24 September,2024 10:33 AM IST | Mumbai | Shriram Iyengar
A view of the Sadashiva panel at the Elephanta Caves. Pics Courtesy/Cyark; Instucen
In the latter half of 1968, just before he returned to Mexico, the poet Octavio Paz and his wife visited the Elephanta Island. The Nobel Prize laureate would later write in his book, In Light of India, "I entered a world made of shadows and sudden brightness."
Having researched for years to unearth the historical past of Mumbai, environmental archaeologist and researcher Andre Baptista is now part of a team that seeks to bring the island's ancient past out of the darkness into virtual light. The Elephanta tapestry by CyArk, launched last week, captures a walkthrough of the historic island's Cave 1 with inputs from experts, insights on its art, architecture, history and even residents.
At the heart of the project is CyArk, a San Francisco-based non-profit organisation using technology to document ancient heritage sites since 2003.
Kacey Hadick, director of programs and development, CyArk, explains, "The project came about when we were looking at the impact of climate change on cultural heritage. We found Elephanta to be a good candidate where we could interview community members about the architectural and cultural elements as well as about climate change." It was also the first time that they chose to add an interactive tapestry - narration, inputs and details - to the walkthrough experience.
In 2022, supported by Iron Heart, CyArk took on India Study Centre Mumbai (INSTUCEN) as the local partners for the project. The team then set out to navigate the bureaucracy for permissions. It took them over six months to acquire permission for shoots with LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) mechanisms and photography. "The paperwork would make for a book by itself," laughs Baptista, project director for the local team. "They don't show that on Indiana Jones," Hadick adds.
A primary reason for INSTUCEN's interest in the project was the innovative use of technology, shares director of school of archaeology, INSTUCEN, Kurush Dalal. "This is fundamentally the next level of technology in research. It has never been used in India before. We stepped in with providing support in terms of research, facilitating for the crew on the ground," he shares.
With limited time for shoots, the crew focussed on the complex of Cave 1 at Elephanta. Baptista says, "Cave 1 is the most elaborate. It has a subsidiary shrine, and there are panels, and a Shiva shrine." These include the sculptures of Ravananugraha, the eight-foot tall iconic trimurti of Sadashiva and other structures such as cisterns and the sanctum sanctorum.
The use of LiDAR adds another dimension to this tapestry. Hadick explains, "It uses light-emitted technology to create an accurate point cloud. These are then overlain with thousands of pictures to create a very high definition and accurate model."
The result brought out some astonishing details, even for researchers. Baptista shares, "For instance, if you visit the cave, the Sadashiva can only be viewed from the base angle. With this technology, I can see features that have otherwise escaped attention."
Dalal agrees, saying, "I have been visiting the caves since I was 18 years old, but I have never seen them as clearly. If we repeat this exercise once a decade, a simple glance can help us pre-empt or detect micro damage to these heritage structures."
Weaving this imagery with inputs from archaeologists and historians like Dalal, subject matter experts like professor AP Jamkhedkar and the sarpanch and deputy sarpanch of the villages adds texture to the virtual experience. With Hindi, and Marathi soon to follow, the interactive tours are shaped to suit a large audience.
Pointing out the platform's use case as an educational tool, Baptista adds that it can also be used by researchers and archaeologists.
"Elephanta is isolated from the sea. The material they are made of, basalt, is very hard. Also, the community has responded very well to the site," Hadick observes. Baptista adds that while the rising impact of tourism to the site has resulted in issues with water, it is not yet a worry.
"In addition to documentation, we also wanted to introduce a global audience to the concept of temple architecture and what it symbolises, how these temples became centres of storytelling, places to translate philosophy, ways of thinking and made them accessible to the masses," Baptista notes. The technology, he reiterates, can function in a similar way by making research-based information accessible to the layman through a simple and interactive format.
Having started with the first, the team will now take time for the next one. Hadick shares that they are currently set to work with CEPT Research and Development and the Centre for Heritage and Conservation on a different project around Jaigarh Fort in Rajasthan. "Structures can make for great personal stories," he shares.
LOG ON TO tapestry.cyark.org
