• Lady Hardringe

This illustration is of Lady Hardinge, who established the Lady Hardinge Medical College for women in 1914. The character’s design was inspired from the 20th century wherein there is a rose pattern on the dress and a flower brooch is also patterned on the dress.

• Arana

This illustration is of Arana, a young photographer. The character was made for Hutheesing Haveli and its design was inspired from the 21th century woman, and one can see more detailing was given to have expressive eyes and overall character.

• Umang Hutheesing

This illustration is of Umang Hutheesing, who belongs to the 5th generation of the Hutheesing family of Ahmedabad. The character was made for Hutheesing Haveli and the character’s designing was inspired from the 21th century with detailing focused on the shawl.

• Bird

This illustration is of a bird. This character was made for the William Fraser McDonell’ Fountain at Kolkata and detailing can be seen on the wings and body too.

• Lion

This illustration is of a lion. It was made once again for the William Fraser McDonell’ Fountain at Kolkata and the detailing was focused on the body and the lion’s hairs.  

The views, information, or opinions expressed above are solely those of the author(s) involved and do not necessarily represent those held by India Lost & Found and its creative community.

Hi, I’m Yuvraj Singh Kaushal …

Hi, I’m Yuvraj Singh Kaushal! I am an architecture student and currently pursuing my degree at Symbiosis Skills and Professional University, Pune.

I love to make paintings and sculptures in my free time as a hobby and have been working with India Lost and Found since the past 5 months. In this short period of time I gained a lot of experience and it helped me with designing, color compositions and improving my skills in using Illustrator.

Man and nature have been interdependent since time immemorial. It’s interesting how man understood the importance of natural resources and used them to his benefit in building civilizations and empires. All the civilizations strived on one primary resource, water being the most important. The story of Hauz Khas (Royal Tank) has been one of its kind with every ruler, and “time” changing its significance and imparting newer meanings to it. 

Built as a reservoir for the people settled around the 4th capital city of Delhi, Siri fort, Allauddin Khalji had strategically placed it to be where it was, in the 13th Century. With 2 main Nullahs connected from the southern ridge of Delhi flowing through the present-day institutional campuses like JNU and IIT Delhi, it lies equidistant from Tughlakabad fort and Firozabad (the successive capitals of rulers of Delhi). Having a perimeter of 1 km and an average depth of 2.2 m, the lake sufficed the day-to-day needs of the community for drinking water and farming. Soon, due to the composition of the lake bed and exploitation of the lake, it started to dry. The bed was also used for cultivation for a brief period. The upper layers being porous, composed of sandy and clayey silt, it was difficult for the water to be retained and evaporation losses also contributed to the drying of the lake multiple times. Feroz Shah Tughlaq, the ruler who has been well known for his contributions to the built heritage of Delhi, had introduced a Madarsa along with his tomb in an ‘L’ shape around the lake in 1388 with an intent to appropriate the legacy, rewrite the contested succession and promote Islam. The place which was earlier used by locals for daily needs had been face-lifted. A new meaning, a new beginning for the exchange of knowledge, cultural associations and architecture was seen. Hundreds of years later, the tombs,  the madrasa and other monuments remain intact but are scarred by the humans who disregarded the heritage and vandalized it. 

The case of urbanization is something that has been posing a threat to the ecologically rich, architecturally sound, and historically significant complex. Post-independence events like the Asian and the Commonwealth Games had brought in people from various cultural backgrounds to settle in the vicinity. DLF, a private developer, procured land and started developing high-end societies like Safdarjung enclave. Although this ensured a cultural and economic mix of social groups, this eventually led to disregarding the existing heritage. The lake dried in the second half of the 20th century after which INTACH proposed an Operational scheme in 2002, the first of its kind, to conserve the lake. Without the detailed plan of how treated water from Vasant Kunj STP could have been redirected to Hauz Khas lake via Sanjay Van Park where Duckweed treatment was introduced, the lake we see today wouldn’t have existed. 

This was a crucial step towards conserving an important ecological repository. Today, Hauz Khas district park is a home to rich biodiversity, thousands of avifauna, flora and many other living entities that help enhance the microclimate of the region. Where would man be without mother nature? Be it the engineering marvels like the step-wells which are left to be mere monuments or the diminishing courtyards of any old city of India, be it the encroached forests leaving fauna homeless or the carbon emissions which lead to global warming, we have been ignorant and selfish all along. Few cases of revival often go unnoticed and unappreciated.

The Hauz Khas complex housing madrasa and the lake, is now the heart of Hauz Khas, South Delhi. The neighbourhood has undergone a drastic shift in character from an area of historic importance to an affluent precinct with cafes and shops especially attracting the youth of the city. 

The boundary wall that stands between the district park and the Hauz Khas village differentiates yet beautifully unifies the two distinct fabrics, one being ecologically sensitive Hauz Khas lake and the other being highly dense and commercialized Hauz Khas village. Argumentably, the coexistence of the two raises concerns regarding their future, sustenance, and how they would change with time to set newer trends as seen in the past. I call this unique relationship between the two, “the flip side”.

The illustration depicts the coexistence of ecology and habitat. The two being geographically placed adjacent to each other, still have a distinct identity and interdependence. 

The views, information, or opinions expressed above are solely those of the author(s) involved and do not necessarily represent those held by India Lost & Found and its creative community.

Hi, I’m K Chandana…

An ardent traveller and an architect by profession, I believe in ‘Vasudaiva Kutumbakam’, meaning the world is one family. I am a passionate musician, a sport enthusiast and love to write. Currently enrolled in the masters program of Urban design at SPA Delhi, I am to create sustainable and inclusive neighbourhoods.

“If we always find mud around us, it proves that there is mud somewhere within us.”

                                                                                 -Mira alfassa (the mother)

Auroville – a town that belongs to earth is a perfect example of sustainable habitat. A city with perfect balance between human and nature . Once a dream of Sri Aurobindo and the mother today is a reality. The mother dreamt of a new society: balanced, just, harmonious and dynamic. Thereupon, she saw that “the earth is not ready to realise such an ideal” and therefore called it ‘A Dream’ which today is a reality. 

Architecture and design within Auroville are highly experimental around natural architecture. Natural architecture takes advantage of locally available building materials, as well as the layout and contours of the project site.

 On my virtual visit to this universal town, I discovered a new path to sustainable living. Today when the idea of sustainability has globally taken centre stage Auroville ends up becoming a model because of its eco-friendly, cost-effective and vernacular architecture.

Do have a Virtual visit to Auroville:

@GottaDoIndia

The views, information, or opinions expressed above are solely those of the author(s) involved and do not necessarily represent those held by India Lost & Found and its creative community.

Hello there, I’m Mihika Khare…

I’m an art enthusiast and architecture student . I am passionate about learning and researching the untold monuments of the past. My Keen interest is in exploring the various aspects of art, heritage, and culture. I believe my real strength is my ability to create creative and unique vector illustrations.