India, Nov. 22 -- Many years ago, I wrote The Havelis of Old Delhi to document what remained of these iconic structures. The book documented a sad chronicle: neglect, colonial amnesia, and administrative indifference had nearly erased this architectural heritage. Over time, I have watched as even the remnants I chronicled are rapidly vanishing-or have disappeared entirely-with only a few notable and commendable exceptions.

In the vast tapestry of India's cultural memory, its ancient monuments stand as silent sentinels-architectural witnesses to millennia of faith, power, artistry, local craftsmanship, and time. From the caves of Ajanta and Ellora to the fort ramparts of Mandu, from megalithic burial chambers to Mughal tombs, and from mag...