Experts urge authorities to give more importance for Heritage Walk

Warangal : The Historians along with the people of Warangal district and heritage lovers urging the authorities to give more importance to Heritage Walk, since the walk can make everyone to look back and remind the rich culture, tradition, philosophy, myths and rituals associated with the monuments and beautiful architectural sites present in the city.Many people pass by the beautiful heritage structures such as Thousand Pillar Temple, Warangal Fort, Keerthi Thoranams, Swayambu Temple, Bhadrakali Temple, Padmakshi Temple, Kush Mahal, Srinagara Bavi and Khazipet Dargh everyday in a hurry to reach their offices or colleges or schools without noticing them.

Prof Srinath, Head of Department of History and Tourism Management, Kakatiya University, said, “Not many people, especially youngsters, are aware of the city history and stories behind a few structures or localities existing today. Heritage walk is a tool to explore the unexplored and neglected richness of the City. Participants can enjoy their walk learning about the brief history and traditional rituals associated with the ancient monuments.”

Warangal, the second largest city in Telangana with rich architectural heritage has always been a source of inspiration. It had been chosen earlier for holistic development under the Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) pilot project. Its aesthetic appeal will definitely go up if its unique heritage character is highlighted, he added.

Venkata Swamy, a retired government teacher and resident of Warangal district said, “Conducting heritage walks becomes a capacity building exercise for all those, who are involved with the government in this interesting activity and can encourage people to protect these great heritage sites for the future generations.” Barigala Shiva Kumar, history lecturer said, “Cities like Warangal with rich history and heritage are best experienced on foot. When more and more people get awareness of the historical wealth around them, then only they will play the role of 'Heritage Watchdogs' when the need arises.”

He also said, “Children accompanying with their parents on these walks gives them an immense pleasure and a different experience to them as they look at history and heritage very differently. What one learns in textbooks is very different from what one learns on a trip to ancient monuments where they can get to see, touch and feel things for real.

“Heritage walks must be conducted on all Sundays by fixing certain time by arranging with a simple breakfast at the end of the walks to attract many number of tourists,” he added.According to the District Tourism Department the number of foreign tourists visited Warangal district was over 1,000, besides 79 lakhs domestic tourists in 2016.In a review meeting held on Saturday to discuss on arrangements of ‘International Kite Festival’ to be held on January 17, the Warangal Urban District Collector Kata Amrapali had taken decision to conduct ‘Heritage Walk’ as one of the event to attract many national and international tourists who are going to participate in the Kite Festival.

But the Historians and the localities have shown their unhappiness towards the proposal of including the Heritage Walk as one event in the International Kite Festival and are opined that the Heritage walk must be given much importance rather than including it as a supplement topic to boost up later event.

They said Warangal is a beautiful landscape with rich cultural heritage. The real essence of the city will be unearthed by conducting heritage walks which highlights a vast range of architectural styles. It is impossible to reconstruct such structures, if we lose them.
Therefore, people must unite to save these precious and valuable cultural properties of the City by actively participating in Heritage Walks. It also helps in bringing focus of authorities towards the degrading conditions of heritage place, promoting their care and restoration.