Chennai: Chennai can boast of numerous heritage monuments of religious, historical and cultural significance, but the `World Heritage Day' on Wednesday was a rather subdued affair in the city.

Neither the Central nor the State Archaeology departments organised major celebrations to mark the occasion, despite it being the 25th anniversary of the observance. Officials said more significance is attached to `World Heritage Week' in November, as students would be able to take part in the celebrations. Most schools and colleges are closed in April.

Superintending Archaeologist of Archaeological Survey of India, Chennai Circle, Satyabhama Badrinath said ASI organised a photo exhibition in Thanjavur to mark the occasion.

A senior official of the State Archaeology department said entry to the copper plates gallery at her department headquarters was free of cost on the day. The theme set for this World Heritage Day was preservation of cultural landscapes and monuments of nature.

The International Council of Monuments and Sites now recognises important natural formations such as rocks, mountains or sacred groves as heritage monuments.

The Parthasarathy temple in Triplicane and the Kapaleeswarar temple in Mylapore, Fort St. George, the Royapuram Railway station and GPO are some of the heritage monuments in Chennai.

Call for change

A museologist called for a shift in the way such anniversaries are observed. Apart from allowing free entry to the monuments maintained by the government, Archaeology departments should coordinate with the Tourism and Art and Culture departments to conduct events, he said. Heritage awareness creation programmes could be held simultaneously in different parts of the State.

While care should be taken to preserve the monuments, souvenir shops could be allowed in the vicinity to allow economic activity, the museologist said. He suggested that archaeology departments tie up with artists' and weavers' associations to produce t-shirts and souvenirs.

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