THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : From Muziris in Ernakulam to the many historical places in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala has many regions blessed with evidence of time that once was. Many of these heritage sites, which keep tales of the yore hidden beneath the soil, are also facing abject neglect.
Experts in the conservation and preservation of heritage sites have called for implementing a scheme similar to the ‘adopt a site or monument’ programme, which was recently approved by the Karnataka Legislative Assembly. P J Cherian, founder-director of Kerala Council for Historical Research and PAMA Research Institute, has sent a letter to the chief minister appealing the initiation of such a programme in the state, which has a lot of heritage structures and sites in dire need of conservation.
“The key amendment in the Karnataka Act enables agencies such as companies, societies, trusts, NGOs, and individuals to adopt ancient monuments, archaeological sites, heritage buildings, and strucures and sites. They can undertake conservation, preservation, restoration, and maintenance activities under their CSR programmes,” he explains.
Though the urban history of Kerala goes back to 1,000 BCE with the dissemination of iron technology, similar to the neighbouring states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, the state’s popular historical conscience is confined to the last thousand years, he adds.
“The only archaeological site with settlement evidence of ancient Kerala is Pattanam, and it is in a helpless condition due to neglect and disarray. The global impact of the Pattanam archaeological data has been phenomenal,” he says.
For example, at the peak phase of the site from 300 BCE to 300 CE, it had contacts with nearly 40 cultures stretching from South China to Spain. Ancient DNA studies on 11 skeletal remains showed that the people who died and were buried there belonged to the Afro and Eurasian regions.
Cheriyan adds that PAMA can adopt the Pattanam village. “As a multidisciplinary non-profit educational trust located in Pattanam, we express our willingness to adopt the village and develop it into a world heritage site with local community involvement and professional collaboration worldwide,” Cherian says.
According to him, the benefits of this amendment may lead to advances in scientific research, increased employment opportunities, tourist attraction, boosting local economies, and encouraging local communities and corporate participation in heritage conservation.
Recently, M P Sivadathan, president of Kerala Homestays and Tourism Society, said that many heritage buildings in Fort Kochi and Mattancherry have been crumbling under neglect.
“With buildings dating back 200 to 400 years bowing down to the ravages of times, it won’t be long before these historical places lose their value as heritage spots leading to a drop in tourist footfall,” he says.