Corresponding Author: * Shabi-ul-hamd Faculty of Architecture and Ekistics, Jamia Millia Islamia University, India e-mail: Shabiul.hamd@gmail.com How to Cite This Chapter: Shabi-ul-hamd, Bais, R., & Mittal, A. K. (2024). Public Engagement and Awareness in Heritage Preservation. In Baghel, A., & Parikh, S. (Eds.), Advancing Heritage Innovations in India, (pp. 160-168) Cinius Yayınları. DOI: https://doi.org/10.38027/N16ICCAUA2024IN0448 DOI: 10.38027/N16ICCAUA2024IN0448 Chapter 16 Public Engagement and Awareness in Heritage Preservation * Shabi-ul-hamd, Roshni Bais, Achal Kumar Mittal Introduction India's heritage, spanning from the Mauryan era to the British period, showcases our rich and diverse culture through a tapestry of monuments. Despite their profound significance, many monuments suffer from neglect and a lack of community awareness, leading to a state of disrepair. Out of approximately 40,000 heritage structures, only a few receive protection from agencies like ASI and INTACH, emphasizing the urgent need to preserve lesser-known treasures. This paper examines the critical role of community engagement in heritage conservation through two compelling case studies from Uttarakhand: Mahasu Devta Temple in Bisoi and the Maniyan group of temples in Dwarahat. We selected these cases based on their architectural significance, socio- cultural diversity, and varied governance systems. The research unfolds in two phases—first, we examine community settlement structures and their role in heritage protection; second, we assess the findings and offer actionable recommendations for effectively preserving India's built heritage from local to national levels. Numerous publications underscore the necessity of heritage protection, often focusing on the importance of conserving both tangible and intangible heritage. Some researchers highlight the challenges facing cultural heritage, while others emphasize the crucial role of community involvement. However, few studies in India address the impact of residents' cultural awareness and participation in heritage preservation. This study aims to fill that gap by assessing the community's knowledge surrounding heritage sites and exploring the economic, cultural, and social benefits of increased awareness. Furthermore, it seeks to galvanize local communities into active participation in cultural preservation and management. The study is structured into two parts: the first reviews relevant research and identifies existing gaps, and the second conducts a primary site investigation at both locations, including surveys, interviews, and perception analysis. Ultimately, the study presents a set of recommendations and strategies to enhance community awareness and engagement in preserving cultural heritage. Literature Review Heritage is a cultural process that describes the history of a community, city, or area inherited by a community group to another community(Liyana Halim and Tambi, 2021). Heritage should not be treated as an objective that has to be taken care of individually but should be a part of community development as the other services. Cultural awareness is a critical issue for achieving heritage management and conservation. It is totally about interpreting the meaning of culture, art, and heritage in the country. It helps communities to become familiar with their own and others’ heritage. A community can’t recognize and respect other cultures unless they don’t have enough awareness and knowledge about their assets and behave positively toward it (Kamel, 2019). Improving locals’ awareness regarding cultural heritage is required. For better heritage preservation and management, the local community’s support and awareness is necessary. The motivation for local preservation, spending time and money is not primarily to preserve heritage structures, but to establish and maintain common social institutions in the local society. Effective participation of the community will provide the possibility for acquiring long-term sustainability and also help to build up the community’s commitment and continuing involvement in the program.