Abstract:
Kanpur has historical Ghats on the banks of river Ganga, with great mythological and
cultural contexts, comparable to those of Varanasi and Haridwar. Built by patronage
of wealthy devotees –Kings and merchants – for the benefit of the public, the Ghats
were initially constructed for religious purposes and later being impressed by the
appropriate geographical location of Kanpur, East India Company officials made
Cantonment Chawni at Kanpur and developed Ghat area along river as a trade
centre. Water was not only vital for sacred rituals, but also for domestic uses. It is
said the thousands of people daily took bath on Ghats on that time .Ghats were living
at that time.
Due to pressure of unplanned development, multifaceted reasons like pollution,
change in occupation etc. The Ghats have lost their heritage and association with
the people.
The aim of this thesis is to devise landscape design interventions towards enhancing
the Pilgrimage / tourism experience of the historic Kanpur Ghats as cultural centre.
