Conserved courtyard opens to public in Gilgit-Baltistan

PESHAWAR: Laajverd has opened up the newly conserved courtyard of Gholbasher House in Barkolti village of the Yasin valley of the Ghizer district Gilgit-Baltistan.

The opening consisted of Qaseeda recitation, which shared the best practices in building conservation with local communities, including elders and men. women and children followed by traditional music and dance celebrations.

The conservation works were conducted under the “Community Based-Conservation of Silk Route Heritages” Project, which Laajverd is implementing with the support of the British Council’s Cultural Protection Fund 2024. The project is carrying out the preservation of heritage assets that evoke the historical Silk Routes exchanges within the Hindu Kush Himalaya region by focusing on three sites; Laspur, Yasin and Kharmang.

In the Yasin valley, conservation works included detailed documentation and condition assessment followed by a preservation plan developed in collaboration with local masons and carpenters leading to the structural and surface preservation of the Iwan in Gholbasher House.

Alongside this, training was conducted in surface preservation techniques, including traditional mud plasters leading to master plaster that uses local materials to weather the changing climate. These activities not only revived traditional building techniques but also highlighted the value of local knowledge.

The spatial layout of the courtyard and its unique wooden columns serve as a reminder of the once-thriving exchanges on the silk routes between Central and South Asia. Laajverd is committed to preserving culture and heritage in Yasin valley.

In 2021 it carried out research on community heritage assets across the entire valley and installed 15 heritage asset boards to raise awareness and guide tourists in the valley. The Community Conservation Lab at Laajverd serves as a platform for collaborative and inclusive exploration, investigation, and experimentation in heritage conservation. Set up in the Hindu Kush Himalaya mountain region, it emphasizes preserving community heritage, which includes buildings, objects and practices.