A fight to preserve history

Thiruvananthapuram: It was a chance meeting. Aysha Mahmood had come to her hometown, Kozhikode, to take part in the Offir Food Fest. She has been settled in Taiwan for a while, but couldn’t stop reacting to stories from home that shocked her.

Two years ago, she heard her beloved alma mater – St. Joseph's Anglo Indian Girls' Higher Secondary School – will have its oldest building demolished. A few of the alumni had then got together, spoke to the school and the idea had slowly died down. Now, after a chance meeting with someone she knew, Aysha heard the plan was back on.

Frantically, she gathered together some of the old girls who studied there, tried talking to the school, and finally had to start a petition online to save the old, old school – 155 years old.

“Some time back they celebrated the 155th anniversary of the building, now they are planning to pull it down, and in its place, build a glass and steel structure,” she says, remembering another old building that is no longer there. It was the boarding house where Aysha had spent many happy days. The building had a library in the centre which had a lot of really old Reader’s Digest magazines.

It was not accessible to the girls. But like in Enid Blyton novels, the girls found an old door from their dressing area that led to the library. Aysha’d sneak in, after opening the rusty hinge, and stay there with her torch or a candle, reading those old, old Reader’s Digest magazines.But that building and the library had got pulled down. Now there is only the original convent and this building they are planning to demolish, left of the first school for girls in Malabar, built in 1862. “We have very few 100 plus year old buildings left in Kozhikode. One reason they give for demolishing the building is space constraints. That they cannot have smart classrooms there. But there are architects interested in conserving it, who say, it can be done. We could add modern amenities, restore the building. A group from the NIT had gone there, to do a scientific study. But they were not allowed to. The school says they have done a study but they are not ready to share the report.”

The school has been giving the reason that it concerns the safety of the students. “But we feel that is an excuse,” says Abdul Hameed, an electrical engineer who runs an architectural consultancy. He got involved only because of his love for his hometown.

“We suggest we can get the best structural engineers from NIT, to ascertain the safety of the building. And then do a programme to restore it. The funding – can be thought out later. These kind of colonial buildings – were before concrete, so it is totally made with bricks and masonry. The main structure can last for centuries like the old churches and other buildings across the world. But maintenance should be done.”Abdul, with the collector, the new building’s architect, and a few others are planning to meet the headmistress on Monday. “Lots of people are calling. Venu IAS, former tourism secretary, K.K. Muhammed, former ASI director, have all shown their interest,” Aysha says.

Her petition has collected 2574 signatures as this is written. But she adds, “There is no question that the safety of the children is primary. Our request is to do a proper study and if there is no way out, let’s demolish the building.”There might be a way out. Architect and another alumnus of the school Lakshmi Manohar has just come back from a visit to the school on Saturday evening.

“We just wanted to meet the old teachers and find out what the issue is. According to us, the structure is weak. But there are provisions. They showed us the old classrooms. There are more students now, so the space is less, to take class. It is all congested. Their requirements need one or two floors more to the building. The question is whether the structure has the strength to withstand the extra floors. That’s what we should evaluate. The problems they cite are about the plaster wearing off, the laterite blocks becoming visible, foundation troubles, and so on – all of which can be fixed. But I am not a conservation architect. We should bring a technical expert to study the condition and tell what the situation is,” she says.

‘A collective memory which shaped Kozhikode society’
The St. Joseph's building, since 1862, has played an undeniable role in making education attainable and accessible to girl children from all walks of life- par caste and creed. It contains the collective memory of thousands of women and girls, panning almost six generations. It has played alma mater to a large section of Calicut society- ensuring quality education. Keeping that heritage alive is of high importance.

Those interested in the demolishing of the building may be of the opinion that it affects the modern outlook of the management or that it is a threat to the safety. Both concerns can be addressed if the right people are involved.

There is a large Architects Guild active in Calicut that specialises in the restoration and strengthening of historical and heritage buildings. We must be prepared to give them a chance to present their expert opinion and help in this matter. The professors of NIT Architecture Department have made known their availability and deep interest in studying the building and presenting their proposal for the same.

While it does need some work, respected architects who have assessed it generally opine that the building is structurally sound. They feel that it could be refurbished at a cost lesser than that required for demolishing and rebuilding.The restoration will only add to the historical value and character of the school. A building that is  150 years old must be considered an asset to the city. In a world where characterless and soulless skyscrapers and steel-glass embodiments are dime a dozen, buildings like these serve as a place of solace for the soul and soothing to the sight. They embody our past and our culture. Caretakers of our colonial architecture and history must know that the St. Joseph's School and its many buildings are rich and heavy with these values.To conclude, I think preserving buildings like these is essential because of the collective memories, Calicut and its people attach to it.

Generations are emotionally attached to this school building in which they have spend a big part of their childhood. It has had a formative and a positive role to play in all our lives and it will be the saddest day in our lives to see it being pulled down.
(Excerpts from the online petition of Aysha Mahmood)