Preserving the past: Now 3D mapping will document inscription stones in Bengaluru

On September 20, Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, the titular head of the Mysuru royal family, will be releasing a documentary on Sarakki. The 50-minute film will delve into the locality’s ninth century history and narrate stories of local life and culture as documented by inscriptions discovered in the area. Organisers, belonging to the nonprofit Revival Heritage Hub (RHH), are specifically interested in drumming up interest among residents.

“Through this, people will develop a stronger sense of belongingness to their locality and will make sure that the younger generation is also aware about the importance of preserving the past,” said Rajeev Nrupathunga, founder RHH, who has called the event ‘Namma Ooru, Namma Guruthu’ (Our Village, Our Identity).

Heritage lovers in Bengaluru have generally existed as a niche. However, as more markers of the city’s past get threatened in the absence of regulations, enthusiasts are spreading awareness with technological and on-ground innovations that will appeal to the people of IT city.


The project ‘Inscription Stones of Bangalore’, for instance, uses 3D mapping to digitally document inscription stones that are not yet properly preserved by the government due to lack of resources. They are also getting students and individuals to create documentaries around inscriptions discovered in their specific localities. “We have also built an open source map plotting inscription stones across Karnataka to which people can also contribute in case they make local discoveries,” said Vinay Kumar, who is handling the initiative. “So far, over 150 stones have been mapped within BBMP boundaries. In total, we have traced over 1,023 inscription stones.”

Students like Rashika Goyal are weaving heritage into their academic projects. The student of information arts and information design practices at the Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology has implemented classroom-learning in a short animation video on the Begur inscription stones. Last year, she created an interactive game prototype around the history of Cubbon Park. The 21-yearold said that her projects are themed around Bengaluru’s history because it is a common ground everyone will identify with.

According to Praveen Singh, it is important to keep reinventing the ways in which you take stories of the city to its people. The co-founder of Bangalore Tours and More has recently launched a bus tour across the city, apart from the usual walking and running explorations.

“The idea is to cover multiple walking tours into a day-long guided trip of the city,” said Singh, whose bus traverses areas like Basavanagudi, KR Market, Bangalore Fort, government museum, and landmarks in Trinity and MG Road. Singh said, “People value a city only if they have experienced its past.”

Technology at work

We have also built an open source map plotting inscription stones across Karnataka to which people can also contribute in case they make local discoveries.