archaeology
Doctoral Programme > Theses
Date Deposited: 06 Sep 2022 05:19
Last Modified: 22 Aug 2023 11:18
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    URI: http://eprints.nias.res.in/id/eprint/2368

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