Kanisha Mahajan, Kavita Pradhan
Tekton
Tekton: Volume 11, Issue 2, December 2024
pp. 54 – 69
Kanisha Mahajan graduated from the Space Design discipline of the School of Design at Anant National University, Ahmedabad in 2024. She is from Jammu and have watched the change in Mubarak Mandi Palace complex. Her undergraduate thesis was focused on the research and restoration of the complex which won the best Capstone project at Anant. She has been working with conservation architects on a restoration proposal of the complex.
kanish.mahajan@anu.edu.in
Kavita Pradhan is a Faculty of Space Design at Anant National University, Ahmedabad since 2023. A practising architect and interior designer for more than twenty years, Kavita has also been involved in academics and research and has published several articles. She has a B.Arch. from Pillai College of Architecture and a Master’s in Architecture from Virginia Tech, USA. Kavita has mentored Kanisha Mhahajan through this research and co-authored the publication.
kavita.pradhan@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
India’s countless architectural heritages having a rich historical legacy are gravely neglected and awaiting conservation efforts. Mubarak Mandi Palace Complex (MMPC) of Jammu, a Grade-I heritage that Dogra rulers founded in the early 18th century is also deteriorating. However, Mubarak Mandi Jammu Heritage Society (MMJHS) is working on restoring certain buildings. The MMPC has a large central courtyard surrounded by various palace buildings having elements with intricate carvings that exhibit a confluence of many architectural styles. This paper employs mixed methods including a literature review that establishes the historical importance of the palace complex and the need for its restoration and adaptive reuse. A need is felt to promote a participatory approach for adaptive reuse; therefore, a survey and interviews of Jammu residents inquired into their emotional attachments to the MMPC. The paper documents people’s emotions, perceptions, and opinions about the restoration and adaptive reuse of MMPC and its surroundings. This will help to understand the strategies and programs required for adaptive reuse. The paper provides suggestions to ensure the heritage MMPC is well maintained and continues to engage the major stakeholders, the people of Jammu and their future generations.
KEY WORDS
Mubarak Mandi Palace at Jammu, Palace for people, Dogra heritage
