The Ahemedabad Community Foundation (ACF) has been working since 2001 at the Sarkhej Roza, as part of it’s mandate to work for Heritage. In its advisory capacity to the Sarkhej Roza Committee, it has helped the committee to develop a vision for the development of the Roza.
One of the best steps was to bring the monument back into public memory through various events held initially in the center of the city and then at the Roza itself.
The vision went onto translate changes at the site on a more tangible level. This has included in an improvement of access to the monument through direct approach roads, dedicated parking space and a clear open, encroachment free access to the monument. This was implemented by AUDA.
As part of the improvement, the banks of the lake were converted into gardens, which are now extensively used by the local Muslim (from other parts of the city as well) and Hindu community (mostly living close by). The space is now used as a Public garden. Currently managed by AMC.
Through an intensive research in history, a vast array of communication material has been developed for visitors. These include bilingual information panels, postcards, brochures, maps to reach the monument, etc. The monument is visited by at least 200 visitors each day in the tourist season between the months of October to March each year.
Reviving the cultural traditions and emphasizing it as a symbol of communal harmony.
The 500 year old tradition of celebrating Janmashtami was revived after a gap of 20 years in 2005. Quwwali and bhajans were both perfoemed in the precincts of the Roza.
Projecting Sarkhej Roza as a cultural resource center.
Given the fact that there were very few visitors coming to the Roza even from the city itself and the huge positive response we received on the revival of Janamashtami celebrations, the roza was slowly used for other cultural programmes. Heritage Week is celebrated on a regular basis since 2008,
Community in Focus.
Throughout it’s work in Sarkhej Roza, the community living around the Roza has been a focus for ACF. We do believe that it was Education Center being run by ACF and it’s involvement with the community that it was possible to remove the encroachments near the entrance at the Roza without a conflict. The Education Center were commenced in 2003 but moved onto to a more serious platform based on the need expressed from the community.
