In a move to showcase the history and built heritage of Mysuru and kindle greater interest among public towards conservation, the Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage will make a heritage walk a permanent feature from August.
Though heritage walks have been conducted for many years on a requisition basis, the department is taking a new initiative to have a permanent programme on the first Sunday of every month to start with.
A. Devaraju, Commissioner, Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage, told The Hindu that heritage walks are not new to Mysuru and are being conducted on an on and off basis depending on the requisitions from educational institutions, government departments, trainees and probationary officers who come to the Administrative Training Institute. In addition, heritage walks are conducted for a couple of days during Dasara as well.
‘’But what we have in mind is a permanent programme which is open to the general public and the tourists alike. We will start with the first Sunday of August and depending on the demand and popularity, the frequency can be increased,” Mr. Devaraju added.
He said resourcepersons from the department will be entrusted to work as guides for the heritage walks while experts from the heritage committee, etc., will also be roped in for the purpose.
Heritage routes
There are different heritage routes that have already been chalked out and the department intends to take up one route every Sunday on a rotation basis. It is planned to be a 90 minute to two-hour programme.
Brochures and literature pertaining to the walks will also be distributed to hotels in Mysuru so that they could create awareness among tourists and encourage them to discover a slice of Mysuru and get an immersive experience of the city complete with local history, Mr. Devaraju added.
500 heritage structures
Mysuru has over 500 heritage structures of which about 130 are notified as such. The popular route through core heritage zone commences from Town Hall and covers the Silver Jubilee Clock Tower, Chamaraja Circle, Palace, K.R. Circle, Small Clock Tower, Devaraja Market, old CAVA building Ayurvedic Hospital and K.R. Hospital. The other routes are longer and hence not patronized but included as part of heritage cycling and heritage tonga ride during Dasara.
