Champaner in Gurujat, India
Historic City is UNESCO World Heritage Site
The medieval city of Champaner, near Vadodara, is home to the Chapaner-Pavagadh Archeological Park and is revered for its rich history and architectural heritage.
The fort city of Champaner, India is home to a rich architectural heritage. Spread over six square kilometers, it is a medieval and ancient town full of ruins. The site is considered a complete and unchanged Islamic pre-Mughal (or Mongol) city.
It is today the site of the Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park, which UNESCO designated a World Heritage Site in 2004, and is situated about 47 km from the business city of Vadodara in India's Gujarat province.
Founded by Vanraj Chavda, the fort town of Champaner was ruled by Khichi Rajput until the end of the 15th century. In 1484, Mahmud Begda captured the fort. He rebuilt Champaner, although its ruins are still visible. The town was finally attacked by Mugal emperor Humayun in 1535 and captured.
An NGO-based in Vadodara, the “Heritage Trust” had been instrumental Champaner earning the distinction of "World Heritage Site". The Trust started an intensive campaign in the year 1984, by way of organizing archeological exhibitions, conducting workshops, organizing folk dance and music concerts. Quarry mining was banned in the nearby area to preserve it. After 20 years of concentrated efforts, Champaner had its lost status restored.
Of the numerous criteria set out by the Heritage board, Champaner met four of the following requirements:
- Development of architecture town planning and landscape design.
- Unique testimony to cultural tradition or civilization living or disappeared.
- Significant stage in human history.
- Outstanding example of traditional human settlement.
This resulted in Champaner-Pavagadh became India’s nomination to UNESCO’s World Heritage Site status for 2004.
The location also carries significant religious importance because of the temple that sits at its top. 550 m high, 42 km, thousands of devotees visit Pavagadh hill on a daily basis. As such, it is an important pilgrimage place, where Hindus pay their reverence to deity Kalikamata.
The city is also home to largely unexcavated archaeological, historic and living cultural heritage (including prehistoric) sites. It fortified walls, religious buildings, royal living halls, pools, water conservation structures, water-cooling structures and agriculture storage bins.
In all, 114 monuments have been identified. The Archeological Survey of India has protected 55 major structures around the site. The most prominent is the Great Mosque (Jami Masjid),
The structures represent a perfect blend of Hindu-Muslim architecture, which was a model for later mosque architecture in India. Mehrabs and high minarets are important components, architectural style of mosques, which had been subsequently adopted in the mosque architecture in India.
The Word Heritage site status has helped the Champaner area in many ways. Overall progress is clearly visible. Throughout the day area is full of tourists. This has strengthened the local economy and the labour migration to surrounding cities has reduced. Locals guide tourists, supplementing their income or sell handicrafts and local jungle fruit.
Due to the heritage status, mining around the Champaner town has totally stopped. Noise pollution emerging from blasting of rocks is a thing of past. This has helped in maintaining the eco balance. Migratory birds are seen flocking in the various pond and tanks.
Champaner site has given a much needed boost to the tourism of Gujarat state and should be visited by those interested in its place in history.
