Abhirami.A | Final Semester Architecture student at Masap
Once upon a time there was a miniscule piece of land in south Kerala, unnamed and unrecognized and even deprived of a mention in the ancient inscriptions and palm leaf scriptures. But the annals of Kerala witnessed the land flourishing itself into a rich and prosperous merchant of the erstwhile Travancore and today one of the most prominent and self sufficient towns of the state- Changanassery. When a dense forested land subordinated by neighbourhood regions (Vazhappally and Perunna) was gifted with a market by the Diwan Velu Thampi Dalava owing to its geographical location, it made the spice trade a state monopoly of Travancore. As time passed Changanassery market had given birth, name, identity and parented a town out of its profits of trade.
The genesis of the market dates back to 18th century, when the Travancore Rajas were engulfing the pepper rich principalities of its territories one by one. Thus the Tekkumkur principality was annexed to the princely state of Travancore. With an initiative of placing the spices of Kerala in the international market through a Travancorean port and to outshine the trade of the colonial powers at Cochin, Raja Keshavadas opened up ports at Alappuzha and Vizhinjam. The Diwans devoted themselves in reviving the treasuries through the commercial sector of the state and this made the valorous and the most fabled Prime Minister of Travancore, Velu Thampi Dalava to establish a market at the location of Changanassery in 1805, which was just 15 miles south east of Alappuzha. Thereby it served as a nodal transit point and befitted the trade route in cartographic terms. In due course of time, canals or new water routes paved way for the Changanassery market to become the receptacle of hill products of Western ghats (highlands) and the grains of Kuttanad (lowlands) due to its geographical position.
The market evolved itself in a bitter context of Kerala in which the societal norms were entangled by caste prejudices, discrimination and untouchability. But the Changanassery market has stood the test of time in eradicating such pollutants of society and was instrumental in embracing and patronizing multiple cultures for trade by the rulers in a lucrative point of view. Various communities which settled in the market with the onset of business include Christians, Muslim traders from Madura, Rawathers and Gouda Saraswatha Brahmins. Today Changanassery is sobriqueted as ‘The City of Five Lamps’ pertaining to the stone lamp post near the ferry, which is a testament to the aforesaid secularism that prevailed and still persisting in the cosmopolitan town with a heterogeneous population.
Development is inevitable in any society and cannot be sentimentalized under any circumstances. Moreover men always welcome those changes which mark a footnote to their hardships. Today the mankind is spurred to make everything out of them globalized (and digitized), as the whole world could be encompassed under the finger tips and technology is what that governs life in lieu of values. This has made the lesser combatant ones struggle to pass the test of time or to survive in this capricious society of advancements. Infrastructural and technological developments, better comfort options and opportunities, up gradation of education and governance etc have all cast a dark shadow upon the thriving market. The streets which were once jammed with bullock carts are now open, except for some lorries and rickshaws dispersed here and there. The canals have become stagnant with water hyacinths filled in exuberance. The culture and character of the place has changed dramatically, except for the old colossal buildings which stand as a testimony for the buoyant sales, cheers of the workers, plenty of commodities and the lordliness of the bazaar.
The root causes of the present endangered condition of the Changanassery market are all part of a progressive society that cannot be hindered. But the market including its tangible built environment and intangible narratives of a bygone era are the sole basis for the emergence of the flourishing town and its urbanisation. In spite of this accomplishment, will the Changanassery market be able to conquer time or will it get absorbed into the history as a souvenir? What will be the fate of the traditional vendors, merchants and the classic buildings in which old anecdotes still lingers? As said by Charles Darwin, in the process of evolution it is only the fittest that will survive; is the Changanassery market fit enough as it is, in this contemporary digital era of globalisation? Should it be preserved owing to its heritage significance or make it adaptable to the changing needs and demands of the society? What will be and /or what should be its destiny?
THE VISION FOR FUTURE CHANGANASSERY MARKET
Changanassery market is one of the rare traditional markets of Kerala with a rich historical background, ecological and morphological potentials and good regional connectivity which ought to be utilized to create an active public realm that caters diverse user groups in and out of the town which it lacks at present.
AIM
To introduce new user groups to the market to activate its realm, along with trade, tourism, institutions and self generating economic activities to revitalize the marketplace.
APPROACH
· Create a tourist destination through inland waterway
· Connecting water bodies, open spaces and wetlands to form a circuit
· Conserving wetlands
· Strengthening imageability of the marketplace
· Bringing vitality to the district by introducing varied types of commerce and activities
· Adding value and changing the role of traditional buildings
· Reorganizing logistic networks
· Bringing in spaces for mental recreation and emotional well being through designed public spaces
· Preserving natural beauty for visual relief from manmade cityscapes
PROPOSALS
Tourism
· Prominent water plaza
· Refreshment amenities- Café, restaurants, clubs etc
· Market square
· Venue for events
Tourism, Trade and Conservation of Built fabric
· Administration zone
· Inner pedestrian street with souvenir shops, hawkers streets etc
· Adaptive reuse of traditional buildings
· New building typology for mixed use
· Heritage walkway
Sustainability
· Canals for inland navigation
· Linear promenade
· Paddy fields as open spaces for mental recreation and emotional well being
· Water hyacinth treatment plant
· Vocational training centre for products from recycled organic materials
· Institute for paddy research
· Aquaculture
Market utility and basic amenities
· Playground for residential area
· Shifting of Fish market near to vegetable market
· Waste management systems
· Parking lots commercial and residential users
· Health club
· Restroom Facilities
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