When India's Dusty Heart held a portion of the World:- Bidar, the city of "Whispering Monuments"

In the dusty summer of 2018, when I worked with the Indian State Government, I chanced across a city so monumental and grandiose it seemed hard to imagine this dusty hamlet with sprawling monuments and endlessly meandering forts was once a hub of globalization and represented a sample of the entire world gathered at one place. Almost as if time had in the blink of an eye magically decided to undo everything.

I was welcomed to Bidar. A dusty town in South-Central India in the State of Karnataka. At first glance, Bidar seems almost like a living time capsule. Giant gates flanked what seemed to be the entrance of the city. They towered over tiny huts and hamlets made of scrap metal and iron, almost like serving as a silent metaphor for the country's history. On the route was the 16th century Mahmud Gawan Madrasa (Ancient Islamic University) with electrifying Blue Persian tiles with all the enigma of the ancient Lapis Lazuli colors which we all associated with ancient Mesopotamia and Babylon.

Bidar's unique Indo-Islamic History can be traced to the 15th Century when it was ruled by the Persian Bahmani Dynasty. During those times Turks, Persians, and Hungarians jostled with Indian Natives to form a cultural fabric both fascinating and intriguing at the same time. Almost like the sands of Central Asia had flown to the Indian Heartland and taken on an Indian Guise. Bidar's grand gates and arches speak of a bygone era of much power and command. The Mahmud Gawan Madrasa is stately and reminiscent of a great Royal court, or Concert Hall with its two arms stretching side by side, and a Great Hall at the Center with hundreds of small private chambers by its side. Back in the day, it contained almost 3000 valuable transcripts from different parts of the world. It was hard to conceive of the scale of its full grandeur when the ruins themselves enchanted the common eye. What is awe-inspiring is the Bidar Fort which almost seemed to hug the entire city with walls so thick they seemed to resemble the earth's crust. Within the walls lies the still intact "Rangeen Mahal" or Colourful Mansion where pearls are embedded in exquisite wooden tile work, while other palaces and villas lie in ruins leaving much to the imagination. A particularly intriguing attraction is the "Barid Shahi" Tomb the grave of a Hungarian who became the Emperor's Prime Minister. Almost like Magyars had found a way through the steppes to the Central Indian Plateau

What is particularly ingenious about Bidar's is its "Karez" an underground gravity-driven Water Supply System for transporting water from an aquifer or water well to the surface, through an aqueduct. The system was introduced by Persian Rulers, who recognizing the semi-arid climate of South-Central India built the underground channels to maintain a regular supply of water. This system is capable of functioning even today.

Looking back at Bidar, one is filled with a sense of wistfulness, almost a sense of melancholy over a past that seems to be standing still while time has rushed past indifferent. Recently, the WMF (World Monument Fund) an International Non-Profit dedicated to preserving world heritage classified the site as "threatened". What particularly makes it painful is the town's entire fabric which seems almost frozen in time, but withering with neglect. It screams for attention while holding its ground against the ruthless tides of time. Bidar today is also a small and compact town that happens to be one of the poorest in the region. From a conservation point of view, the fabric and landscape of the town seem to be in almost perfect harmony with each other. With a small and dispersed population living in the citadel, successful restoration could easily transform the impoverished town into a vibrant and thriving Historic Old City with flourishing Bazaars and Squares creating a quaint and rustic aura that will invite hordes of tourists. What also goes in the favor of Bidar is the site's proximity to other ancient historic introducing prospects for establishing a string of tourist destinations and partnerships between fellow historic towns.

Heritage and Tourism are inextricably linked to the growth of cities and societies and in this particular context will not only transform the town socially and economically but will also help re-gain its pride and esteem as a city and people. Besides the obvious benefits of tourism, the cultural pride and belonging that comes with the restoration of heritage can never be articulated in concrete terms. If at the end of the day development is a participative endeavor what better service can one render than helping an impoverished town with a rich history prosper and regain its lost pride and esteem?