Heritage Village in Amritsar by next year

News Posted - 2010-06-04

If all goes as planned, the Heritage Village being developed by the Punjab Heritage and Tourism Development Board (PHTDB) on the campus of Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) may becowm operational in a year.

In a meeting held earlier this month, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal approved the draft proposal for the plan, prepared by Delhi-based consultancy firm Abhimanyu Dalal Architects. Board officials say the chief minister will soon lay the foundation stone of the Heritage Village, which will be developed on the lines of Chokhi Dhani in Jaipur.

The Heritage Village, with a tagline, ‘Sada Pind Saadi Virasat’, is being developed on 11 acres. The boundary wall is under construction. After the foundation stone is laid, the board will float tenders for the construction of the project, for which it has received Rs 6.5 crore from the Central government. The state government has assured that it will pool in an equal amount.

Board officials point out that since a university cannot be expected to have the professional know-how to successfully run such a venture, the management of the Heritage Village will be given to a private professional group, following a formal agreement on revenue sharing.

The board had asked the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB) to find a management partner for the project. The PIDB has, in turn, enlisted the services of Feedback Ventures, a consultancy firm, to suggest management partners.

The mandate of the board was ‘to develop a modern village for conservation of Punjab’s village culture’ and showcase its traditional crafts. In this light, the village will feature activities like making parandis, phulkaris, juttis, clay toys, pottery, musical instruments, durries, agricultural implements and shawls (lohis).

The Heritage Village will also provide accommodation for tourists who may want to stay here. About 15 to 20 suites will be constructed in what will be called the ‘haveli of the lambardar’ (traditionally the feudal head of a Punjab village). Another highlight of the village will be an akhara where wrestling bouts will be conducted. Besides, there will be a fair ground, complete with rides and rural sports, and a food court offering traditional Punjabi fare.

At the meeting where the draft plan was approved, the CM suggested that the food court must offer visitors ‘chatti di daal’, ‘chatti da dudh’, kheer and other rural delicacies. He suggested that in one corner, cooking must also be done in an angithi, using ‘paathian’ (cowdung cakes), and these must also be stuck on a wall, as is found in a typical village, from where they are taken off by village women whenever required for use as fuel.

For enlightening visitors about Punjab’s rural life, the village will have a rich farmer’s house, a poor farmer’s house, a hakeem, a ‘Geeta da akhara’ for showcasing the state’s folk dances and folk songs, a corner for displaying ‘talwars’ (swords) and a typical village school. It will also have a chakki, a kohlu, a ‘tootan wala khu’ (village well) an a ‘toodi ka kupp'.

Source: Indian Express 02/6/10