Today I was confronted by a very interesting question -- what is the importance of heritage and culture? Seemed like a pretty easy one to answer, till I actually tried articulating the words. Why, actually, do we need to preserve our heritage? Why do we need to preserve places like Bombay's Rajabai clocktower or the Victoria Memorial Station etc.? Yes, it is a way of staying in touch with our past, but why do we need to stay in touch with our past so badly?

Is it because it adds an interesting visual and aesthetic aspect to the city, thereby enriching our lives, since people function better in beautiful surroundings?

Is it because heritage and culture are the number one ways of attracting foreign tourism, which brings in foreign currency, creates awareness about the country and generates local business?

Is it a way of understanding the community and the people we live with, through an idea of how their past might have shaped their perceptions and attitudes?

Is it a link that binds people of a community/city/state/country together?

Is it a means of helping us understand ourselves, our fellow citizens and our country?

Is it a means of preserving arts and crafts and other skills...since authentic restoration of old properties is dependent on all these?

I still don't have clear-cut answers, but I do know that Bombay would just not be the same without the Rajabai Clock Tower, or the Victoria Terminus, or the Gateway of India, or the Banganga Tank, or the Hanging Gardens, or the High Court, or the Art Deco buildings of Marine Drive.........or...............!!!!