ARCHITECTURAL CONSERVATION: A CASE STUDY OF MULTAN
JAIN SWAMBER TEMPLE
Muhammad Rehan Sharif1, Ghulam Habib2,
Salman Mahfooz3, Rashid Ali4, Muhammad Kaleem Ullah5
Master in Architecture, Punjab University, Lahore,
Pakistan1
Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad, Pakistan2
Department of City & Regional Planning UET, Lahore,
Pakistan3
Master in Architecture, Punjab University, Lahore,
Pakistan4,5
rehansharif333@gmail.com1, engrhabib8@gmail.com2, sahil.planner@hotmail.com3
rashid.sheikh08@gmail.com4, kaleemullah808@outlook.com5
KEYWORDS |
ABSTRACT |
architectural,
multan jain swamber, historical. |
Historical
and architectural preservation need to be focused on in the planning of
cities. National development policies and agendas should inculcate historic
preservation. Architectural conservation phenomena should involve government
representatives and local communities, public service providers and the
private sector to collaborate with each other. This study examines the
cultural heritage, showing some limitations and significant advances. The
study discusses the case of the Jain Swamber temple in Multan's inner city.
The study describes the temple's architecture and architectural aspects to
underline the importance of architectural heritage conservation and
protection in Multan, Pakistan. Temples and monasteries are the only places
where Jain architecture may be found. Jian Swamber temple was built in the
dominant style of the time and place it was created. The Mru-Gurjara style is
characterized by elaborate carving, particularly on columns, enormous and delicately
carved rosettes on mandap ceilings, and a distinctive "flying arch"
between columns with no structural purpose is simply artistic. The temple is
made of diverse local colors of pink, buff, and brown sandstone, which
lightens the style and makes it appealing. Policymakers and architects can
devise different conservation concepts and tactics to preserve architecture.
As a result, buildings may not lose or change their appearance considerably. |
DOI: 10.58860/ijsh.v2i5.42 |
|
Corresponding Author: Muhammad Rehan Sharif
Email: rehansharif333@gmail.com
INTRODUCTION
The physical
restoration or regeneration processes are not the same as building conservation
and preservation (Dişli & Ankaralıgil, 2023). It is a
mental attitude, a philosophical approach that seeks first to understand what
people value about a historic building or place beyond its practical utility (Wells & Baldwin, 2012). It must be ensured
that any restoration or conservation work does not harms the existing features
and characteristics of the buildings. Historic centers face challenges today,
as they can be affected by natural calamities while also being impacted by
human activity (Acharya et al., 2017).
Today, it is
vital to maintain heritage components while also employing participatory and
'bottom-up' techniques to develop sustainable settings that meet cities'
evolving demands (Ferraro et al., 2020). It is critical to concentrate on historic
centers' unique characteristics and examine the developments that led to their
current position (Bernabeu-Bautista et al., 2023).
Conservation plans provide a chance to increase risk mitigation while also
promoting environmental management and sustainability concepts.
Today's urban
legacy is undergoing transformations reflected in its physical shape, social
organization, and practical use (Czerner et al., 2019). Most
scholars and practitioners think that community fragmentation is a risk,
weakening the capacity to regenerate values. Historic areas must be considered
at first. Although there have been several industry initiatives and practical
endeavors throughout the years, there are no specific guidelines or ideas that
may be used to guide the renovation of historic regions. The conservation
principles should be founded on a method that emphasizes the importance of the
inherited urban fabric as a component of sustainable urban development (Malik et al., 2018).
All the above
concepts have been modified to conform to the requirements of international
organizations that conserve historic areas. In 2008, the ICOMOS Charter for the
Interpretation and Presentation of Cultural Heritage Sites (International
Council on Monuments and Sites) set seven criteria based on modern conservation
pillars. Years later, in 2013, ICOMOS issued the Managing Cultural World Heritage
Resource Manual, which provides specific guidance to heritage protection
authorities, local governments, site managers, and local communities associated
with World Heritage (Mumtaz, 2017).
Conservation and protection are the responsibility of UNESCO-led programs in
Pakistan and government ministries such as Archaeology, Cultural Departments,
and the Walled City Authority. This article aims to assess current conservation
policies and how they are implemented in the historic temple. Because the city
is listed in the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural
Organization, it was picked as a case study (UNESCO). The report goes into
great length on the design aspects of a temple in Multan city that is unique in
its design and architecture and must be preserved and restored to defend
minority rights and encourage tourism in Pakistan.
METHOD
A (Jaina temple) is selected as a case study area
in located in Multan City. The design features were captured by photography and
observatory surveys. To be more specific, the temple is called a "Jaina
mandir." It is part of the Suembra sect of the religion of the Jain
religion. In the Inner Walled City of Multan, it is near Chowk Bazar and the
Mosque of Phool Nathan. In Multan, 52 places should be restored, and this one
is one of the through a narrow street in front of the mosque. Locals call the
structure Jain Mandar, but there is not a single mention of it in any written
work on Multan, except Ikram-ul-citation Haq's of its name (p. 128).
Even now, there is no indication of a Jain
community residing in Multan, either now or in the past, in the vast literature
accessible on the city's history and inhabitants. The Non-Christian Religions
of Multan (118-127) are given about ten pages in the 1923-24 edition of Multan
Gazetteer. However, there is no mention of the presence of the Jain community
in Multan. The existence of this community is only mentioned obliquely in the
District Gazetteer of Multan (Extracts p. 109) in the 1901-02 edition. The
Compiler notes the existence of a sort of writing known as "Bhabra
Akhar" – "alphabet of the Bhabras" – among the different characters
of writing styles among the inhabitants of Multan. In Punjab, a Bhabra is
always equated to a Jain businessman. Fortunately, Ikram-ulHuq also Digambra
informs us that this JainaMandir is associated with the Suembra Sect of the
Jain Religion — the other sect being
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
The structure
is currently being used as a religious school called Jamia Hamidia
Taalim-ul-Quran. The main temple hall is reached via high white marble steps.
The front of the roof has a fake ceiling over wooden battens. The front door is
carved from solid wood. The Main Hall is in better shape, but the building has
developed severe structural fissures in walls and vaults, posing a severe
threat to the structure's stability.
Interior
If no quick action is taken, the building may collapse at any time,
causing significant damage to life and property. The inside floor appears to be
original, and it is laid in white and black marble. However, it is in terrible
condition. The columns are octagonal, with a lousy plaster finish. Similarly,
the plaster on the roof ceiling is in disrepair. Taksim Bandi is used on the
roofs, while Hindu patterns are used on the walls and niches.
Figure 2. Interior craving
of Temple
The
roof structures are afflicted with dangerous and profound fissures that
traverse the length of the ceiling vaults and all walls. "All holes on the
exterior walls have fractures." The temples outside walls have been
designed with an increasing number of projections and recesses to accommodate
highly carved statues in niches. The overall condition is dreadful, and there
is a high risk of collapse. The temple's interiors contain intricately carved
marble pillars. The canopy that serves as the temple's entryway is adorned with
artwork depicting Jain mythology.
Walls and doors
A typical temple Jain sakhara with melon-shaped capping (dome) and a
pinnacle or kalas is located above the main hall. The door frames are
beautifully carved and, in some instances, are adorned with magnificent jallis.
The wood carving on the main entry door reads "ShiriVishwanath Jain
Shwetambar Mandir," the temple's original name. A big wall painting on a
massive marble slab depicts what looks to be a road plan giving entrance to
some religious site in one location. This temple somehow resembles with Jaina
Temple (Bhabra Mandar) in Gujranwala which is presently on exhibit in the
Lahore Museum. The walls of temple are partially carved and partially painted
map on two marble slabs. On the two extreme wings, there are two staircases
leading to a basement/lower ground level. A chamber on the first level looks
down over the main hall in the center.
Figure 3. Door and windows
designs of Temple
Vehicular Access / Parking
The temple is
reached by a short street in front of the Phool Hattan Mosque. The façade,
which is totally hidden below shopkeepers' awnings, consists primarily of a
central entrance and a number of chambers on the first
storey level. The entrance is through the Bohar Gate. Parking is not available;
access is via the bazaar street.
Space Utilization
The Mandar serves as a school and madrassah for 100 students, while
nearby temple halls are used for commercial storage. Toilets and restrooms have
been installed. A KWH metre is used to measure electricity usage. Electric
poles are located near to the entrance, and the surrounding area is commercial,
therefore the area is well lit.
Figure 4. Entrance of
Temple
Sewerage and Drainage
Open drains
run along Coti-Sirai Bazaar, eroding the stonework as they deteriorate. The
drainage runs from the temple's main entrance (which is now closed) to the
bazaar road.
Waste Management
The madrassah's
solid waste is dumped in the neighboring streets. There are stacks of
construction debris on the building's roof, as well as waste in the Mandar's
chamber. Garbage has accumulated at the building's main door, which is now
closed.
Surfaces and pavement
The floors and
windows of the temple are beautifully designed, keeping in view the all
characteristics of design and its elements. Most of the courtyard and verandah
are marble tiled, while some of the terrace floors are made of PCC concrete.
Vandalism has resulted from the attachment of a nearby building's air
conditioning unit to the fabric of the Mandar.
Figure 5. Surface design
and pavement of Temple
Material used
The central
area of the temple is supported by pillars made of bricks whose bases have been
eroded by humidity. Walking on the leading site of the first floor creates
vibrations due to deflection. Severe separation fractures may be seen in the
walls of the side chambers, as well as multiple cracks were observed on the
openings of all rooms and in the recessed arches and walls. Dampness is rising
in the walls, which is exacerbated by an ablution area. Most of the walls and
the ceiling vaults are infested with dangerous and severe cracks in the roof,
destroying its minor components. Above all entrances, the external walls
contain fractures. Overall, the situation is dire, with a high risk of
collapse.
Figure 6. Material used in
Temple
Defects in building
Figure
7. Existing defects in Temple building
For many
years, Pakistan has been developing building conservation to preserve
cultural-historical assets and utility value. The most rapid changes in scope
thought about purpose and goals and technological capabilities, not to mention
the revival of traditional skills, have occurred in the last half-century.
Within and beyond official bodies, there has been progressing toward
integrating conservation thought and practice created by various professional
groups under different legislative or policy frameworks. However, every one of
us has a conservation philosophy influenced by our professional experiences,
personal value scales, and sensitivity. Official and ethical guidelines may
eventually be essential in providing common frameworks for considering,
evaluating, and debating specific initiatives (Del
& Tabrizi, 2020).
Even though a
madrassa operates within the premises, the Jain Swamber temple is in reasonable
original condition, with a significant number of original decorative features
retained. Structural flaws result from poor care, and the structure needs rapid
stabilization. Since its construction, no significant changes appear to have
been made to this structure. Construction of a partition wall, a blackboard
supporting wall, or a tiny water tank is only a few of the interventions that
have been found so far. The structure is being harmed by leaks from the water
taps and sewage lines, presumably constructed recently by the Madrassa regime (Mahajan,
2007).
Various
philosophies have guided urban conservation over the years. Today's ideas for
historic area conservation necessitate that bottom-up techniques, aided by
synergies, be used (Ataöv
et al., 2022). Its primary goals should
be to increase the quality of life of its citizens while also attracting
tourists and assisting in their economic development. The primary goals will be
met through collaborations between the public and private sectors and
meticulously organized to maximize each historic site's potential. The idea
that planning is attempting to create habitable zones that operate as city
cells in a dynamic conversation between the old and the modern is of great
interest (Escobar
Castrillon, 2020).
The current
study looked at how modern conservation concepts were applied in Multan; a city
developed using modern urban conservation principles. The city was picked
because it has implemented plans based on current conservation concepts in
recent years.
Multan's goals
should prioritize infrastructure, social cohesion, economic development, and
tourism attractiveness. They adhere to bottom-up practices and promote
collaboration between the business and public sectors. In terms of the planning
process, officials used participatory approaches in current plans to secure
public acceptance of planning decisions. By modern conservation principles,
detailed plans that have been legislated for and are frequently changed include
the demands of stakeholders. EPTB should seize ownership of this monument right
away and attempt to restore it to its former state. The structure could be used
as a small museum devoted to local crafts or to represent Multan's Hindu
culture.
The city has
managed to proceed with regeneration projects critical for the city's
development concerning the existing historic urban fabric using funding from
European, national, and local funds combined with private financing through the
partnerships developed between the public and private sectors. The concept and
implementation of this project followed modern urban conservation guidelines
and resulted in the revival of the historic center's zones (Shua,
2018).
Although there
is a growing demand for the renovation of previously unoccupied buildings, this
fact is viewed as unfavorable because immigrants have a higher economic class
than existing residents. So, what Multan is dealing with now is gentrification,
a process that should be avoided according to modern conservation standards (Salman
et al., 2018).
Due to a lack
of economic mechanisms to control social cohesion. Although the newcomers
provide an excellent opportunity to preserve vacant buildings and, as a result,
keep the historical center, the fact that social changes are occurring
indicates that urban conservation principles are not being followed, as
gentrification is the result of market forces. Although the population has
remained steady, the composition of the population has changed. Authorities
must prevent this situation, leading to social division and turning the
historical center into a high-income neighborhood (Li et
al., 2016).
Today,
achieving a balance between the interests of inhabitants and economic actors,
preservation of history and development, and management systems aimed at
maintaining values within sustainable processes is critical for urban
conservation. Urban planners should manage ancient cities to preserve the
continuity of their built-up, economic, and social features in a world where
the primary sources of change are tied to economic factors.
CONCLUSION
This section
should emphasize the significant interpretations and conclusions of the paper
as. Well, the decision contains the main points of this article, presented
briefly, narratively, non-bulleted, and conceptually. This section should
emphasize the main interpretations and conclusions of the paper and their
significance. Findings should be consistent with the research objectives, and
the impact of the research should be stated.
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2023 by the authors. It was submitted for possible open-access publication
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