The new keepers of an old home

John Harrison British architect and I would drop by bars in Leh to collect used plastic and glass bottles If someone were to open up the roof of the LAMOor Ladakh Arts and Media Organisation Centre lamoorgin in future they will be in for a surprise laughs Dr Monisha Ahmed when we meet her at her Juhu homeNearly 2500 km away in Leh the 17th century site she is discussing comprises two structures mdash the Munshi House and Gyaoo House mdash restored by her Harrison and a team of Ladakhis For it the group was recently honoured with the Award of Distinction at the UNESCO Asia Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage ConservationAmong those Mountains Nine contemporary artists from Ladakh exhibition opening LAMO 2014Over the next hour LAMOs cofounder and executive director offers a virtual tour recalling ideas like the barhop that was essential to source material that would insulate the restored building from the unforgiving winter But extremities dont rattle Ahmed She is familiar with the terrain since she was an anthropology studentOver the last 30 years her fascination has grown into a fullblown mission to contribute towards the regions sociocultural and economic fabricThe slideshow she shares ends with a vibrant frame from a bird festival at LAMO The idea of a living breathing arts and media centre in Lehs Old Town has taken flight and Dr Ahmed is happy with the resultsEdited excerpts from the interviewJohn Harrison How did the love affair with Ladakh startIve been visiting Ladakh since the 1980s As a student of anthropology from St Xaviers College the region intrigued me Despite my parents concerns a friend and I made the long journey via train bus and air Later research subjects for my MPhil and DPhil programmes in Social Anthropology drew me closer to its lifestyle art and culture and diverse legacy Ive lived with nomads for days I was keen to direct this knowledge constructively for the region and its peopleHow did the LAMO Centre find a homeLAMO was formed in 199697 by fellow anthropologist Ravina Aggarwal and myself as a platform to support the arts culture and media in Ladakh We were also keen to set up a resource centre to execute these ideas in a manner that will highlight the value of the revitalisation of a heritage site In 2003 I was introduced to Harrison who was already working in the area on a project funded by INTACH UK He was also investigating the possibility of restoring Munshi House nearby It seemed like an ideal site to house our community arts centre After meeting the owners Dr Angchuk Munshi and his father Ishay we had a potential site on hand but since the library and exhibition areas couldnt be accommodated the neighbouring Gyaoo House was included after its owner Stanzin Gyaltsen agreed to the same terms Longterm leases were drawn for both houses and work began in 2005 We completed the project in 2010 Today both owners are commended for their foresight because they leased their homes to an NGO and took a riskThe Munshi House was a mud brick architectural structure built in the 17th century possibly the second most important site of the Old Town after the Leh PalaceHow were funds raised despite lack of support from authoritiesWe sourced a lot of material available on site like fallen stone or earth from collapsed roofs Cement and concrete was avoided ndash we wanted to demonstrate how local material and methods still work so we relied on these and willow and poplar wood Probably the costliest part was labour Its twice as expensive here as in the rest of India The project was privately funded ndash through my personal sources and some private donations raised by me The conservation of the wall paintings in a room we have called the Fire Place Room ndash the last segment of restoration completed last year ndash was supported by a grant from the Kalpataru Trust MumbaiWhat was your toughest challengeFrom the short working season to Ladakhi craftsmen approaching the project hesitatingly assuming that the site was haunted challenges were many We had to procure building materials at the start of the season Leh faces shortages if the passes open late or store supplies a year in advance before the winter set in Each passing year meant increasing costs In 2006 one of the large elaborately decorated rooms in Munshi House collapsed during a storm fortunately it collapsed inwards and we were able to pick up the pieces and restartIn terms of scale with several art works and minimalist woodwork showcasing a vernacular style but also influences from Kashmir Tibet and Central AsiaWhy did you nominate the LAMO Centre What does this UNESCO honour meanRestoration work in the fire place room was completed in 2017 and so we felt the time was right Conservation architect Vikas Dilawari had suggested that we nominate the site after a visit We hope this award will bring attention to Ladakhs heritage This is not the first time a UNESCO award has come here but the earlier two buildings were religious This is a private site so hopefully it will highlight houses and local architectural forms help draft heritage laws and enable the local government to step in and disallow questionable beautification and rampant commercialisation Leh remains one of the last Himalayan towns that retain its character With the INTACH Chapter having opened in 2010 more awareness must be created among Ladakhis to reuse and restore rather than destroyHave you been involved in any Mumbais culture and heritageI used to work as projects director INTACH Greater Mumbai from 1997 to 2000 During this time INTACH had established a site museum at Elephanta Caves we also had an art auction to raise money for funds for the site The Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum restoration project was just starting when I left for my work in Leh Naturally I learnt a lot from Tasneem Mehta former INTACH convener In 2017 I was advisor for We Wear Culture a fashion and textile design project as part of the Google Cultural InstituteLayering of plastic and glass bottles on the roofs was suggested as an idea from a student project as insulationWhy the LAMO Centre mattersThe region has many heritage monuments and private homes that require conservation Ignorance changing weather patterns and development projects led to negligence the worst case being the knocking down of sites completely LAMO is the result of successful and sensitive preservation of a heritage structure A question that tends to arise in such cases is what happens to a site after restoration This centre is a firsthand example of offering varied initiatives to the youth in particular Ladakh has a very high literacy rate approximately 80 We have been able to offer them a platform to explore their interests create avenues to earn their livelihood and contribute towards societySituated just below Leh Palace the rooms of LAMO look out from over the city of LehConstruction of library Alignment of beams and pillars redoing of roofs flooring and rooms brought with it obstacles and unique hurdlesLAMO Centre staff and artists with Dara Shikoh Trust members Bird Festival Sept18 Tashi Morep first row first from rightCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates