Date of Award

5-2025

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

First Advisor

Suzanne Singletary

Second Advisor

Morna Livingston

Third Advisor

Grace Ong Yan

Abstract

This doctoral research proposes an integrative theoretical framework for understanding and managing living heritage in riverine contexts, specifically focusing on the historic cities of Varanasi and Kolkata along the Ganges River in India. The study develops a new paradigm for living heritage conservation that embraces the fluid, dynamic nature of cultural landscapes through what the author terms the “Adaptive Fluid Living Heritage Continuum” (A.F.L.H.C).

Traditional approaches to heritage management often treat cultural landscapes and living heritage as static entities requiring preservation rather than living systems capable of adaptation. This research challenges this perspective by examining how communities along the Ganges maintain cultural continuity not through rigid preservation but through sophisticated adaptation to changing environmental, social, and urban conditions. Through extensive fieldwork conducted between 2016-2023, the research documents how heritage emerges from dynamic interactions between water systems, cultural practices, and urban forms.

The study develops its theoretical foundation by integrating three key perspectives: Dilip da Cunha's concept of “wetness,” which reconceptualizes water not as a bounded entity but as an omnipresent condition; the theory of living heritage, which recognizes culture as an ongoing process rather than a fixed artifact; and place attachment theory, which examines how communities form emotional and cultural bonds with their environments. By synthesizing these perspectives, the research creates a framework that captures the complex dynamics of riverine cultural landscapes.

The methodological approach combines archival research, transect fieldwork, and ethnographic methods across 24 ghats in Varanasi and 16 riverfront sites in Kolkata. This mixed-methods approach reveals how colonial cartographic practices fundamentally transformed traditional relationships between communities and riverine landscapes by imposing rigid boundaries between land and water where local cultures had maintained more fluid connections. The research documents how these colonial impositions continue to influence contemporary governance frameworks, creating tensions between indigenous knowledge systems and modern development approaches.

The comparative analysis of Varanasi and Kolkata reveals distinct trajectories of urban development and cultural adaptation. Varanasi, one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities, maintains deep religious connections to the Ganges through elaborate ritual practices and sacred architecture. Kolkata, developed as a colonial trading post, demonstrates commercial-cultural synthesis and hybrid architectural forms. Despite these differences, both cities exhibit sophisticated adaptation strategies in response to environmental, social, and economic challenges.

The author's proposed Adaptive Fluid Living Heritage Continuum framework identifies five core dimensions of fluid heritage: temporal fluidity, spatial fluidity, ecological fluidity, social fluidity, and governance fluidity. This framework recognizes that heritage value emerges through ongoing relationships rather than residing in static physical features. It prioritizes adaptation and resilience rather than fixed preservation, elevates community knowledge as central to heritage management, integrates cultural and ecological values, and introduces flexible governance systems.

The research develops practical implementation tools including a Community Knowledge Documentation System that enables local communities to record their heritage practices, Adaptive Heritage Management Circles that integrate traditional decision-making with contemporary needs, a Fluid Zoning Methodology that accommodates the changing nature of riverine heritage, and a Heritage Resilience Toolkit that builds community capacity to manage heritage in changing environments.

The framework has been successfully applied across three case study sites: Kumartuli in Kolkata, where traditional idol-makers maintain cultural practices while adapting to urban and environmental changes; Manikarnika Ghat in Varanasi, where cremation practitioners negotiate between sacred requirements and environmental challenges; and Dashashwamedha Ghat in Varanasi, where ritual ceremonies balance spiritual continuity with tourism pressures and changing river conditions.

A key finding is that effective heritage management in riverine contexts requires understanding water not as a fixed entity but as a dynamic condition that shapes and is shaped by cultural practices. The research documents how communities conceptualize heritage not as monuments but as evolving relationships between water, space, and cultural practice. This perspective fundamentally challenges conventional heritage management approaches that emphasize stability and permanence.

The study's significance extends beyond the specific context of the Ganges River to offer insights for other cultural landscapes facing environmental change, urbanization pressures, and heritage conservation challenges. The A.F.L.H.C framework provides a model for sustainable human-environment relationships that may have profound relevance in our era of accelerating environmental and social change.

The research contributes to heritage management theory by moving beyond the traditional dichotomy between tangible and intangible heritage to recognize heritage as emerging through continuous interaction between material environments, cultural practices, and environmental forces. It challenges conservation approaches that separate cultural heritage from environmental management, instead advocating for integrated approaches that recognize culture-nature relationships as essential to heritage value.

The A.F.L.H.C framework represents not just a theoretical advancement but a practical methodology for heritage managers, offering concrete mechanisms for operationalizing adaptive heritage management in riverine contexts. By recognizing and supporting living heritage systems, this approach not only preserves cultural values but also fosters essential knowledge for navigating our increasingly uncertain environmental future.

The author concludes that sacred riverfront communities have maintained sophisticated relationships with their environments through centuries of change— relationships that embody deep wisdom about adaptation, resilience, and sustainability. The Adaptive Fluid Living Heritage Continuum thus offers not just a framework for heritage conservation but a model for sustainable human-environment relationships with profound relevance in our era of accelerating environmental and social change.

Comments

Presented in partial fulfillment of the PhD in Architecture & Design Research degree at Thomas Jefferson University.

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