JMADC

Badami is a valuable part of a unique landscape in which a specific culture has evolved; a culture that values and celebrates life in the forms that are presented in this landscape, a culture that manifests itself in daily rituals, daily life, food, crafts, festivals, symbols, architecture, and a sense of place. This cultural landscape, which has over the years strived towards an ecological balance, is facing a threat from insensitive development (due to the tourism pressure) and dogmatic conservation (that sometimes is insensitive to the ecological relationships). The cultural continuity and the sense of belonging that people living here most likely enjoy are under the constant pressure of tourist and academic gaze.

This proposal takes a stand that for sustainability (environmental, social and economic) of a place that depends upon intricate ecological balance, any new meaning must recognise the ecological relationships, be flexible enough to adapt to the contingencies of the process and most importantly, be minimal and reversible. The new layer of the place should bring out narratives of various historic layers and their ecological relationships as well as symbolise through exemplary design interventions the values of today – consciousness of the environment, equity and inclusivity.

Approach

Keeping the economic objective of increasing the visitation in mind, this proposal focuses on the survival of the cultural landscape and the Badami Historic District through addressing the social, cultural and environmental concerns of the people of the place. Each of the specific objectives identified below is in relation to the difference it makes in the quality of life of the inhabitants. 

1. Facilitate people who visit this place by augmenting the local economy through local participations and partnerships. This is to ensure that the inhabitants of the place become the primary beneficiaries of the development that would result from the increase in visitation/ tourism.
2. Make the cultural narrative of the place visible, by making local arts and culture as economic drivers/ part of popular narrative. This would ensure that the traditional social and economic patterns that created the heritage of the place are continued in present practices.
3. Ecological and cultural learning, through engagement with local institutions and communities/ individuals with indigenous knowledge, in order to understand the ecological relationships of cultural practices.
4. Ethical, accountable and participatory decision-making. One of the most important aspects of continuity is to include situated knowledge of the inhabitants in the processes of conservation and development. Participatory decision-making is also a key to encourage a sense of ownership of the inhabitants.
5. Environmental equity and accessibility of all places and resources to all kinds of visitors and inhabitants.