MEMORY AND THE CITY: Analyzing the Changing Characters ofGhalib’s Dilli
Case: Gali Qasim Jaan, Ballimaran
Abstract
Post-independence, a large number of Indian cities have experienced a rapid transformation, which is often connected to new patterns of migration and mobility. In this transition, various neighborhoods of the cities, have undergone a phenomenon of gentrification, which has resulted in the loss of identity among the community and a lack of sense of belonging in the minds of the new migrants. This transition underwent without preserving the collective memory of the residents and its rich cultural heritage. This has been due to an erasure of the layers of its history, narrativity, and memory. As Aldo Rossi puts it, “..that the city itself is the collective memory of its people, and like memory, it is associated with objects and places. The city is the locus of the collective memory.” To reposition these areas at the local, Indian, and global levels, culture has to become a driving force. Preservation and revival of memory could contribute to quality urban development and revitalization of public spaces, cultural heritage, and historical sites.
This type of transition has been particularly prevalent in the historic city of Shahjahanabad. In the last few decades, the city of Shahjahanabad has witnessed many attempts at the conservation and restoration of its tangible heritage. The old city also has an extremely rich Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH), which needs revival and safeguarding. This embedded culture could play an essential part in the urban and socio-economic regeneration of neighborhoods. The residents of Old Delhi associate themselves with the city, its historicity, and their individual and collective memory of people, places, events, and experiences. These strong associations can lead us to form a relationship between space and memory through cognitive mapping and help us revive the city's coherent identity.
This paper will try to form a relationship between memory, memoir, and socio-cultural revitalization of one such area in the city of Shahjahanabad. The case analyzed in this paper is the neighborhood of Gali Qasim Jaan, Ballimaran famous for its association with the eminent Urdu poet laureate of the 19th century, Mirza Asadullah Khan ‘Ghalib’. This paper will also analyze the changing characters of the surroundings from its inception to the present situation and the various associations of the people with more than just Ghalib. The city once known as Ghalib ki Dilli has witnessed various changes and this paper will discuss these transitions and how we can revive the neighborhood by safeguarding this Intangible cultural heritage.
