JNNURM - GANGAPEDIA

City Development Plan for Agra City in the state of Uttar Pradesh under JNNURM
Chapter 5
Heritage and Tourism
5.1 IMPORTANCE OF CONSERVATION OF HERITAGE
Conservation of art work in the form of sculptures (stone, metal, wood) metals and their
alloys, paintings, manuscripts, textiles, bone-ivory artifacts, monuments and heritage
buildings is one of most important and challenging tasks of modern times. The fast pace of
industrialization and unplanned growth has created avoidable problems to the architects, civil
engineers, conservation scientists and restorers.
Deterioration of artifacts material is a spontaneous phenomenon and sets in as soon as the
artistic creation leaves the hands of a stone carver, metal caster, painter, etc. The agencies
of decay and destruction are all pervading and distributed all around in nature, it will not be
wrong to say that nature wants the material to undergo degradation so that it can be created
again. These cyclic processes of creation and deterioration are continuously occurring in
nature. Conservation of heritage of mankind is indeed, a battle against the agencies
destruction and decay. Conservation is a serious work and should be undertaken by trained
conservators with a full understanding of material, alteration processes, stabilization of
artifacts with respect to their immediate environment.
Material of an object cannot be changed because of its irreplaceable nature but the type of
environment around the heritage buildings, monuments, museums, archives, art galleries etc.
could be controlled by careful planning and management. The axiom: ‘Wrong Conservation
is worst than no Conservation’. Hence, the need for a team of trained and experienced
conservators, architects, planners, human resource developers, environmentalists etc.
5.2 HERITAGE OF AGRA
Agra has a long history, which can be traced back to the neo-lithic period. The rock shelter
paintings have been found in village Rasoolpur, Patsal, Madanpur, Jajali and were
discovered by Dr Giriraj Kumar of Rock Art society of India
The excavations conducted in and around Agra have revealed bricks, pottery, sculptures at
Surajpur, inscription and sacrificial pillars near Bayana, sculptures, bricks and coins at
Budiya-ka Tal and tehu at Itmadpur.
Agra fort was invaded by Mahmud Shah in 1080 – 81 A.D and poet Salman who was present
at Agra during the siege observed that the fort is old and strong and had not been conquered
so far.
Before the arrival of Mughals in the first quarter of the sixteenth century, Agra was under
Delhi Sultans (1206 – 1526) who left their mark through buildings in Sikandara. Some of the
ruins can be located in the present times.
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