YOUNG HERITAGE EXPLORERS' PROGRAMME
FRI DEC 24, 4-6 PM: FORT-IFIED
SAT, DEC 25, 10 AM - 12 PM: WATERWORKS OF AHMEDABAD
SUN, DEC 26, 10 AM - 1 PM: TALES OF SAILS
XMAS Weekend of learning with fun!
your instructors.
Gauri Bharat
Architectural Historian
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Zeus Pithawala
Conservation Architect
Drashti Nakrani
Architect Artist
The Heritage Experts
with stories to share
Gauri Bharat is an architectural historian, who teaches, writes books, and generally dreams about history most of the time!
She will be joined by Zeus Pithawala, a conservation architect and educator, who is equally mad about all things history and heritage, and Drashti Nakrani, an architect-artist who currently works on exhibitions at the CHC.
In association with The Hive, The YHEP (Young Heritage Explorers Programme) is organized by the CHC (Centre for Heritage Conservation, CRDF - CEPT Research and Development Foundation), which conducts pioneering research and advises on historic buildings and cities in Ahmedabad and other parts of India.
“the more you know about the past, the better prepared you are for the future.”
theodore roosevelt
How well do you know your city that is India’s first UNESCO World Heritage site? Deeply rooted in tradition, Ahmedabad has been the melting pot of many cultures. The city’s rich ethnic and architectural heritage is vital to its local identity and growth. As ambassadors of the future, are you equipped to represent your metropolis to the world?
If not, here’s a chance to dig into the past for a well-poised future. But history isn’t writ in books alone. It is woven in the monuments, designs, and people of a place that can be better discovered through an exploratory ramble.
Join Gauri Bharat and team from the Centre for Heritage Conservation (CEPT Research and Development Foundation) to explore Ahmedabad’s rich and glorious past. Through 3 independent workshops, Gauri and her team will take young explorers on a journey of discovery of the city’s endowments.
All workshops will start at The Hive at 10:00 am. Participants will be taken to the fieldwork sites in a group, accompanied by workshop facilitators and volunteers. Resources for hands-on fieldwork activities will be provided.
Workshop 1: FORT-IFIED! (Fri, Dec 24 | 4-6 pm)
Stories of Ahmedabad's walls and gates
Do you want to know why Ahmedabad had a wall around it? And why it was broken? Or why the gates were named after places? Join us as we take a walk along the historic fort walls of Ahmedabad and discover fun facts about the past of the city.
Workshop 2: Waterworks of Ahmedabad (Sat, Dec 25 | 10 am – 12 pm)
How our ancestors got water
Ever wondered how hundreds of years ago people got water to drink, cook, and bathe? Join us for a morning of fun exploring the fabulous underground structures in the medieval city of Ahmedabad – from natural depressions to tankas to stepwells – and learn about how they worked.
Workshop 3: Tales of Sails (Sun, Dec 26 | 10 am – 1 pm)
Stories of Ahmedabad's monuments, designs, and people from around the world
From the Parsis to the Sidis, many an ethnic group has arrived via the sea route into Gujarat, as merchants, sailors, or slaves. In this workshop, students will be introduced to ideas and cultures that have shaped Ahmedabad's history. But this is no boring history lesson! We will visit heritage buildings, discover signs and symbols, and hear about tales from long and not so long ago!
TAKEAWAYS
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Time travel into the past as you explore Ahmedabad with a team of experts
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Pep up your knowledge of the local history without the aid of boring textbooks
WHO IS THE PROGRAMME FOR?
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Young explorers 8 to 14 years
faqs.
1. What resources will I need to bring for this programme?
Curious minds and willing-to-walk legs. Sunglasses, a hat, and a waterbottle would help too. The rest, such as an activity kit, will be provided by us.
2. Will there be fieldtrips? What would be the logistics like?
Of course, explorations cannot be complete without visiting sites of interest, right? We shall congregate at designated assembly points 15 mins ahead of the session. We shall inform you of the meeting and farewell locations once you have registered. The fieldtrips will be on foot, but for workshop 2, we will set off either in our private vehicles, or pre-arranged transport to locations on the city's outskirts. All sessions will begin with an orientation.
3. Are the workshops interlinked? Do I need to register for all three?
The workshops are not inter-related, except they are all about the history and heritage of our city. You may opt for one or more as per your choice.
4. What safety precautions will be taken by the organizers?
We will be working in small groups. Our instructors and staff are fully vaccinated, and masks will be used when indoors or within close proximity. However, the participants are responsible for their own health & safety.
