Making Attributes in the Streets of Indian Religious Cities

International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET) Volume 9, Issue 11, November 2018, pp. 1548–1557, Article ID: IJCIET_09_11_150 Available online at http://iaeme.com/Home/issue/IJCIET?Volume=9&Issue=11 ISSN Print: 0976-6308 and ISSN Online: 0976-6316 © IAEME PublicationScopus Indexed PLACE- MAKING ATTRIBUTES IN THE STREETS OF INDIAN RELIGIOUS CITIES Meeta Tandon Associate Professor Faculty of Architecture and Planning, Integral University, Lucknow, India Vandana Sehgal Professor, Faculty of Architecture, Dr.A.P.J.AbdulKalam Technical University, Lucknow, India ABSTRACT The research paper aims to analyse the perception of people about the components of sense of place in Indian streets leading to the temple complex in religious cities of Mathura and Vrindavan, both being important places for devotees of Lord Krishna. The traditional streets on which the temples are located have a distinct character and there seems to be a strong sense of attachment to the place amongst the pilgrims and the residents alike. A contemporary street may not have a similar character but might be more functional. The study of both the traditional (Mathura) and newer contemporary street (Vrindavan) can help us to arrive at strategies and learning from both to strengthen and enhance sense of place. To achieve at the objectives of research, a face to face structured questionnaire survey was conducted. The results indicate that the contemporary streets have scored high not only in the physical and functional components but also in socio-cultural and perceptual components as compared to traditional streets implying that the streets are more than just a transit to the temple. The believer wants the functional amenities as much as the religious fervor. Keyword: Contemporary, Religious cities, Sense of place, Streets, Traditional. Cite this Article: Meeta Tandon and Vandana Sehgal, Place- Making Attributes in the Streets of Indian Religious Cities, International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology, 9(11), 2018, pp. 1548–1557. http://iaeme.com/Home/issue/IJCIET?Volume=9&Issue=11 1. INTRODUCTION Public open spaces comprise of mainly streets and squares and are an integral part of life. The street is multifunctional space serving not only as a place for movement but also for socializing. It is on streets that numerous social, commercial, religious and even political http://iaeme.com/Home/journal/IJCIET 1548 [email protected] Meeta Tandon and Vandana Sehgal activities take place that help in meeting the needs of the people. People tend to walk, sit, eat, relax, meet friends, shop, watch others on the street, communicate and even sleep. So many diverse activities tend to happen on the streets and thus the qualities of street spaces have a direct influence on the quality of life of the users. The streets located in the religious precincts have an environment that in addition also tends to fulfill the spiritual and sacred needs of the believers and mostly house commercial activities related to the rituals associated with the religious complex. India being rich in religious and cultural heritage consists of many pilgrimage cities which millions of people visit annually to fulfill their spiritual needs. These pilgrimage cities have a unique character owing to their historical, cultural, social and religious significance. Religious and sacred values are at the core of a pilgrimage place [1]. The age old temples situated on the traditional streets which organically evolved over a period of time mainly in a dense urban fabric are full of activities, uses pertaining to the rituals and needs of the pilgrims and thus are assumed to having a strong sense of place. Sivam and Karuppannan [2] state that, “It is the experience one has within the street that creates a strong connection rather than the aesthetic value of the street itself”. The article aims to achieve the following objectives: 1. To explore the components that define sense of place 2. To investigate the perception of residents and pilgrims about the parameters of sense of place on the selected streets 3. To analyses the components and derive strategies that enhance sense of place in both traditional and contemporary streets 2. SENSE OF PLACE Places are created by physical form, activity and meaning [3]. It is the essence of meaning that converts a space into a place. The perception of people about the place is influenced by the culture and their experiences of the past. It also leads to association and attachment to a place and gives an identity to the place or ‘sense of place’. Lynch [4] in his study described streets as ‘places’ which provide psychological and functional meanings to the life of users. Sense of place, the ability to recognize places and relationship of people with the physical settings and the environment can be created by long term connections between people and place [5]. He also identifies other factors like rituals, myths, traditions and symbols that enhance sense of place. The streets in religious precincts have a unique character, ‘sense of place’ and also have meanings associated with the place. This unique character is because of the street activities pertaining to the rituals related to the religious complex. There might be age old traditions and beliefs that attract pilgrims on specific days to visit the place and be a part of the celebrations. The visit thus becomes a memorable one and a feeling of sense of connection and attachment to the place is generated. Rapoport [6] too stated that meaning and attachment to a place are influenced by culture and experience. All the senses are actively engaged in these places. According to Relph [5], characteristics that define ‘sense of place’ include settings, activities, meanings and ‘spirit of place’. Steele [7] identified settings, both physical and social, and psychological factors that describe ‘sense of place’. In the same context, Bott [8] recognized natural settings, cultural, affective and functional domains and went a step ahead to measure them by developing psychometric scales. Ja’afar et.al. [9] Identified four types of elements in traditional streets that give them a distinctive identity: street activities, physical features, historical significance and circulation http://iaeme.com/Home/journal/IJCIET 1549 [email protected] Place- Making Attributes in the Streets of Indian Religious Cities and parking. Ujang [10] in his research stated familiarity, length of engagement, cultural features of people, and economic dependency as the key factors that had an influence on place attachment. He further stated the important attributes of place activity like vitality, diversity and choice, transaction and interaction, contribute to ‘sense of place’. It is not only the individual experiences of a person (memories, traditions, history, culture and society) about a place but also the objective dimensions like design, landscape, smell and sound [11]. The physical setting is significant in the construction of place meaning [12]. As suggested by Ujang and Shamsudin [13], the physical qualities play an important role in supporting sense of place, being the first visual feature. The materials, texture, colour, form, help in developing the environmental character of a place. Bott [8] identified natural settings, built environment and character of a place as influencing ‘sense of place’. He recognized various sub-components for each domain such as green areas, natural light, cleanliness, alive, distinctive, and also the material, colour, aesthetics of the built environment. Further, Lynch [4]emphasised that a visibly organized and sharply identified environment helps a person to form his own meanings and connections. Hidalgo and Hernendez [14] described both physical and social dimensions to be important for place attachment. Environmental perception is influenced by culture, beliefs and past experiences [6]. It is also strengthened by the social activities taking place on the streets. The activities not only enhance liveliness and vitality but also develop sense of belonging and provide opportunities for social interaction with others. Meaning, one of the three components that create places, is associated with the perceptual and psychological aspects of the environmental experience [15]. Altman and Low [16] also agree to the above statement and state that the affective aspects of environmental meaning are related to place attachment. Affective aspects include places that are memorable, familiar, meaningful, valuable, significant, beautiful and full of energy and stimulating all our senses [8]. There is a strong sense of attachment and connection due to the sacred nature of the place in a religious precinct. Stolok& Shumaker [17] stated that place attachment is also reflected in functional connection between people and places. Safety, comfort, shelter are attributes that are important for effective usage of place. Similarly legible streets with proper signages, landmarks, well defined boundaries enable a person to locate himself easily and feel safe. The expectations that one has in mind and presence of amenities like drinking water, seating, toilet facilities, etc. needs to be fulfilled for a street to be successful and have a ‘sense of place’. 3. THE STUDY AREAS Brajbhoomi, the place associated to Lord Krishna, is situated in Uttar Pradesh and comprises of two specific parts: the eastern and western part of River Yamuna. Mathura, the centre of Brajbhoomi, is the western region and consists of Vrindavan, Govardhan, KusumSarovar,

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