SHIMLA

LINGUISTIC LAMENTATION

The linguistic territorial behavior is at display right across the state in search for identifiable camp. The politics of linguistic aggression is criticized all across in the name of secular & nationalism. The media, other political camp in disguise of secular clone has joined the mass combat on such endeavour. The several well to do personalities & surprisingly bourgeoisie camp is out to propagate nationalism; however no effort is made at micro level to understand what does nationalism means to an individual whose life circle is restricted to hand to mouth. How can an individual with no historical perspective on linguistic barometer as a dynamics state politics would make nationalism as supreme authority over linguistic polarity.

The issues are far away from simpleton assumption on uni-coded nationalism over linguistic territory. It has to be dealt with various scales of micro to macro or within various shades of grey. The linguistic territorial behavior exists in most advance countries ex. Canada has French speaking territories which is attached to job opportunities, while Austrian shades of German language has displayed similar behavior and so is the German- Dutch frontiers. The linguistic polarities have connotation of economic opportunity in symbiotic way, which can not be erased with will of power politics.

It may be incorrect to contempt such demand & behavior when one sees groupism exist within city in name of geographical privileges. If south Mumbai is the case to promote what Mumbai international image is about than why not geographical language precedes the image on identity of region.

However at state level politics, it is also imperative to look at the strategy of ruling party with their pseudo secular gown to reinforce the elite hegemony. How is it possible that no individual rose to larger stature without dynasty affiliation? Since it has been the secular metaphor that needs to be represented rather than understood in international politics which has undermined the regionalism. Its may be slightly exaggeration to state that secular model is not enough to understand the aspiration of regional values. The vary idea of language preference is not outside the context of nationalism rather it‘s immediately a part of pseudo-secular policy that is being slapped on people.

CHANOD

FORMLESS URBANISM



 









There are several ghat cities in India associated to myth, religion & rites. The city close to Bharuch know as Chanod is perhaps less unknown among Indians compare to Banaras, Nashik & Dwarka although it has similar significance related to last rites. The only difference is that Chanod is known for performing last rites for those who met with sudden death. But the most significance difference is that Chanod has Narmada River front with no ghats, unlike the other cities & perhaps it might have emerged with myth which are not as historically deeper like rest of the ghat cities however historical transformation has evolutionary process which may have begun.

How interesting! That we find immediate association with river fronts & new myth. The knocking sound of boats diesel engine across the river banks merged with Brahmins chanting mantras, sugar cane sap squeezer machine & sound of thousands of people moving on white sand along the bank, each is identifiable yet merged beyond recognition. The city comes to stand still during the rain as Narmada floods & an entire region submerges with no traces of its existence, like desert sand dunes. As river begins to recedes, it breathes into life with fresh fragrance of wet sand & calmness of water.

The urbanity deals with agglomeration of people in the natural setting countered with man made built environment in a meaningful coherence. Chanod is different to that. The ancient ghat cities have natural setting, prominent architectural heritage & sense of urbanity which is fairly permanent. While Chanod has huge agglomeration of people in most dramatic natural setting, intervened by formless & spontaneous response for monolithic function, like city rising up from receding water in inherent belief for soul to revisit for its unattended or desirous aspiration during its living years. Chanod has cluster of huge space frame like structure in Bamboo in filled with fabric & hay measuring approximately one square kilometer each. There are number of such cluster on grid iron pattern along the bank. The each cluster is fractured along the grid to form series open spaces & pathways which takes you to several small cluster with place to sit, eat, relax or space for performing rites with no clue of its temporariness. The formation of grid is usually connected to what river has left after flooding & course of new water movement. As monsoon approaches city folds up like mechano set & waiting for new course to emerge after the monsoon & perhaps with new configuration.

The built spaces are precursor to its cultural dynamics while Chanod has its own value preempt the traditional notion of culture & city.

SHIMLA 2010

CITY OF 69

The city of oxford had not changed as mush as people. The city was predictably different: it was bigger: the cars: and shops were numerous and more garish: and the streets were more crowded. But the predominant characteristics of the place was still the cream- coloured stone of the college buildings: with occasional glimpse through an arch of the startling green turf of a deserted quadrangle in curious hue of English pale shadow as against the brassy glare of tropics. The seamless buildings picking up the generous contours of winding streets of markets are familiar however the students seemed a totally new breed. Men were with hair growing over their ears: with orange and pink neckerchiefs with bell- bottom trousers and high heeled shoes. Many of them were barefoot in the streets: or wore peculiar open sandals without socks. The very often Men and women had trousers & tops vulgarly tight fittings with conviction that lingeries were out of fashion while some men grew pig tails or masses of curls so that they always looked as if they were peering through hole in a hedge. This apparently being insufficient outrageous for some: they had added Jesus beards: Mexican mustaches or sweeping side-whiskers. How bizarre that nothing seems to have changed: the paintwork of houses: front garden: but lukewarm socialist knowing that society was unjust: not sure how it might be changed for the better. Growing older is gain of skills and not wisdom if unaltered & frozen built is abraised with dynamics of new generation is read through ageless lenses.

URBAN MATIX

- Urban design education
Urban design is traditionally rendered with western academic forum. Its role is very often predetermined in abstraction of historicism on one hand while iconic & ideality on other hand.

- Urban design, architecture & Indian cities.
A city is a palimpsest, a document with many layers of accretion & imperfect erasure, many glosses & comments and marginal notes. It is often called as collaborative art work, a strange collaborative partnership of people, civic policy makers, democratic political - legal system & socio-cultural & regional hegemony. The matrix of lattice system is an abstract idea of theoretical discourse within urban design context of Indian city. It represents the complexity of various realms seeking sense of locus & alignment to the vast reality of perceived urban order.