Happy New Year 2025

-

 



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Stepwell in Qutb Shahi tombs complex restored

-
Image
  Serish Nanisetti ‘Probably one of the earliest structures here; might pre-date the necropolis’ x in  Lessons from the past: The restored stepwell inside the Qutb Shahi tombs complex in Hyderabad. Serish Nanisetti  In the marvellous garden of a stucco work necropolis of the Qutb Shahi tombs, it is a deep stepwell of dressed granite. While curvy flowy lines and stucco decorations are the norm in the tombs complex, the stepwell is all about straight lines and minimalistic design. Recently restored to the way it appears in archival images from 19th century by the Department of Archaeology and Museums, the effort has been aided by US Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation. “It is probably one of the earliest structures here, along with the Idgah and might pre-date the necropolis. The other  boalis  (stepwells) are built on rocky outcrops. This one is built into the earth with huge blocks of hand-dressed stone blocks and masonry,” informs Ratish Nanda of Aga Kh...
Read more

Public perceptions matter in the conservation of rivers

-
Image
  by   Ranjan K. Panda The ability of rivers to sustain biodiversity and deliver ecosystem services is governed by the degree to which their natural flow regime and connectivity are maintained. No matter how one perceives a river, whether based on its existence, importance to human or key to progress, if rivers are destroyed, civilisations will perish. In India, dams are often symbols of development in the popular mind. It’s important to build public perceptions around the ecosystem values of rivers, writes Ranjan K. Panda in this commentary. The views in this commentary are that of the author. The other day I asked my friends on social media: What is that one word which comes to their mind when they see a river? Hundreds of them replied and almost everyone said they felt river means water, life. Many equated rivers with freedom, flow of life.  For many years I had been wondering if fellow human beings had completely distanced themselves from rivers. These responses dispr...
Read more