LAUNCH OF NEW DECCAN HERITAGE FOUNDATION TAKES PLACE AT BONHAMS IN LONDON ON OCTOBER 2ND

ARCHITECTURAL TREASURES OF INDIA’S DECCAN REGION WHICH GAVE THE KOH-I-NOOR DIAMOND TO THE WORLD ARE THREATENED WITH NEGLECT
LAUNCH OF NEW DECCAN HERITAGE FOUNDATION TAKES PLACE AT BONHAMS IN LONDON ON OCTOBER 2ND

The Deccan region of south-central India, where diamonds were first mined and exported to Europe, is little known yet - it is India’s best kept secret. Comprising the modern Indian states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Goa, the Deccan has had a prestigious history and culture which has produced some of the finest architecture of the subcontinent, an inventive regional cuisine and a creative literature.

The formation of the Deccan Heritage Foundation sets out to study and help preserve the cultural heritage of this region to make them more accessible to a wider public and more importantly, to create a greater awareness within the local communities so they learn how the monuments can be socially and economically beneficial. The launch of this new Foundation will take place on October 2nd at Bonhams, London to coincide with their forthcoming October 4th sale of Islamic and Indian Art.

It was from this region that diamonds were mined for centuries and sent in great quantities to become part of the inventories of such royal households, as that of the Duc de Berry, the King of France, Charles V and the crown of Giovanna di Borgogna. By the 16th century the Deccani twin cities Golkonda- Hyderabad became the most important diamond trading centre in India which is why the earliest known diamonds in the world are known as Golkonda and are prized for their incredible transparency and whiteness. One of the most famous Golkonda diamonds is the Koh-I-Noor which after a long and turbulent history it reached England in the 19th century and is now set in the Maltese Cross at the front of the English Royal Crown.



This region which brought us diamonds now suffers from neglect. Yet, it is home to some of India’s most important literary tradition in both the local Dakhni language that was common to the entire region, but also in the local languages. Dakhni reflects the multi-ethnic world of the Deccan where different ethnicities and religious denominations co-existed in a tolerant symbiosis from the 13th century onwards.

This symbiosis is also evident in the visual language of architectural and decorative forms that emerges during the 14th century in different regions of the Deccan. These new Deccani forms were further elaborated in the following centuries and then merged with those of the conquering Mughals who defeated the Deccan sultanates during the 17th century. The region is home to an array of historically important and artistically diverse and beautiful Buddhist, Hindu Jain, Islamic and Christian monuments. Among these, is the well-known temple site of Hampi -Vijayanagr the capital of the most important Hindu Empire which reflects the dialogue between local and Indo Islamic traditions.

Aside from monuments in breathtaking unspoiled landscapes and literary traditions there is a local cuisine in need of discovery as suggested by the acclaimed cook book author Madjur Jaffrey , "The ancient cultures of India's south-central region, the Deccan, offer us less familiar but brilliant cuisines that include the coconutty, creamy prawn curry of Goa, best eaten by the sea with red-flecked rice, the dainty fried lady fish from Karnataka that melt in the mouth, and, from Hyderabad, the most elegant small aubergines cooked in a nutty, sweet-sour sauce as well as a lamb and rice biryani perfumed with, among other aromatics, rose petals. We must document and preserve this rich heritage and do it in a way that ultimately benefits the locals -- the way The Deccan Heritage Foundation is proposing to do."

Frank Wisner, former US Ambassador to India, writes, “For all of us who know and love India and who have travelled in it, the Deccan Plateau enjoys a particular fascination. The Deccan is the great crossroads of Indian history and civilianization; north and south India meet there as do East and West. In its hills and valleys, India’s art forms, languages and styles meet and mix. As is true in all marchlands, the architecture is especially fascinating. Great fortresses, palaces and religious edifices dot its landscape. At the same time the Deccan Plateau is little known and hardly visited. Few roads cross it and modern transportation systems reach only a portion of it. In the past two centuries, India developed along its coast and not in its interior. As a result, the rich heritage of the Deccan has survived, almost intact, wasted only by time and the elements. The region calls on those who enjoy India’s art, architecture, culture and history to visit. It reminds us we have an obligation to help preserve its heritage so that future generations will know what happened when India’s several cultures met and fused. The Deccan calls out for your involvement and support.”




Notes:

Dakhni is an amalgam of Urdu, Marathi, Konkani, Gujarati, Kannada, Telegu, Persian and Turkish.

International WRITERS of Deccani origin

Salma Rushdie born in Mumbai

Rohinton Mistry, born in Mumbai

Shobha De, born in Maharashtra



FAMOUS Deccani BUSINESS

Ratan Tata, scion of one of Indias most important industrial empires.

Mukesh and Anil Ambani. Mumbai

Anand Mahindra, Mumbai,

Nandan Nilekani, founder of Infosys,Bangalore

Karan Bilimoria, Hyderabad

Ronnie Screwwala, Mumbai founder of Cable UTV group









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