Heritage week

In line with World Heritage Week, celebrated worldwide from November 19-25 to protect and promote heritage monuments of religious, historical and cultural significance, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), in association with NGO Svayam, inaugurated the celebrations on Wednesday at Qutab Minar — India’s only “accessible” world heritage site. Entry for visitors on the occasion was made free and as a result the heritage site was flooded with tourists and students. The theme this time round was to showcase the accessibility aspect of monuments and also encourage children to bring their grandparents to heritage sites. As a part of this, chief guest Sminu Jindal, founder, Svayam, administered an oath to over 300 students from different schools of Delhi to preserve heritage and protect monuments from defacement and other damage. Sminu Jindal, founder, Svayam said, “It’s a cause to celebrate and heartening to see ASI’s initiatives in carrying out Svayam’s audit reports to make Qutub Minar — the very first world heritage site in the country accessible to people with reduced mobility. I look forward to making all heritage sites accessible with ASI support. Svayam plans to work on Red Fort and Taj Mahal next. Today, there are five access ramps all across the heritage site and a person confined to a wheel chair can move around the complex independently. Said K K Muhammed, superintending archaeologist, Delhi circle: “Of the three World Heritage monuments in the Capital, Qutab Minar is the first freely accessible one.”