Recent findings from the excavations carried out at Pattanam, near North Paravur, has further divulged the global significance of the village in Ernakulam. A seal-ring with the image of a Spinhx and the Greco-Roman head of a miniature statuette, Asian pottery and so many more excavations from the area tell us volumes about the technologically advanced civilisation that once occupied the now village in Ernakulam. Recent findings from the excavations carried out at Pattanam, near North Paravur, has further divulged the global significance of the village in Ernakulam. It corroborated the fact that Pattanam may have been the site of the ancient port of Muziris, the epicentre of a maritime network which is over 2,000 years old. The findings, a seal-ring with the image of a Spinhx and the Greco-Roman head of a miniature statuette, were found in the tenth excavation session directed by P J Cherian, director of the PAMA Institute for the Advancement of Transdisciplinary Archeology. Along with research associates, interns and locals, the community-centred excavation activity was insightful and elaborate about the shared history of Muziris port. While the Kerala Council of Historical Research conducted the first nine seasons of excavations from 2006 to 2015, PAMA resumed the same in 2020 after a five-year hiatus. “From the assemblage that we have gathered, around 66 trenches have been excavated. There is a clear indication that Pattanam could have been an integral part of Muziris. The culture back then seems to have been advanced in terms of technology. We have evidence of communication with different parts of the world,” said Cherian. He highlighted that as a colonised society, we tend to consider theories of people coming to our place and not the other way around. “When I started associating with the project, I was told that this was a Roman settlement. But, this is an Indian site with Roman, Egyptian, West Asian and Chinese connections—all linked by the ocean. The society was rational and technology-based; it is difficult to imagine that kind of culture and civility having existed in this region. For the longest time, we have been brainwashed to believe that early societies were primitive. This is now ruled out because we have tangible proof saying otherwise now,” he said. The seal ring made of banded agate, a semi-precious stone, and engraved with a sphinx—a Greek mythical creature that is part-woman and part-lion. According to Guilia Rocco, a specialist on ancient Roman art, the sphinx found in Pattanam is similar to the one worn by Augustus Caesar. The Greco-Roman head of the miniature statuette, found in the same 111-acre archaeological site, is another pathbreaking find. “These reveal the presence of an Indian lapidary workshop. It was also enigmatic that we found completed pieces at the site,” stressed Cherian.

History Revisited

For Siddhartha Saha, trench supervisor of the project, who returned from Kerala in June to work on his PhD at Vishwa-Bharati in Santiniketan, the Pattanam excavation was a dream come true. “The experience showed me a new dimension of archaeological life. As an archaeologist, I feel we have to introduce history to the public and residents. Involving the community added a new dimension to this scientific work,” he said. Siddhartha highlighted that the remnants of Amphora and Terra sigillata pottery from the Mediterranean region, porcelain(blue-on-white) from the south China region, and pottery from the Arabian region were also found, alongside Indian pottery varieties. “When you delve into the socio-economic history of India, you begin to see the impact of Muziris, which played a crucial role in our subcontinent’s economic foundation,” he added. Vijay Govind, a research associate with the project, found the process humbling and rewarding, despite the strenuous process. “I was interested to be part of the story, the active construction of history in the present,” he said. However, there is plenty more to be done in terms of putting forth the right narrative added with more excavations, research, academic papers, interviews and so on. “We need to identify more traces of Pattanam in other coasts. It is impossible to say with any degree of certainty how long it may take. However, if there was an active effort supported by state infrastructure to excavate the site, there would have been a fixed term plan comprising the procedure and priority. Regardless, with the sustained effort of the current individuals, we will have more evidence hopefully in five years,” he added.

Community involvement

PAMA is considering an academic, people-centric, eco and heritage initiative: a Pattanam Collective, comprising interested persons across the world launching a startup project to curate Pattanam as a world heritage site. According to Cherian, income could be generated through green archaeology by promoting organic farming of spices, medicinal plants and by providing employment through Pattanam women neighbourhood groups. “We have excavated barely one per cent of the site. The findings have to be conserved and studied. Also, local people shouldn’t feel that they may lose their land, rather they should be made the owners of this cultural wealth,” he said.

Golden past

In early 3000 BC, when the rest of the world came to the Malabar Coast in search of spices, the ancient port of Muziris in Kerala emerged as the hub of the spice trade. According to Sangam Literature, Roman ships would arrive with ships laden with gold in exchange for the famous black pepper. However, due to disastrous floods in 1341, the geography of the place was wrecked and Muziris was erased off the map. Later, excavations in the area rediscovered remnants which hinted the location of the fabled site.

Muziris as a heritage hub

The state government’s Muziris Heritage Project, which will be commissioned in 2020-21, intends to redeem the historical and cultural significance of the legendary port. The project has been designed to integrate the local community in every step. The initiative, which is also Kerala Government’s first Green Project, aims to promote awareness of the diversity of Muziris and practice sustainable development. The heritage of Muziris will be included in regional educational programmes and will comprise more than 25 museums to appreciate the same. Remnants of the place including the architecture and diet will be highlighted to transport the viewer back in time.

https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/2020/sep/25/new-excavations-unravelpattanams-global-trade-past-2201449.html, September 25, 2020

Bohag Bihu is on its way to getting a place in the list of intangible cultural heritage under the UNESCO, with efforts being stepped up by the North East Zone of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) in association with global cultural heritage experts to fetch this status to the major festival of Assam. The move, according to experts, would give an exclusive international recognition to Bihu, contributing in both its preservation and promotion at the international level. The ICOMOS is an international non-governmental organisation that rallies its network of experts to serve UNESCO’s World Heritage Convention. “After a number of web presentations about the Bihu, its origin and evolution, the dance form, musical instruments etc., the global experts of ICOMOS have conveyed to us that Bihu, especially Bohag Bihu, fulfils the criteria of getting enlisted as an intangible cultural heritage,” Dilip Changkakoty, member of ICOMOS NE Zone told The Assam Tribune. The ICOMOS International Committee on Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICICH) is one of the many international scientific committees of ICOMOS, which allow members from around the world to form networks of expertise in particular areas of cultural heritage. Members include internationally renowned specialists in their fields. “After being created as a separate zone for the North East a couple of months back, we have taken the initiative to make the world aware about the cultural specialities of Assam and the North East. With a number of cultural experts from Assam on board, we organised a web session on September 20 for the international level culture heritage experts to showcase different aspects of Bihu, and its role as a melting pot for cultures and traditions of different communities and tribes. The presentations have earned lots of positive response from global specialists, paving the way for the cause,” Changkakoty said. From Assam Changkakoty and Dr Sanjib Kumar Borkakoti of ICOMOS India (North East Zone) are also the experts of global ICICH. In a proactive approach, Dr Hee Sook Lee-Niinioja, global president of ICICH had requested all members of ICICH in different parts of world to attend the online events on Bihu. According to the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, the term ‘intangible cultural heritage’ means the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills – as well as the instruments, objects, artifacts and cultural spaces associated therewith – that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognise as part of their cultural heritage. “This international recognition to Bihu would mean a greater international exposure to Bihu dance, songs, traditional Assamese ornaments, textile, etc. It will open a world of opportunities to our artistes and artisans alike,” Changkakoty added. So far, altogether 18 cultural elements from India including yoga, Vedic chanting, Manipuri Songkirtan, etc., have been recognised as intangible cultural heritage. Dr Mrinalini Atrey, expert from ICOMOS expressed hope that coming together of experts from across the globe in a web session on Bihu would make a case for enlisting Bihu in the list of world’s cultural heritage. “Bihu festival is the perfect blend of different tribes and clans who have made Assam their home. It is an organic whole, and is a true representative of Assam and its heritage. It must get a seat in the world heritage list,” she mentioned. Backing the cause, Munish Pandit, vice-president of ICOMOS-ICICH said for any kind of cultural heritage, ICOMOS can help in its safeguard. “Though the actual carriers of any cultural heritage are the local people who follow it, the global platform can provide some framework in terms of its documentation or its recognition,” he added.

http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/detailsnew.asp?id=sep2420/city051, September 23, 2020

At the western end of Chandni Chowk lies the 17th century Fatehpuri Masjid. The historical boulevard is being revamped, but the mosque will be an incongruent terminal point if it isn’t spruced up. In fact, it poses a hazard at the moment, with the north minar of the mosque leaning ominously to the right. The mosque authorities claim to have petitioned the Waqf Board several times for repairs. In response, the board has pleaded bureaucratic hurdles in taking restoration measures. The mosque, built by Fatehpuri Begum, one of the wives of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, in 1650, is in a shambles. Besides the leaning minar, the drainage of the central wuzukhana, or ablution tank, is damaged, and the pillars and roofs show cracks. Historian Swapna Liddle, author of Chandni Chowk, the Mughal City of Old Delhi, said, “The Fatehpuri Masjid is a Shah Jahan-era mosque built by the ladies of the palace. Being directly opposite Red Fort, it has a significant location.” But now the mosque needs help. Mufti Mukarram, imam of Fatehpuri Masjid, said a Waqf Board team led by its then chairman, AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan, visited the mosque in November 2019 and promised to begin repairs of the shrine and its wuzukhana. “Since then, nothing has been done,” Mukarram said, adding that the sewerage is in such a poor condition that rain and sewage enter the mosque complex from the Khari Baoli side. “Occasionally, water also flows in from the Galgotia market side abutting the masjid’s western wall where we stand and pray,” he said. The imam was understandably most worried about the north minaret. “The red sandstone minar is leaning to the right, and cracks and gaps can be seen. In this state, it is a major danger for the hundreds who come here to pray. Its fall will also be an irretrievable heritage loss.” The roofs and the pillars of the madrassa housed in the mosque are also damaged, with the pillars warped now and struggling to hold the weight of the structure. Mukarram felt that when the whole of Chandni Chowk was being beautified, it would be logical to also revamp the mosque. Ajay Kumar, director of projects at the Delhi chapter of Intach, agreed. After a team from the heritage conservation organisation visited the mosque recently, Kumar suggested, “Preservation work should be carried out urgently in a phased manner, with heritage strictures incorporated into the plans.” The mufti’s son, Hammad Ahmed, claimed that the Waqf Board received rent from 123 properties near the mosque. “The board can always use that money to conserve Fatehpur Masjid,” he said. In response, Himal Akhtar, member of the Waqf Board, told TOI, “The resolution for the conservation of the mosque was passed by the board in January 2020. We sanctioned Rs25 lakh for the work, and we will give the repairs priority.” However, he added, the Delhi assembly elections took place soon after in February and the board chairman demitted office. “Only after a new chairman assumes office can funds be released,” said Akhtar, adding that the board had already sent engineers and a technical team to determine the course of restoration. Liddle was critical of the Waqf board and said it “needs to have a system of regular inspection, maintenance and conservation”. The historian said, “You cannot respond suddenly only when a problem arises. This happened when the Masjid Mubarak Begum in Chawri Bazar was damaged in the recent rains. This kind of bandaging will not work. These are historic monuments and the if the caretakers are unable to take care of them, there should be a system involving the government agencies.”

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/delhis-own-leaning-minaret-and-it-needs-help/articleshow/78264242.cms, September 23, 2020

Ryan International School, Sohna Road, Gurugram, organised the scholar badge ceremony for its senior secondary wing students on a virtual platform. The ceremony highlighted the efforts put in by the school in making future leaders by instilling in them the values of self-reliance, discipline and leadership qualities. The event started with the Lord’s Prayer, reading of Bible and a special prayer. Students welcomed the guests in different languages like Hindi, English, Bengali, Oriya and Sanskrit. The guests of Honour were INTACH Gurugram Chapter convener Major Atul Dev and inspector of directorate of revenue and intelligence Tanuj Baweja.They appreciated the students for their hard work and perseverance. The achievers were felicitated with certificates for their excellent performances in academics and sports. Awards under various categories like leadership, confident speaker, aspiring author, super scientist, Maths master, amazing artist, rising star, star performer, music master and perfect attendance were given to them. Students sang patriotic songs and displayed dance performances. It was a proud moment for the parents and their presence motivated the students. School principal Peeya Sharma congratulated all the awardees and inspired them to do shine in all spheres of life with the same spirit of veracity and the will to achieve. On that occasion, Sharma also gave a message to everyone that we all should pursue our dreams and work hard towards the fulfilment of our goals.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-school/delhi-school-events-ryan-international-school-organises-scholar-badge-ceremony/story-EpfSXMrBNfX9HizcJyUMjP.html, September 22, 2020

While the building's roof was leaking from various places, the walls were in a pathetic condition with even plaster peeling off from the outer wall. Renovation work of the century-old Veer Surendra Sai Town Hall, popularly known as Victoria Hall, has been delayed by nearly a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) is executing the work at an estimated cost of Rs 1.24 crore. It had set a target to complete renovation of the heritage building by end of this year. Director of INTACH, Bhubaneswar Centre Mallika Mitra said, "Though we had planned to complete the renovation by 2020, it was affected due to the pandemic. However, work has resumed post-lockdown. Some components of civil restoration work are still going on. Then we will move to the interior work and develop the interpretation centre for Western Odisha tourism. The renovation will be completed by June next year." The historic building was in a dilapidated condition when the revamp work began in May, 2017. While the building's roof was leaking from various places, the walls were in a pathetic condition. The entire structure was covered by wild vegetation and even plaster was peeling off from the outer wall. Last year, the Sambalpur district administration had announced that a museum would be developed with support of INTACH in the Victoria Hall where customs, traditions and history of the region will be showcased. Following the laying of its foundation stone in 1902, the heritage building was inaugurated by then Chief Commissioner of the Central Province JP Hewety in 1904. The British government, kings, landlords and businessmen of the region had contributed funds for construction of the building. It was initially christened as Victoria Hall but later renamed as VSS Town Hall after Independence. The Zilla School, Women’s College and Trust Fund College, which is now Netaji Subash Chandra Bose College, once operated from this building which also housed the district library, office of the Sambalpur Development Authority and the district culture office.

https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/2020/sep/21/covid-19-interrupts-renovation-of-heritage-victoria-hallin-odishas-sambalpur-2199818.html, September 21, 2020

Historians, conservation architects and other heritage lovers have heaved a sigh of relief and expressed happiness over the stay by the Supreme Court on the demolition of the centuries-old Patna Collectorate, with some saying it would send a "strong message" to the society on "preserving our rich past indiscriminately". Spread over 12 acres on the banks of Ganga, the iconic collectorate complex includes one of the last surviving signatures of Dutch architecture, especially the Record Room and the old District Engineer''s Office. The top court had on Friday ordered status quo in the case, two days after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had laid the foundation stone for its new complex and a slew of other projects ahead of the Assembly polls. Noted historian Irfan Habib said it is a "great news for all those who care for built heritage, from conservationists to common man, fighting a battle every day to save heritage from the onslaught of modernity". "The stay on demolition, at a time when bulldozers were almost ready to roll in to bring down the historic structures of the collectorate, will also reaffirm people''s faith in judiciary when heritage is facing a losing battle in Patna and so many other old cities," he said. The historian underlined that old buildings, especially of such significance as the Patna Collectorate, "lend character to a city" and the Bihar capital, being a historic city, these landmarks give a "sense of continuity to multiple generations". "Erasing these landmarks will not only erase an important piece of history of Patna, it will erase the identity of the city of Patna," he said. "The government should preserve and restore these buildings indiscriminately and not look at them through a colonial prism." Patna-based author Surendra Gopal who has been advocating preservation of the collectorate and other unprotected landmarks, hoped "a brighter future awaits" the neglected built heritage of his city. The case, which began with two PILs filed in the Patna High Court by Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) in August 2019, had rallied heritage lovers from Patna to the US, with domain experts and common people alike appealing to the authorities to spare the demolition and instead connect it to the tourism circuit. On September 1 this year, the high court disposed the case and allowed the government to take "necessary consequential action" after the newly-formed Bihar Urban Arts and Heritage Commission -- consisting only of government officials -- recommended demolition, claiming the structure had not much "architectural, cultural or aesthetic values". The Bihar government, which proposed the demolition in 2016, has been claiming that since the Dutch building of the collectorate was used as a warehouse to store opium and saltpetre a few centuries ago, it was "not a heritage structure", drawing sharp reaction from historians, scholars and experts. Architect and conservationist Yashaswini Sharma, who has been associated with the battle to save the iconic Asiatic Building in Bengaluru, was thrilled to know about the apex court stay after the INTACH filed a plea mid-September challenging the high court order. "A building''s heritage value is not lessened just because it was an opium warehouse at some point in history," Sharma said. "It is the unique architecture, material heritage, the skills used in making the building that matters. And these were built by our labourers, making it even a more significant piece of heritage." The author of ''Bangalore: The Early City'' said to dismiss a building as "not a heritage" just because it stored opium once, was "myopic and smacks of ignorance and coloured view of the policy makers". The high court should have weighed in the matter with deeper understanding of history and architectural heritage, which it seems it did not, so the INTACH appealed in the Supreme Court," she added. In 2016, the then Dutch ambassador, Alphonsus Stoelinga, had written to the chief minister, appealing to preserve this "shared heritage" of the two countries and had it listed under the Archaeology Department. The British-era structures in its complex include the DM Office Building and District Board Patna Building. In 2016, a public movement named ''Save Historic Patna Collectorate'', led by citizens from various walks of life, was launched to save the historic landmark from demolition. Mumbai-based conservationist Kamalika Bose said the apex court relief was "much-needed and it would send a very strong message to both the government and the society at large to "preserve our past indiscriminately for the current and future generations". "Bihar government has not been listening to people''s voices, and I hope now they will and save this landmark. The new collectorate can be built anywhere else on a fresh piece of land without harming heritage," she said. The Supreme Court bench, headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde, has sought response from the Bihar government within two weeks on the plea filed by the INTACH. High court lawyer and heritage activist Kumar Shanu alleged that "in the name of opium warehouse, the government has attempted to delegitimise the historical value of the collectorate". "The Hon''ble High Court of Patna has not acknowledged or even heeded to the complete facts of the case and principles developed by previous landmark cases on such a subject," he argued, adding: "I am happy the apex court has given a relief for the time being". PTI KND HMB AQS

https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/historians-architects-heritage-lovers-welcome-sc-stay-on-patna-collectorate-demolition/1939786, September 21, 2020

Fresh findings from excavations at Pattanam near North Paravur in Ernakulam — like a seal-ring with the image of a sphinx and the Greco-Roman head of a miniature statuette — have added to the evidence of the site being the fabled ancient port town of Muziris. The PAMA Institute for the Advancement of Transdisciplinary Archaeology, a private trust with academic-cum-environmentalist R V G Menon as chairman, had carried out excavations at five trenches in four private plots in Pattanam in March, April and May 2020 with a licence from Archaeological Survey of India. They were not permitted to excavate the land owned by Kerala Council of Historical Research (KCHR) as planned earlier. P J Cherian, director, PAMA, said the findings were dominated by pottery assemblage. Besides substantial quantities of Indian pottery, the site produced an impressive count of Mediterranean, Red Sea, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and South China Sea pottery, settling the assumption that Pattanam could be an integral part of the legendary port of Muziris, he said. One of the most fascinating finds from the 10th season excavation was a sealring made of banded agate with the carving of sphinx, a mythical creature with magical and oracular powers. Cherian said Dr Giulia Rocco, director (excavations) in Rome and specialist on ancient Roman art, confirmed that the Pattanam sphinx is similar to the one worn by Octavianus before he became Augustus Caesar. According to Rocco, the accuracy of gem style and carving technique suggest a chronology between the 1st and the 2nd century CE. The recent finds have not been carbon-dated but they were from stratigraphic layers scientifically analysed in the previous nine excavations. ‘Explorations will give material proof’ The sphinx gem — the third intaglio found from Pattanam archaeological mound after pouncing lion (2010) and Goddess Fortuna (2014) — was discovered by a Plus-Two student who volunteered with the PAMA team, on April 25, from a property owned by her uncle. Another path-breaking find — a Greco-Roman head of a miniature statuette — also came from the trench from where the sphinx was recovered. According to PAMA researchers, this is the first ever human image from the 66 trenches dug so far in Pattanam. However, the trenches dug so far doesn’t even come up to 1% of the 111 acres of Pattanam archaeological mound. “Unlike other excavations, a difference was the communitycentred approach. We routinely had people from the neighbourhood coming; if we found something we would show it to them and explain what it is and what it meant while they shared folk history of the region,” says Vijay Govind, research associate, PAMA. Cherian said the PAMA project was aimed at understanding early maritime history and material culture as a microcosm of human-nature interface. In the first phase, the project wants to extend and compare the findings of the Pattanam site with explorations and excavations in the delta region of Periyar and Chalakkudi rivers. “It is an important site that has thrown up lot of material evidence in the past. Some people had doubts with regard to identification of the ancient port site with Muziris,” said K Paddayya, noted archeologist and emeritus professor, Deccan College, Pune, adding that he could comment on the recent excavations only after studying them. K Rajan, archeologist and professor of history at the School of Social Sciences and International Studies, Puducherry also said he would rather wait to comment on the recent finds. “I feel multiple explorations undertaken in the region has provided ample material evidence and it is now time to create a historical narrative based on the findings,” said academic Sunil P Ilayidam. In the 2nd phase, PAMA will undertake exploration and database creation of the early historic port sites of the Indian subcontinent from Gujarat to Bengal.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/kerala-sphinx-seal-ring-recovered-from-pattanam/articleshow/78227316.cms, September 21, 2020

It is so because we are not putting focus on this issue. They are unaware of the existence of ancient buildings or monuments in their neighbourhood. To create awareness about historical buildings and their relevance among students, Delhi Archives has planned a massive campaign under which a heritage club will be set up in each Delhi government school. The clubs aim to make city residents understand the value of local culture and heritage with the help of the students, said senior government officials, associated with the project, which is likely to be launched soon. “The basic problem with the students in Delhi is that the majority of them belong to migrated families. They don’t connect with the history and heritage of the city. It is so because we are not putting focus on this issue. They are unaware of the existence of ancient buildings or monuments in their neighbourhood. We have also planned to come up with a set of history books with different themes for students,” said Sanjay Garg, head of the archives. The concept of the heritage clubs in a government school was first conceived by former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit in 2011. In the beginning, the department will form clubs in five schools of all education districts including one each in Rajkiya Pratibha Vikas Vidyalaya and Sarvodaya Vidyalaya located in rural or ‘backward’ areas of the district as a pilot. “We have identified 60 schools; five each in 12 Education districts. Later, the scheme will be implemented in all government schools in a phased manner,” said another senior official. There are more than 1,000 schools in the national capital, which are managed by the state government. The programme will be run in collaboration with the department of archaeology, directorate of education and department of art, culture & languages. For the pilot project, the department of archives has set aside Rs 15 lakh to be released as a grant to 60 schools to organise various activities such as quiz and painting competitions. The proposal is also being well-received by the heritage experts and historians. Swapna Liddle, author and historian, said learning heritage and history should be part of our everyday lives and it should definitely start at the school level. “Heritage preservation is not the responsibility of one or two organisations. It also provides an opportunity to understand people. The government should also look at capacity buildings of teachers and train them suitably,” said Liddle, who is also the convenor of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), which runs heritage clubs in association with private schools. Proposed Activities for heritage clubs Museum education and outreach programmes Students programmes at heritage festivals Guided tours to monuments, heritage sites, havelies, museums and archives To encourage the schools to adopt a nearby monument Heritage Mela to be organized every year on International heritage day by involving students.

https://www.newindianexpress.com/thesundaystandard/2020/sep/20/soon-heritage-clubs-in-delhi-government-schools-to-create-awareness-about-historical-buildings-2199248.html, September 20, 2020

Living Planet Report 2020 calls for urgent action to reverse the trend by 2030. Global populations of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish have seen an average two-third decline in less than half a century, due in large part to the very same environmental destruction which is contributing to the emergence of zoonotic diseases such as Covid-19, according to the WWF’s Living Planet Report 2020. The Living Planet Index (LPI) shows that factors believed to increase the planet’s vulnerability to pandemics, including land-use change and the use and trade of wildlife, were also behind the 68 per cent average decline in the global vertebrate species’ populations between 1970 and 2016. “The Living Planet Report 2020 underlines how humanity’s increasing destruction of nature is having catastrophic impacts not only on wildlife populations but also on human health and all aspects of our lives,” said Marco Lambertini, Director General, WWF International. “From the fish in our oceans and rivers to bees which play a crucial role in our agricultural production, the decline of wildlife affects directly nutrition, food security and the livelihoods of billions of people. In the midst of a global pandemic, it is now more important than ever to take a coordinated global action to halt and start to reverse the loss of biodiversity and wildlife populations across the globe by the end of the decade, and protect our future health and livelihoods. Our own survival increasingly depends on it,” he said.

Pressure on wildlife

The Living Planet Report 2020 presents a comprehensive overview of the state of our natural world through the LPI. The LPI, which tracked almost 21,000 populations of more than 4,000 vertebrate species between 1970 and 2016, also shows that wildlife populations found in freshwater habitats have suffered a decline of 84 per cent — the starkest average population decline in any biome, equivalent to a decline of 4 per cent per year since 1970. Based on a paper, ‘Bending the curve of terrestrial biodiversity needs an integrated strategy’, co-authored by the WWF and more than 40 NGOs and academic institutions and published on Thursday in Nature, the LPR 2020 also includes pioneering modelling, which shows that without further efforts to counteract habitat loss and degradation, global biodiversity will continue to decline. The research shows that implementing these measures together rather than in isolation will allow the world to rapidly alleviate pressures on wildlife habitats.

Indian biodiversity

"The focus of the Living Planet Report 2020 is to reiterate a scientific case for the urgent action we need to protect and restore nature and biodiversity,” said Ravi Singh Secretary General and CEO, WWF India. “For a mega-diverse country like India, which has been seeing a decline in forests, natural wetlands, and marine biodiversity due to factors like urbanisation, land degradation, pollution and landuse change, bolder conservation efforts are key to reversing the trend. Only an integrated approach, will succeed in restoring the balance of nature,” Ravi Singh said. WWF India’s new campaign on #Nature #TheUltimateVaccine reiterates the need to restore the balance of nature by putting an end to the destruction of biodiversity and ecosystems and thereby minimising the risks of pandemics waiting for us in the future. Quoting IUCN Red List, Sejal Worah, Programme Director, said, “Out of 425 species of mammals, 50 mammal species are either critically endangered or endangered, needing immediate intervention."

THE floods of 2014 created havoc in Kashmir resulting in loss of life and property. The devastation should have been a learning experience for the government but Kashmir is open to the same destruction as it was in 2014, says Saleem Beg, convener at Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH). According to a study by Arun Menon, though India has a large stock of heritage structures but lack of adequate quality and quantity of manpower is a serious bottleneck in India to address the gigantic task of understanding and protecting heritage structures from natural hazards. Heritage sites are classified into two categories –one which are protected under law by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the state archives, and the other are the unprotected sites which are governed by some regulations and law. There are dedicated sources to look after the maintenance of the protected sites but the results are not satisfactory. He says that there are around 100 archaeological sites in Jammu & Kashmir out of which 70 are with the central government and 30 are with the state but they are not ideally looked after by the concerned authorities. The state archaeological department does not have enough funds and technical support to look after the restoration of the historic sites, complains Beg. The ASI Srinagar circle which looks after the protected site in J&K along with other central government departments was shifted to Jammu after the onset of militancy in Kashmir. Though many government departments were set up again in Kashmir after the conditions subsidize but ASI Srinagar circle is still based at Jammu according to INTACH convener. A majority of sites protected by ASI Srinagar circle are in Kashmir but if the office is not functional it is bound to get difficult for subordinate units to perform properly. “The officer supposed to be here for 12 months doesn’t find time to come to Kashmir once in three months,” retorts the former Director-General of Tourism. ASI Srinagar circle faces a shortage of staff and it is not manned by a full-fledged supervision archaeologist which has resulted in the deteriorating condition of the heritage sites in the valley. Unplanned urbanization can also be attributed as one of the main threats to the heritage of Kashmir. Rapid urbanization has been done to meet the demands of the growing population which has resulted in illegal construction in many parts of the valley that has a direct impact on the cultural heritage. A part of the Martand Sun temple in Anantnag has been converted into an apple orchard and the stones of the temple have been taken by the locals for domestic purpose. The park built in front of the historic site is well maintained by the authorities whereas the temple is left to wither. Many structures are in the same condition as the Martand temple. The haphazard building of infrastructure is done because conservation of heritage is not mentioned in urban planning. It is about time that the authorities should realize that heritage is an important concept of a city, if the city has to live, it has to live with all its aspects. In December 2010, the State Legislature passed the Jammu and Kashmir Heritage Conservation and Preservation Act (JKHCP) for conservation and preservation of heritage, both tangible and intangible including buildings, structures, monuments, precinct, areas/sites, artifacts, sculptures, paintings, handicrafts, manuscripts. According to the law, the state government needs to be notified by the authority or Municipal Commissioner or Collector or Director by notification in Government Gazette about the heritage of importance. But that part of issuing notification by the concerned authorities has not taken off well, according to insights from the convener at INTACH. Under the same act, the urban development ministry and the local bodies were supposed to have heritage guidelines notification in the master plan but these regulations are open to interpretation. “The guidelines need to be implemented based on expert committee advice so that every master plan envisage the expert committee with the municipal corporation but it has not happened,” adds Beg. Under the JKHCP, the authorities were meant to notify 1000 heritage sites but they have only notified 2-3 buildings, admits the former Director-General of Tourism. Due to lack of awareness within the state government they don’t realize the importance of preservation of monuments. The municipal laws are defective and heritage-unfriendly.

The author is a correspondent with Kashmir Observer and can be reached at [email protected]



https://kashmirobserver.net/2020/09/09/shambling-heritage-sites-of-kashmir/, September 9, 2020

The rich history of the district, coupled with its cultural heritage, is much celebrated among the people of Dharwad, most of who are well acquainted with it. Until recently, here were few avenues for the uninitiated or outsiders to learn about Dharwad’s rich past, certainly that afforded a comprehensive picture of its history in a few snapshots. But this lack was remedied with an Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach) Museum at the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) office building in Dharwad. The museum is open to visitors from 11am to 2pm on all weekdays, and boasts in its collection rare stamps, coins and original manuscripts. Given that Dharwad has for long been one of the literary capitals of the state, among the many prized possessions at the museum are original certificates and manuscripts of the works of eminent writers such as Raa Ha Deshpande, Da Ra Bendre, VK Gokak and SL Bhyrappa. Visitors will also find at the museum reprints of Raja Ravi Varma’s paintings, not to mention photographs and paintings depicting Dharwad’s antiquity. Inscriptions attesting to Dharwad’s tryst with the prehistoric period are likely to draw the eye of those looking to take a peek into the past. A bust of NP Bhat, retired commissioner of the income tax department who was instrumental in setting up the Intach Museum, donated by Lieutenant General SC Sardeshpande is a treasured possession housed in the museum. The museum’s popularity has been growing steadily over the years, the number of visitors increasing. The number of articles on display too has been rising, with artifacts being donated and collected with zest by the museum’s administrators, and it is now filled with vestiges of the past.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hubballi/intach-museum-now-a-popular-destination-in-hubballi-dharwad/articleshow/77986808.cms, September 8, 2020

The Jammu and Kashmir administration has started preparing a dossier on the six Mughal Gardens in the Kashmir Valley in a bid to empanel them in the list of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) mandated world heritage sites. The administration is keenly interested in the development of Mughal gardens. Recently, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir (UT) Manoj Sinha issued orders on the upgradation of restoration work of the six Mughal Gardens including Nishat, Shalimar, Cheshmashahi, Pari Mahal, Achabal and Veerinag. “The Department of Floriculture in consultation with known professional reworked eight gardens of Jammu and Kashmir between 2005-2011,” said Farooq Ahmad Rather, Director, Department of Floriculture, Jammu and Kashmir. Rather said, “With the help of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) survey experts of UNESCO visited the valley to see the heritage value of Mughal gardens. Later in 2011, six of these gardens were in the tentative list of Heritage sites presented by the UNESCO.” “Currently, the Jammu and Kashmir administration with a consultation team is preparing a dossier which will be presented to the UNESCO,” said Rather. On being asked about its benefits, Rather said, “These gardens are part of our heritage and we have to preserve the same at any cost.” “After the historical Mughal garden makes it to the UNESCO’s heritage site list, it will eventually boost the tourism industry here,” he added.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hubballi/intach-museum-now-a-popular-destination-in-hubballi-dharwad/articleshow/77986808.cms, September 8, 2020

In the ongoing demolition drive in Old Town here, three huge stone blocks have been unearthed just 30 metre from the Meghanand Pacheri of the Lingaraj Temple. While removing the rubble of the demolished buildings opposite the Uttara Dwara (north gate) of the temple, the excavators stumbled on two huge blocks under the soil. The authorities would have damaged the blocks but couldn’t do so as the sheer weight and size of the slabs rendered the machines inoperable. Prafulla Swain, a local heritage enthusiast reported the matter to the concerned authorities. The two excavated slabs are nearly 40 feet in length and are 3 feet square in breadth. On a conservative estimate, they will weigh more than 12 tonnes each. According to Anil Dhir, Project Coordinator of INTACH, the antiquity of the slabs date back to the 11th Century when the Lingaraj Temple was build. These hard and evenly carved stone blocks were used for the plinth, columns and beams of the temple. These hard stoner blocks were also laid at the bottom to create a level as the temples were built on alluvium soil. Dhir is of the opinion that these are rejected slabs which were not used in the temple as they were honeycombed and had small hollow portions. Amiya Bhusan Tripathy, State Convener of INTACH, said Odisha needs passing of a Heritage Protection Bill in the State Assembly for protection of its age-old monuments. Noted heritage activist Dr Biswajit Mohanty called for an immediate stopping of all development activities in the two heritage cities and the constitution a stakeholders committee for a correct assessment of the plans.



https://www.dailypioneer.com/2020/state-editions/massive-stone-slabs-found-in-ekamra-kshetra.html, September 6, 2020

The Najafgarh jheel is the second largest water body in Delhi NCR after the Yamuna. But due to encroachment, sewage, canals, and negligence, it has shrunk from 220 km2 to just 7 km2. Whether it’s flooding every monsoon or dipping groundwater levels in the summer, Gurugram has a problem. And Delhi is hardly any better, with groundwater reserves predicted to run out by 2020-21. Shrill alarm bells haven’t been able to wake the Haryana and Delhi governments from slumber. And while the Narendra Modi government may have promised ‘Nal se Jal’ for every household by 2024, time is running out for India’s capital region. The one thing that could have helped — the Najafgarh jheel — is now dismissively called the Najafgarh nala. The Najafgarh jheel is the second-largest waterbody in the area after the Yamuna river, and has been feeding Delhi NCR for decades. But you won’t recognise it anymore — it resembles nothing more than a waterlogged nala. Once spread over 220 sq. km., the Najafgarh jheel has now shrunk to just over 7 sq. km.

A dire situation
How did we get here?

In just four years, 2014-18, groundwater extraction in Gurugram increased by 308 per cent, according to government records. In 1974, you had to dig an average of 21.6 feet to get water. Now, you have to dig 91.8 feet. In Delhi, groundwater resources of seven districts have been categorised as over-exploited — and the South Delhi extraction rate stands at 243 per cent. There are three intertwined solutions to this — reviving water bodies, catching rainwater and recharging aquifers. Water bodies are the catchment areas for rainwater. They also safeguard settlements from inundation by floods. And they are also the fountainhead of aquifer recharge. A legion of city planners and lawmakers, clearly egged on by avaricious developers, chose to turn a blind eye to this crucial information. That led to the ruin of Delhi and Gurugram’s biggest natural water reservoir, rainwater catchment area and groundwater recharger — the Najafgarh jheel.

Jheel to canal

The Najafgarh jheel used to be an immense wetland lying in Gurugram and Delhi. It was fed by the Sahibi river and floodwaters from Gurugram, Rewari, Jhajjar and north-west Delhi. Old records indicate that the jheel was spread over 220 sq. km. Its existence was recorded as far back as 1807. It played a vital role in the agrarian economy by supporting irrigation, animal husbandry and fishing. In 1865, the government of the North-West Province started excavating an irregular channel from the eastern end of the jheel to the Yamuna. This was done to drain the jheel and create more cultivable land. The Najafgarh jheel’s wetlands hosted innumerable migratory and resident birds, including the endangered Siberian crane, pink-headed ducks and greater flamingos. To date, wild animals and reptiles endemic to the region and several species of birds are sighted here. In addition, the jheel was a recharge source for the surrounding aquifers. After the floods of 1964, when the Najafgarh jheel spread to 240 sq. km., widening of the irregular channel or the Sahibi river canal resulted in the drainage of the jheel. The construction of a supplementary drain in 1977 to carry excess flood discharge to the Yamuna was the last nail in the proverbial coffin, and sealed the fate of the Najafgarh jheel.

A recipe for disaster

The water of Najafgarh jheel now comprises largely of sewage from the drains of the surrounding urban sprawl, with the bulk of it being disgorged from the Badshahpur drain flowing through Gurugram. And the Sahibi river canal? It is now the Najafgarh nala, which has its own share of wastewater being emptied into it by a multitude of drains on the Delhi side. The pollutants from the jheel are leaching into the soil and contaminating the aquifers. The jheel’s ability to recharge aquifers has been severely compromised. As a result, the water woes of the residents of south-west Delhi and Gurugram have intensified because they have limited access to piped water and are heavily dependent on groundwater. Add to this, Delhi constructed an embankment on its side of the jheel after 1964, depriving its arable lands of the regular inundation and recharge cycle. But the foremost threat is reclamation of land in the Najafgarh jheel for building purposes. There is rampant construction in the Najafgarh basin in contravention to current environmental norms. It poses a threat to life and property apart from destroying a fragile ecosystem. In fact, the recent spell of rain in August resulted in seepage and flooding in the basement of several residential colonies near the jheel in Gurugram. Sold as prime waterfront properties, the developers invariably omit mentioning that their tall concrete structures sit atop soft wetland soil with near-empty aquifers underneath. This, coupled with a high-intensity earthquake — the area is a seismic zone — could be a sure recipe for disaster.

Whose lake is it anyway?

Not only land tussles and encroachment, the jheel is also locked in several legal tussles. The Najafgarh jheel falls under the purview of several government bodies. While the NCT (National Capital Territory) government has earmarked Najafgarh jheel in its 2021 Master Plan, no work has been done to demarcate the area of the jheel in Haryana. Concerned about the dismal state of the jheel, the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) had filed a petition with the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in 2014 drawing attention to its imminent extinction owing to human apathy. It further said that unless the NGT intervened, the land area of the waterbody was in danger of falling into the hands of unscrupulous real-estate dealers, and the illegal construction can be used as a fait accompli to avoid/deny the revival of the jheel. This matter was disposed of in 2017 in view of the statement issued by the Haryana government that the lake (Najafgarh jheel) in question is indeed a waterbody and it was trying to approve it officially. However, even after two years, when no steps had been initiated to notify the jheel as a wetland, the INTACH filed another petition in 2019 in the NGT. The NGT sought a status update and action report from both the Delhi and Haryana governments. In a subsequent hearing in October 2019, Haryana filed a report saying that there was a doubt about whether the Najafgarh jheel was a private land or a wetland. This doubt was based on a 2005 revenue record. But there is a 1983 gazette notification showing the area to be a lake. To ascertain facts, the NGT sought early revenue records prior to settlement. Since then, the hearing at the NGT has been extended several times because the Haryana government has not filed its report. The Delhi government’s position on this matter is more sympathetic. It is currently planning to rent land from the farmers on the Delhi side to the north of the embankment and inundate it. Most of the decisions in favour of environmental causes in Delhi has been due to court orders (initiated by activists and NGOs rather than mass movements) forcing the hands of the government.

Rallying call

Taking cognisance of the apathy and lack of awareness of Delhi and Haryana residents, we created a Facebook group — called ‘Najafgarh Jheel – Countdown to Extinction or Rejuvenation?’ — to raise awareness and rally people together. So far, there have only been isolated efforts by activists and NGOs to save the jheel. The formation of the Facebook group is a fledgling yet important step to consolidate these efforts. To paraphrase Goethe, the Najafgarh jheel’s fate resembles a fruit tree in winter. Who would think that those branches would turn green again and blossom, but we hope it, we know it… provided nobody axes the tree itself. For now, Najafgarh jheel is a lake with a glorious past but an uncertain future.

The author is a PhD scholar at Teri School of Advanced Studies working on urban water bodies. Views are personal.



https://theprint.in/opinion/najafgarh-jheel-to-nala-how-delhi-gurugram-ruined-second-largest-waterbody/496091/, September 6, 2020

It is one of the world’s most renowned monuments and a magnet to countless tourists from all around the world who visit it each year. Built some 400 years ago, it is a milestone in the architectural history of India. It’s grand and magnificent (think, poetry frozen in time), a great symbol of love built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. We are, of course, talking about the Taj Mahal. And there’s no Taj Mahal but Taj Mahal!

Or is there?

Well… surprise, surprise! There’s a mini Taj Mahal in Aurangabad in Maharashtra — quite far away from its world-famous, widely celebrated cousin in Agra. It might be known as a clone of the Taj, but there’s much, much more to this monument. Tucked between the lofty Sihyachal ranges of the Deccan plateau, Bibi Ka Maqbara, or Tomb of the Lady, stands gracefully on the road between Daulatabad and Aurangabad. Just like the Taj Mahal, it was also built in the memory of a Mughal queen. Do you want to know who? Read on to find out!

WHO WAS 'BIBI'?

Commissioned in 1660 by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, Bibi Ka Maqbara was erected in memory of his wife, Dilras Banu Begum, known as Bibi, or a woman of nobility, by her son Azam Shah. After her death, Dilras Banu Begum was given the title of Rabia-ud-Durrani (Rabia of the Age), after an Iraqi noble lady, Rabia Basri, who was known for her benevolence. The story of Dilras Banu is almost like a fairy tale. She was born in the royal family of Iran and was the daughter of Shahnawaz Khan, who was the then viceroy of the state of Gujarat. She married Aurangzeb in 1637 and became his first wife. History says that Aurangzeb and Dilras Banu’s wedding was one of the most extravagant and astounding weddings of the time. They had five children and after delivering her fifth child, Dilras died-uncannily enough, just like her mother-in-law and Aurangzeb’s mother, Mumtaz Mahal. Both Aurangzeb and his eldest son Azam Shah were grief-stricken and went into mourning. For months altogether, they neither appeared in public nor administered the affairs of the state. It took great efforts for them to come out of their loss. It was in 1660, three years after she passed away, that Aurangzeb decided to build a mausoleum for his wife, on the lines of the Taj Mahal-the great monument that Aurangzeb’s father had built.

A SPITTING IMAGE OF THE TAJ

Who shrunk the Taj Mahal? That’s the first thought that comes to mind on spotting Bibi Ka Maqbara, which is almost half the size of the Taj Mahal in Agra. It draws its inspiration from the famous Taj Mahal of Agra and was conceived by Attaullah Rashidi, one of the three sons of Ustad Ahmad Lahori, the chief architect and the mastermind behind the Taj Mahal, who had been given the title of Nadir-ul-Asar (A Rare Gem of the Period) by Shah Jahan himself. Attaullah had apprenticed under his father while he was working on the Taj Mahal and had gathered valuable experience. He was an expert in metal designing and also knew Sanskrit and Persian. In fact, he translated a book by Bhaskaracharya (the great Indian mathematician and astronomer) on mathematics from Sanskrit to Persian. Attaullah was helped by Hanspat Rai, an expert on construction material and its use. Both Attaullah and Hanspat oversaw the construction of the entire structure. But unlike his father Ahmad Lahori, Attaullah had to work on the structure on a shoestring budget given to him by Aurangzeb. According to inscriptions on the southern gate of the structure, the project cost was `665,283 and 7 annas (a currency unit formerly used in India and Pakistan, which is equal to one-sixteenth of a rupee), while the Taj Mahal was built on a lavish budget of `32 million at that time. This clearly shows that Bibi Ka Maqbara was a more budgeted exercise than the Taj Mahal. And quite obviously so…for Prince Azam was not Shah Jahan, neither in power nor in riches. Considered to be the golden age of the Mughal Empire, Shah Jahan’s reign was a prosperous one. Emeralds, sapphires, rubies, diamonds and all sorts of precious stones were mined from Indian soil during his time and his coffers had been bursting with riches, allowing him to commission the most spectacular examples of Mughal architecture. Azam Shah, however, lacked the treasury his grandfather had access to, as well as the skilled labour that big money could buy. He had to do with whatever money was doled out to him grudgingly by his penny-pinching father Aurangzeb, who was known for his austere lifestyle and tightfistedness, quite unlike the opulence that characterized his predecessors. Aurangzeb had little interest in architecture and was not at all in favour of building a monument as lavish as the Taj. But Aurangzeb’s son Azam was determined to have a monument to his mother’s name that might vie with the Taj. Somehow, Azam Shah pursued his father, who eventually relented. And the maqbara, or the mausoleum, was completed in about a decade of the Begum's death (unlike the twenty-odd years that the Taj Mahal took).

SAME SAME, BUT DIFFERENT

Bibi Ka Maqbara stands at the centre of an enclosed space which is 458 metres by 275 metres. It has ponds, fountains, water channels and broad pathways. It is built on a raised square platform with four minarets at its corners and stairs on three sides, which lead to the tomb, exactly like in the Taj Mahal. The Mughal architects laid great importance on having a river or a stream pass through the monuments they erected, and Bibi Ka Maqbara is no different. Just like the free-flowing Yamuna River was an integral part of the design of the Taj Mahal, the Kham River, which originates from the Lakenvara Hills in the Satara mountain range of Maharashtra, flows behind Bibi Ka Maqbara. It also has a charbagh-style garden and a pavilion with twelve doors to allow the free flow of air — both of which are common features in Mughal architecture. The pathways are decorated with trees on both the sides. There is a water pool and the centre of the pathway consists of fountains and broad reservoirs. To the west of the mausoleum is a mosque and facing the east is Aina Khana, or the mirror chamber, which has mirrors fixed on its doorway. The Taj has been constructed completely in marble; even its entrance structure, which is made of red sandstone, is interspersed with marble. But Bibi Ka Maqbara-except for the small central portion of the main mausoleum and the dome-is constructed in red sandstone, lime and stucco plaster-the reason why the walls of the Maqbara are a little dusky as compared to the Taj. Bibi Ka Maqbara also has an onion dome, just like the crowning glory of the Taj Mahal, but the dome of the maqbara is smaller than the dome of the Taj. The white dome of the maqbara has panels adorned with intricate designs of flowers. However, these drawings are quite different from those in Taj Mahal. At the centre of the mausoleum is a humble grave surrounded by an octagonal lattice screen of white marble. But the mausoleum doesn't boast of semi-precious stones inlaid in the design, or gold plating-riches that once lured raiders to the Taj. Whatever the differences and similarities between the Taj and Bibi Ka Maqbara, each of the two monuments has its own grace and charm. Though Bibi Ka Maqbara looks strikingly like the Taj, it is a pleasant construction by itself. Surrounded by a colourful garden, with tall cypress trees, huge mango trees, and colourful rose bushes and seasonal flowers, it gives a beautiful view of the city. And what adds to its glory is that it is the only monument erected by the Mughals in the Deccan and, hence, is also referred to as the Taj of the Deccan.

THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE TAJ

Now, we know that the Taj has inspired a bevy of structures. But do you know which structure inspired the Taj? The Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi! Commissioned by Mughal Emperor Humayun’s wife, Hamida Banu, in 1565, in the memory of her husband, it was the first garden- tomb in India. Though it is built in red sandstone, the structure looks similar to the Taj Mahal and it’s believed that it inspired several major architectural innovations that culminated in the design of the Taj Mahal.

THE TAJ AND THE MINI TAJ

Though separated by time, magnitude and distance, the Taj and the Mini Taj (aka Bibi Ka Maqbara) are related to each other in more ways than one. Both Taj Mahal and Bibi Ka Maqbara are great symbols of love and loss. While the first memorial, Taj Mahal, was built by Shah Jahan for his beloved wife and Aurangzeb’s mother, Mumtaz Mahal; the second, Bibi Ka Maqbara, was built by Aurangzeb and his son Azam Shah in the memory of Aurangzeb’s wife and Azam’s mother, Dilras Banu-two gracious ladies who were known for their generosity, kindness and charitable nature, immortalizing them in the chapters of history.

Excerpted from A Dozen and a Half Stories - Strange and Mysterious Places the World Forgot by Arti Muthanna Singh and Mamta Nainy, with permission from Rupa Publications

There is a growing chorus in favour of establishing Indian Institute of Heritage and Conservation (IIHC) with the status of a Deemed University under the Ministry of Culture in the Heritage City of Mysuru. Tourism stakeholders, archaeology experts and heritage advocates are pitching for the institute to be set up in Mysuru. It all started recently when Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and Karnataka Tourism Minister C.T. Ravi met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and sought the establishment of IIHC in Mysuru. The Ministers apprised Nirmala Sitharaman that there was sufficient land available for the proposed IIHC in Mysuru and the State Government was ready to provide the necessary support for the institute. Mysuru is a centre place for all heritage sites in South India. The city also offers an engaging and meaningful environment for heritage conservation for future generations, Joshi and Ravi argued. The IIHC will enable trained, qualified persons to conserve manuscripts, including monuments and museums, they told the Finance Minister. In her last Budget speech, Nirmala Sitharaman had said, “Acquisition of knowledge in disciplines such as Museology and Archaeology are essential for collecting and analysing scientific evidence of such findings and for dissemination through high-quality museums. Currently, lack of trained manpower is a handicap for both these disciplines. This also affects tourism.”
Archaeological sites, heritage monuments galore in Mysuru
The proposal put forth by Ministers Pralhad Joshi and C.T. Ravi for the establishment of IIHC is buttressed by the fact that Mysuru is home for innumerable archaeological sites, heritage monuments and structures. Also, iron implements, a Roman coin mould along with a kiln and antique pottery from Megalithic and Neolithic ages have been found in Mysuru region. Speaking to Star of Mysore, Prof. N.S. Rangaraju, who is a Member of Expert Committee for Development and Protection of Mysore Heritage Region and Convenor, INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage), said that Mysuru, with its rich and evident history from Satavahana, Ganga and Wadiyar periods, is an ideal place to establish IIHC.

Heritage City status in 2004

“This is the precise reason why during the term of Chief Minister S.M. Krishna, Mysuru, along with Srirangapatna, was declared as a Heritage City in 2004 and an exclusive office for Heritage was created. Earlier, it was just Archaeology Department and Heritage and Museums were added and a Commissionerate was established in Mysuru. The present Chief Secretary T.M. Vijay Bhaskar was the first Heritage Commissioner,” he said. Mysuru city and region has places including Srirangapatna, Talakadu and Somanathapura that have innumerable temples and heritage sites. “Excavations on the banks of River Cauvery have yielded artefacts from Megalithic and Neolithic ages. Places like Koppa, Hemmige, T. Narasipur and Krishnapur are known for ancient civilisation. The region, with more than 500 archaeological and heritage structures and over 100 buildings that are more than 100 years old, has a good scope to establish an International Museum of repute to draw tourists,” Prof. Rangaraju explained.

Home for RMNH, IGRMS, ORI

Added to these places, Mysuru is home for Regional Museum of Natural History (RMNH), Southern Regional Centre of Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya (IGRMS), Karnataka State Tribal Research Institute (KSTRI), Mounted Police Museum, Archaeology Museum, Oriental Research Institute (ORI) that has over 45,000 rare manuscripts and Folklore Museum at Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion with more than 6,500 folklore artefacts and 3,000 antiques. “Mahatma Gandhi visited Mysore five times and the British had awarded Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar, Mummadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar, Jayachamaraja Wadiyar and 10th Chamaraja Wadiyar with the honour Knight Grand Commander of the Most Exalted Order of the Star of India (GCSI). All these and exclusive items like Mysore Pak, Mysore Silk, Mysore Mallige, Mysore Vilyadele, Clean City status, 14 Palaces and over 25 Museums all qualify Mysuru as the most eligible Heritage City to have Indian Institute of Heritage and Conservation,” Prof. Rangaraju said. Mysuru has good and broad roads dotted with heritage structures and the city sees a footfall of more than 80 lakh tourists per year. “Establishment of IIHC would save the heritage structures as there will be good flow of funds. Conservation expertise will be readily available. An added advantage is the pleasant climate and a good hospitality industry,” he added.

https://starofmysore.com/chorus-grows-to-set-up-heritage-institute-in-mysuru/, September 5, 2020

The state department of archaeology has certified that the stone pillar found in a Pallipadai mutt in Kinnimangalam village in Madurai, with inscriptions in Tamil Brahmi relating to the period between second century BC and first century BC, is the oldest memorial stone to be discovered in Tamil Nadu till date. Deputy director of archaeology R Sivanandam said the pillar with inscriptions in Tamili or Tamil brahmi letters and another with ‘vatteluthu’ were found on the premises of Ekanathan mutt temple in Kinnimangalam village, about 20 kms from Madurai, a few weeks ago. Four Tamil Brahmi letters inscribed on the stone have a ‘pulli’ or dot on top. Many archaeologists have agreed that the Tamil brahmi inscriptions pertained to the period between 2nd century BC and 1st century BC. “Ekan Athan Kottam”, which means the region or territory of Ekan Athan which refers to a king or chieftain of the region, is inscribed in the pillar. Even though ‘Athan’ is a common name that appears in many Brahmi inscriptions found in Tamil Nadu, this is the first time ‘Kottam’ has figured on an inscription slab The other stone-inscribed pillar, belonging to the period between 7th century AD and 8th century AD, has the words, ``Irayili Ehanathan Pallipadai Mandali ienthar’’ in vatteluthu’. This makes it the first pillar to have the word ‘Pallipadai’ mentioned in it, a word used to describe memorials. This is cited as proof of it being the first such memorial to be found in Tamil Nadu, that too in Madurai which was part of the Pandiya dynasty. Many more inscriptions were being found on the temple premises, like a recent find on August 19 pertaining to the period of Vijayaranga Sokkanathar — 1722 AD. It has 43 lines inscribed on it, where the words ‘Pallipadai’ and ‘Samadhi’ have been used frequently. Hence, it is understood that the mutt temple was constructed in memory of a single family. Another stone inscription dated 1942 also has the words “Jeeva samadhi’’ inscribed on it. Till date this temple is known as a samadhi temple.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/madurai/memorial-stone-found-in-mutt-certified-tns-oldest/articleshow/77900526.cms, September 3, 2020

Archaeologists had found burial urns, pit burials, and surface burials at Kondagai site, a cluster village of Keezhadi. Artefact of various ages unearthed from the Keezhadi archaeological site hint at the possibility that the site could have been continuously inhabited from at least sixth century BCE till date. Moreover, what is now Keezhadi and its cluster villages could have been, in the ancient past, a single settlement divided into an industrial area, a residential area and a burial ground, according to archaeologists.

Deputy Director (DD) of the Department of Archaeology R Sivanandam on Tuesday told TNIE that inhabitants of ancient Keezhadi also traded with the Romans, the Chinese, and settlements of western parts of India. “When it comes to ancient settlements in general, breaks in habitation may occur owing to various reasons but, for Keezhadi, inhabitation continued across the centuries without any such break. Pottery from different periods unearthed from the site strengthens the theory of this continuous inhabitation of the site,” Sivanandam said. Further excavation of artefact might even push the antiquity of the Keezhadi site beyond sixth century BCE, he added.

The evidence

“A 17th century CE gold coin; 4-5th century CE Roman roulette ware; 11-12th century CE Chinese celadon ware; a coin minted by the East India Company among others prove continuous human activity in the locality over the centuries,’’ he said. They also had trade relations with the northern-western India as evidenced by the finding of beads made of semi-precious stones like agate and carnelian. Raw material for making these beads -- the semi-precious stones -- could have been imported from places falling within present-day Maharashtra and Gujarat. Tools, possibly from the microlithic period, were also found there but it is too early to confirm its ancestry, he said.

Divided into sectors?

Whereas Agaram and Manalur served as residential areas, Keezhadi was an industrial area, and Kondagai a burial site; this has been proven by the findings of the Department of Archeology, Sivanandam said. “Though they (Keezhadi and cluster villages) are different villages today, they could have been a single settlement in that era,” he said.

Skeletons

Archaeologists had found burial urns, pit burials, and surface burials at Kondagai site, a cluster village of Keezhadi. “The surface burial and urns were found close to each other in the same trench; this poses a challenge for us to date the findings,” he said.

https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2020/sep/02/findings-hint-keezhadi-was-continuously-inhabited-since-sixth-century-bce-2191353.html, September 2, 2020

The affidavit goes on to mention that “buildings such as Nirman Bhawan, Udyog Bhawan, Rail Bhawan, Krishi Bhawan, Vayu Bhawan, etc” cannot be termed as heritage buildings. The Centre informed the Supreme Court on Tuesday that the Central government offices located in or near Central Vista cannot be said to fall within the “Central Vista Precincts” and will not enjoy the protection available to heritage buildings. An affidavit filed in this regard by New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) was presented to the Court by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta who presented arguments in defence of the Government action to approve change of land use for the Central Vista project that involves construction of a new Parliament and a common Central Secretariat housing 51 Central government buildings. The affidavit said, “Only the Rajpath along with the green lawns and the water bodies on either side is designated as the Central Vista Precincts….This does not include any other offices located at Central Vista.” The affidavit goes on to mention that “buildings such as Nirman Bhawan, Udyog Bhawan, Rail Bhawan, Krishi Bhawan, Vayu Bhawan, etc” cannot be termed as heritage buildings as the same are not listed in the list of 141 Heritage Buildings notified by the Government on October 1, 2009. This list was finalized on basis of a report received from INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage) and Heritage Conservation Committee. Solicitor General Mehta informed the Court that the Central Vista precincts comprising Rajpath along with the green lawns and water bodies on either side will remain untouched in the proposed Central Vista Project that involves a budget of Rs 20000 crore. Mehta added that the Project will not hinder public access to Central Vista Precincts. Mehta’s arguments come in the wake of reservationS expressed in a clutch of petitions by Rajeev Suri, Anuj Srivastava and AG Krishna Menon who opposed the hurried manner in which the Centre went about giving approvals for the Central Vista Project. They claimed that the entire Parliament and surrounding structures enjoyed the “heritage building” tag and could not be destroyed. It was further apprehended by the petitioners that once the new structures are in place, the area would be marked as “High Security Zone” closing public access to Rajpath, lawns and water bodies adjoining it. A three-judge bench headed by Justice AM Khanwilkar posed queries to Mehta on the procedure of public hearing adopted by Government and the notification of March 20, 2020 issued by DDA approving the change in land use. Ths Solicitor General told the Court that public the hearing contemplated for amending the Master Plan of Delhi required Government only to invite objections. Close to 1292 objections were received in connection to the Central Vista Project following which a public hearing was also conducted on February 6 and 7. As regards the March 20 notification, Mehta said that an executive order passed by Ministry of Urban Development in 2013 has delegated power to Vice Chairman, DDA to issue ‘change in land use’ notification. Although the Central Vista project has been challenged on multiple grounds, the bench is currently hearing petitioners and Centre on a limited aspect related to change in land use. The project envisages a new Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, and a common Central Secretariat housing 51 Ministries in 10 buildings. The proposed Lok Sabha chamber is expected to accommodate 876 seats and the Rajya Sabha chamber 400 seats. The new complex will provide for 1224 seats in the Central Hall, equipped with state-of-the-art technology and seamless movement between both Houses of Parliament. Advocate Ankit Yadav, who is representing one of the petitioners, said, “Assurance given by the Centre that Central Vista precincts will remain open to public, allays our concerns that area around Rajpath will not be converted into high security zone. But, the stand taken by NDMC that office buildings situated in Central Vista do not fall in heritage zone is disputed by us.”

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/offices-in-the-central-vista-area-can-t-have-heritage-shield-govt/story-jmUNlzQVGK4FdmVWDPxYhN.html, September 2, 2020

The Hindu reports that a 25-line inscription written in archaic Telugu has been unearthed in southeastern India by archaeology student Vasudeva Reddy of Yogi Vemana University. The inscription has been dated to the eighth century A.D. and the reign of Chola Maharaja of Renadu. Epigraphers from the Archaeological Survey of India assisted with translating the text. “The inscription seems to throw light on the record of a gift of six Marttus [a measuring unit] of land gifted to a person Sidyamayu, one of the Brahmins serving the temple at Piduula village,” said archaeologist Ramabrahmam Vellore of Yogi Vemana University. The stone will be preserved in the State Archaeological Museum. To read about Indian rock art that dates as far back as 300,000 years ago, go to "Around the World: India."

https://www.archaeology.org/news/8991-200901-india-telugu-inscription, September 1, 2020

The New Indian Express reports that three chambers have been found cut into the limestone banks of the Arjuna River in southern India. Archaeologists suggest that the rooms, which had been covered with debris and heavy plant growth, were built as a temple some 1,200 years ago. Cement on the walls and ceiling of the structure may have been applied about 100 years ago in an attempt to repair holes and cracks in the limestone. C. Santhalingam of the Tamil Nadu State Archaeology Department said the temple probably lacks decoration beyond niches placed on either side of the entrance to the temple’s inner sanctum because of the poor quality of the limestone. A stone naga statue within the inner sanctum is thought to have been placed there at the time of the repairs. To read about another temple discovered in Tamil Nadu, go to "India's Temple Island."

https://www.archaeology.org/news/8992-200901-india-temple-rooms, September 1, 2020

The Belur, Halebid, and Somanathapura temples will be nominated for seeking the UNESCO World Heritage Site status and the final dossier is set for submission ahead of the September 30 deadline. Both Belur and Halebid have been under the UNESCO’s tentative list for the last six years, and it was decided at the stakeholders’ meeting held recently to include the 12th century Keshava temple at Somanathapura as part of the serial nomination process under the Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas. The State Archaeology Department has tied up with Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), Bengaluru, for the preparation of the dossier, and the work commenced in September last year. B.R. Poornima, Commissioner of the Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage, told The Hindu that the final dossier has been submitted to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which represents the country at the UNESCO world heritage meetings.

She said the stakeholders’ meeting with local community members has also been conducted and there would be follow-up regarding site management. Pankaj Modi, an architect who lead the team of experts in the preparation of the final dossier, said INTACH initially shortlisted 14 Hoysala temples across Karnataka for serial nomination last year and conducted a comprehensive study.

"We pruned the number of temples from 14 to three for the present, and apart from Belur and Halebid, which were already on the tentative list, Somanathapura has been included,” he said. The serial nomination process allows for inclusion of other monuments at a later date, and this has happened in the case of Darasuram and Gangaikonda Cholapuram after Brihadeshwara temple at Thanjavur was first inscribed as a World Heritage Site, Mr. Modi said. UNESCO defines serial nominations as any two or more unconnected sites that may contain a series of cultural or natural properties in different locations, provided that they are related because they belong to the same historical and cultural group.

Other such serial nominations include the forts at Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Sawai Madhopur, Jaipur, Jhalawar, and Jaisalmer are examples. However, Mr. Modi pointed out that the inscription as a World Heritage Site was still long ways off as the process was complex and elaborate.

Pandemic slows process
It is an 18-month process from the date of submission and there will be feedback from UNESCO, followed by field visits, approval of site management plans and more.

Besides, the COVID-9 pandemic has upset the calendar of events, so this exercise could get stretched a little longer, he said. There are 137 Hoysala monuments, of which 43 are protected by the ASI and 55 by the State Archaeology Department. Thirty-nine monuments are unprotected.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/somanathapura-temple-included-for-world-heritage-site-nomination/article32709882.ece, September 27, 2020

The Belur, Halebid, and Somanathapura temples will be nominated for seeking the UNESCO World Heritage Site status and the final dossier is set for submission ahead of the September 30 deadline. Both Belur and Halebid have been under the UNESCO’s tentative list for the last six years, and it was decided at the stakeholders’ meeting held recently to include the 12th century Keshava temple at Somanathapura as part of the serial nomination process under the Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas. The State Archaeology Department has tied up with Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), Bengaluru, for the preparation of the dossier, and the work commenced in September last year. B.R. Poornima, Commissioner of the Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage, told The Hindu that the final dossier has been submitted to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which represents the country at the UNESCO world heritage meetings.

She said the stakeholders’ meeting with local community members has also been conducted and there would be follow-up regarding site management. Pankaj Modi, an architect who lead the team of experts in the preparation of the final dossier, said INTACH initially shortlisted 14 Hoysala temples across Karnataka for serial nomination last year and conducted a comprehensive study.

"We pruned the number of temples from 14 to three for the present, and apart from Belur and Halebid, which were already on the tentative list, Somanathapura has been included,” he said. The serial nomination process allows for inclusion of other monuments at a later date, and this has happened in the case of Darasuram and Gangaikonda Cholapuram after Brihadeshwara temple at Thanjavur was first inscribed as a World Heritage Site, Mr. Modi said. UNESCO defines serial nominations as any two or more unconnected sites that may contain a series of cultural or natural properties in different locations, provided that they are related because they belong to the same historical and cultural group.

Other such serial nominations include the forts at Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Sawai Madhopur, Jaipur, Jhalawar, and Jaisalmer are examples. However, Mr. Modi pointed out that the inscription as a World Heritage Site was still long ways off as the process was complex and elaborate.

Pandemic slows process
It is an 18-month process from the date of submission and there will be feedback from UNESCO, followed by field visits, approval of site management plans and more.

Besides, the COVID-9 pandemic has upset the calendar of events, so this exercise could get stretched a little longer, he said. There are 137 Hoysala monuments, of which 43 are protected by the ASI and 55 by the State Archaeology Department. Thirty-nine monuments are unprotected.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/somanathapura-temple-included-for-world-heritage-site-nomination/article32709882.ece, September 27, 2020

The country celebrated World Rivers Day on September 27 and the government's Namami Gange project utlisied the opportunity to laud districts in the country for their contribution to the initiative. The theme for this year was “Day of action for rivers”. Shri. Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, Director General, NMCG set the objective that action is needed now to rejuvenate and conserve smaller water bodies. He said, “If we see the map of all smaller rivers, it looks like a network of arteries and veins.

Hence, for the overall health of ecology, it is extremely important to revive smaller rivers.” He also added that rivers are not only water but a complete system which includes biodiversity, sediments and spiritual & cultural aspects. Six district presented case studies on smaller river rejuvenation in this first edition of small river rejuvenation series by Namami Gange. Shri Mangesh Ghildiya, DM, Tehri Garhwal, Uttarakhand shared that a catchment area of 16,481 Hectares has been identified and 9 micro watersheds have been surveyed for treatment to rejuvenate Heval river, a important tributary of Ganga. Being a hilly region soil erosion has been a major challenge and extensive works has been taken up to conserve soil and moisture. Shri Manvendra Singh, DM, Farrukhabad, UP and Shri Chandra Prakash Singh,DM, Kasganj, UP presented the extra ordinary work done to revive Budhi Ganga which flows from both the districts.

Mr. Chandra Prakash Singh has 1984 map as his reference point and has committed to get the river flowing, from the locations where it is extinct. He has also successfully removed illegal encroachment in Gokhur and Dariyavganj lake. Whereas, in Farrukhabad 36.78km stretch of Budhi Ganga has been identified for excavation of which 18km is already completed on 31st march 2020. Also, Kuthla lake, an important lake between Ganga and Ram Ganga in is going to be developed as an ecological park. Suresh Babu, Director River basin and Water Policy, WWF India appreciated both the district for the work done on Budhi Ganga and said, “A collaborative action is needed for reviving Budhi Ganga which flows from four districts.” Shri Umesh Mishra, DM, Amroha, UP spoke about Ban River which used to flow in rainy season till 2000 but was lost due to illegal occupation and cultivation in catchment area. In April 2019, Ban river renovation committee was formed under chairmanship of the DM for the mutual coordination of all the departments. In February 2020, the river flow area was completely made free from encroachments and the river was rejuvenated. In Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh, 24 km long Karanavati river was rejuvenated mainly by massive plantation drive along the river sides shared Shri Sushil Kumar Patel, District Magistrate. 126 ponds which were invisible because of Hyacinth (an aquatic weed) growth were revived by removing the weeds. Presentation on rejuvenation of Narayani river was presented by Vaishali, Bihar. A short-film on the plantation of Rudraksh saplings by HCL was shown at the event. HCL has planted 3500 saplings of Rudraksh this year and is committed to 3000 more next year. They will plant 1000 saplings of other associated species. The event concluded with Shri Rozy Agarwal, Executive Director (Finance), NMCG appreciating the exemplary work done by all the DMs and promising to provide all possible support in small water bodies rejuvenation. Director General, Rajiv Ranjan Mishra added that a special technical session with help of WWF will be arranged for training of District Ganga Committees in integration of wetland, ponds and forestation with river rejuvenation. Also, INTACH, WWF and Wildlife Institute of India would help in giving specific expert advice to districts.

https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/namami-gange-celebrates-world-rivers-day-lauds-contribution-of-districts-in-press-release/658823, September 27, 2020

A green village is a human settlement that enables its residents to live a good quality of life while using maximum natural resources. The green villages adopt a holistic approach to sustainability which would result in multi fold benefits, both tangible and intangible. The most tangible benefits are the reduction in water & energy demand and better handling of solid waste in the village. The intangible benefits of green villages include access to safe drinking water and sanitation and the basic facilities like healthcare, schools, transport and recreation. Green village is a process that can keep a village attaining sustainable development. Its habitat where one can live in pleasant environment. The village should follow Energy conservation, efficient transportation, biodiversity, waste management, watershed management, rain water harvesting structure, on conventional resources.

Mahatma Gandhi’s dream comes true through the village of ‘Khonoma’ India’s first green village, where villagers never cut trees and preserve the forest. The village got its name from ‘Khwuno’, a small plant that is found in abundance around the village. Angami tribes are the main inhabitants of the village, they are known for their bravery and martial skills. The village is also known for its master craftsman’s in the art of weaving with bamboo and cane. Khonoma is located in approx 20 kms west of Kohima, the capital of Nagaland. Khonoma is a hilly area at an altitude of 5300 feet above mean sea level and spread over the123 sq.kms area. The village is situated in the beautiful mountains in mysterious way so that one cannot see the village until they cross the ceremonial giant gateway, which welcomes the visitors. The village is almost at the base of mountains and shielded by mountains on all sides, also known as ‘hidden village’.

A big monolithic stone, engraved with the details of Green Village has been installed at the entry way to village. Towards one side of the village were green hills whose peaks were covered in clouds and on the other side the terraced paddy fields could be seen. To promote the green village concept and increase the eco-tourism, tourism department Govt. of Nagaland and Union Ministry of Tourism and Culture has launched the Khonama Green Village Project’ (KGVP) on 25th October 2005, inaugurated by the Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio. ‘Khonoma’ has been identified for the Green village project, due to its advantages over other villages such as location, flora-fauna, forest conservation, ban on hunting, jhoom cultivation, construction technique, social infrastructure and great history. KGVP was the first project of its kind and Khonoma is the first Green Village in the country. The aim of the project was to make Khonoma a model for all villages in Nagaland and other states for eco-tourism. The project has gained widespread attention in India.

Though the government has come forward to help and funded the project, but it was initiated by the local peoples. After Khonoma green village is considered to be 700 years old settlement, known for its past heritage of fighting and warfare. Naga’s has grown up hunting and spending half their life in the woods, head hunting was their one of the favourite game. Khonoma was for a long time the stronghold of the Angamese ‘head-hunters’ warriors who resisted until 1880 against the British invader. A memorial was built which has been carved to give tribute to the men and women who gave their lives to the vision of free Naga nation. Also, there stands a stone pillar in memory of Mr. G.H. Damant, a British Officer who was the then Political Agent of the British and four other officers who were killed by the village militia in 1879 when the British expedition team came to the village.

Khonoma had etched its name into the history of Indian resistance to the colonial invasion. Christianity was introduced in the village in 1890, now most of the villagers are of this faith. Famous leaders of the “Naga National Movement” were born here as A.Z. Phizo. After Following concepts are being practiced by the villager to make their village green. The Naga tribes are hunter by born, hunting is the game as well means of livelihood for them. In 1993, they realized that trapogan birds are endangered species and 300 of them were killed in few times for their meat in the village. From then some of the ecologically sensitive villagers launched a crusade against hunting. The residents of Khonoma, Nagaland, did something that no one else in the country had ever done before. They declared a chunk of their forest as a conservation reserve- the ‘Khonoma Nature Conservation and Tragopan Sanctuary’ (KNCTS).

Until then, only the government had identified forests worthy of protection. The village is preserving about 70 sq kms of its community forest. The sanctuary is one of the few community conserved areas in India. Each person of Khonoma, let it be either boy or girl, young or old are the member of one or other bodies of Khonoma such as- village council, Village Development Board, student union, Khonoma Women’s Organisation etc. In addition, all villagers are part of an ‘age group’, such groups are formed by boys and girls, who carry out social activities like construction of rest-houses, village paths, and the formation of singing and dancing groups.

Each age group is assigned a guardian, who is considered a spiritual parent. In 2005, the state forest department initiated a proposal for this area to be declared a Community Reserve under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act as amended in 2001. To protect the sanctuary rules were laid down for the management. In which there was financial fine from Rs. 300 to Rs. 3000 depending on the seriousness of the violation. But more than monetary punishment, the family’s loss of face was a more effective deterrent. Youth bodies like, the Khonoma Students Union (KSU) and Khonoma Youth Organization played active role in facilitating this movement they are the one who does monitoring, implementation of rules and levy the fines. Khonoma received the epithet of a ‘green village and accolades’ in the media.

The Naga tribes are known for wildlife hunting for their livelihood. To make the village green the villagers come to ban the hunting in entire forest area of the village extending to 125 sq. kms since 1998. Within a short span of time after the ban of hunting, sightings of deer, wild boar and porcupine, has been started. Many farmers also reported the damage of their food crops by wild animals. In order to deal with this problem, hunting of animals sighted in the fields is allowed but the meat is not allowed to be sold. The ‘Morung’, is popularly known as centre of learning.

It is also the house of decision making, as an important centre of the village. In these morungs, the duty of the ancients is to inculcate moral values, social responsibilities, craftsmanship, agriculture, various sports such as wrestling and folkloric traditions such as songs and native games. Khonoma has high literacy rate of approx 85%, there is good educational infrastructure consisting of six schools in the village. Khonomaians celebrates 1st September is as the village’s ‘birthday’.

To celebrate it, they come from far and wide. The KNCTS is not a legal government body. However, the Village Council Act of Nagaland gives the Village Council authority to devise mechanism for management of forest resources. Therefore, the Village Council and the entire community under the prevalent customary law recognize KNCTS as a legal entity. Khonoma is also well-known in agricultural circles for its sophisticated cultivation techniques. Farmers use a form of shifting (jhum) cultivation, in which they change the land for farming for two years and use Nepal alder (Alnusnepalensis) trees interspersed with the crops and cut their branches occasionally.

By cutting smaller branches and leaving only the bigger branches they’ve succeeded in farming without cutting trees. These trees return nitrogen to the soil, thereby helping the land to rapidly regain fertility when farmers abandon it to move on to the next plot. The village has developed the terraced fields for cultivation since ages, primarily used for rice cultivation.

For farming they don’t use any chemical pesticides or fertilizers instead the villagers use sewage and tree as organic manure. Khonoma is home to over sixty varieties of rice, and a diversity of millets, maize, Job’s tears, a tall grain-bearing tropical plant, citrus fruits and other crops.

The village is rich in biodiversity a large number of birds, primates, reptiles, amphibians, orchids, and medicinal plants and many rare flora and fauna have been inventoried as part of the Green Village initiative. The state bird, ‘Blyth’s Tragopan’, a pheasant now nationally endangered, is reportedly found here. Villagers have taken resolution to conserve the biodiversity and wildlife in the village. Students union of Khonoma takes care of the cleanliness and solid waste management. At every junction of the village garbage bin has been placed and maintained by the student union. The Village Council has made it mandatory for every household to have dustbins. Once in a month, sanitation drive is carried out. Open Defecation has been stopped. School children are trained to keep their village and houses clean. Community water tank has been constructed at different location for the proper supply of water to houses.

They also practice the Rain water harvesting system, re-use of water and underground water recharge through pond and well. The Naga families practice to cook food in the center of house so that the fumes and smokes kill the insects and the wooden structure could remain intact for years. Although the village is very small but the proper signage’s has been used for one way traffic, bus stands etc.

Fresh air, good food, simple life style and sports are the key, which makes the Khonoma people healthy. Primary Health Centre facility is available in the village.

Sports and cultural activity spaces has been built at many places in the village. Since 1994, Centre for Environment Education (CEE) has played an important role to make the Khonoma a First Green Village of India. The India is taking a lead role to develop its villages in sustainable model. Khonoma is the successful example of such initiative and became the first green village of India. The village has been placed on the tourism map of the country and has attracted many wildlife enthusiast, conservationists, researchers and tourists. The green village initiative has firstly taken by the indigenous inhabitant of Khonoma and further supported by the government. The soul of India lies in its villages.

If the villages are green and villagers are happy, then the smell of pesticides in the food could be avoided and environment could be healthy.

https://theshillongtimes.com/2020/09/27/khonoma-the-first-green-village-of-india/, September 27, 2020

Museums around the world, shuttered over the past few months, are slowly reopening in other parts of the world. Many are pre-booking visitors and installing elaborate safety measures. Some are struggling to survive, others have closed. This interlude, though, has stretched their imaginations and practically every museum is putting on virtual exhibitions and events. British Museum, in partnership with Google Arts and Culture, has launched an immersive Museum of the World project, while Louvre has expanded virtual tours of its collections. In India, museums are not community hubs focused on visitor experience — they have so far been more like encyclopedias pinned to the wall. Making the digital transition and telling compelling stories naturally takes more effort.

"Everything has come to a halt; our calendar of programmes and exhibitions has been put on hold. At the moment, everything is under construction,” said Roobina Karode, director and chief curator of Kiran Nadar Museum of Art. The museum has now put its third major exhibition, City Tales, online. In Karode’s view, a museum is all about the "flesh-and-blood encounter” with art.

An exhibition has to be an experience. As curators, we get immersed in space-making and creating ambience for the content. These possibilities don’t exist online, so we have to find ways to translate our material to that medium,” she added. National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) made a creditable effort to showcase its collection online. It did virtual exhibitions on Yoga Day, Mother’s Day and, most recently, on Abanindranath Tagore. “Art museums are about bringing people closer, but we are all forced to distance," said Adwaita Gadanayak, its director-general. NGMA has started sessions with artists in their studios, explaining aspects of their technique to students across the country.

Summer workshops titled Naimisha have been conducted online. The documentation of earlier exhibitions is basic, but it’s there. Gadanayak, a sculptor himself, keeps in touch with artists and focuses especially on indigenous ones who worry about their livelihood. “This long isolation has been mentally stressful for some, but it has also been creatively refreshing for other artists,” he said. The museum has temperature screening for staff and visitors and intends to install floor markers for social distancing when it reopens. Some museums are less prepared for the digital experience. National Science Centre has a clunky website where a pop-up banner promises to meet visitors soon and directs them to its Facebook page. It barely has any vivid content, apart from text and some grainy images of its exhibits. The museums run by Archaeological Survey of India do not have a digital presence either. National Museum, under its new CEO Raghavendra Singh, was undergoing a renewal even as the pandemic struck, said a museum official.

Like most public museums in India, it possesses vast holdings, but only began focusing on visitor experience recently. Even if you spend just one minute with each piece in this museum, it will take you three years, nine months and 23 days to go through it all. Objects were so far arranged by period or region, rather than telling a story, contextualising the object or sparking the viewer’s curiosity.

Only a fraction of the museum’s collections had been on display, the rest were in storage. “We used this opportunity to go headlong into rethinking our galleries of civilisation, sculpture and painting. The top floor will become a Buddha gallery and include all kinds of artefacts from across India, central Asia, etc, to be seen for the first time,” said Singh. A new virtual gallery on Ajanta art will be unveiled soon, among nine others.

The museum is doubling the size and capacity of its conservation lab, and visitors will be able to observe these processes first hand as they browse paintings, textiles and sculptures.

The old reception area will be made into an orientation hall where the museum’s new attractions will be pointed out. An app highlighting important pieces has also been launched, featuring 3D images of each object. The layout is also being refreshed, with a new path for visitor flow and exit, flanked by a souvenir shop and a cafe on the lines of Craft Museum’s popular restaurant. “It was not a big deal to make digital galleries, since we were already identifying objects to be strung into storylines,” Singh said. The painting gallery will be exponentially expanded, with focus on so-called “Company paintings” from before 1857 offering a glimpse of the richness of the period.

A new manuscripts gallery, fitted with digital storytelling devices, will also be opened. Now, you can catch a virtual exhibition from anywhere in the world. What museums lose in terms of physical footfall, they more than make up for it through online traffic. “We had 5,000 people attend the first session of our ‘Revelations’ discussion series with Neelima Sheikh discussing her versatile use of space,” said Karode.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/da-covid-code-museums-curate-virtual-tours-of-collections/articleshow/78354321.cms, September 27, 2020

Dakshina Chitra will conduct an online certificate course on Introduction to Indian Archaeology from October 5 to 9, between 6pm and 7 30pm. Conducted by S Vasanthi, former deputy superintending archaeologist, government of Tamil Nadu, and S Deepika, archaeologist and doctoral research scholar, department of archaeology, government of Tamil Nadu, the course will begin with an introduction to Indian archaeology and prehistory.

The second session (Day-2) will deal with the significance of Harappan civilization and the third session will discuss the archaeology of India, with reference to archaeological excavations in Gangetic plain, Dwaraka and other important sites. The fourth session (Day-4) will speak about the earliest Indian architectures, including Ashoka pillars, stupas, Buddhist and Jain rock cut caves, early Hindu art and architecture. The fifth session (Day-5) is devoted to the archaeology of Tamil Nadu. Topics such as Sangam literature, Sangam era excavation site, Tamili inscriptions, Jain beds, sea and trade routes will be discussed. An online examination will be conducted after completion of the course and a certificate will be issued. For more information, call 9677160587.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/dakshinachitra-offering-online-course-on-introduction-to-indian-archaeology/articleshow/78299898.cms, September 24, 2020

What makes the archaeological site intriguing, why did it not receive the attention that Keezhadi does today, and what is being done there at present? Before Keezhadi, the archaeological site in Sivaganga district, came into the national spotlight, there was Adichanallur. Excavations from this site date back to 1876 when German explorer Dr F Jagor unearthed surprising finds, taking them back to a museum in Berlin, never to be returned to Tamil Nadu. Another excavation was carried out a few decades later by Alexander Rea, a British explorer who was the then Superintendent of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

He made significant discoveries at the site and the finds, considered to be an impressive catalogue of Iron Age artefacts from south India, are now displayed at Chennai’s Egmore Museum. Then, for almost a century, the site gathered more dust, holding its aeons worth of secrets intact. In 2004, ASI under the Indian government went back to the site once again, this time bringing out 169 clay burial urns with skeletons from the excavation site spread across 114 acres. The team, headed by Dr T Sathyamurthy, made several significant findings, the reports of which were published only recently, more than 15 years later. In April 2019, carbon dating results revealed that the relics from Adichanallur date between 905 BCE and 696 BCE, not just older than Keezhadi but one of the most ancient site in Tamil Nadu.

And this is just one among the many fascinating discoveries that we know of Adichanallur. TNM looks at what makes the archaeological site intriguing, why did it not receive the attention that Keezhadi does today, and what is being done there at present?
The early excavations and findings

Adichanallur is located on the lower valley of the Tamirabarani river in Srivaikuntam taluk in present-day Thoothukudi district in southern Tamil Nadu. Korkai, the ancient seaport mentioned in Sangam literature, is about 25 km from Adichanallur. Korkai is well inland today, with the sea receding several kilometers. In his book Catalogue of Prehistoric Antiquities from Adichanallur and Perumbair, published in 1915, Alexander Rea writes of his first visit to the site at the turn of the century, between 1899 and 1900. Beginning 1899 until 1904, Rea would go on to conduct annual excavations at the site.

But before Rea could get there, it was Dr Jagor who brought Adichanallur to light, way back in 1876. Several baked earthenware utensils, a considerable number of iron weapons and implements, great quantities of bones and skulls, and rice husks were some of the finds from Jagor’s excavations. These were first taken to the Museum fur Volkerkunde (Ethnological Museum of Berlin) and much later, in 1963, were moved to the Museum of Asian Art in Berlin. Between 1899 and 1904, Rea unearthed several artefacts – while burials urns and skeletal remains form a major part of the findings, the iron and bronze objects held more interest for their craftsmanship. The golden diadems, iron weapons, agricultural articles and bronze artefacts were among the rest of the findings. Speaking to TNM, Dr Sathyamurthy says after Alexander Rea’s excavation in 1904, such objects have not been found. “What he reported as findings – the vessels, golden diadems, weapons, etc – those were not discovered in later excavations. We found only burial urns and skeletal remains. Cultural remains were not found after 1904,” he says.

Dr Sathyamurthy continues, “In fact, some archaeologists say some of the materials may not have been found in Adichanallur at all. The problem was Rea excavated many sites.” However, the archaeologist says that Rea’s findings were taken to be authentic, with several reports subsequently being written based on them.

Who lived in Adichanallur?
Dr Sathyamurthy says that the skeletal remains found at Adichanallur are of mixed racial origins, indicating that foreigners may have travelled to the ancient seaport of Korkai, which is located not too far from the burial site of Adichanallur. He explains, “Dr Raghavan from Australia studied the skeletal remains and shared his reports with me. The thing is, people think that the skeletons belong to a single ethnic group, who were thought to be the original Dravidians. But that is not what we found.” “Different types of ethnic groups lived there. It may have been a cosmopolitan city like Chennai. Korkai is not far away and Adichanallur can be reached via the Tamirabarani river. It could have been a big settlement,” he says.

Dr Pathmanathan Raghavan, a forensic anthropologist and a scientist of Jaffna-Tamil origin who was formerly with the Australian Research Council, offered to voluntarily study the skeletons unearthed at Adichanallur during the 2004 excavations. He then submitted three reports – one a skeletal biological album, the second on geology and anatomy, and the third on the pathological aspects.

Dr Raghavan’s reports come with significant discoveries but to understand how this perception came to be, we’ll have to go back to the start of the 20th century, to French neuroscientist Louis Lapicque’s brief stint at Adichanallur during the winter of 1903. In his book The physical anthropology of the megalith-builders of South India and Sri Lanka, American Professor Kenneth AR Kennedy, an internationally known figure in the paleo-anthropology and prehistory of South Asia, covers several anthropological studies and their conclusions made up to the late 1960s. Kennedy writes briefly about Jagor’s findings at Adichanallur and says, “These were the first human remains from this prehistoric period in India to be brought to Europe for study, but their anatomical analysis was not undertaken until 1966."

He notes that Lapicque had found evidence to support the thesis of two other French anthropologists – Jean Louis Armand de Quatrefages de Breau and ETJ Hamy – that an African racial element was discernible in “certain contemporary Indian populations”. Lapicque picked up a skull that of a middle-aged adult female, from Adichanallur, studied its facial features and settled for the theory that proto-Dravidians shared African origins. Then in 1930, Solly Zuckerman, a British zoologist, analysed two specific Adichanallur skulls from Rea’s excavations and made another significant analysis. He described one to be “clearly and unmistakably Proto-Australian” and the second Mediterranean. He found the second to have close resemblance to the Old Woman of Grimaldi (skeletons found in Italy) that supported the “Out of Europe” theory, which suggests that humankind originated in Europe. But Zuckerman also wrote that the presence of two racially different skulls did not mean they belonged to different tribes. “It is obvious that their completely different forms imply the presence of two racial stocks.

This does not, however, necessarily mean that the two individuals to whom these skulls belonged were members of different tribes; there has been so much racial mixture in the Deccan that collections of skulls from almost any tribe will exhibit marked variation in cranial form,” he observed. Kennedy writes of Zuckerman’s findings: “Today it is difficult to appreciate the profound importance accorded to this study of two skulls, a report which shaped opinion for many years concerning the physical anthropology of megalithic man not only at Aditanallur (Adichanallur) but also for the entire subcontinent.” Several early 20th century anthropologists believed aboriginal inhabitants of Australia had a deep connection with the Dravidians who were essentially from Africa and eventually migrated out of the subcontinent. Then in 1963 came a report by two Indian scientists – Chatterjee and Gupta – who concluded that the skeletal remains at Adichanallur were not from a homogenous race at all. They said that a mix of Australoid and Mediterranean races led to the formation of Dravidian speakers.

“Skulls show resemblance with Veddid or Australoid and Mediterranean types in many characters. […] The Aditanallur series, therefore, is not a homogeneous one, rather a medley of characters of two physical types. From a broad perspective, it would be better to assign those to a race having Veddid-Australoid and Mediterranean strains, which also contribute towards the formation of the Dravidian speakers,” they wrote in their report. About 40 years later, Dr Raghavan refers to his reports made on Dr Sathyamurthy’s findings and asserts, “Most skeletal analysis from Adichanallur yielded non-Indian results. They were Negroid (African), Australoid, Caucasoid (European and Mediterranean) and more importantly East and South-East Asian origins (Mongoloid)." According to his study, the racial representations constituted - 14% Negroids, 5% Australoids, 30% Mongoloids, 35% Caucasoid, 8% ethnic Dravidian and the remaining of mixed trait population. He refers to his third volume and says, “Not all skeletons were healthy. 40% had pathological disorders, nutritional maybe, infectious and hereditary diseases. In fact, there was a deep pit on the supra eye orbit ridge in one of the craniums that was thought to be a third eye but I verified it to be a puff tumour on the frontal sinuses. It is caused by a bacteria Streptococcus species that usually attacks sailors, deep-sea divers…” He concludes that the silk and spice trade routes brought many foreigners to Adichanallur, who may have eventually been buried there. He also notes that most of the remains were of late adults, over 50 years of age, (32%) and senile, over 60 years of age, (40%).

here were very little new borns and children that indicate that they may have lived prosperous lives," he adds. The delayed reports and the long-promised museum
Significantly, in his 1914 report, Alexander Rea notes that quarrying was rampant in the area, posing a threat to the relics, even during the early 20th century, “Orders were given by Government to leave the site undisturbed, but these appear to have been unattended to, for quarrying has been going on continuously ever since, with the result that vast quantities of these interesting relics must have been destroyed,” he writes. Over a century later, little has changed. In February this year, ASI admitted that an earthmover had accidentally destroyed several artefacts in a 75-metre stretch of the excavation site.

While skeletal analysis was done almost 15 years later, Dr Sathyamurthy’s reports too were only recently submitted. “There were some problems around the time I retired in 2005. I was not given the opportunity to write it then, when I had asked two years’ time to submit them. The government said that they had promised the Parliament that the pending reports prior to 2003 would be published immediately and so mine was put on the back burner,” he shares. Neither have Dr Raghavan’s reports seen the day of light, forcing him to abandon a fourth volume, much to his disappointment. Leaving aside Jagor’s hauls to Berlin, that are presently neither displayed nor analysed, very little scientific research has been done on the skeletal remains. Dr Raghavan points out, “While skeletal analysis is as good as DNA analysis, it is right to say that carrying out ancient DNA analysis on tropical deposits at this point will be extremely difficult because once you bring samples up, they get contaminated when exposed to environment.

Burials under glacial conditions are more preferred for such studies.” Dr Sathyamurthy highlights the need for an on-site museum at Adichanallur saying, “If the site is not there and only materials are there, interest may wane. We need a structure to keep up interest. An on-site museum is therefore important for sites like Adichanallur. Arikamedu in Puducherry is a good example.” While a museum-cum-information centre built in Adichanallur around 2013 lies in a derelict state, the Tamil Nadu government announced that work has begun at the site to establish an on-site museum. However, experts point out that the museum should be state-of-the-art. “A proper scientific museum should come up at Adichanallur, which should have a skeletal biological section, a cultural section and a technological section,” Dr Raghavan adds.

On why many other archaeological sites have not received the attention that Keezhadi has, Dr Sathyamurthy says, “What they found in Keezhadi was discovered in many other sites in Tamil Nadu but not much publicity was given. There’s Poompuhar, Kaveripoompattinam... In fact, one of the latest sites as far as archaeology is concerned is Kodumanal (Coimbatore region). There they found the complete transition status of the people from pre-historic to early-historic period. That is an important site and at the time publicity was not given.” “In fact, the most impressive findings we got was in Arikamedu in Veerampattinam near Pondicherry in 1945. We found a bigger structure but that was not taken into cognisance. Now the political will is there to find something for culture and so we’re doing it,” Dr Sathyamurthy says.

But even close to 1590 years later, we’ve merely scratched the surface, Dr Raghavan feel. “According to Dr Sathyamurthy only four to five percent of the archaeological site has been excavated. In my opinion, the analysis done on fully preserved skeletons is not going to give the full picture on the community structure. Unless until 60% of the area is excavated it is difficult to conclude the racial analysis. A full-fledge excavation at Adichanallur, the coastal area and even some parts of the sea bed needs to be done,” Dr Raghavan concludes.

https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/adichanallur-brief-history-one-oldest-archaeological-sites-india-134150, September 29, 2020

A pipeline structure with 21 pipes fitted continuously was found in Adhichanallur, Tuticorin district. The Tamil Nadu State Archaeology department is on an endeavour to find the habitation at the site that is considered to be one of the oldest archaeological sites in India. The archaeology department started excavation in this site on May 25, 2020 and the work is expected to go on till September 30 this year. One of the first excavations in India was conducted in Adhichanallur in the year 1876, following which excavations were done in 114 acres of protected land in this site in 1902 and then the year 2004. As a large number of burial urns were found in this site, it was concluded that this was an ancient burial site.

Now, archaeologists led by Adhichanallur excavation director J Baskar, archaeological officer Loganathan and students of archaeology are working on the site to know about its habitation. An interesting fact is that this pipeline structure is longer than those found in Keeladi in Sivaganga so far. Director J Baskar said that the recent findings prove that Adhichanallur had a habitation and burial site.

"Early archeologists focused only on burial urns, hence it was believed that it was an ancient burial site, " he said. Now, 76 trenches have been dug and they have found a lot of evidence to show that this also had a habitation. While the pipeline is a major finding, other things that archaeologists have found here include roof tiles, pottery with Tamil brahmi inscriptions and graffiti, smoking pipes and also games that look like chess. This apart, four human skulls and bones were also unearthed and given to Madurai

Kamaraj University for DNA analysis.

https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/adichanallur-brief-history-one-oldest-archaeological-sites-india-134150, September 27, 2020

Pottery and swords recovered from rock-cut chamber said to be over 2,000 years old. In a rare find, the Kozhikode unit of the State Archaeology Department has discovered an early Iron Age burial monument from a rock-cut chamber claimed to be over 2,000 years old at Triprangode village in Tirur taluk in Malappuram district.

K. Krishnaraj of the Archaeology Department said that 16 pottery and three iron implements were recovered from the chamber following a land levelling work on the premises of a newly built house. “The entire range of pottery in different shapes and sizes is wheel-made and finely baked. The collection includes black and red wares of the Megalithic age,” he said. Almost all the pieces have a fine coating of red slip on the exterior and some on the interior as well. The paintings were executed with white clay directing onto the surface before firing.

First of its kind
“No such kind of painted pottery has been reported anywhere else in Kerala. A rock-cut chamber at Poduvachery in Kannur had yielded painted pottery, but the repertoire differs from this collection in pattern and colour scheme,” Mr. Krishnaraj said. The iron types discovered from the site consisted of two swords and a tripod stand. One of the swords having a length of 61.5 cm is double-edged while the second sword has been broken into many pieces but the total length of the recovered part is 58 cm.

The tripod stand recovered is the commonest type of object recovered from Iron Age Megalithic rock-cut chambers, he said. The artefacts have been shifted to the Pazhassi Raja Archaeological Museum at East Hill in Kozhikode. The Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar, has agreed to carry out the metallographic examination and scientific analysis of the iron implements to find out the type of forging and carbon content, E. Dineshan, Director, Department of Archaeology, said. Mr. Krishnaraj said that the site and neighbouring Tirunavaya, a town situated on the northern banks of Bharatappuzha, are abundant in such archaeological monuments.

"The cave must be re-excavated scientifically in search of further burial artefacts and possible bone fragments. Further researches should be conducted to get information about painted decorations. Also a detailed graphic, and photographic documentation of the monument is necessary,” he said.

https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/adichanallur-brief-history-one-oldest-archaeological-sites-india-134150, September 29, 2020

A short drive from Bhopal, Solahkhambi in Rajgarh is as much a delight as an enigma for heritage explorers. It was a journey that began with a photograph in the State Archaeology Museum in Bhopal. A photograph that was not the centre of attention but perched in a corner. Yet, the monument it showcased made it stick out like a white tiger in a forest, in the eyes of a heritage explorer. In the atmospheric museum, amidst ancient and medieval sculpted remains from across the state, surrounded by depictions of Hindu iconography and varied styles of art and architecture, the photograph showcased a structure that looked more Grecian than Indian. Punctuated by high columns and standing at a certain angle, it looked like a mini acropolis.

The description tag next to it added to the intrigue. It pointed the location as being a place called Bihar. In Rajgarh. The existence of a place called Bihar in Madhya Pradesh looked incredible. Thus, began the quest for the Greek structure in our state. Any doubts that may have existed about a Bihar in the heartland state of India were laid to rest by a study of maps. GPS too confirmed the place being in Rajgarh, accessible via a short drive from the capital. The drive was through verdant countryside; the low hills around seem to brim with hidden heritage adding to the excitement of a heritage buff. Bihar is essentially a tiny village and on a hill, just after the inhabited area a structure that looks medieval comes into view. A drive up the hill opens a world of heritage icons. Chief among these is the object of the quest – the pillared structure.

It is as majestic to behold in real terms as the photograph promised. The structure is a magnificent carved pavilion with Hindu iconography showcased on each of its pillars. Adding to the icons are floral and geometric patterns.

In a bygone era, artists seemingly allowed their imagination to run riot. Mention must be made here of the description of this structure on the state directorate of archaeology website. The monument is mentioned as Solahkhambi. This name, albeit a working title of convenience like titles borne by thousands of structures across the country, is itself contentious. The structure has two rows of seven pillars each so one wonders why the official name refers to sixteen pillars. Furthermore, the online description speaks of the monument being a 16th-17th CE creation by a local queen in the memory of her slain husband. Here it becomes obvious that the person who wrote that text had never been to the site nor perhaps possessed an understanding of heritage. The monument is clearly much older and, going by the description that was seen in the museum, dates to the 10th – 11th century CE period. This dating seems more accurate, and the visual similarity of the pillared structure with the better-known Athkhamba structure in Gyaraspur, Vidisha seems to confirm it. Going by the rubble lying around, the Solahkhambi was not an isolated one but part of a larger temple complex. Coming to the structure in front, this tells another part of the story.

On one side is a small wallmosque with a few gravestones around. On the gateway are line drawings of horses and elephants - odd in what is an Islamic structure. Inside is an imposing building that stands over two levels – at the base are pillared corridors interspersed with arches, the carvings of the pillars again indicating material from another shrine, perhaps the same one which encompassed the Solahkhambi. The upper level is distinct from the one below. Here stands the 16th – 17th century CE dargah of Suba Haziwali, regarded as a Sufi by locals in these parts. The dargah’s highlight is a tree, which winds its way up through the roofless structure. The area is dotted with nuggets of heritage.

In another part of Bihar lies a medieval mosque, largely ruined. North-west lies Rajgarh town where a row of attractive cenotaphs graces the banks of a river. Southwards is Narsinghgarh, where another fort commands the town and several temples grace its lanes. It’s incredible that so much heritage, so close to Bhopal, lies obscure. Time to explore the Bihar in Madhya Pradesh!

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhopal/a-trace-of-greece-in-rajgarh/articleshow/78345665.cms, September 27, 2020

Ministry of Tourism celebrated virtual World Tourism Day today. This year United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has designated 2020 as the Year of Tourism and Rural Development. This Year is an opportunity to promote the potential of tourism to create jobs and opportunities. It can also advance inclusion and highlight the unique role tourism can play in preserving and promoting natural and cultural heritage and curbing urban migration.

On this occasion, Hon’ble Minister of Tourism Shri Prahlad Singh Patel addressed the event and the chief guest for this event was Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Hon’ble Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas. The session was opened by Secretary (Tourism) extending a warm welcome and appreciating the awareness and pro active measures taken by all the stakeholders during this pandemic time to work out a strategy and taking necessary action. SAATHI Application was launched on this occasion. SAATHI is an initiative of the Ministry of Tourism with Quality Council of India to assist the hospitality industry to instill confidence among the Staff, employees, and the guest. Hon’ble Minister of Tourism Shri Prahlad Singh Patel reiterated the vision of the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India asking every citizen to visit at least 15 destinations by the year 2022 to promote domestic tourism.

The Ministry of Tourism has launched the Dekho Apna Desh (DAD) initiative in January 2020 with the objective of creating awareness among the citizens about the rich heritage and culture of the country, encouraging citizens to travel widely within the country and enhancing tourist footfalls leading to the development of local economy and creation of jobs at the local level.

During this pandemic, Ministry has been organizing a series of webinars under the overall theme of DAD, showcasing the diverse culture, heritage, destinations, and tourism products of the country. As on date, 54 webinars covering different States/Union Territories have been organized as part of the initiative. To create mass awareness, the Ministry has also launched an online DAD pledge and Quiz on the MyGov.in platform.

The online pledge and Quiz are open to all for participation. Shri Dharmendra Pradhan appreciated the efforts of the Ministry of Tourism in launching the SAATHI application and the online learning module IITFC. He also lauded the Ministry’s effort of showcasing our culture, heritage, lesser-known destinations, cuisine, etc.

through the webinar series Dekho Apna Desh. Talking about sustainable environment he was keen to take it further by substituting Petrol, diesel, kerosene etc with CNG/LPG which are pollution free. He also appreciated the efforts of the Ministry of Tourism, in launching the Incredible India Tourist Facilitators (IITF) Certification Programme, a Pan-India online learning program that is open to all, and can be undertaken from anywhere in the country. The Programme aims at creating a pool of trained professionals for facilitating the visit of tourists at destinations across the country.

The programme will help in enhancing the overall experience of the tourists, who would benefit from the knowledge of the local tourist facilitators and it will also help in creating employment opportunities even in the remotest parts of the country. A film ‘Pathik’, an initiative on IITFC was launched on this occasion. A film by ICPB Mice Promotional film was also launched. Joint Secretary (Tourism) concluded the session with Vote of Thanks.

https://indiaeducationdiary.in/ministry-of-tourism-celebrates-virtual-world-tourism-day/, September 27, 2020

World Tourism Day: The theme of World Tourism Day this year is "Tourism and Rural Development". It encourages the celebration of the unique role played by tourism in job creation in small towns and rural areas. Livelihood of millions of people globally are dependent on tourism. There are countries where tourism and industries dependent on it are the biggest revenue earner. Travel and tourism is one of the worst-hit sectors amid the pandemic-forced sudden lockdown earlier this year.

Tourism-dependent states across India like Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala among others have opened up the tourism sector and relaxed Covid rules for tourists. Wearing masks and maintaining social distance are mandatory but the hassle of paperwork and online e-passes have been removed. "On this World Tourism Day, the COVID-19 pandemic represents an opportunity to rethink the future of the tourism sector, including how it contributes to the sustainable development goals, through its social, cultural, political, and economic value.

Tourism can eventually help us move beyond the pandemic, by bringing people together and promoting solidarity and trust - crucial ingredients in advancing the global cooperation so urgently needed at this time," the United Nations said. World Tourism Day this year focuses on "Tourism and Rural Development". The theme encourages the celebration of the unique role played by tourism in job creation outside of the big cities. It also in a huge way helps in the conservation of cultural and natural heritage of nations.

World Tourism Day amid the pandemic this year has a crucial role to play. Amid job losses, tourism can to drive economic recovery and generate work in the rural sector.

World Tourism Day 2020: Facts
"Tourism is a lifeline, offering young people a chance to earn a living without having to migrate," according to the World Tourism Organization, A United Nations Specialized Agency. (UNWTO). Tourism employs one in every ten people on Earth. Due to COVID-19, 100-120 million direct tourism jobs are at risk.

Young people in rural areas are three times more likely to be unemployed. Latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer shows that the near-complete lockdown led to a 98 per cent fall in international tourist numbers in May when compared to 2019. 56% year-on-year drop in tourist arrivals between January and May.

Fall of 300 million tourists and US$320 billion lost in international tourism receipts - more than three times the loss during the Global Economic Crisis of 2009. World Tourism Day 2020: A look at some of the best tourist destinations in India - Dekho Apna Desh (See your own country)

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/world-tourism-day-2020-theme-tourism-facts-and-livelihoods-amid-covid-19-2301628, September 27, 2020