Indian Town Struggles to Balance Architectural Heritage and Living Heritage

Recent events in the southern India town of Hampi, recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, expose the struggle to balance the needs of historical tourist sites and those who make their livelihood from them, writes Rachel Proctor May.

2 minute read

August 19, 2012, 9:00 AM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


When the Hampi World Heritage Area
Management Authority (HWHAMA) bulldozed homes and businesses in the bazaar adjacent to the archaeological treasures of the former capital of the Vijayanagara Empire, they may have helped protect the city's "dead" architectural heritage, but it came at the cost of destroying the "living" heritage of 300 families, "who had made their living selling
handicrafts, bottled water, banana pancakes, and other tourist
goodies to the hundreds of thousands of visitors who hit Hampi each
year," writes Rachel Proctor May. 

"Officially," says May, "the structures that were destroyed had no right
to exist in the first place, although the same could be said for
many, if not most, of the structures in a country where land
titling is still poorly documented and subject to dispute."

Although the destruction of the bazaar followed at least a decade of
discussion over "how to best manage both Hampi's
wealth of architectural heritage and the living heritage of its
residents," May writes that "the
debate is far from over."

"Hampi as a whole is over 100 square
kilometers peppered with thousands of ruins, and other families who
make a living among those ruins. Local activists are pushing UNESCO and the
Indian government for a number of reforms, including a more
thorough compensation package, true citizen involvement in how to
manage living and historical heritage, and a stronger institutional
role for local democratic institutions rather than the
unaccountable bureaucratic agency of HWHAMA."

 

Tuesday, August 14, 2012 in The Global Urbanist

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

Red and white "Wildfire Evacuation Route" sign on signpost.

Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions

An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.

4 hours ago - The Markup

Protester at Echo Park Lake, Los Angeles holding sign that says "Housing is a human right"

What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?

The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.

5 hours ago - Shelterforce Magazine

Aerial of rainbow painted crosswalks at large intersection in Castro District, Sna Francisco, California.

Sean Duffy Targets Rainbow Crosswalks in Road Safety Efforts

Despite evidence that colorful crosswalks actually improve intersection safety — and the lack of almost any crosswalks at all on the nation’s most dangerous arterial roads — U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy is calling on states to remove them.

6 hours ago - Streetsblog USA

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Home and Land Services Coordinator

Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA