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Of Artful Detection: Photography, “Evidence,” and the Political Imaginary in Bhuj (1753-2003) by Azhar Tyabji - A Report by Megha Thumbunkel Bhuj. The city’s name brings to mind one dominant image: the devastating earthquake of 2001 that all but laid the 450 year old city to ruins. In the wake of this devastation, to imagine Bhuj’s future demands a revisitation of its pasts. Azhar Tyabji is one among the many architects, planners and conservationists doing so. Trained as an architect and social anthropologist, in thinking through Bhuj he has considered details such as how people would live, how their city might be rebuilt, and to what extent they can effect a simple restoration of the city’s infrastructure. Azhar Tyabji has been a member of architectural planning teams for many projects; from conservation plans in Jaipur to renovating a stretch of Marine Drive in Mumbai. In his talk about his book, Tyabji discussed how it may be beneficial if planners and builders allowed the people to participate in the construction of their own city. At the time of the earthquake in Bhuj, sentimentality demanded that the buildings, historic or otherwise, be built in the original manner, to recreate the familiar, old city. And yet there is also the question of development and whether the renewed city should be built according to the parameters of other modern cities. The first slide on Azhar Tyabji’s presentation about his book would have lead most people to believe that the ensuing dialogue would be a visual comparison of Bhuj, before and after the earthquake of 2001. The photos he juxtaposed were certainly a comparison of Bhuj, but not just before and after the natural disaster took place. Rather than following the route most people would take to communicate a loss of history and culture, Tyabji went much deeper. He tracked the development of Bhuj, from its humble beginnings to the evolution of its culture and the city itself. Doing this brought out many more aspects of the city that the audience may not have known about. His photographs and the first-hand accounts of the happenings in Bhuj reflected the time he had invested in town planning at Bhuj. In his discussion, it became apparent that his work on Bhuj has acquired significance due to the impact of the work on the city. In executing his calling, he also found himself asking pertinent questions on his own role in the process. Questions ranged from the extent to which a historian should take part in, or be involved himself in the place that s/ he is researching; whether conservation efforts are even justified given the eternally changing histories of place; and how historians determine the value and right towards defining heritage. It is remarkable that Tyabji managed to not only capture the essence of the city; the worth of its buildings and the culture of its people, but was also able to communicate his own rather controversial opinions concerning the planning of cities and other similar issues within the short time frame he had.
 
 
 
 
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