1.The Title of the Practice: Heritage Walk: Walking Back to Tradition
2. Goal
The practice of Heritage walk seeks a way to learn and recognize the culture, tradition, philosophy, myths and associated rituals with them. The aim is to make aware of the rich culture and history, by visiting the historical monuments and sites. It also helps in bringing focus of authorities towards the degrading conditions of heritage place, its preservation, conservation and restoration. The goal is to make the students understand, to value, to care and to conserve our heritage.
3. The Context
Heritage walk is an initiative to turn to the neglected and hitherto suppressed and marginalised histories and histories of localities that are pregnant with tradition and ethnicity. It tries to discover the historical significance that are concealed or forgotten in its by-lanes, crowded bazaars, places of worship, and public infrastructural development including schools, hospitals, institutes and offices. Each walk has yielded a wealth of information and has revealed many insights. It also brings home the memories of a rich ethnic tradition and the need to preserve the same.
4. The Practice
The Department of History has been following the practice of Heritage walk ever since from the year 2000 onwards. The word Heritage refers to events or processes that have a special meaning in group memory. Heritage means the culture of a particular society such as traditions, languages, buildings that were created in the past and transmitted to generations. Thus, the department take their students on every year to the regional heritage sites, language heritage sites, industrial heritage etc. along with cultural heritage and environmental or natural heritage. Natural heritage includes fauna and flora, geology, landscape and land forms and other natural resources in a specific geographical area. The first-hand knowledge in the diversity of faith, language, customs, beliefs, architecture, art and a variety of visual and performing is attained through this walk. It is the way that history follows to appreciate, memorise, cherish, preserve and conserve archaeology and artefacts.
5. Evidence of Success
The programme is a success as it enables a way to create an awareness for the necessity to preserve such spots not only among the students but also among the authorities. The programme is an eyeopener, as the students make a study of these places in their projects and come up with a new Page reading of local histories, study of ignored historical personalities and gives space for mininarratives. Due to the pandemic situation, only selected students were taken to visit the nearby locations of historical importance such as includes KoyikkalPalace, Anjego Fort, VarkalaPapanasam Beach.
6. Problems Encountered and Resources Required
The government haven’t sponsored any financial support for the programme. Hence there is some financial constraints which limits the scope of the programme to the regional places and was not able to take the students to distant places. This is a problem to be addressed, as Heritage Walk is a means to enrich and cherish the ethnic culture of a locality. The pandemic situation due to the Covid 19 bars the practice to be carried out in a full-fledged manner.
7. Constitution of Committee
- Principal
- Head of the Department
- Teacher co-ordinator
- Student Co-ordinator
- Parent Member