SPOTLIGHT | A Walk through the Lanes of History

Written by Nisha Syed, an avid reader and history enthusiast from Mumbai and Hina Siddiqui with inputs from Ashwin Chitale, founder of Aashwin Heritage

Aashwin Heritage leading a heritage tour at Hampi

For as long as I can remember, I have loved walking and soaking in the sights around me. As someone who has lived in Mumbai for most of my life, each time I have walked through its lanes- I have realized how little I really know about the city. The first time it dawned on me was when I took a detour through one of the lanes in Colaba and chanced upon an old deserted bungalow named Schoen House (which I had never heard of, despite having been to Colaba so often).

Probably Relevant Side-Note: Since the past few years, walking tours have gained immense popularity both among tourists and locals. This article by The Hindu focuses on the efforts of a few history lovers who are conducting heritage walks in different Indian cities and trying to highlight unexplored places. Take a look to find a walk near you.

Of course, it helps if one is accompanied on these rambles by someone who knows the little details of the neighbourhood and can make you see it in a new light. Which brings me to… Heritage Walks!

This month’s spotlight is on Aashwin Heritage, a Pune-based company dedicated to history, art, culture and of course heritage walks. Read on to know more about their mission, activities and the motivations of the founder Ashwin Chitale. 

And don’t miss the details on the big surprise event - Gothic Pune - that Aashwin Heritage is doing this February, in collaboration with ArtNowThus. This one’s for all you history, culture and chai buffs as well as those of you looking for new and interesting ways to spend your Saturday mornings!

Aashwin Heritage conducts heritage tours to historical places and monuments across India. What makes them different is that their focus is not on the information - dates, names, places - those are all things that can be easily found on the internet. But what Aashwin Heritage does is make people feel relevant and connected to the history around them. According to Probably Relevant Editor, Hina Siddiqui, who recently attended the Shiva at Pataleshwar Heritage Walk with them, “It was seeing the unfinished cave temple through the eyes of those who lived here hundreds of years ago and then connecting those images to what we see today” that made the entire experience worthwhile for her.

Revdanda Fort, one of the many places Aashwin Heritage has taken the curious to discover stories (Photo Credit: Vivian Fernado for MhExplorer.in)

Other than heritage walks, Aashwin Heritage also does a lot of advocacy and storytelling through their social media, bringing to the fore historical legends and facts from across the world. Whether it’s stories of the Real Pirates of the Caribbean, the history of the Samosa just fascinating insight into Portuguese pottery sherds from the Revdanda Beach Fort in the Konkan, these bite-sized stories enrich our understanding of the historical ties between cultures.

Ashwin Chitale, founder and director of Aashwin Heritage

Ashwin Chitale founded Aashwin Heritage in 2017, when he was in the middle of completing his Master’s in Indology. Studying Indology made him realize how little he knew about Indian History and how much there is to study. But more than that it made him realize that there were no fun ways to learn history. “Whenever we talk about history, it’s just full of dates, rulers - kings, queens and wars,” he says.

But what he was looking for was a narrative based on the events that happened in the past that makes it relevant. And when he couldn’t find others doing this, in classic artist-innovator fashion, he decided to do it himself as a simple way of sharing the experiences he had while learning history, using a story-oriented rather than data-oriented method.

Probably Relevant Side-Note: The name Aashwin Heritage is not just a play on Ashwin’s own name. Just like miles, furlongs or kilometres, ashvin is an ancient Indian unit of measurement. It was used to calculate the total distance a horse could travel in one day. So for example, if a horse could go 10 ashvins in a day, it’s a good horse. Ashwin’s philosophy behind the name is succinct, “I believe we all have our own ashvins – limits of how far we can reach in this short life of ours.” That is what the name of this company tries to capture.

And when he went on to Master in Philosophy, another layer was added to this process. According to Ashwin, "It gave me the sense to look at history and in general the concept of time in a very holistic way. I started putting everything – small stories, coins, documents, script, language, kings, and wars – literally everything in the context of time. And once you start doing that, you can actually understand why people did the things they did and I think that’s what learning history is – a bridge that connects two minds separated by time.”

Besides completing his Masters's in Indology and Philosophy, Ashwin is a student of History and a performing artist. He is also interested in the study of languages and teaches Persian and Urdu. He has even created a show around Rumi - a Persian poet from the 13th century.

As a history lover myself, I often get asked  ‘What is the use of digging up the past? Is history even important?’ And in a reversal of sorts, I presented this question to Ashwin.

Aashwin Heritage at Bhaje Caves

“Well, (history’s) it's not! Since we keep making the same mistakes over and over again, but to know at least that we are making the same mistakes, I think, history is important! Like the German philosopher Hegel says- “The only thing we learn from history is that we don't learn anything from history.””

He then goes on to add, "On a serious note, history always shows you your place in the grand scheme of things. Studying history will make one feel insignificant. This - according to me - is like poetry and the moment one feels insignificant and small, one tries to live with love, harmony and peace with whatever time one has in this world."

Among all his walks, Ashwin says his personal favourites are the Karle and Bhaje Caves, located on the outskirts of Pune. These are approximately 2000 years old Buddhist caves. “I am influenced by Buddha and his teachings so naturally, I like to share his stories and I get to do that in this walk, ” he says.

Make it stand out

Probably Relevant Side-Note: Heritage is also a good way to bond with your friends and I say this from a fair share of experience. A friend of mine and I make it a point to share with each other photos of heritage places (that each of us visit) and share our personal stories about it. This helps you see a place through their perspective and the next time you actually visit it, you will feel a slight connection to the place.

This is the Santhome Basilica in Chennai that my friend visited recently and then immediately clicked and shared with me!

Museum Walk with Young Enthusiasts

While heritage walks remain their mainstay, Aashwin Heritage is also planning workshops in the next few months. These are designed especially for children and will break down complicated concepts in history and archaeology and explore culture, community, religious harmony, civilization.

They are also planning on creating and curating performances based on ancient stories from the Indian sub-continent and around the world as a way of making history more accessible. So get ready for a groovy roster of events from Pune’s very own Historymakers!

And speaking of events, here are the details on the ArtNowThusxAashwin Heritage Gothic Pune Heritage Walk!

Gothic Pune

A Heritage Walk with Aashwin Heritage and ArtNowThus

Date: 11th February

Day: Saturday

Time: 8 am 

Gathering Point: City Bakery, near Kohinoor Hotel, Camp, Pune

PP: 500/-  

For details contact: +91   89759 09727
TO BOOK YOUR SPOT: Simply scan this QR code or Click on this Link

Probably Relevant Side-Note: Gothic architecture developed in India during the 18th century during British Rule. The term ‘Gothic’ is usually associated with something mysterious or sinister. Usually found in churches, cathedrals, universities and other buildings of that period; it is known for its elaborate ornamentation and intricate details like pointed arches, vaulted ceilings, flying buttresses and stained glass windows.

In this walk, Ashwin takes us on a journey through Gothic monuments in the Pune Camp-Cantonment area. 

Beginning at St Paul’s Church, we cover the General Post Office, the Zero Stone, Pune Archives and the Ohel David Synagogue.

The walk will start with chai and a snack at a bakery and at the end, those who are interested, can join for some great Misal Pav!

Please note: This walk and talk will be conducted in a combination of English, Marathi and Hindi and that these structures will be seen only from the outside.

And that’s it from us this month. Hope to see you at the Gothic Pune Heritage Walk!