Preserving the Intangible Heritage:

Neemrana Kala Kendra – A Crafts and Tourism Complex

A thesis submitted to the

Graduate School

Of the University of Cincinnati

In partial fulfillment of the

Requirements for the degree of

Master of Architecture

In the Department of Art, Architecture and Planning

Of the College of Architecture and Interior Design

By

Saakshi Terway

[Link]. Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University

May 2012

Committee Chair: Elizabeth Riorden

Committee Member: Aarati Kanekar

 Abstract
With rapid modernization and globalization, as the world is coming closer together, it gets even harder to

preserve the unique history and culture of each region. By providing a ‘Kala Kendra’ for the artists and

craftsmen of Neemrana Village, this project will look in depth at the problem of gradual erosion of the

region’s intangible heritage. By analyzing the present-day challenges encountered by regional identity

around the world, this project will look into the elements that form the heritage of Neemrana Village, as

well as the persistent problems within the village that are causing the extinction of these elements. To

preserve the culture of Neemrana, this thesis looks at the past attempts made around the world to

address similar issues. Also, by evaluating the traditional and vernacular architecture of the village, as well

as the arts and crafts of Neemrana, this project will use its essence to propose an adequate solution to

preserve its heritage without causing hindrance to the village’s growth and development. Through

blending methods of education and exhibition, a better typology will arise to more effectively serve the

community of Neemrana Village. Such a project requires a revised understanding of the art and

architecture and their maker’s process, and context. This new model will return art to the public to

validate its importance as a process and not just the final product.

i
ii
To Amma.

iii
 Table of Contents

Abstract i

Introduction 1

Regional Identity, Heritage, Crafts and Tourism 3

Regional Identity and Its Importance 3

Threats to Regional Identity and What Can Be Done to Preserve It? 4

Precedent Analysis 5

Chokhi Dhani, Jaipur, India 6

Pietrasanta Village, North Tuscany, Italy 7

Village of La Antigua Guatemala 8

Delhi Haat, New Delhi, India 9

Comparison, Analysis, and Application 11

Neemrana Village: A Case Study 12

Neemrana – From Then Till Now 12

Neemrana – Craftsmanship and the Challenges Faced 14

Neemrana and Tourism 15

Neemrana Kala Kendra 16

Methodology 17

Traditional and Vernacular Architecture of Neemrana 17

Analysis of the Craft forms of Neemrana 21

iv
 Site Study 23

Location 23

Site Analysis 24

Existing Buildings on Site 25

The Neemrana Stepwell 26

Design 28

Conceptual Design 30

Schematic Design 33

Design Development 33

Conclusion and Design Reflection 34

Glossary viii

Bibliography xi

Appendix A : Heritage and its Types xv

Appendix B : Native Plants of Neemrana xvii

Appendix C : Maps of Rajasthan xxi

v
 List of Illustrations

Figure 3-1: Chokhi Dani. Digital Image. Chokhi Dhani – The Ethenic Rajasthani Village, n.p., n.d. Web. September
2016 < [Link]

Figure 3-2: Majumdar, [Link] Image. Chokhi Dhani - Jaipur, n.p., n.d. Web. September 2016 <
[Link]

Figure 3-3: Chokhi Dani. Digital Image. Chokhi Dhani – The Ethenic Rajasthani Village, n.p., n.d. Web. September
2016 < [Link]

Figure 3-4: Cooney, Martin. Digital Image. Pietrasanta postcard, n.p., n.d. Web. September 2016 <
[Link]

Figure 3-5: Gamundi, Maria. Digital Image. Pietrasanta Marble Sculptures, n.p., n.d. Web. September 2016 <
[Link]

Figure 3-6: @Isaacvjr. Digital Image. Antigua Guatemala, n.p., n.d. Web. September 2016 <
[Link]

Figure 3-7: [Link]. Digital Image. Easter Week Flower Carpet, n.p., n.d. Web. September 2016 <
[Link]

Figure 3-8: The Horseshoe Journal. Digital Image. Guatemala Telas Weaving, n.p., n.d. Web. September 2016 <
[Link]

Figure 3-9: [Link]. Delhi Haat, n.p., n.d. Web. September 2016 <
[Link]
ator>.

Figure 3-10: Sachdeva, Pradeep. Degital Image. Delhi Haat, n.p., n.d. Web. September 2016 <
[Link]

Figure 3-11: Terway, Saakshi. Case Study Comparison and Analysis Diagram. Cincinnati, 2016. Indd.

Figure 4-1: Nath, Aman. Digital Image. Neemrana Fort Palace, n.p., n.d. Web. October 2016 < [Link]
[Link]/history>

Figure 4-2: Thrillophilia. Digital Image. Neemrana Fort Palace, n.p., n.d. Web. September
2016<[Link]

Figure 4-3: Brita. Digital Image. Neemrana Shoelady, n.p., n.d. Web. January 2017
<[Link]

Figure 4-4: Terway, Saakshi. Map of Neemrana. Cincinnati.2016. Psd.

Figure 5-1: Terway, Saakshi. Vernacular Features Analysis Diagram. Cincinnati. 2016. Indd.

Figure 5-2: Terway, Saakshi. Case Study Analysis Diagram. Cincinnati. 2016. Indd.

Figure 5-3: Terway, Saakshi. Digital Image. Jewelry Making, Neemrana. 2016.

Note – All images have been edited by the Author

vi
Figure 5-4: Schultz, Tommy. Digital Image. Weaving, n.p., n.d. Web. August 2016
<[Link]
india-45/[Link]>.

Figure 5-5: Wantgandmade. Digital Image. Crafts of India - Leather Work, [Link]. n.d. Web. August 2016
<[Link]

Figure 5-6: Achari. Digital Image. Indian Wood Work, n.p., n.d. Web. August 2016.
<[Link]

Figure 5-7: IndiaMike. Digital Image. Pottery, n.p., n.d. Web. August 2016 <[Link]
images/pictures/pottery-1>.

Figure 6-1: GoogleEath. Digital Image. Neemrna Map. November 2016.

Figure 6-2: GoogleEath. Digital Image. Neemrna Map. November 2016.

Figure 6-3: GoogleEath. Digital Image. Neemrna Map. November 2016.

Figure 6-4: Terway, Saakshi. Site Plan. Cincinnati.2016. Psd.

Figure 6-5: Terway, Saakshi. Northen View from the Site. Neemrana. 2016.

Figure 6-6: Terway, Saakshi. Western View from the Site. Neemrana. 2016.

Figure 6-7: Terway, Saakshi. Southern View from the Site. Neemrana. 2016.

Figure 6-8: Terway, Saakshi. Eastern View from the Site. Neemrana. 2016.

Figure 6-9: Terway, Saakshi. View of the Stepwell from Top. Neemrana. 2016

Figure 6-10: Terway, Saakshi. View of the Stepwell from the Middle. Neemrana. 2016

Figure 6-11: Terway, Saakshi. View of the Stepwell from the Bottom. Neemrana. 2016

Figure 6-12: Terway, Saakshi. Analysis of the Neemrana Stepwell. Cincinnati. 2016. Psd.

Figure 7-1: Terway, Saakshi. Analysis Site Design Guidlines. Cincinnati. 2017. Psd.

Figure 7-2: Terway, [Link] of Views. Cincinnati. 2017. Psd.

Figure B-1: Reddy, Krishna, and Kiran. Digital Map. “Mapping the Vegetation types of Rajasthan, India
using Remote Sensing Data.”
<[Link]
Figure C-1: Rajasthan Govt. Digital Map. “Land Use Map of Rajasthan.”, n.d. Web. May 2016.
<http:/[Link]>.

Figure C-2: Rajasthan Govt. Digital Map. “Physiography Map of Rajasthan.”, n.d. Web. May 2016.
<http:/[Link]>.

Figure C-3: Rajasthan Govt. Digital Map. “Physiography Map of Rajasthan.”, n.d. Web. May 2016.
<http:/[Link]>.

Note – All images have been edited by the Author

vii
Figure C-4: Rajasthan Govt. Digital Map. “Temperature Map of Rajasthan (January) Map of Rajasthan.”, n.d. Web.
May 2016. <http:/[Link]>.

Figure C-5: Rajasthan Govt. Digital Map. “Temperature Map of Rajasthan (May) Map of Rajasthan.”, n.d. Web. May
2016. <http:/[Link]>.

Figure C-6: Rajasthan Govt. Digital Map. “Soil Map of Rajasthan.”, n.d. Web. May 2016.
<http:/[Link]>.

Figure C-7: Rajasthan Govt. Digital Map. “Hydro Geomorphology Map of Rajasthan.”, n.d. Web. May 2016.
<http:/[Link]>.

Figure C-8: Rajasthan Govt. Digital Map. “Ground Water Table Map of Rajasthan.”, n.d. Web. May 2016.
<http:/[Link]>.

Figure C-9: Rajasthan Govt. Digital Map. “Ground Water Use Map of Rajasthan.”, n.d. Web. May 2016.
<http:/[Link]>.

Note – All base maps have been taken from source and edited by the Author

viii
 Introduction

With rapid modernization and globalization, as the world is coming closer together, it gets even harder
to preserve the unique history and culture of each region 1. It is much more than just preserving a façade
of a building. It is important to also retain the inherent essence and original ambience of the history. 2

The human history includes more than just the built environment. In an effort to conserve a region’s
non-architectural heritage 3, one must consider both tangible and intangible elements that help define the
beliefs, customs, and practices of a particular community.

India’s culture and heritage are a rich amalgam of the past and the present. Its languages, religions,
dances, music, architecture, food, attire, and customs differ from place to place within the country, but
nevertheless possess cohesion. India is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world. The
heritage of India is a combination of these diverse sub-cultures and traditions that are spread all over the
Indian subcontinent and are several centuries old.

Regarded by many historians as one of the oldest living civilizations on Earth, the Indian heritage dates
back to 8000 BC and has a continuous recorded history since the time of the Vedas 4, believed to be 3,000
to over 5,500 years ago. 5

With such a rich heritage, comes the responsibility to preserve it. Heritage is a gift from the past to the
future, and it is the duty of every individual to take care of it and pass it on so that the future generations
can also cherish and benefit from it.

Medieval feudal social systems and attitudes in Rajasthan, the largest state in India, persisted until very
recently. This, and perhaps a host of other reasons, allowed several aspects of culture to remain preserved
here for much longer than in other parts of our country. While Rajasthan has become well known for its
architectural heritage, it is the intangible heritage 6 of this state that is in need of the most urgent
intervention to protect it from being lost. From the oral lore to the epic ballads, everything is threatened
by the onslaught of modernity. Today Rajasthan is at the curious stage where everything ‘local’ and

1
See Glossary (Definition for all terms in italics can be found in Glossary)
2
Lerche III, Charles O. "The Conflicts of Globalization." January, 1998.
3
See Glossary
4 Ibid.
5
Suryakiran. "An Article on Indian Cultural Heritage." February 29, 2012.
6
See Glossary

1
‘Indian’ has become uncool and passé within its local context, even as it becomes an aspiration among
urban elites. 7

The intent of this thesis is to research and analyze in depth the problem of the gradual erosion of the
intangible heritage by studying the village of Neemrana, Rajasthan. The thesis will look in detail at the
elements that come together to form the tangible 8 and intangible heritage of the village, as well as the
problems that persist within the village that are causing the extinction of these elements. It will also
consider the traditional architecture of Neemrana and use its essence to propose an adequate solution to
preserve its heritage without causing hindrance to the village’s growth and development. Eventually, to
address the challenge of the fading away of the intangible heritage in Neemrana village, this thesis will
look into forming a bridge between the traditional and contemporary architecture of Rajasthan.

7 Kothari, Vishal. “Efforts to save the endangered oral traditions of Rajasthan.” February 04, 2014.
8
See Glossary

2
 Regional Identity, Heritage, Crafts and Tourism

Regional Identity and Its Importance

It is crucial to understand the meaning of the words region and identity in order to understand the
term, “regional identity” 9. The word region can be used to describe an area as big as an entire continent
or as small as a cluster of communities. For this thesis, we define it as an area or division, especially part
of a country or the world having definable characteristics but not always fixed boundaries. 10

Identity, on the other hand, is a term that has multiple reference points. Generally, it is used to refer
to a subject and to its surrounding environment. “Identity is formed in the interaction between self and
society: The subject still has an inner core or essence that is the ‘real me’, but this is formed and modified
in continuous dialogue with the cultural worlds ‘outside’ and the identities which they offer”. 11 Hence,
we can infer from the above, that regional identity can be defined as the unique appeal of a place that is
defined by its people and society that forms its character and helps in identifying the region.

It helps in answering the long-asked question of the sense of belongingness. At a personal level, it
provides the answer to the question, ‘Where do I belong?’. The answer to which is generally based on a
personal spatial history.

Abraham A. Moles proposed a series of rules that define the local identity of a region. As per these
rules, a region will have an identity if: 12

• There is a form of discontinuity that makes it easier to differentiate an "inside" from an "outside"
and that will influence mobility patterns

• The discontinuity is easily identifiable

• The activities that everyone carries out within the place are numerous and concentrated in time
• The number of socially, economically, or culturally significant objects concentrated within the
place is high

• The place has a denomination, the semantic fields associated with this denomination are wide,
and the use of the name of the place to designate these semantic fields is frequent

9
See Glossary
10
[Link].” The definition of Region.”
11
Klooster, S. A., Asselt, M. B., & Koenis, S. P. “Beyond the Essential Contestation.” 2002.

3
 Threats to Regional Identity and What Can Be Done to Preserve It?
Culture in its various forms now serves as a primary carrier of globalization and modern values, and
constitutes an important arena of contestation for national, religious, and ethnic identity. In today’s
world, globalization, modernization and unplanned development tends to form the biggest threat to
regional identity. 13

Modernization just for the sake of growth and at the cost of identity is never good. Modernization and
culture should ideally go hand-in-hand. Neither one should suffer due to the other. Equal importance
should be given to both, and planned progress should be encouraged.

Over time, many attempts have been made around the world to preserve the identity of a region. From
creating small scale museums to preserving the entire region in its essence, and from creating visual
displays to interactive environments, efforts have been made on all scales and sizes. Many regional and
global, private and public organizations are trying to safeguard the cultural heritage 14 that is currently
under the threat of extinction. These types of interventions can broadly be divided into two categories:

• Direct Interventions
• Indirect interventions
Direct interventions are normally targeted at a particular aspect of culture in a planned manner and
may include infusion of funds and building of platforms and market places. Whereas, Indirect intervention
can happen by encouraging local tourism, recognizing and appreciating local talent on nationalized or
global cultural platforms. As prosperity and stature get linked with culture, it gets indirectly impacted
towards stability and growth. 15

13 Lieber, R.J., and Weisberg, R.E., “Globalization, Culture, and Identities in Crisis.” 2002.
14
See Glossary
15 Ukwoma, S.C., Ekwelem, V.O., Okafor, V.N. “Preservation of Cultural Heritage.”2011.

4
 Precedent Analysis

Tangible cultural heritage has the great advantage over its intangible counterpart, such that with
proper care it will remain authentic over centuries. As long as historic monuments remain without
falsification and misleading imitations, they will, even in a neglected state, create a sense of continuity
that is an essential part of cultural identity. 16

The process of preserving intangible heritage on the other hand is difficult. The chances of achieving
complete success is low. A lot is dependent on the method of translation and interpretation of culture.
Following are a few examples of the efforts that have been made around the globe to achieve the above.

16
Sekler, E. Historic cities and sacred sites: Cultural roots for urban futures. 2001.

5
 Chokhi Dhani, Jaipur, India
Location: 20 Km south of the Jaipur City in Rajasthan, India
Governing Authority: Rajasthan Tourism Development Co-
operation
Site Boundary: Restricted
Architecture Style: Replicating the Traditional and
Figure 3-1: Modern construction techniques are
used to replicate a traditional Rajasthani village Vernacular Rajasthani Architecture
Chokhi Dhani, meaning special village, is a mock
Rajasthani Village on the outskirts of the Jaipur City that
iterates the Rajasthani culture and heritage. They have
created a very interactive environment where visitors can
see and experience the lifestyle of a traditional Rajasthani
village. There are open-air restaurants and a bevy of
traditional entertainment. 17

Figure 3-2: Chokhi Dani creates an interactive

environment to encourage the visitors to
The complex has a defined edge but an abstract path.
experience the traditional Rajasthani village The intent is to encourage visitors to wonder about in the
lifestyle
complex on paths similar to an actual village. This complex
is an example of a scenario where the heritage center
exists in a completely artificially made environment,
independent of its site location. The sole purpose of this
project is to create a unique experience for its visitors. 18

The following types of heritage are incorporated in this

project:
Figure 3-3: Chokhi Dhani is an example displaying
multiple types of heritage within one complex
• Cultural Tangible Heritage
• Cultural Material Heritage 19
• Food Heritage 20

17 Self-analysis by Author based on site visit

18 Self-analysis by Author based on site visit
19
See Glossary
20
Ibid.

6
 Pietrasanta Village, North Tuscany, Italy
Location: Tuscany region in Italy
Governing Authority: Italy Tourism Development
Site Boundary: Not Restricted
Architecture Style: Romanesque and Gothic Vernacular
Architecture 21, mixed with a hint of Modern Architecture
Pietrasanta, meaning holy stone, is a town well known
for its sculptures. It is located on the coast of northern
Tuscany in Italy, in the province of Lucca. The area, has long
Figure 3-4: The craft form of Pietrasanta is
interwoven with the daily life style of Pietrasanta enjoyed the patronage of artists. Pietrasanta grew to
importance during the 15th century, mainly due to its
connection with marble. 22 Michelangelo was the first
sculptor to recognize the beauty of the local stone. Since
then, artists from around the world come to use the local
marble studios and bronze foundries, and to benefit from
the knowledge of master artisans. 23

The village follows a strong concept of the “open

doors”. The Marble Artists and sculptors have studios and
Figure 3-5: Pietrasanta focuses on engaging the
tourist into the process of creation, that helps workshops with open doors, where people can see the
them develop and appreciate the craftsmanship
entire process as well as learn some basic skills. 24 The city
has a general grid layout with occasional diagonal intersection. The program does not have a clear edge
demarcation as it is well entwined with the lifestyle of the town creating an overall art district with the
central plaza forming its epicenter. The following types of heritage are incorporated in this project:

• Cultural Tangible Heritage

• Cultural Material Heritage

• Cultural Intangible Heritage

• Natural Heritage 25

21
See Glossary
22 [Link]. “Pietrasanta Information.”
23 [Link]. “Pietrasanta: Tourist Information about the City.”2013.
24 [Link]. “Pietrasanta Information.”
25 See Glossary

7
 Village of La Antigua Guatemala
Location: It is a small village in Guatemala
Governing Authority: UNESCO
Site Boundary: Not Restricted
Architecture Style: Spanish Baroque influenced
Architecture
Antigua Guatemala is a city in the central highlands of
Figure 3-6: Antigua Guatemala is an UNESCO Guatemala famous for its well-preserved architecture as
World Heritage Site that aims to preserve the
Guatemalan culture holistically well as a number of ruins of colonial churches. It served as
the capital of the Kingdom of Guatemala. It has been
designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The cite is an
iconic landmark that is the art district in itself. Antigua is a
growing tourist destination in Guatemala as it is close to
Guatemala City but is much calmer and safer, with more
tourist oriented activities. 26

Figure 3-7: Antigua Guatemala has been The following types of heritage are incorporated in this
converted into a living time capsule to preserve
their Heritage project:

• Cultural Tangible Heritage

• Cultural Material Heritage

• Food Heritage
• Cultural Intangible Heritage
• Natural Heritage
• Virtual Heritage 27
Figure 3-8: The arts and craftsmanship is very
much a part of the day to day life of the
Guatemalan people

26
UNESCO World Heritage Centre. “Antigua Guatemala.” 1993.
27
See Glossary

8
 Delhi Haat, New Delhi, India
Location: New Delhi City, in India
Governing Authority: Delhi Tourism and Transportation
Development Co-operation
Site Boundary: Restricted
Architecture Style: Exposed Brick Vernacular Low-Cost
Architecture
A Haat 28 is an open-air market that serves as a trading
venue for local people in rural areas. Delhi Haat is an open-
Figure 3-9: Delhi Haat Provides a platform for all
the artist in India to come and display their work air food plaza and craft complex that is meant to serve a
similar purpose.

The intent of the complex is to provide a platform to

artists from all over the country and try to eliminate the
role of the middle man. Artists and craftsmen from
different parts of India come here to sell their handicrafts.
The shops are permanent, but the inhabitants rotate every
month. This is an example of a scenario where the
Figure 3-10: Delhi Haat tries to create a Bazaar handicrafts are created outside of the site and the end
like atmosphere where the visitors get to directly
interact with the artists product is brought in to be displayed and sold. 29

The edges have been defined using landscape and boundary walls. The complex has a main liner path
connecting the entrance to the performance stage, forming the main circulation axis, but at the same time
leaving scope for people to wonder around, creating a maze-like concept and a bazaar 30 like atmosphere.
This axis has two prominent nodes that divide the complex into three distinct regions- shops, food and
performances.

• The following types of heritage are incorporated in this project:

• Cultural Tangible Heritage
• Cultural Material Heritage

• Food Heritage

28
See Glossary
29
Self-analysis by Author based on site visit
30
See Glossary

9
Figure 3-11: Comparison and Analysis of the four Case Studies

10
 Comparison, Analysis, and Application
Figure 3-11 shows that some interventions work better than others. A well-defined complex boundary
tends to help maintain the focus of the program, and a landmark on the site helps in creating a focal point
and generate a sense of direction among the visitors. Also, a main linear path connecting the site
programs creates a sense of continuity and ensures that the visitors understand the site narration, but at
the same time, providing a wanderer’s trail helps the visitor in exploring, discovering and interpreting the
program it their own unique way. Encouraging interaction between the artists and the visitors, as well as,
encouraging the visitors to get engaged in the task of creating the handicrafts always works well as it helps
the visitors understand and appreciate the skills better. More than often, interweaving the history and
heritage with the present-day life tasks to create an interactive and educational complex helps in building
a bridge between eras.

11
 Neemrana Village: A Case Study

Neemrana – From Then Till Now

Nested in the Aravalli range, Neemrana is a historic
village in the Alwar District of Rajasthan, India. It is located
122 km. from New Delhi, on the Delhi Jaipur Highway (NH8)
in the Behror district. Although there has been claims of
historians tracing it back to the Matsya Janapada 31 of the
Mahabharata 32 times, the present-day village has been
Figure 4-1: Neemrana Fort - Original there since the 1400s.

Neemrana was the third capital of the descendants of Prithviraj Chauhan III, who had retreated from
Delhi around 1190s, after being defeated in a battle by Muhammad Ghori. The Neemrana Fort Palace was
built in 1464. The kingdom flourished for a while and grew in all directions. In the mid-1700s, the British
rule was established in India. The Rulers of Neemrana, proud of their lineage, continued to assert
themselves, even under the British, as their kingdom suffered. Thus, parts of their lands were chipped
away and given to other princely states like Alwar, Patiala, Nabha and others who entertained the viceroys
of the British raj. 33

After independence, in 1947, as the façade of the fort palace crumbled and its ramparts began to give
way, Raj Rajinder Singh of Neemrana moved to Vijay Bagh and tried to get rid of his liability. 34

Very little development took place in the village until 1991, when the Neemrana Fort Palace was
restored and opened as a luxury hotel. This new establishment drew the focus towards the village and
slow development started taking place. Neemrana Village stepped up in stature and became a town as
newer additions were made around the periphery of the dense village.

At the same time, as development became rapid and intense in Delhi, industries got pushed further
and further away, towards the outskirts of the city, into the neighboring states. Over time, as Delhi grew
bigger in size, the concept of creating a National Capital Region 35(NCR) got incorporated. Slowly,

31 See Glossary
32 Ibid.
33
Nath, Aman. “History of Neemrana Fort Palace.”
34
Ibid.
35 See Glossary

12
surrounding districts of the neighboring states got include in it to protect Delhi’s infrastructure from
extreme pressure.

In the first half of the 2000s, Hero Honda was the first
company to purchased land alongside Neemrana. This
tendency for the industries in the National Capital Region
to be further afield was motivated by multiple factors, land
prices and labor cost being the biggest. Neemrana became
the optimum choice as both the costs were considerably
low compared to the neighboring towns and cities. This
Figure 4-2: Neemrana Fort - Current
gave way to a new trend and led to the creation of the
Neemrana industrial complex, which grew rapidly. 36

Around the same time, in 2004, the Neemrana Fort-Palace got nominated for the Aga Khan Award37,
and in 2008, an additional wing was added to the fort-palace. The fort, that had once become ruins, now
stood proud and glorious. The Fort-Palace became the first of its kind. It started attracting tourists, putting
Neemrana on the map, making people interested in the history and heritage of the village. 38

Neemrana saw a rapid development in both, heritage tourism as well as industrial development. Soon
enough, in 2013, Neemrana along with a few other surrounding regions, became a part of the Delhi NCR. 39

Over the years, tourism, industrialization and expansion has made Neemrana grow considerably. Since
a lot of this development was rapid and unplanned, two separate regions were created in the process.
The historical region, that includes the original village which got preserved along with the fort, and the
modern region that got created due to industrialization and expansion. Both these regions had separate
epicenters, but slowly, due to expansion, one center is encroaching upon the other. Needless to say, the
modern industrialization development is currently wining.

36 Tomozawa, Kazuo. “The Frontier of the Expanding Industrial Agglomeration in the National Capital Region of Delhi.” 2015.
37 See Glossary
38
Nath, Aman. “History of Neemrana Fort Palace.”
39
Govt. of NCT Delhi. “Delhi Govt. Portal.” 2016.

13
 Neemrana – Craftsmanship and the Challenges Faced
As its history suggests, Neemrana is highly influenced by the
Rajasthani culture. This influence is evident through its
architecture, food, language, attire, and people. The thing that
makes Neemrana unique though, is its arts and crafts.

Over the years, factors like availability of local material and use
of regionally significant illustrations as motifs, have evolved the
Rajasthani arts and crafts in Neemrana, resulting its own unique
style.40

As global markets opened, lack of a platform to exhibit their

produce and benefit directly from the required volumes started
Figure 4-3: Current scenario of the impacting the craftsmen. The middlemen started exploiting these
Craftsmen in Neemrana as they lack
platform to exhibit their product craftsmen by buying their products and selling it in upscale
markets. Despite so, the benefit to the craftsmen was minimal as
they could not travel and hence could not gauge the prices their produce was being valued at outside of
their village. Also, seeing development in their vicinity made them aspire for a better lifestyle. These
scenarios lead them into taking blue collar jobs in the industries and letting go of the traditional
craftsmanship which was being passed down to them over generations. This resulted in the fading out of
the local craftsmanship, bringing it to the brim of extinction.

In current times, lack of platform to exhibit their skills, as well as, involvement of the middle man is
making the craftsmen leave their old ancestral practice and take up blue collar jobs in the industrial region
due to its perks.41 The practice of these art and craft forms are slowly declining. If this process continues,
the craft skills that were being passed on over the generations will eventually become extinct.

40 Nath, Aman, and Francis, Wacziarg. “Arts and Crafts of Rajasthan” 1987.
41
Tomozawa, Kazuo. “The Frontier of the Expanding Industrial Agglomeration in the National Capital Region of Delhi.” 2015.

14
 Neemrana and Tourism

The proximity to the national highway, and its

connectivity to major cities like Delhi and Jaipur, make
Neemrana easily accessible and helps draw tourism.

Currently, the Neemrana fort-palace is the only major

tourist attraction. Although the restoration and adaptive
reuse of the fort saved it from disintegrating into ruins, it
ended up making the heritage structure inaccessible to
the general public. As the entire fort, has been converted
into a hotel, the establishment charges an entry fee to
visit the public accessible areas. These areas are only
Figure 4-4: A map of Neemrana Village showing
the village boundary and its surrounding areas accessible for a few hours a day. 42

Tourists who come to Neemrana, also like to visit the baoli 43, or the stepwell 44 that lies on the outskirts
of the original village and is currently non-functional. They also like to take camel rides or walk around the
existing village to see and experience the traditional and typical village life. 45

Another Neemrana Fort-Palace property, the Neemrana Mud Houses, is in the pipeline and its
construction will soon reach completion. This property will connect the stepwell to the fort complex and
will give the visitors a chance to stay and experience the village life of Neemrana. 46

The state government has also been making efforts to draw more tourism. Proposals are already in
action to restore the stepwell to its original glory. 47

42 Observation by the Author

43
See Glossary
44
Ibid.
45 Mahajan, Vipul. In person interview. 2016. – Manager of Neemrana Fort Palace
46 Nath, Aman. In person interview. 2016.- Owner of Neemrana Properties
47 Subhash, Sandeep. In person interview. 2016. - Architect in-charge of Neemrana Properties

15
 Neemrana Kala Kendra

Currently, there is an ongoing conflict between the industrial region and the heritage region of
Neemrana for expansion. Also, the artists and craftsmen are struggling to benefit commercially from their
traditional crafts. In order to give the heritage and culture of Neemrana a fighting chance for sustenance,
both direct and indirect interventions are required to come into play. Building platforms for
encouragement and showcasing the local skills and crafts along with helping them benefit financially and
channelizing prosperity into the lives of local artisans will encourage the youth to stay with the unique
skills and crafts in their families. In order to give the heritage and culture of Neemrana a fighting chance,
one needs to provide them with that platform.

The fort-palace is already drawing a substantial volume of tourist inflow. This inflow will only increase
after the completion of the Neemrana Mud-House Property and the restoration of the stepwell. The craft
and tourism complex, alongside the other historic monuments will end up creating an entire heritage
complex in Neemrana, that will not only cater to and preserve its regional identity, but will also help
Neemrana develop and grow.

The design will majorly focus on three main components of the built project:

• The Performing Arts Building

• The Workshop Building
• The Artist’s Residential Building
Apart from that, the design will also focus on incorporating the existing heritage buildings on site into
the new built project and using site landscape to revive the stepwell. Without equal consideration of these
elements, the purpose of the project shifts in a direction contrary to the goal of the thesis.

16
 Methodology

The culture and heritage of Neemrana is the driving force for this project. As mentioned in Appendix
A, the heritage of a place includes many categories. As mentioned in Chapter 4 – Neemrana Village: A
Case Study, the traditional architecture and the craftsmanship of Neemrana are the two major aspects of
its culture and heritage. Hence, this project will look in detail at the traditional and vernacular architecture
of Neemrana as well as the five forms of craftsmanship in Neemrana to draw inspiration for its design.

Traditional and Vernacular Architecture of Neemrana

Vernacular architecture is an architectural style that is based on local climate, local needs, and
availability of construction materials that reflect the local traditions and practices. 48

In Neemrana, the climate is mostly hot and dry, and hence, their architecture has been influence by
the following basic factors: 49

• Response to climate
• Response to defense

• Response to religion
• Response to culture
Neemrana is highly influenced by the traditional architecture of Rajasthan. Over the years, the above-
mentioned factors have influenced the traditional Rajasthani architecture and evolve a vernacular style
to cater the needs of Neemrana. Some of the key architectural features of this style that have existed over
time are:

• Jaalis 50Courtyards
• Waterbodies
• Local Materials
• Jharokhas 51
• Streets
• Placement and orientation
• Roofs

48
[Link]. “Vernacular Architecture - Vernacular and the Architect.” 2016.
49 [Link]. “The Vernacular Architecture of Rajasthan.” 2008.
50
See Glossary
51 Ibid.

17
 Figure 5-1 lists the key features of the traditional and vernacular style of Architecture of Neemrana
and analyzes their functions to understand the architectural principles behind it. The analysis shows that
passive heating and cooling, natural ventilation, defused lighting, and shading are the four major
architectural principles that most of these elements are addressing.

Figure 5-1: Analysis of the Key Features of the Vernacular Architecture of Neemrana and their Principles

18
 Many architects have attempted to incorporate these elements of vernacular architecture into the
modern and contemporary design. Following four case studies are some of the more successful projects
that exist in a similar cultural and climatic belt as Neemrana and follow a similar vernacular style:

• Sangath by B.V. Doshi: It is an office building located in Ahmedabad. The climate in this region
is like that of Neemrana. Many of the typical features of the traditional architecture, like
waterbodies, courtyards, local materials, building orientation and openings have been
incorporated in this building in a very contemporary sense. 52

• Indian Institute of Management by Louis Khan and Bimal Patel: This complex has been
designed in two parts by two different architects with very different architectural styles. While
Louis Khan uses the vernacular elements in a more literal sense, Bimal Patel uses their essence
in a more modern and minimalistic way. 53

• Bharat Bhavan by Charles Correa: Bharat Bhavan is a multi-art center, set up to create an
interactive proximity between the verbal, visual and performing arts. It is a center for
innovative creativity, pursuit of the classical and traditional and wide participation in a new
cultural upsurge. 54

• Pearl Academy by Morphogenesis: The Pearl Academy of Fashion, Jaipur is a campus which
by virtue of its design is geared towards creating an environmentally responsive passive
habitat. The institute creates interactive spaces for a highly creative student body to work in
multifunctional zones which blend the indoors with the outdoors seamlessly. The radical
architecture of the institute emerges from a fusion of the rich traditional building knowledge
bank and cutting edge contemporary architecture. 55

52 Self-Analysis by Author based on Site Visit

53 Ibid.
54 Ibid.
55 ArchDaily. “Pearl Academy of Fashion/ Morphogenesis.” November 13, 2009.

19
 Figure 5-2 is a comparative analysis of the above-mentioned case studies that show the traditional and
vernacular elements being used. This analysis affirms our inference from Figure 5-1, that defused light
and shading are the key elements of the traditional and vernacular architecture in this region.

Figure 5-2: Analysis of the Key Features of the Vernacular Architecture of Neemrana and their Principles

20
 Analysis of the Craft forms of Neemrana
Neemrana is known for its five forms of craftsmanship that are typical and unique to the village.
Following are the five types of arts and crafts that are typical to Neemrana: 56

Jewelry Making: It is one of the major source of income

in Neemrana. The process involves cleaning and melting of
gold, and then, converting them into gold bars. These bars
are then transformed into thin gold wires or leaves, which
are used to make the jewelry. 57

Weaving: The weaving process is so simple that it seems

to contradict the richness of the finished product. It
Figure 5-3: Neemrana Village – Jewelry Making
requires just two beams. These beams are held in place
using wooden or stone posts that are fixed into the ground.
Across these beams, threads are wrapped and stretched
horizontally. The only tool required is a fork, or a panja. The
craftsman sits on a movable bench that is raised over the
loom. 58

Leather Work: In the olden days, this work use to be

Figure 5-4: Neemrana Village – Weaving done on pure leather of buffaloes, goats, camels, etc. In
today’s day and time, in the interest of animal welfare, it is
also done on resin 59, which acts as a substitute for leather.
Many different varieties of items like shoes, saddles,
purses, bags, saddles, etc. are made by leather work. 60

Figure 5-5: Neemrana Village – Leather Work

56Nath, Aman, and Francis, Wacziarg. “Arts and Crafts of Rajasthan” 1987.
57 Aggrawal, Rajesh. Informal interview. 2016. - Jewelry Making craftsmen in Neemrana
58
Bansal, Usha. Informal interview. 2016. - Waving craftsmen in Neemrana
59 See Glossary
60 Nath, Aman, and Francis, Wacziarg. “Arts and Crafts of Rajasthan” 1987.

21
 Wood Work: Various tools like pastel roller, flat discs,
and bottles are used for making attractive wooden statues,
figures and furniture. Normally, hard and durable timber
wood is used to prepare these artifacts. 61

Pottery: Apart from providing vessels and pots, the

potters also make metaphorical models of animals and
human forms as toys for children and idols or sculptures for

Figure 5-6: Neemrana Village – Wood Work the festivals. Over the years, the shape and style of pots
have transformed in hope of making them functionally and
aesthetically more desirable.62

By analyzing these five craft forms and the process

involved in creating them, one key element that tends to
stand out and seems critical of their process, the use of
direct and indirect natural light. While Jewelry making and
Figure 5-7: Neemrana Village – Pottery
weaving require indirect light, leather work, wood work,
and pottery mostly require direct light.

61 Nath, Aman, and Francis, Wacziarg. “Arts and Crafts of Rajasthan” 1987.
62 Ibid.

22
 Site Study

Location
As mentioned in Chapter 4 - Neemrana Village: A Case
Study, under the sub heading Neemrana – From Then till
Now, nested in the Aravalli range, Neemrana is a historic
village in the Alwar District of Rajasthan, India. It is located
122 km. from New Delhi, on the Delhi Jaipur Highway (NH8)
in the Behror district. Over the years, Neemrana has grown
to include the historic village as well as the industrial area.

As seen in Figure 6-1, Figure 6-2, and Figure 6-3, the site
Figure 6-1: Location of the Site in respect to the for this thesis is located North of Neemrana on the outskirts
Neemrana Village and Industrial area
of the village area. The foothills of the Aravalli mountains
lie towards the eastern side of the site.

The Site is connected to the village, and eventually to

the highway, through a road on its western boundary. This
road runs south to meet NH-8 and further north, to the
village of Naghori, Pratappur, Ghilot, and so on. There is a
pedestrian walk at the eastern boundary of the site, the
directly connect the Neemrana Fort Palace to the Site.

Figure 6-2: Location of the Site in respect to the

Neemrana Village
Hence, even though the site is located outside the
village, it is well connected to the Neemrana Village, the
Neemrana Fort Palace, the Highway, and the neighboring
villages.

Figure 6-3: Location of the Site in respect to the

northern edge of the Neemrana Village

23
 Site Analysis

The 87-acre site is located on the outskirts of the village.

It is heavily contoured as it is on the foothills of the Aravalli
mountains. It currently has just 17 trees, and the soil type
is alluvial. 63

The site mostly experiences a south-east blow of wind

at an average velocity of 5 Km/hr which after hitting the
mountains change and blow in the south west direction. 64
Figure 6-4: Neemrana Village – Wood Work

The site experiences harsh sun with the max. sun angle
of 40 degrees in winter and 90 degrees in summer. 65

The Site has a great view of the Mountains on the east

Figure 6-5: Northern View from the Site and the open fields on the west. Towards the south, it has
a distant view of the Neemrana Fort Palace, the Neemrana
Mud House Property and the Village. Towards the North, it
has a distant view of the mountain range and barren land. 66

Figure 6-6: Western View from the Site

Figure 6-7: Southern View from the Site

Figure 6-8: Eastern View from the Site

63 Self-analysis by Author
64
Rajasthan Govt. “Maps of Rajasthan.”
65
Ibid.
66
Self-analysis by Author

24
 Existing Buildings on Site
The site has seven existing buildings on site:

• A 16th century temple

• A 17th century temple
• A 18th century temple

• Two 15th century Hut

• A 15th century Stable

• A 15th century Stepwell

All of them are clustered together on the North-West corner of the site. These buildings are further sub-
divided into three smaller groups;

• The stepwell
• The Baoli temple complex
• The residential cluster
The three temples together form the Baoli temple complex and are located to the South of the
stepwell. The two huts along with the stable forms the residential cluster and is located to the North of
the stepwell.

25
 The Neemrana Stepwell
The Baoli is a significant structure in the Neemrana
village. Built in 1760s it is a nine-story underground
structure of majestic scale. It was built by the Rajas of
Neemrana for famine relief. Traditionally, baolis in
Rajasthan have acted as sarai 67 for the travelers. The Baoli
has been neglected for decades. Now under the Rural
Tourism project of the Union Govt. this structure is being
converted into a Crafts' Haat. Being only 125kms from Delhi

Figure 6-9: View of the Stepwell from Top and in close proximity to Neemrana Fort-Palace, the tourist
traffic can be generated.

The project involves restoring many roofs, re-doing the

brackets, flooring, plastering and ensuring security through
metal gates and kathera's (stone parapets). The steps
about 200 in number will also be re-laid. The baoli is made
of rubble covered over with plaster and dressed stone,
fringed on three sides by rows of small chambers—possibly
to shelter passersby; baolis often acted as camping grounds
Figure 6-10: View of the Stepwell from the
for travelers Stepwells are wells in which the water is
Middle
reached by descending a set of steps. They are covered and
protected and are often of architectural significance. They
are multi-storied having a bullock which turns the water
wheel to raise the water in the well to the first or second
floor. A major part of the monument is underground. 68

The stepwell consists of three major parts:

• The vertical well

• Staircase
Figure 6-11: View of the Stepwell from the
Bottom • Numerous intermediate pavilions

67
See Glossary
68 Jain-Neubauer, Jutta. “The Stepwells of Gujarat: In Art-historical Perspective.”1981.

26
Figure 6-12: Analysis of the Neemrana Stepwell

27
 Design

Site Design Guidelines

Although the site is 87.4 acers, not all area is suitable for construction. Factors like the Surface run-off
water catchment ponds, site setbacks, ASI guidelines for heritage monuments, views from the site and
access to the road restrict the area of construction to 27.8 acers.

Figure 7-1: Diagrammatic analysis of the area suitable for construction

28
 Building Design Guidelines

Based on the Analysis in Chapter 5: Methodology - Traditional and Vernacular Architecture of

Neemrana as well as Chapter 6: Site Study – Site Analysis, following are the building design guidelines that
should be followed: 69

• Minimize indirect solar radiation in open spaces like courtyards

• Plan narrow winding open corridors, which are shaded and relatively cool should be provided to
allow through-ventilation and adequate natural lighting

• Avoid large open spaces where hot air can collect during the day
• Provide ample shaded public spaces

• Include green areas of plants around and within the settlement to provide shade and cool air and
to stabilize the soil
• Plant and cultivate xerophytes that require little or no water
• Integrate water bodies, which evaporate and therefore reduce temperature

• Provide maximum shading of direct and reflected sun radiation in the hot season
• Provide ventilation by regulated air movement and small openings
• Avoid large exposed exterior surfaces
• Use reflective outer surfaces
• Balance the extremes of day and night temperatures by adequate thermal storage mass
• Reduce internal heat production and conduction gain
• Promote evaporation and heat loss by radiation

69
Gut, Paul, and, Ackerknecht, Dieter. “Climate Responsive Building: Appropriate Building Construction in Tropical and Sub
Tropical Regions.” St. Gallen. SKAT. 1993.

29
 Conceptual Design
The site caters to two different aspect of design,

• The Kala Kendra

• The restoration and revitalization of the Stepwell
Although the scope of this thesis only incudes the Neemrana Kala Kendra, the project will also look at
revitalizing the stepwell at a conceptual stage using landscaping elements to create an overlap between
the two aspects of the projects so that they can function together as one site.

The conceptual design of the project is divided into three main elements:

• The Site
• The Landscaping
• The Built Project

The Site- The site focuses on following three ideas:

• Creating moments of view from the site

• Creating a Narrative experience of site circulation
As mentioned in the previous chapters, this project, along with the other existing heritage sites in the
village, tends to form a heritage zone. The placement of the project site is such that there is a clear line of
view to all the remaining sites. The project site also enjoys a lot of Natural views on its north, east, and
west sides. These views are kept in high consideration with designing the buildings and planning the site
circulation. Elements have been provided within the designs to capture and frame each of these individual
views.

Importance is also given to the on-site movement of the visitors. The site contains a wanderer’s track
as well as definitive path. The wanderer’s path gives the visitors a chance to explore and discover the
moments and elements on site, where as the definitive path makes them move on a guided path creating
a narrative using the buildings and the program.

30
Figure 7-2: The Moment of Views

31
 The Buildings: The primary focus of the new buildings is the visitor’s interaction with the craft and the
craftsmanship. In order to do so, the main program is divided into two parts, the visual experience and
the interactive experience. Each of the two public buildings cater to one of these experiences.

The building forms have been inspired by the site contours. The intent was for the buildings to gradually
emerge from the contours and eventually submerge into them, following the contour curve lines. The idea
was to design around stepwell so that the stepwell becomes the focus of the site program.

The new building designs have been very sensitive towards the existing buildings on the site. At no
point does the proposed design clash or overpower the existing built complex. Effort has been made using
architectural elements to build connection between the new and the old complex and make is function
as one.

The Landscape: The landscaping on site is divided into two type;

• Formal
• Informal
The formal landscape is used around the built complex as an element to enhance the visitor’s
experience. The informal, on the other hand is used on the remaining site area for holding on to the
surface run off water, so that the water seeps into the ground water table and increases the ground water
level so that the stepwell can be revived.

As can be seen in Figures C-6, and C-7 70, the rainfall in Neemrana is approximately 60-70 cm per year
and the ground water table level on average is 7 meters below ground level. Figure C-8 71 tells us that
Neemrana lies in the highest area of ground water use where most the village’s water needs are meet by
consuming the ground water. The focus of the informal landscape is to use native plant species to hold on
to the surface runoff water on site and help it seep into the ground to increase the groundwater table
level.

As shown in Figure B-1 72, the village has a mixed vegetation cover. The major vegetation type of the
village is Shrub Savannah with spurs of Dry Deciduous Forest. 73 Appendix B, shows a list of native plant
cover that can be used on the site to achieve the idea mentioned above.

70 See Appendix C
71 Ibid.
72 See Appendix B
73 Reddy, Krishna, and Kiran. “Mapping the Vegetation Types of Rajasthan, India Using Remote Sensing Data.”.2011

32
 Schematic Design
The intent behind the program distribution is for the visitor to first see the final product and get enticed
and inquisitive enough to explore the process behind it. The idea is that once they explore the process,
the visitors will develop an even greater appreciation of the skills and craftsmanship.

Performing Arts and Display Block: The first building on site is the performing arts and display block.
The main function of this building is to display the final products of the craftsmanship. The building acts
as a display gallery to display the tangible aspect of the Neemrana Heritage.

Workshop block: The main function of this building is to display and engage the visitors into the process
of craft making so that they can develop a deeper apparition for the skill set. This building is designed
around the existing temple complex, making it the focus of its west façade with the intent of seeking
blessings from god. The east façade is focused on the view of the mountains and the connection of the
humans with nature.

Residential block: This building is located on the other side of the stepwell near the existing building
residential complex. This building is not accessible to the general public and is designed to cater the needs
of the artist. The function of this building is to provide residential and studio space to the visiting artists
for a short span of stay.

Design Development
In the built complex of the project, the façade and the materiality are the two major aspects that were
looked at in detail for the project to work as intended.

The façade: Based on the inference drawn from both the Methodologies mentioned in Chapter 4,
natural direct and indirect light are the two essential elements that need to be incorporated in the design.
The façade of each of these buildings works in depth to cater the need of the intensity of the light within
each of the buildings based on the programs it caters to. Elements like Jalli, perforated walls, and recessed
doors and windows are used to achieve the above.

The Material: In order for the new and the existing buildings on site to work as one built complex,
there needs to be some form of uniformity. In this project, this uniformity is achievd by using the same
materiality for the external façade. As shown in Figure C-7 in Appendix C, limestone can be found in
abdunace in Neemrana. The existing buildings on site are made majorly from limestone. The extrerior
façade of the new buildings are claded with limestone to provide the element of uniformity.

33
 Conclusion and Design Reflection

This project proposes a viable solution to the issues generated by the research of the existing
typologies. It addresses the concepts stated in Chapters 2, 3, and 4, with the main goal of addressing the
problem of the gradual erosion of the intangible heritage in Neemrana Village. By reading chapter 5, and
then evaluating the design, one can see how the research work and the built project are intertwined. The
one area that is still a challenge, is the exploration of the architectural solution to issues that are not
relevant to the thesis. The boundary for this issue remains blurry and is currently a hurdle for the project.

This project possesses certain strengths and weaknesses based on the scope of the research work.
Since the project originated from the initial interest in the topic of regional identity and its gradual erosion
in the village of Neemrana, the Performing Arts Block and the Workshop block have a greater influence
on the direction of the project and a stronger research base than the Residential Block.

The concept of the Residential Block comes more from a personal understanding of the scenario and
the research to collaborate these views, and hence remains comparatively weak. However, its existence
is essential for the built complex to function smoothly. Additionally, it provides the commercial anchor for
building the intangible heritage by providing the focus for visitors, performers and artists.

The concept of incorporating the elements of the traditional and vernacular architecture of Neemrana
provides a strong and well defined focus on its heritage and culture. Its inclusion in the project remains
essential for the redefining and combining of the established topologies.

As the entire thesis was based on the concept of the process being more important than the goal, this
project will be an ongoing effort. Even though the main objective of this thesis was the built complex, the
overall project also included restoration and revitalization of the stepwell. An introductory incorporation
of this topic was made at the conceptual design stage of the project, but further in-depth research can be
conducted to address the needs of the site in a more intense and investigatory manner.

Also, although the site circulation has been well thought of to incorporate the moments of views, the
remaining elements of site scaping remain under researched and leave scope for further investigation.

Architecturally, the façade and the roof system of the buildings have been researched in depth, but
the remaining architectural elements leave room of in-depth research.

I hope to address most, if not all of these issues in the continual design of the project beyond the
writing of this document.

34
 Glossary
AGA KHAN AWARD: The Aga Khan Award for Architecture is given every three years to projects that set
new standards of excellence in architecture, planning practices, historic preservation and landscape
architecture. Through its efforts, the Award seeks to identify and encourage building concepts that
successfully address the needs and aspirations of societies across the world, in which Muslims have a
significant presence. 74

BAOLI/ STEPWELL: A masonry well with steps leading down to water level. 75

BAZAAR: It is a shopping place or a market quarter. 76

CULTURAL HERITAGE: It is the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes of a group or society
that are inherited from past generations, maintained in the present and bestowed for the benefit of future
generations. 77

FOOD HERITAGE: It encompasses the origins of plants and animals and their dispersal, the sites where
people first cultivated plants and domesticated animals, as well as the earliest locations around the world
where people first processed, prepared, sold and ate foods. 78

HAAT: A Haat is an open-air market that serves as a trading venue for local people in rural areas. 79

HERITAGE: Property that can be inherited. 80

INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE: The physical remains of the history of technology and industry, such as
manufacturing and mining sites, as well as power and transportation infrastructure. The term is often also
used in connection with museums or historic places related to industry, including worker housing and
warehouses. 81

74
"Aga Khan Award for Architecture | Aga Khan Development Network." AKDN. March 14, 2017.
75
"BAOLI - Architecture." Welcome to the Sikh Encyclopedia.
76
"Bazaar." [Link].
77 UNESCO. “Convention Concerning the Protection Of The World Cultural And Natural Heritage.” November 1972.
78 UNESCO World Heritage Centre. “The Criteria for Selection.” 1992.
79
“Haat.” [Link].
80
"Heritage." [Link].
81
UNESCO World Heritage Centre. “The Criteria for Selection.” 1992.

viii
INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE: Traditions or living expressions inherited from our ancestors and
passed on to our descendants, such as oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive
events, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe or the knowledge and skills to
produce traditional crafts. 82

JAALIS: A perforated stone or latticed screen, usually with an ornamental pattern constructed using
calligraphy and geometry. 83

JHAROKHAS: A type of overhanging enclosed balcony used in Architecture of Rajasthan. 84

KALA: Art. 85

KENDRA: Epicenter. 86

MAHABHARATA: One of the two great Sanskrit epics of the Hindus, existing in its present form since c.400
AD. It describes the civil war waged between the five Pandava brothers and their one hundred
stepbrothers at Kuruksetra near modern Delhi. 87

MATSYA JANAPADA: It is one of the sixteen kingdoms or oligarchic republics that existed in ancient
India. 88

NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION: It is a region or district surrounding a capital city. 89

NATURAL HERITAGE: The overall sum of the elements of bio-diversity. This will include the flora and fauna
and their ecosystems as well as the geological structures. 90

REGION: An area or division, especially part of a country or the world having definable characteristics but
not always fixed boundaries. 91

82
UNESCO. “About Intangible Heritage.” October 20, 2004.
83
[Link]. “Jali.”
84
EngYes2016. “Jharokhas.” 2014.
85
English to Hindi Dictionary. "ART MEANING IN HINDI."
86
[Link]. "Hindi-English translation :: kendra :: Dictionary."
87 [Link]. “Mahabharata.”
88
Wikipedia. “Matsyajanpada.”
89 Wikipedia. “National Capital Region.”
90
UNESCO. “Convention Concerning the Protection of The World Cultural And Natural Heritage.” November 1972.
91
[Link]. “The Definition of Region.”

ix
REGIONAL IDENTITY: The unique appeal of a place that is defined by its people and society that forms its
character and helps in identifying the region.

RESIN: a solid or liquid synthetic organic polymer used as the basis of plastics, adhesives, varnishes, or
other products. 92

SARAI: INN. 93

TANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE: It includes buildings and historic places, monuments, artifacts,
etc., which are considered worthy of preservation for the future. These include objects significant to the
archaeology, architecture, science or technology of a specific culture. 94

VEDAS: They are a large body of knowledge texts originating in the ancient Indian subcontinent.
Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest
scriptures of Hinduism. 95

VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE: It is an architectural style that is based on local needs and availability
of construction materials that reflect the local traditions and practices. 96

VIRTUAL HERITAGE: It is the body of works dealing with information and communication technologies
(ICT) and their application to cultural heritage, such as virtual archaeology. 97

92
[Link]. "Resin.".
93
HinKhoj Dictionary. “Sarai.”
94 CNRS. “United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.” 2016.
95
"Vedas." Wikipedia. March 17, 2017.
96
"Vernacular." [Link].
97 UNESCO World Heritage Centre. “The Criteria for Selection.” 1992.

x
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AKDN. Aga Khan Award for Architecture | Aga Khan Development Network. March 14, 2017.
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ArchDaily. Pearl Academy of Fashion / Morphogenesis. November 13, 2009.

[Link] (accessed November 2016).

[Link]. The Vernacular Architecture of Rajasthan. 2008. [Link]

studies/1992/the-vernacular-architecture-of-rajasthan (accessed October 2016).

Bansal, Usha. "Informal interview." Weaving craftsmen in Neemrana. 2016.

CNRS. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization . 2016.

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 Appendix A : Heritage and its Types
Heritage can be defined as property that is inherited. As per the UNESCO world heritage center guidelines,
heritage can be broadly classified as: 98

• Natural Heritage: The overall sum of the elements of bio-diversity. This will include the flora and
fauna and their ecosystems as well as the geological structures. 99

• Cultural Heritage: It is the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes of a group or
society that are inherited from past generations, maintained in the present and bestowed for the
benefit of future generations. 100
• Digital/ Virtual Heritage: It is the body of works dealing with information and communication
technologies (ICT) and their application to cultural heritage, such as virtual archaeology. 101
Cultural Heritage can be further categorized as:

• Tangible Cultural Heritage: It includes buildings and historic places, monuments, artifacts,
etc., which are considered worthy of preservation for the future. These include objects significant
to the archaeology, architecture, science or technology of a specific culture. 102
• Intangible Cultural Heritage: Traditions or living expressions inherited from our ancestors and
passed on to our descendants, such as oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals,
festive events, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe or the knowledge
and skills to produce traditional crafts. 103

98
UNESCO-CI. "Various Types of Heritage."
99
UNESCO. “Convention Concerning the Protection Of The World Cultural And Natural Heritage.” November 1972.
100
Ibid.
101
UNESCO World Heritage Centre. “The Criteria for Selection.” 1992.
102
CNRS. “United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.” 2016.
103
UNESCO. “About Intangible Heritage.” October 20, 2004.

xv
Classification of heritage is not an easy process. More than often, there are one or more overlaps. To make
this process easy, over the years, UNESCO has come up with a few other categories, such as: 104

• Food Heritage: It encompasses the origins of plants and animals and their dispersal, the sites
where people first cultivated plants and domesticated animals, as well as the earliest locations
around the world where people first processed, prepared, sold and ate foods.

• Industrial Heritage: The physical remains of the history of technology and industry, such as
manufacturing and mining sites, as well as power and transportation infrastructure. The term is
often also used in connection with museums or historic places related to industry, including
worker housing and warehouses.

104
UNESCO World Heritage Centre. “The Criteria for Selection.” 1992.

xvi
Appendix B : Native Plants of Neemrana

Figure B-1: Vegetation Type Map of Rajasthan

xvii
As shown in Figure B-1, Neemrana has a mixed vegetation cover. The major vegetation type of the village
is Shrub Savannah with spurs of Dry Deciduous Forest cover. 105

Savannah Scrubs is a vegetation cover predominantly occupied by shrubs or poor tree growth chiefly of
small or stunted trees with crown density less than 10%. The Dry Deciduous forest on the other hand
occur at an altitude of around 200-600 meters and are equivalent to northern dry mixed deciduous forests
predominantly occupied by teak, and thorny trees. 106 As shown in Figure C-5 107, Neemrana Village has the
Aravalli Landscape. Based on the Research work in papers New Records of Plants from Rajasthan 108 and
Mapping the Vegetation Types of Rajasthan, India Using Remote Sensing Data 109, we can safely assume
that it is likely for the following Flowering Native Plants of Rajasthan to be able to grow in the Neemrana
Village.

[Link]. Scientific Name of Grass Common Name of Grass Season

1 Apluda mutica L. Mauritian Grass Perennial
2 Setaria verticillata (L.) P. Beauv. Hooked Bristlegrass Annual

[Link]. Scientific Name of Creepers Common Name of Season

Creepers
1 Abrus precatorius L. Rosarypea Perennial
2 Dioscorea bulbifera L. Air yam Perennial
3 Momordica dioica Roxb. ex Willd. Balsampear Perennial
4 Cardiospermum halicacabum L. Balloon Vine Annual/ Biennial/ Perennial
5 Cocculus hirsutus (L.) Diels Moonseed Perennial
6 turbinata Lag. Lilacbell Annual

105
Reddy, Krishna, and Kiran. “Mapping the Vegetation types of Rajasthan, India using Remote Sensing Data.”2010.
106 Sharma, Katewa, and Bhatnagar. “New Records of Plants from Rajasthan.”2005.
107 See Appendix C
108
Reddy, Krishna, and Kiran. “Mapping the Vegetation types of Rajasthan, India using Remote Sensing Data.”2010.
109
Sharma, Katewa, and Bhatnagar. “New Records of Plants from Rajasthan.”2005.

xviii
[Link]. Scientific Name of Shrubs Common Name of Season
Shrubs
1 Calotropis procera (Aiton) W.T. Aiton Roostertree Perennial
2 Cayratia trifolia (L.) Domin Threeleaf cayratia Perennial
3 Cissampelos pariera L. Velvetleaf Perennial
4 Clerodendrum inerme (L.) Gaertn. Embrert Perennial
5 Commiphora wightii (Arn.) Bhandari Guggal Perennial
6 Gardenia jasminoides Ellis Cape Jasmine Perennial
7 Holarrhena antidysenterica (L.) Wall Tellicherry Bark Perennial
8 Chamaecrista nictitans (L.) Moench sensitive partridge Annual/ Perennial
ssp. nictitans var. leptadenia (Greenm.) pea
Gandhi & Hatch
9 Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers Moonseed Perennial
10 Adhatoda zeylanica Medic. Adusa Perennial
11 Cassia alata L. Datkapat Perennial
12 Cayratia carnosa (Wall.) Gagnep. ex Amar-bel Perennial
Wight
13 Datura fastuosa L. Datura Perennial
14 Grewia flavescens Juss. Kali-siali Perennial
15 Hibiscus micranthus L. f. Chanak bhindo Perennial
16 Ipomoea carnea Jacq. Gloria de la manana Perennial
17 Ipomoea eriocarpa R. Br. Morning Glory Perennial
18 Lantana camara L. Iantana Perennial
19 Lycium barbarum L. Matrimony Vine Perennial
20 Nerium oleander L. Oleander Perennial
21 Ricinus communis L. Arandi Perennial
22 Thevetia peruviana (Pers.) K. Schum Pila-kaner Perennial
23 Triumfetta rhomboidea Jacq. Diamond Burbark Perennial
24 Ziziphus zizyphus (L.) Karst. Jujube Perennial

xix
[Link]. Scientific Name of Trees Common Name of Season
Trees
1 Acacia catechu (L. f.) Willd. black cutch Perennial
2 Aegle marmelos (L.) Corr. Serr. Indian Bael Perennial
3 Bauhinia variegata L. Mountain Ebony Perennial
4 Butea monosperma (Lam.) Taubert Bengal kino Perennial
5 Cassia fistula L. Amaltas Perennial
6 Emblica officinalis Gaertn. Amla Perennial
7 Ficus carica L. Fig Perennial
8 Holoptelea integrifolia (Roxb.) Planch Papri Perennial
9 Bombax ceiba Red Silk Cottontree Perennial
10 Terminalia arjuna (Roxb. ex DC.) Wt. Arjuna Perennial
& Arn.
11 Terminalia bellirica (Gaertn.) Roxb. Bahera Perennial
12 Wrightia tinctoria R. Br. Dudhi Perennial
13 Acacia nilotica (L.) Willd. ex Delile Babul Perennial
14 Albizia lebbeck Benth. Woman’s tongue Perennial
15 Anogeissus (DC.) Wall. Anogeissus Perennial
16 Carissa carandas L. Karanda Perennial
17 Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh. River Redgum Perennial
18 Prosopis cineraria (L.) Druce Jand Perennial
19 Vitex negundo L. Chinese Chastetree Perennial

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Appendix C : Maps of Rajasthan

Figure C-1: Land Use Map of Rajasthan

Figure C-2: Physiography Map of Rajasthan

xxi
Figure C-3: Temperature Map of Rajasthan (January)

Figure C-4: Temperature Map of Rajasthan (May)

xxii
 Figure C-5: Soil Map of Rajasthan

Figure C-6: Hydro Geomorphology Map of Rajasthan

xxiii
 Figure C-7: Rainfall Map of Rajasthan

Figure C-8: Ground Water Table Map of Rajasthan

xxiv
Figure C-9: Ground Water Use Map of Rajasthan

xxv