The Historic City of Ajmer-Pushkar: mapping layers of history, use and meaning for sustainable planning and conservation

该项目将在拉贾斯坦邦有城墙的城市阿杰梅尔和附近的普什卡尔开展试点研究，从而创建一个网络，致力于为印度历史名城的公共空间制定更具包容性、知情和可持续的规划决策。这些都是不同信仰的朝圣中心，在节日期间吸引了成千上万的信徒。游客人数的迅速增长加剧了对基础设施的压力。研究将侧重于信仰和协会的作用，仪式过程，以及信徒和来访朝圣者的行为模式，以确定这些是设计和保护具有宗教意义的公共空间的关键因素。主要目标是创建数字化工具的原型，以包含有关城市、其历史和遗产的图像和信息，最重要的是，允许不同群体之间进行反思、交流和对话。开发的工具将基于历史区域整体的交互式地图，以及关键公共空间的3d交互式扫描。一旦完成了这些方面的基本工作，将在阿杰梅尔举行一个由印度和英国参与者参加的跨学科研讨会。该讲习班将是继续建立网络的起点。相关公共机构和社区代表将参与其中。不同的专业知识和观点将有助于完善工具和方法，以收集关于城市的不同看法及其空间内活动的进一步数据。互动模型将放在网上，以供补充和批评。研究结果将提供给有关当局，预计这些工具和方法将适用于印度和世界各地的历史名城。

The project will create a network devoted to developing more inclusive, informed and sustainable planning decisions for public spaces in historic Indian cities, by carrying out a pilot study in the walled city of Ajmer and nearby Pushkar in Rajasthan. These are thriving centres of pilgrimage for different faiths, attracting thousands of devotees at festival times. A rapid growth in tourist numbers has exacerbated the stress on infrastructure. The research will focus on the role of the beliefs and associations, ritual processes, and behavioural patterns of devotees and visiting pilgrims, in order to establish these as crucial factors in the design and conservation of public spaces with religious significance. The primary objective is to create prototypes of digital tools to contain images and information about the city, its history and heritage and, most importantly, to allow reflection, exchange and dialogue among different groups. The tools to be developed will be based on an interactive map of the historic areas as whole, and 3-d interactive scans of key public spaces. Once the basic work on these has been done, an interdisciplinary workshop with participants from India and the UK will be held in Ajmer. This workshop will be the starting point for the continuing network. Relevant public bodies and community representatives will take part. Varied expertise and perspectives will help to refine the tools, and the methods for gathering further data on differing perceptions of the city and on the activities within its spaces. The interactive models will be put online to be supplemented and critiqued. Findings from the study will be fed to the relevant authorities, and it is expected that the tools and approach will be applicable in historic cities throughout India, and worldwide.