INTACH Charter
The 2004 INTACH conservation standards document adapting Venice Charter principles to the Indian context — covering unlisted heritage, living heritage and traditional materials.
The INTACH Charter for the Conservation of Unprotected Architectural Heritage and Sites (2004) is the primary Indian professional document for conservation practice on unlisted buildings and sites. Produced by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, it adapts the Venice Charter principles (1964) and the Burra Charter (1979/2013) to the Indian cultural context.
The INTACH Charter is notable for its explicit treatment of living heritage — religious sites that remain in active use — and for its emphasis on traditional materials and craftspeople as central to conservation practice. It emphasises that conservation in India must recognise the continuing role of traditional building crafts (lime plasterwork, stone carving, timber joinery) and incorporate living craftspeople in conservation work wherever possible.
The Charter has no statutory force — INTACH cannot enforce it — but it is the professional standard referenced by conservation architects, heritage consultants and international funders working in India.
Relevant Standards
- — INTACH Charter 2004