Heritage of a place be it natural or manmade, once lost is lost for ever. It cannot be recreated with its golden stains of time. Lets get together to conserve the rich heritage of our country and be dutiful citizens of India.

1. A lappuzha – The V enice or the L eiden of the East? A Blueprint for Conservation Dr. Binumol Tom Conservation Architect Binumol Tom, Conservation Architect & Faculty, Department of Architecture, College of Engineering Trivandrum

2. Story of a verdant heart centre with light radiating all around!

4. What is right and wrong about Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice?

5. Plan of Venice Plan of Alappuzha Venice – composed of 120 islands, separated by 200 canals and connected by 450 bridges. May be the hustle and bustle of Alappuzha due to intense commercial and trading activity resonated with that of Venice during those days. Hence Alappuzha was called “Venice of the East”….

6. The tale of two cities Alappuzha Leiden

7. Alappuzha – essentially a Dutch Town DIKE TOWN - Rivers / backwaters were diked Inland waterways taken from the sea or river into the interiors Straight alignment of built fabric along the dikes Dykes and canals provided a valuable central space and a setting for public buildings Alappuzha canal stretch Leiden canal stretch

9. Dutch Town Planning Principles of Alappuzha Larger buildings at prominent places – symbol of secular authority Landmarks – Church Towers Church in Alappuzha Leiden

12. Streetscape - Leiden Streetscape - Alappuzha Section thru canal scape - Alappuzha PRIMARY STREET SECONDARY STREET TERTIARY STREET CONNECTORS

15. Dutch Town Planning Principles of Alappuzha Higher degree of homogeneity in building style and street architecture Alappuzha Leiden

17. Alappuzha – Venice or Leiden? For which town the bell tolls? If any urban activity can be said to have reached that ideal, it was the making of Dutch Towns. Alappuzha follows the Dutch Town Planning Principles.

18. Settlement Morphology of Alappuzha Town PORT AREA GUJRATI CLUSTER AGRAHARAM CLUSTER INDUSTRIAL CLUSTER GODOWN CLUSTER

32. “ Men need space, light and air just as he needs bread or a place to sleep” (Le Corbusier) Can man live by space, light and air alone? Maybe he needs a dash of love, a touch of warmth and a sea of friendship, which only historic ambience can provide……..

33. T H A N K Y O U Conserve the dying heritage of Alappuzha Town