Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has expressed displeasure over exclusion of potential sites from Odisha in the heritage conservation plan of the Centre. Odisha was ignored once again when Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced to develop five archaeological sites in the country as iconic sites with on-site museum while presenting the annual Budget 2020-21 on Saturday.

Last year not a single place of tourist attraction from the State was selected when the Centre had released a list of 17 sites to be developed as iconic tourist destinations evoking strong resentment from the Government. The recent visit of Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Prahlad Singh Patel to Konark had raised hopes that at least one site from Odisha would be developed as iconic site but there was no mention of it in the Finance Minister’s speech. The sites which have been declared to be developed into iconic sites are Rakhigarhi in Haryana, Hastinapur in Uttar Pradesh, Shivsagar in Assam, Dholavira in Gujarat and Aadichanallur in Tamil Nadu. Four of the five sites are of pre-Christian era except Shivsagar of the medieval period.

Though Odisha has some incredible sites like Dhauli and Khandagiri in Bhubaneswar, Lalitgiri, Ratnagiri and Udaygiri in Jajpur that date back to pre-Christian era, tragically those have been forgotten. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has expressed displeasure over exclusion of potential sites from Odisha in the heritage conservation plan of the Centre. Reacting sharply, he opined not only does the State has several sites that can be developed into iconic sites but also Odisha deserves a national tribal museum. Odisha chapter of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) has also termed omission of heritage sites in the Centre list as unfortunate. State Convener of INTACH and former DG of Police AB Tripathy said there are so many archaeological sites, monuments, natural and ethnic sites having immense tourism potential which are being constantly neglected by the Centre.

"The State Government should strongly demand before the Centre so that these sites can be developed which can help boost local economy," he said. Heritage lovers, hoteliers and tour operators also blamed the Centre for ignoring the State as far as tourism promotion is concerned.

Lauding that development of old archaeological sites like Rakhigarhi, Hastinapur, Dholavira and Aadichanallur will help to brand India and match shoulder to shoulder with Egypt and Greece, heritage researcher Prasanta Padhi said it is ironical that Odisha finds no mention in the iconic list despite its richness. "At least one of the Buddhist sites could have been included to entice tourists from South East Asia and China," Padhi added.

https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/2020/feb/02/odisha-ignored-in-iconic-archaeological-sites-map-in-union-budget-2097850.html\, February 3, 2020

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has expressed displeasure over the exclusion of potential sites from Odisha in the Centre’s heritage conservation plan. The CM reacted that Odisha not only has several sites that can be developed into iconic sites, but the state also deserves a national tribal museum.

On Saturday, Odisha was ignored once again when Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced to develop five archaeological sites in the country as iconic sites with on-site museums while presenting the Union Budget 2020-21.

Last year also, not a single place of tourist attraction from Odisha was selected when the Centre had released a list of 17 sites to be developed as iconic tourist destinations evoking strong resentment from the state government. The recent visit of Union Tourism and Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel to Konark had raised hopes that at least one site from Odisha would be developed as an iconic site, but there was no mention of it in the finance minister’s budget speech. The sites which have been declared to be developed into iconic sites are Rakhigarhi in Haryana, Hastinapur in Uttar Pradesh, Shivsagar in Assam, Dholavira in Gujarat and Aadichanallur in Tamil Nadu.

Four of the five sites are of pre-Christian era except Shivsagar of the medieval period. Though Odisha has some incredible sites like Dhauli and Khandagiri in Bhubaneswar, Lalitgiri, Ratnagiri and Udaygiri in Jajpur that date back to pre-Christian era, tragically those have been forgotten.

The Odisha chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) has also termed the omission of Odisha’s heritage sites in the Centre’s list as unfortunate. State Convener of INTACH and former DGP, AB Tripathy, said there are so many archaeological sites, monuments, natural and ethnic sites having immense tourism potential which are being constantly neglected by the Centre.

“The state government should place a strong demand to the Centre so that these sites can be developed. This can help boost local economy,” Tripathy said. Heritage lovers, hoteliers and tour operators also blamed the Centre for ignoring Odisha as far as tourism promotion is concerned.

https://odishabytes.com/iconic-heritage-list-centre-ignores-odisha-sites-once-again/, February 3, 2020

Fest in Ahmedabad showcases Jharkhand’s assets
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has expressed displeasure over the exclusion of potential sites from Odisha in the Centre’s heritage conservation plan. The CM reacted that Odisha not only has several sites that can be developed into iconic sites, but the state also deserves a national tribal museum.

On Saturday, Odisha was ignored once again when Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced to develop five archaeological sites in the country as iconic sites with on-site museums while presenting the Union Budget 2020-21.

Last year also, not a single place of tourist attraction from Odisha was selected when the Centre had released a list of 17 sites to be developed as iconic tourist destinations evoking strong resentment from the state government. The recent visit of Union Tourism and Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel to Konark had raised hopes that at least one site from Odisha would be developed as an iconic site, but there was no mention of it in the finance minister’s budget speech. The sites which have been declared to be developed into iconic sites are Rakhigarhi in Haryana, Hastinapur in Uttar Pradesh, Shivsagar in Assam, Dholavira in Gujarat and Aadichanallur in Tamil Nadu.

Four of the five sites are of pre-Christian era except Shivsagar of the medieval period. Though Odisha has some incredible sites like Dhauli and Khandagiri in Bhubaneswar, Lalitgiri, Ratnagiri and Udaygiri in Jajpur that date back to pre-Christian era, tragically those have been forgotten.

The Odisha chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) has also termed the omission of Odisha’s heritage sites in the Centre’s list as unfortunate. State Convener of INTACH and former DGP, AB Tripathy, said there are so many archaeological sites, monuments, natural and ethnic sites having immense tourism potential which are being constantly neglected by the Centre.

“The state government should place a strong demand to the Centre so that these sites can be developed. This can help boost local economy,” Tripathy said. Heritage lovers, hoteliers and tour operators also blamed the Centre for ignoring Odisha as far as tourism promotion is concerned.

https://odishabytes.com/iconic-heritage-list-centre-ignores-odisha-sites-once-again/, February 3, 2020

The Federation of Film Societies of India (FFSI) has decided to launch an international campaign to restore the ancesstral houses of auteurs Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak and Mrinal Sen in neighbouring Bangladesh, a senior official said. The FFSI - the apex body of film-screening societies in the country - is planning to renovate the properties of the three icons, which are now lying in a dilapidated condition in Bangladesh, as they have great historical significance, its vice-president Premendra Majumder said.

The matter will be brought to the notice of the Union Ministry of Culture, Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) and UNESCO, as the Bangladesh government had been insisting that the properties be preserved and maintained, he told PTI. Majumder said Ray''s ancestral houses at Mashua and Kishoreganj, about 115 km from Dhaka, is in a shambles and film activists from Bangladesh had appealed to the Sheikh Hasina government for its immediate renovation.

Ghatak''s ancestral house at Rajshahi, 245 km from Dhaka, was leased out in 1987-88 by then Bangladesh government for construction of a homeopathic college by razing down a large part of the old structure, he said. In December last year, the remaining portion of the building was demolished to build a cycle stand, following which the entire film community in Bangladesh and Bengalis in Toronto voiced protests, supported by eminent personalities such as Tanvir Mokammel and Nasiruddin Yusuf Bachhu, he said.

The Bangladeshi film fraternity then signed a petition, urging the government to protect the ancestral houses of Ghatak, Ray and Sen. Sen''s ancestral house in Faridpur, 130 km from Dhaka, now belongs to a private owner, who has partly demolished the old structure. "Luckily, the original house in Faridpur, where his family lived, still stands and can be renovated and preserved," FFSI General Secretary Amitava Ghosh said. Ray''s family has welcomed the move. "We will be happy if the properties are renovated and preserved. It is a welcome step," Sandip Ray, son of the Oscar-winning filmmaker, said. PTI SUS RMS RMS

https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/wbrestorationfilmmakers/1724163, February 3, 2020

Hero Stones (Veeragallu) and Masti Stones (Mastikallu) are unique stone monuments found across India, particularly in Karnataka. These stone carvings speak volumes about life and living in those bygone eras. While Hero Stones are erected in memory of heroes who died in the battlefield while defending kings, border or cattle, Masti Stones are erected in memory of women who opt for death by self-immolation after hearing the death of their husbands. These stone monuments may or may not have any inscriptions at the bottom. Defending village, border, cattle and women, battle as well as hunting are the most commonly found themes in these stone monuments.

For example, a 10th Century Hero Stone at Begur in Bengaluru elucidates the techniques and strategies in a battle, which is considered as the best Hero Stone available in India. A team of NSS students have taken up restoration work of 70 Veeragallu and Mastikallu, believed to be from 10th to 14th century Hoysala Dynasty. As part of their NSS camp, students of Kuvempunagar First Grade College in city, who have camped in Jayapura village of Mysuru taluk since Jan. 28, are trying to restore stone monuments which were scattered around Gujjalamma Temple in Jayapura village. These Hero Stones were discovered during a similar NSS camp conducted by the same college in the year 2014-15.

Five years after the discovery, these enthusiastic students have again taken up the arduous task of restoring these Veeragallu and Mastikallu which had been buried under the mud again at the temple premises. Speaking to Star of Mysore, Prof. N.S. Rangaraju, Member, Expert Committee for Development and Protection of Mysore Heritage Region and Convenor, INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage) said, “These stones belong to various periods including Hoysalas, Vijayanagara Empire and Mysore Wadiyars. These monuments are made of soap stones. Out of these 70 monuments, none of them have any inscriptions. It seems that there were many heroes in this region around Jayapura village during that period.” Kuvempunagar First Grade College Assistant Professor and NSS officer Dr. S.G. Ramdas Reddy said, “Under the guidance of our Principal Dr. Ragini, we conduct NSS camps every year.

We try to select a historically significant village. This year, we are restoring these monuments, which were discovered in 2014-15. Villagers are also cooperating with us and helping our students. We are now keeping these valuable monuments around the temple in a well-preserved condition.” Villager Chikkanaga Nayaka said, “20 years ago, we had discovered copper plates within an earthen pot (hosagumbe) when we were digging earth for construction of Konappa Temple. We are now offering puja to these copper plates in the temple."

The most recent historical novel by Kannada author Vasudendra, ‘Tejo Tungabhadra’, lucidly depicts the life of common man during Vijayanagar period. The novel vividly depicts the act of ‘Penbuyyal’ (death while protecting the modesty of women in distress). Interestingly, ‘Penbuyyal’ stone monuments are found abundantly in many regions of Karnataka.

https://starofmysore.com/tryst-with-stones-nss-students-restore-hoysala-dynastys-70-veeragallu-and-mastikallu-at-jayapura/, February 3, 2020

Symbol of pluralism, Islamic architecture of Kashmir is fusion of Hindu and Buddhist traditions, says expert. Perhaps the only region in South Asia with a written history dating back 5,000 years, the Kashmir Valley – also the center of a dispute between India and Pakistan – is known for its unique culture and heritage, as demonstrated by its art and architecture. The mosques and shrines dotting the scenic Kashmir Valley are not known to have domes and minarets. Experts believe that Islamic architecture in this region has synthesized with the cultural practice of Hinduism and Buddhism. An exhibition of Kashmir’s unique sacred architecture, held recently in the Indian capital New Delhi, brought out the material testament of the blend of traditions of the ancient Hindu practice of Shaivism, Mahayana Buddhism and the influence of Islam. Talking to Anadolu Agency, Mohammad Saleem Beg, an organizer of the exhibition said many Islamic monuments in Kashmir have a Buddhist influence.

“If you look closely, you will see some of these monuments have gables with dragons on them, whereas Islamic architecture does not have any life form generally. Thus, just like its monuments, faiths in Kashmir are layered. This layering is harmonious and teaches us to be respectful towards sacred spaces. These monuments are a great example of tolerance and pluralism,” said Beg, who is also the convener of Kashmir-chapter of INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage). Historical records suggest that Buddhism was introduced in Kashmir soon after Lord Buddha passed away in 400 B.C. But it attained dominance in the second century when the fourth Buddhist council was held in the region.

The late 13th century saw the arrival of Islam in Kashmir, which retained spiritual linkages with the other two religions. A true example of this is the Khanqah-i-Maulla, the first mosque of Kashmir in summer capital Srinagar. It is an example of traditional Kashmiri monumental wooden architecture, bearing resemblance to the spatial layouts of Buddhist chaitya halls. Instead of dome and minaret, there is a conical structure on top of the roof called brangh. “The creative synthesis is a material testament to the spiritual dynamics of Kashmir. The multi-tiered pyramidical roof topped by a spire is reminiscent of the pre-Islamic architectural skyline retained in the architectural enterprise,” said Beg, an acclaimed scholar of Kashmir history and traditions. Heritage faces neglect. He laments that the heritage of Kashmir was facing neglect.

“Kashmir is a bruised place. These monuments stand as an example of its rich cultural diversity and emphasize that the spiritual landscape of Kashmir is a melting pot of various religious and philosophical traditions. The conservation of all of this work requires funds.

The current political situation is affecting the preservation of culture of Kashmir as well,” said Beg, a retired bureaucrat, who also headed the tourism department in the region. The exhibition showcased years of conservation and restoration efforts undertaken by the INTACH and also provided a detailed context of every building in terms of drawings, photographs, and text. Some of the representative cases covered in the exhibition were mosques and shrines of Khanqah-i- Maulla, Peer Dastageer Sahib Shrine, Mosque of Madani among others.

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/india-show-spotlights-rare-kashmiri-architecture/1724749, February 4, 2020

The walk around the ancient fort in Vasai will be conducted by historian Pascal Lopes. This fort has tremendous historical significance, though it now lies in ruins and its walls covered in moss. At this three-hour-long heritage walk, organised by Intach Mumbai, you will get to hear lesser-known facts about the fort. The key attractions of this walk include the Citadel of Saint Sabestine, which is inside the fort, and the secret tunnel that runs under it. You will also hear stories about the different kingdoms that controlled the fort (such as the Portuguese and the Marathas).

Discover Dongri

For most, the word Dongri is synonymous with the Mumbai underworld. However, this walk, organised by Khaki Tours, will cover a lot more than just the crime stories. Dongri was once a Portuguese-owned hillock. The highlights of the walk include stories about Gandhi’s visit to Dongri, the Irani Phoenix, the Sultan of Dongri and a garden of stars. WHERE: Meeting point is Dongri police station WHEN: Feb 9, 9 am ENTRY: Rs 499 LOG:

www.townscript.com

Enjoy a forest walk at SGNP

The pleasant weather in the city makes it perfect for Mumbaikars to go on a nature trail this weekend. Discover the lush greenery of Jambhulmal, an area inside the the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), at this walk. You will also witness the rich fl ora and fauna of SGNP on your way to Jambhulmal. The walk is open to people aged between 12 and 40. PS: Carry a spare set of clothes, energy bars, and wear comfortable shoes. WHERE: Meeting point is SGNP main gate, Borivali WHEN: Feb 9, 7 am ENTRY: Rs 750 LOG: www.sgnpsouvenirshop. mahaonline.gov.in

https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/others/things-to-do/walk-around-town/articleshow/73907932.cms, February 4, 2020

To create awareness among children on conserving archaeological artefacts, a Heritage Preservation Club was inaugurated at Tennur higher secondary school on Tuesday. An exhibition of archaeological artefacts, which were found around Trichy, was also conducted as part of the event. The objective was to make students learn history by showing them artefacts that were used during those days, said P Vimala, head mistress of the school. Inaugurating the club, C Siva Kumar, curator (in-charge) of government museum, Trichy said the idea of the club was to inculcate interest on archaeology and historical artefacts among children.

It’s very usual that people try to hide archaeological materials they own. By educating children on informing the authorities concerned on such findings will help unravel many historical events. Such artefacts were not only source of interesting stories, but also help us know about our ancestors and ancient civilisation, he said. Members of Tiruchirappalli Notaphily Society displayed close to a century old nose studs and bangles made of stones that were used by people of the region. Coins used during Chera, Chola, Pandiyan and Nayak, East India Company and post-independence period were also displayed during the event. By exposing students to such ancient artefacts, will wanted to make them capable of recognizing rare artefacts, noted philatelist P Vijay Kumar said.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/trichy/heritage-preservation-club-at-tennur-school-for-spreading-word-on-artefacts/articleshow/73710272.cms, February 4, 2020

The symbols in the short engravings (inside the cave) pertain either to Buddhism or Jainism and are similar to the famous caves of Khandagiri and Udayagiri in Bhubaneswar. It might have been the dwelling place for Buddhist or Jain monks of that era Deepak Kumar| heritage enthusiast Cuttack: There are several places in Odisha which bespeak of Buddhism and Jainism. One such place is the historic rock-cut cave at the top of a hillock about 8 kms away from Athagarh town in Cuttack. Locally known as ‘Korunga Cave’ or ‘Korunga Gumpha’, the cave is located about 4 kms from Shankarpur Chowk on the road that connects Athagarh to Dhenkanal. Two adventurists and heritage enthusiasts Deepak Kumar Nayak and Subhasish Dash explored the area and found many engravings which testify to the presence of the two faiths there. Interacting with Orissa POST, Deepak said, “From a large shaped Khandolite stone the ancient cave was probably hewed out.” At the backend wall of the cave, a half-finished antechamber is found. The entrance is separated by a pillar at the middle. An inclined stone with bed-like structure is also there inside the cave. Two lines of ancient inscriptions are visible on Northern wall of the cave. Taking into consideration the palaeographical styles of inscriptions, the construction period of the cave may be dated back to 8th Century i.e. the Bhaumakara dynasty’s regime in Odisha, he added. “The symbols present in the short engraving indicate its connection either to Buddhism or Jainism similar to the famous caves of Khandagiri and Udayagiri in Bhubaneswar.” It might have been the dwelling place for Buddhist or Jain monks of that era. Deepak further added that the cave is located at an average elevation of 600 feet above the sea level. Reaching there was an extremely tough task for the explorer duo. They were assisted by two locals from the nearby village—Narendra Rout and Suvendu Nayak. They started climbing to the hilltop from the Southern end of the hill and after a tough trekking through wild bushes, thorns and slippery path; they finally reached the hilltop and located the ancient cave. It may be mentioned here that the cave has not yet been recognised by Archaeological Survey of India or the State Archaeology Department and so it remains in dilapidated condition sans any maintenance. Dense vegetations have grown outside the cave making it difficult to reach the cave. Though few archaeological documents list some information about the cave, however, the site is largely unknown to most apart from few local residents. The site can also be developed as a tourist destination due to its scenic views and natural beauty if proper action can be taken in this regard. Archaeology officer Jeevan Patnaik also feels that many monuments in the state have not been recognised yet and the process of finding these spots are still on.

https://www.orissapost.com/a-date-with-the-less-explored-korunga-cave/, February 4, 2020

Jaipur was certified as a World Heritage site by UNESCO during an event held at the historic Albert Hall in the Pink City on Wednesday. It was a momentous occasion for the Pink City on February 5 as Jaipur was certified as a World Heritage site by United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Jaipur was certified as a World Heritage site by UNESCO Director, General Audrey Azoulay, at a mega event held at the historic Albert Hall in the Pink City on Wednesday.

Azoulay presented the World Heritage City certificate to Minister of Urban Development Shanti Dhariwal. While speaking at the event, Azoulay said, "UNESCO will collaborate with Rajasthan Government's Tourism department to develop Western Rajasthan for tourism."

Chief Minister of Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot, meanwhile, tweeted that he is elated with the honour. Several senior cabinet ministers in the Rajasthan Government were present on the occasion which marked the formal certification process of Jaipur as a World Heritage site. Tourism Minister Vishvendra Singh, Energy Minister BD Kalla and Transport Minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas apart from Shanti Dhariwal attended the event. Dhariwal, while speaking to India Today, said, "The certification will help in bringing tourism. There are several places in Rajasthan which are not known to people across the globe but they will be on the radar." The event witnessed several folk singers showcasing their talent in front of the dignitaries at Albert Hall.

https://www.indiatoday.in/lifestyle/travel/story/jaipur-certified-as-world-heritage-site-by-unesco-1643699-2020-02-06, February 5, 2020

A National level essay and painting competition was organised at theme, “Paint or Write on Gandhiji at 150” by Indian National Trust for Art and Heritage (INTACH) Jammu Chapter at Shri Ranbir Higher Secondary School here today. 126 students of classes 7th -9th were participated from various schools of Jammu city. The aim of the event paint or write on Gandhiji at 150 was to aware the children about thoughts, philosophies and his contribution to Indian culture and heritage.

Dr CM Seth, IFS (Retd), Co-convener, INTACH J&K was the chief guest where as Vijay Kumar, Principal of the host school and Kuldeep Wahi, Co-convener, INTACH Jammu chapter were the guests of honour. Dr. Seth briefed the students about Gandhiji’s contributions towards the society on the whole and specially for the Great Nation India, while interacting with the students he narrated the achievements of Mahatma Gandhi towards cultural heritage and cleanliness for the mankind. Vijay Kumar, Principal of the host school explained the salient features of the event while SM Sahni, Convener of Intach Jammu highlighted the aim and objects of the paint or write of the Icon of change- Gandhiji 150th. Sushma Rani, faculty member of the host school co-ordinated the event along with her team of 12 teachers. The competition organized under the umbrella of Heritage Education and Communication Division of INTACH, New Delhi as a part of heritage awareness programme all over the country on the 150th celebrations of Gandhiji.

https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/national-level-essay-painting-competition-organised/, February 6, 2020

Amidst elation over getting the World Heritage Title by UNESCO for the ‘Walled’ City, not much seems to have been done to conserve its iconic heritage wall. As per the report of the Indian National Trust for Art and Culture Heritage (INTACH) in 2015, only 25% of the wall in the Walled City is remaining.

Due to rampant encroachment in the Walled City, the iconic wall may not last long if not preserved by the authorities. While proposing Jaipur to be tagged as World Heritage site, government had promised to remove encroachment from the wall. No such step has been taken in the last six months since the heritage tag was received, while people have built their houses adjacent to the wall. Near Sikar house, there are parts of the broken wall from where people have constructed their houses. Near Chaughan stadium, a lane named Hathiyon ki Thant is built around the heritage wall. Elephants were kept in this lane before independence and the royal family used to visit Chaughan stadium to witness the elephant fight.

It used to be a popular sport in those times. Today, the wall is encroached as people have constructed houses adjoining to it. Rajnath Chauhan, a resident of the area said, “Our family was given title by the durbar. However, most of the people living around the wall do not have ownership and have constructed houses illegally. There are two Bhurj on top of the wall – Chini ki Bhurj and Moti Bhurj and you can find people living inside the wall where there is a room for stairs going towards the Bhurj. They have made adjustments as per their requirements and authorities have done little to change it.” With the World Heritage tag, the government has now been asked to remove all the encroachment and restore the remaining wall by the end of this year. If the criteria are not fulfilled, Jaipur may lose the title.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/walled-city-on-verge-of-losing-its-iconic-wall/articleshow/73970686.cms, February 6, 2020

Most Mumbaikars do the South-for-work, North-back-home routine in a clockwork manner, dodging a hawker here, a road divider there, day after day. But almost every overstretched Mumbaikar will tell you that they have paused more than once to take in the beauty of the Victorian Gothic and Art Deco masterpieces in the Fort area. The area got its name from a fort that the British constructed in the 17th century to protect the city from invaders. The fort was demolished in the 1860s, but the name stayed. According to the Urban Design Research Institute’s Fort Management Plan, “The delineation of the Fort precinct is based on the historical extent of what was originally the fortified town. The area encompassed in this fashion is literally the ‘Fort area’.”

However, it says, once the fortifications were removed, the limits were expanded, new public buildings were built in the area “integral to the precinct”: they were designed to physically and visually reinforce the original settlement. “These buildings (Crawford Market, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, Metro Cinema), besides being consistent in terms of architecture and urban design qualities, are integral to the visual image of the Fort precinct when approached either from the North or from the South.” The precinct is thus rich in colonial history, art and architecture, and in 2018, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Restoration in progress

In May that year, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) took up the Fort restoration project. The greatest challenge before the BMC was uneven footpaths, unplanned billboards, overgrown trees, bus stops, stalls and illegal hawkers that blocked a view of the heritage buildings. Restoration of the corporate district, art district, Oval Maidan, the heritage mile, civic node, tourist district and banking district are all part of the plan. The BMC will spruce up footpaths, re-design bus stops and de-clutter streets. It also plans to bring in an arborist to trim trees. As a first step, the BMC will focus on the heritage mile, the 900-m stretch of M.G. Road from Flora Fountain to Regal. This part of the project has a March 2020 deadline, which the corporation is not likely to meet. M.G. Road was chosen as it consists of an ensemble of neo-Gothic and Art Deco architecture: the National Gallery of Modern Art, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahlaya (formerly Prince of Wales Museum), Esplanade Mansion, Mumbai University and even residential buildings. The project will be replicated in the entire Fort area, making it worthy of the UNESCO Art Deco precinct tag. When the BMC conceived the project, though, its bids found no takers.

But in January 2020, the corporation finalised a contractor for ₹7.51 crore, who will also maintain the precinct for three years after the project is completed. Under the pilot project, street lights, signages, trees, bus stops and billboards in the area will be changed. For example, bus stops will be replaced with heritage lookalikes using transparent and toughened glass, while billboards of restaurants and corporate offices will be standardised. Overgrown trees will be pruned to uniform height to offer a clear view of the heritage structures, footpaths will be made more pedestrian-friendly by using in-situ concrete [the concrete is poured on site and cast in place. The other method uses pre-cast concrete, wherein concrete blocks are created in a closed environment, transported to site and kept in place]. Other works include changing the look of of dustbins, tree gratings, benches and flower beds, removing encroachments and displaying information plaques on heritage buildings. Footpaths will also be made disabled-friendly.

“About 70% work on base preparation of the footpath outside the National Gallery of Modern Art is done. While working on this footpath, we re-aligned several stalls and in doing so, had to restore their electric connections,” said an officer from the BMC’s Heritage Cell. Ducts under the footpath will ensure it will not be dug up for utilities in future, the officer said. The footpath outside Mumbai University will continue to have its basalt stone flooring. The new bus stop design is minimalist and ensures there are no horizontal hoardings above. Instead, advertisements will an be placed vertically at eye level of the person standing at the bus stop, without hindering the view of the buildings. “We also conducted a comprehensive exercise to find out redundant signages and poles to declutter the Mile. The ward office has been asked to act on it immediately. Several of these signages or poles have been lying here for decades despite not serving any purpose,” the officer said. The street lights in the area, he said, illuminate the road but not the footpath. “That is why we want two-way street lights to promote pedestrian traffic.”

Challenges

Standardising shop signages may not be cakewalk for the BMC; it will involve organising several meetings with shop, store and restaurant owners of the area. The BMC is yet to write to shop owners in the area to ask them to standardise their signboards. “We will be holding meetings with shop owners to tell them about the project. They will have to adhere to a particular size of signboard, but we may allow them to retain their font and colours,” said Ashutosh Salil, Deputy Municipal Commissioner in charge of the project. “The rule will apply to every single one of them. Hopefully, we will not have to use the law,” he said. The BMC is also yet to finalise its agreement with an arborist. The corporation’s Tree Cell is in talks with one to trim the trees and look after them for several years. The other roadblock the project may come up against is realignment of the hawking pitches and removing unlicensed hawkers. Only licensed hawkers will be allowed to function on the stretch and they will have to adhere to the allocated space in a single file, a move that might meet with opposition.

The BMC is thus hoping to complete the work by May, missing its March deadline. Conservationists have appreciated the project, but arer concerned about the slow pace of work. “This is a good project if implemented properly but its progress is slow,” said Rajan Jaykar, convenor of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage. “There are standardised signs on D.N. Road in Fort but not on M.G. Road. M.G. Road was neglected despite having heritage buildings like Esplanade Mansion,” said Mr. Rajan. The BMC should also try and relocate hawkers, and put up illuminated plaques with information of each heritage building, he said. Whether the BMC can pull all these off given its tight deadline is unclear, although the city will be richer with the restoration.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/will-fort-heritage-mile-meet-its-march-deadline/article30746589.ece, February 6, 2020

Declared a protected monument in 2003, the ruins of the 17th-century structure speaks volumes of the apathy with which Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and Punjab’s Department of Archaeology treated it. More than 16 years after being declared a protected monument by the Punjab government, the ‘Jahaz Haveli’, believed to be a 17th century structure resembling a sea ship, is now a skeleton of the architectural marvel that it was. Its intricate layers of Nanakshahi bricks exposed to vagaries of nature, the heritage structure at village Harnam Nagar of Sirhind in Fatehgarh Sahib district, is believed to have been the residence of Diwan Todar Mal.

A Hindu trader, Todar Mal had defied Mughals to cremate Zorawar Singh (8) and Fateh Singh (6), the two youngest sons of tenth Sikh master, Guru Gobind Singh. Chhote Saahibzaade, as the two young martyrs are known, were bricked alive on the orders of then Mughal faujdar of Sirhind Wazir Khan on December 12, 1705, after they refused to renounce their faith. Their grandmother Mata Gujri also died of shock.

After none in Sirhind town agreed to spare land for their cremations, Todar Mal purchased a small piece of land by covering it with 7,800 gold coins. On this land he performed the cremation after getting the bodies of the two children released from Mughals. Gurdwara Jyoti Sarup (Fatehgarh Sahib) stands on that land now. The privately owned property (on 2 canals and 17 marlas land) was declared a protected monument in 2003. The Jahaz Haveli, however, was never really ‘protected’ and an investigation by The Indian Express reveals that the two stakeholders — Punjab’s Department of Cultural Affairs, Archives, Archaeology & Museums and the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) — even failed to conserve whatever little was left, leave alone restoration of original structure.

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/heritage-in-ruins-jahaz-haveli-6255144/, February 7, 2020

The territorial administration on Saturday set in motion the process of obtaining Unesco world heritage status for Puducherry. As a prelude to preparing a dossier for submitting its nomination, the Town and Country Planning Department, in association with the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), held a conference “Road to Unesco nomination” at the Chief Secretariat. Besides Chief Secretary Ashwani Kumar, Unesco director Eric Falt, and Town and Country Planning secretary Mahesh Kumar and architect Rabindra Vasavada, who was involved in obtaining heritage status for Ahmedabad city, participated in the deliberations. Interacting with reporters after the conference, the Chief Secretary said the administration had decided to take it as a challenge to get the region listed as world heritage site.

“The conference is a beginning and it is a long drawn process. Creating an inventory of sites and places to include in the dossier is the next process,” he said. Success of the initiative depended on the constructive involvement of public, Mr. Kumar said. According to an official, the region had achieved three milestones to achieve the status. The government had undertaken regulatory works to protect heritage sites and precincts.

INTACH had prepared a complete list of heritage buildings in the boulevard which was being vetted by the government. After the Heritage Committee and government approved the listed heritage buildings, the list would be published for public feedback and consultation. People would be given a month’s time to share their suggestions. The next step would be to prepare a detailed dossier to fulfil the Unesco conditions for Puducherry World Heritage City, the official added.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/puducherry/ut-to-seek-world-heritage-tag/article30772641.ece, February 10, 2020

Once considered as an agent of salvation and lifeline of Lucknow, Gomti is now neither clean nor sacred. Rather, one may contract disease just by stepping into its shallow waters. To highlight the importance of the river, Lucknow chapter of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) organised a boat trail ‘Nadi Mein Naadswar’, from Shaheed Smarakto Kudia Ghat, on Saturday. Amid reverberations of old Bollywood songs and with more 120 residents on 17 boats, the trail covered city’s skyline of domes and minarets, followed by an intricate discussion on regulatory interventions that may be adopted to contribute towards a cleaner Gomti.

Convener of INTACH Vipul B Varshney said, “The need for this programme was felt when helmsmen at Shaheed Smarak refused for a boat ride stating that nothing can pass through the river due to blockage by water hyacinth and garbage. Several solutions were suggested by city-based environmentalists and professors of IIT-Kanpur.” The measures included mapping and demarcation of the entire Gomti floodplain from the source to confluence with river Ganga. The silt which has been deposited in the riverbed along major settlements in Lucknow, Jaunpur, Sultanpur and 11 other districts should be removed.

According to experts, sugar factories and distilleries located along the river in Sitapur and upstream should be strictly monitored as they are known for discharging major pollutants in the river. Later, speaking during panel discussion experts said no construction work should be allowed on 250km stretch along river Gomti, and a river garden should be developed along it. They said significant incentives for afforestation along the river banks for next 10 years should also be announced by the government. The river garden should create a micro-ecosystem for birds, insects, flora and fauna, they added. City-based historian Yogesh Praveen said Gomti should be declared the state river of Uttar Pradesh.

He said to revive the river, city’s drainage system should be improved and dumping of solid waste in the river should be prohibited. “Nawab Wajid Ali Shah used to organise cultural festivals on the river banks while other nawabs owned steam vehicles for pleasure rides. Chhatar Manzil would be lit up and dance and music on various boats would go all night. It could have been Seine or Thames of Lucknow, but sadly it is nothing near that now. A concrete plan has to be chalked out by the government to revive it before it becomes invisible from the map of Lucknow in future,” said Praveen.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/trail-of-17-boats-and-ideas-keep-hopes-of-clean-gomti-afloat/articleshow/74036487.cms, February 10, 2020

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is building the capacity of its forces to play the role of first responder at heritage sites, which are vulnerable to disasters such as earthquake, flood, cyclone and tsunami across India. “When Nepal suffered the loss of several heritage monuments in an earthquake, it was a cause for concern for the disaster management authorities across the world. Heritage sites need to be protected during disasters. We are going to build the capacity of our personnel,” said NDRF DGP Satya Narayan Pradhan here on Monday.

Mr. Pradhan was speaking ahead of the three-day Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Disaster Management Exercise beginning in Bhubaneswar and Konark from Tuesday. Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Nepal are participating in the exercise while Bhutan and Thailand, where travel restrictions are in place, will be absent. “The exercise is to test the emergency procedures for notification, preparedness and emergency response during major earthquake and flood scenarios.

It will also test the multi-stakeholders’ coordination in a disaster scenario involving international, national, State, district and local agencies,” said Mr. Pradhan. A village has been set up near Ramchandi in Puri district where around 40 motorboats and a helicopter would be pressed into service for the exercise. There will be a set of personnel in each battalion of the NDRF who will get the basic training in preserving monuments in the pre and post disaster scenario. More than 300 participants representing the five countries, all States, the UNDP, the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration Cultural Property (ICCROM), the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, the ASI, the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group and the IMD. Mr. Pradhan said, “We want to finalise the basic premise for a guideline for preserving monuments.

Many disaster response actions are likely to be codified.” P. K.Jena, General Manager of the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority, said the State was also contemplating to train its response teams. There are 3,686 Centrally protected monument sites under the ASI. Of these, 79 are located in Odisha. According to INTACH, close to 10,000 sites and buildings are protected. However, it has listed about 70,000 sites having heritage value in 500 towns.

It says there could be 11 lakh sites in an estimated 8,000 towns and villages. Gujarat had witnessed damage at the heritage sites in the 2001 earthquake. In the 2015 Nepal quake, 745 monuments had suffered damage including 133 razed to ground, 97 partially damaged and 515 in a minor way.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/5-nation-exercise-to-focus-on-heritage-structures-protection/article30784957.ece, February 10, 2020

According to the local police, the 10-foot-long tunnel is made up of bricks and its height is about 4 feet. Based on the pictures, archaeologists said the tunnel could be around 200-300 years old. A team from the state archaeological department has rushed to Bengal’s east Burdwan district after a local resident stumbled upon an underground tunnel while digging soil for construction of a house. Inspector Pranab Kumar Banerjee said: “A local resident, Jiarul Mullick, had recently purchased the land to construct a house. During the digging, a portion of the plot caved in, exposing the tunnel.” The matter was immediately informed the district administration, the police and the archaeology department. According to the local police, the 10-foot-long tunnel is made up of bricks and its height is about 4 feet. Based on the pictures, archaeologists said the tunnel could be around 200-300 years old. “It is too early to say anything. We have to examine the tunnel to know how old it is. If necessary, further excavation will be carried out,” said an official from the archaeology department. “Prima facie, the tunnel seems to be dating back to the 17th - 18th century AD. It needs to be thoroughly examined,” said G Sengupta, former director general of the Archaeological Survey of India. Meanwhile, soon after the discovery of the tunnel, villagers made a beeline to catch a glimpse, hoping that the tunnel could lead to a treasure chamber.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/10-foot-long-tunnel-found-in-bengal-may-date-back-to-17th-century/story-RbVP39ciFE6d75waj5YCoL.html, February 10, 2020

Unesco manager (New Delhi) Eric Falt said any authorities ambitious of becoming’heritage city’ certificate from the global organization should bring together the civic society and private agencies and operate in tandem to get the aim. He was here on Saturday to take part in a one-way convention on’ Road to Unesco nomination’ coordinated by the Puducherry city and country planning division and Puducherry preparation authority in affiliation with the Indian federal hope for cultural and art heritage (Intach), Puducherry chapter. The authorities, obviously, must direct.

The civil society has to be completely supported. It’s also very important to involve the private industry. It will take a while. We left all conscious of the challenges ahead,” Falt told reporters following the seminar. “I’m here to provide a few tips as we do at different areas of the nation for anyone who’s interested in the nomination procedure. You’re to a fantastic beginning, but it is going to take some time,” he explained. Chief Secretary Ashwani Kumar said the authorities will commence the procedure for producing a list which will be projected to your’heritage website’ certificates from the global agency.

“It’s a specialized function. It has to be crispy and researched. There are a whole lot of challenges over the nation. We have to borrow ideas in the successful legacy websites like Ahmedabad and Jaipur. The template can be obtained, and we must change it according to our distinctive selling points and make our own template,” Kumar explained. Secretary (city and state planning) K Mahesh also underscored the significance of the participation of their local community in attaining the objective. “The participation of the community would be the secret to the achievement of this undertaking. One other important issue is that we might be certified as the world heritage site except to maintain and take care of the certificate will definitely be quite a major challenge with no community support.

The objective of this summit is to involve all of the stakeholders and specialists in attaining our aim,” Mahesh said. Before addressing the seminar Falt summarized the guidelines for nomination under the world heritage town. FRAS architect Rabindra Vasavada educated the audience how Ahmedabad was nominated as the primary Unesco world heritage town in India.

https://marketresearchcrossover.com/2020/02/10/puducherry-creates-a-fantastic-start-for-heritage-label-certificate/, February 11, 2020

The quiz master was S Suresh, Tamil Nadu state convener, INTACH, and an archaeologist who has earlier conducted quiz programmes for several organisations in India and abroad. DakshinaChitra Heritage Museum, Muttukadu, in collaboration with the Tamil Nadu State Chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), Adyar, conducted the Tamil Heritage Inter-School Quiz, for Government School students and other underprivileged children, on Monday.

The objective behind this event was to engage economically backward students. Through this activity, they aim to create greater awareness about heritage. The contest also acted as a motivational tool for these children, many of them being first-generation learners, by developing their intellect, observation skills and team-spirit. The quiz was conducted in Tamil. Nearly 100 students from classes 7, 8 and 9 participated in the event. The quiz had two stages – written test for the preliminary round and the final competition.

The latter was an oral quiz exclusively for the six winning teams of the preliminary round. It had interesting topics such as natural heritage, history, monuments, cuisine, visual and performing arts. The quiz master was S Suresh, Tamil Nadu state convener, INTACH, and an archaeologist who has earlier conducted quiz programmes for several organisations in India and abroad. The team from the Government School, Tiruporur, won the first prize.

The second and third prizes were bagged by the teams from the Government School, Uthandi. They were all awarded cash prizes and books in Tamil from INTACH. Besides, all six teams who qualified for the final round also received books from INTACH.

https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2020/feb/12/school-kids-have-got-heritage-on-their-mind-2102129.html, February 11, 2020

A recent exhibition in Delhi, organised by INTACH, J&K Chapter, Department of Tourism, Kashmir and India International Centre, Delhi, displayed the “Sacred Architecture of Kashmir”, showing how spiritual traditions continued in form and structure. The Silk Route that connected Kashmir with Central Asia not only enriched the Valley with the trade that took place in carpets, shawls and saffron, but also gave it a multicultural aesthetic.

This dynamism of economics and culture created an environment of inclusion that manifests in the architecture of the land. Be it the eighth-century Martand Sun Temple near Anantnag or the 200-year-old shrine of Peer Dastgeer Sahab, what binds centuries of history is the common thread of Kashmiri craftsmanship and syncretism. A recent exhibition in Delhi, organised by INTACH, J&K Chapter, Department of Tourism, Kashmir and India International Centre, Delhi, displayed the “Sacred Architecture of Kashmir”, showing how spiritual traditions continued in form and structure.

Drawings and photographs on panels explained how common design elements linked Buddhist and Sufi shrines to Hindu temples and Islamic mosques. “Kashmir was a centre of Hinduism and when Ashoka arrived around third century CE, he brought in Buddhism. Even the medieval temples were different in form and space compared to the rest of India. When Islam arrived, it had a very different grammar from Iranian and Turkish architecture. It is the regional experience of Kashmir that lent it a unique identity, very different from anything in the world,” says senior architect Hakim Sameer Hamdani, of INTACH, J&K Chapter. As part of several empires and outreach, be it Gupta, Kushan or Gandhara, Kashmir internalised the architectural and cultural experience, in a language that’s uniquely Kashmiri, says Hamdani.

As he points to the panel about the Martand Sun Temple, he references the influence of Greek architectural elements in the columns, the pedestal and the arches. It’s Kashmir’s most prominent example of a peristyle (continuous porch of columns). Built by Karkota Dynasty king, Lalitaditya, its influence shows in the pyramidal top common to many temples in Kashmir. It also wasn’t uncommon to see rectangular quadrangles in the central courtyard surrounded by cubicles all around in temples.

This spatial layout seeps into the Khanqah-i-Maulla shrine in Srinagar too. This wooden Sufi hospice built in the late 14th century was constructed by Sufi saint Mir Sayed Ali Hamdani. The panel at the exhibition tells of how it resembles the Buddhist chaitya halls while the ceiling of the central chamber is supported on wooden columns, seen in temples of medieval Kashmir.

The multi-tiered pyramidical roof, crowned by a spire, echoes the architectural tradition of a Hindu and Buddhist past. Even as Islam came into Kashmir around 14th century, the kings chose to blend in and the architecture speaks of that native process. The Jamia Masjid in Srinagar went through numerous fires and restorations, though it kept to the original plan from the 15th century. Unlike any other mosque of the Islamic world with domes and minarets, the pyramidical roof surfaces here yet again. With a courtyard that resembles Char Bagh, wooden colonnades that support the ceiling, and pinja kari detailing, this architectural marvel has been preserved effectively by INTACH. “Architecture is a tool to understand history,” says Hamdani.

Referring to the way buildings later took on Islamic elements of domes and minarets, he says, “People travelled and saw a different nature of Islamic architecture. It was a question of novelty. As each new mosque and new building comes up, the skyline of Kashmir will change. But how do we perceive it? How do we move ahead with a respect for the past?” With his team at INTACH, they restored the Peer Dastgeer Sahib shrine after the fire of 2012. “We were able to replicate all of it as before, so much so the spiritual head felt that nothing about it had changed. He still worshipped by the same window as he did before the fire. The fire seemed to have been only a memory,” says Hamdani.

The original katamband ceilings, papier-mache surfaces, and the brick and wood structural restoration happened alongside as prayers continued. “We aim to show the continuity, where one faith melted into the other. Unfortunately, we still don’t have a crafts museum that honours the culture and tradition of the state. We hope the contents of this exhibition will soon turn into a book,” says Saleem Beg, Convener, INTACH, J&K Chapter.

https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/art-and-culture/kashmir-architecture-weaving-culture-and-tradition-peer-dastgeer-sahib-shrine-6263273/, February 12, 2020

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday stressed on the need of conservation and restoration of the heritage sites that have been damaged by natural disasters. “Odisha’s heritage sites must be preserved for future generations at any cost for they not only represent the state’s cultural identity but also serves as a driving force of its economy,”said Patnaik inaugurating the 2nd BIMSTEC Disaster Management Exercise-2020 (BIMSTEC DMEx-2020) here. The three-day programme is being organised jointly by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA).

He underpinned the preservation of heritage sites and stressed on undertaking of adequate documentation, proper identification and grading of heritage sites. “It is important to undertake adequate documentation, proper identification and grading of heritage sites based on the potential risk and other characteristics. We must improve upon early warning dissemination system and capacity building for conservation of cultural heritage sites,” said he.

He hoped that the BIMSTEC DMEx-2020 would prove a milestone in safeguarding the cultural heritage sites across the region. Highlighting Odisha’s disaster preparedness, Patnaik said that maturity in preparedness, along with Zero Casualty approach has shaped Odisha as a role model earning praise from UN and international media. Over 80 delegates belonging to five member countries, Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Nepal, are participating in this exercise. However, Bhutan and Thailand are not participating in the exercise. Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy and NDRF DG Satya Narayan Pradhan also spoke. The exercise is being organised from Tuesday to Thursday at Bhubaneswar and Puri.

Union Minister of State for Home Nityananda Rai would launch field training exercise at Ramchandi Beach on Wednesday in Puri. An exercise village has been set up at Ramchandi where simultaneous on aquatic disaster response with special attention to the damage to heritage site would take place as part of the exercise. This would provide real-time scenarios so that in times of disaster, a proper plan for response and coordination among member nation can be executed in multi-agencies scenarios. International observers like United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) and the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) and national observers like Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and representatives from various stakeholders like India Meteorological Department (IMD), National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF), Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Central Water Commission (CWC), Animal Quarantine and Certification Service (AQCS), Civil Defence and Fire Services BIMSTEC are participating in the exercise.

https://www.dailypioneer.com/2020/state-editions/cm-stresses-on-conservation-of-heritage-sites.html, February 12, 2020

A group of 21 elected local government representatives from the 2015-quake-hit Nuwakot district of Nepal are on a five-day exposure visit to India to learn about the country’s sustainable urban development and livelihood integration. The group, which began their trip on February 10 under the India’s post-earthquake reconstruction efforts in Nepal in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), include mayors, chairs, vice-chairs of eight rural municipalities and an official from the Federation of Nepalese Journalists, the Indian Embassy here said in a statement on Thursday.

“During their visit to India, the delegation will visit Central Building Research Institute (CBRI), Roorkee, to observe the Shake Table Testing Facility and different labs such as Structural Engineering lab, Fire lab, Technology Demonstration lab and Rural Park,” it said.

The delegation will also visit the Centre for Urban and Regional Excellence in New Delhi to learn participatory process for sustainable urban development and livelihood integration.

At the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), the delegation will a hear presentation on post-earthquake conservation and restoration works by INTACH together with a guided tour at its heritage academy, the statement said. The massive earthquake in Nepal in April, 2015 created havoc, killing over 10,000 people and injuring nearly 22,000 people. Gorkha and Nuwakot were the worst-hit districts. India is collaborating with Nepal on post-earthquake reconstruction of 23,088 houses in Nuwakot district.

“To complement the Nepal’s owner driven reconstruction approach, UNOPS is providing socio-technical facilitation to home owners to rebuild their resilient homes,” the statement said. "The visit will provide an avenue for building capacities of key local stakeholders for ensuring earthquake resilient reconstruction by raising community awareness about disaster management, recovery and resilience,” it added.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/representatives-from-quake-hit-nuwakot-district-of-nepal-are-on-exposure-trip-to-india/article30810263.ece, February 13, 2020

For the first time in Jammu, Expert Group deliberated on the “Ethnic Foods of Jammu as Intangible Heritage” as an important component of the culture with traditional recipes across Jammu province. The interactive meet was organized by Intach, Jammu Chapter in the conference room of Department of Home Science, Government College for Women, Gandhi Nagar, Jammu.

Hemla Aggarwal, former Principal, GDC (Women), Parade was the chief guest. Faculty members of Home Science and Food Technology of GDC (Women), Parade and GDC (Women), Gandhi Nagar, participated in the meeting. S M Sahni, Convener, Intach Jammu Chapter along with Kuldeep Wahi Co-Convener and Prof Sudhir Singh, Advisor Languages/Crafts, Intach Jammu Chapter deliberated on the list of 250 items of ethnic/traditional foods of Jammu which includes different kinds of Madras, Umbles, Saags, Alloo Sabj’s, Cottage Cheese varieties, Black Mushroom, Dhingri, Dishes of Rajmash, Beans, Non-Veg Saag-meat, Khatta meat, Desi Murg, Nargsi Kofta, Keema Dishes, Shikar varieties, Kabbargah, Khoya mutton, Pulaos, Traditional snacks, Veg & Non Veg Achar, chatnis and Deserts-sweets.

It was impressed that field survey of different areas of Jammu will be carried out before finalizing the traditional food items. Next level of standardization, cooking methodology and documentation work shall be carried out in the near future which will be ultimately compiled in the shape of booklet and will be sent across the country through 205 chapters of Intach and will be very useful for Hospitality sector, Academic Institutions, Food Lovers and Research scholars etc.

Dr Nidhi Kotwal, Prof Seema Kotwal of GDC (Women), Parade, Dr Jasvinder Kaur, Dr Monika Hans, Dr Neelma from GDC (Women), Gandhi Nagar, Pooja Langer, Education Department, Gurudas Rana, R S Jamwal, former senior officers of ITDC and Kanwar Singh, traditional Foods Cooking Expert of Jammu presented their view points and suggestions. The meet concluded with vote of thanks presented by S M Sahni.

https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/interactive-meet-on-ethnic-foods-of-jammu-held/, February 13, 2020

The excavators and JCB’s have stopped short before many temples that surround the Lingaraj complex. While extensive damage has been done to the many heritage structures of the Old Town, the administration has not demolished a single temple, big or small, till now. However, the iconic Ganesh temple called as the Budha Ganesh (Old Ganesh), on the northern side of Lingaraj complex is slated for demolition due to the road expansion.

This small temple dates to the 11th Century CE, contemporary to the Lingaraj temple. It was originally one of the subsidiary temples and was inside the complex before the wall was built in later years. It has been listed as a protected monument years ago and is one of the smallest Ganesh temples of the Old City. Presently inside the premises of the B.M.High School, the small temple is seven feet in height and is a five tiered Pidha Deula of the Kalingan order.

The B.M. High School is among the oldest schools of Bhubaneswar which was established in 1940. The small temple is inside the School complex since the last eighty years. The three feet black chlorite idol of Lord Ganesh has been worshipped by the students of the school for years.

There is a miniature Navagraha panel which is intact along with a small kirtimukha near the entrance. An ancient idol of Hanuman too sits outside the temple. The rays of rising sun fall straight inside the garbha griha of the temple. The administration has dug up the area near the temple and has made a small pedestal inside the verandah of the school for installing the idol. A few rooms of the school too have been demolished. After the idol is removed, the entire temple along with the Navagraha panel will be razed to the ground. This will happen in the next few days. Speaking at the inauguration of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Co-operation Disaster Management exercise yesterday, the Chief Minister had said “Heritage sites not only represent our cultural identity, but are also a driving force for our economy. They must be preserved for future generation at any cost."

It is surprising that the temple, which was preserved years ago and included inside the School complex, will now be demolished. It can be left alone, standing in the middle of the corridor without causing any hindrance. According to Anil Dhir of INTACH, the Archeological Survey of India should put a stop to such activity. The entire modernization exercise being undertaken should be stopped and proper heritage evaluation made. The ASI is a silent spectator to the wanton destruction of valuable heritage. While much has already been lost, the government has plans to raze down many more heritage structures.

A.B.Tripathy, State Convener of INTACH, is of the opinion that if the removal of the temple is imminent, then it should be handed over to a proper agency and relocated to another place, instead of being demolished. He further said that the administration should have a consulting team of historians and archaeologists for the haphazard modernisation and development plans that are being undertaken.

https://orissadiary.com/odisha-iconic-ganesh-temple-called-as-the-budha-ganesh-in-bhubaneswar-to-be-razed/, February 13, 2020

After stirring the melting pot of Franco-Indian culture over an event-packed three weeks, the sixth Pondicherry Heritage Festival 2020 drew to a close on Tuesday, with a reception hosted by the French Consulate, a posthumous honouring of a French historian, and a changing of guard that will see youth drive the future editions of the festival.

PHF 2020, which was launched on January 25 with a bio-play, Bharathi Yaar based on Mahakavi Subramania Bharati, who had sought refuge in the city during the freedom struggle, had featured an eclectic mix of events. The experience included events focused on the natural heritage of the city, ranging from heritage quiz and painting contests for children, heritage walk, cycle rides in town and out to the suburban waterbodies, street play, food trail, music and dance. One of the significant outcomes of the festival was the initiation of a process to make a bid for UNESCO world heritage city status.

The process of framing a dossier kicked off with a preliminary meeting involving Chief Secretary Ashwani Kumar, Unesco Director Eric Falt, Town and Country Planning secretary Mahesh Kumar and architect Rabindra Vasavada, who was involved in Ahmedabad’s Unesco application exercise. “It’s a long journey ahead, but an important first step nonetheless,” said French Consul General Catherine Suard. “From next year, we would like to raise PHF to the level of a regional festival involving not just Puducherry but Auroville, Villupuram and Cuddalore,” said Sunaina Mandeen of PondyCan. It is also proposed to maintain a continuum of heritage-based events through the year, she added.

Since 2015, when the People for Pondicherry’s Heritage, PondyCan and INTACH joined hands to conceive the first festival as a community-involved effort to preserve the city’s unique heritage, the festival has grown in terms of volunteer proportions, diversity of experience and community outreach. The Department of Tourism, French Institute of Pondicherry and the Alliance Francaise have been supporting the effort. The idea of the PHF was triggered by the fall of the 144-year-old Mairie, a French-era seat of municipal administration in 2014, and the urgency to evolve a collective campaign to preserve the city’s heritage from ruin, she noted. “The festival has been a volunteer-driven effort and it is heartening to see the involvement of so many youngsters coming up with imaginative ideas and work tirelessly to manage the events,” Ms.Mandeen said.

One of the high points of the evening was the awarding of the ‘Guardian of Pondicherry’s Heritage’ plaque. In the presence of Ms. Suard, Janine Deloche received this year’s plaque awarded posthumously to her spouse and historian Jean Deloche from V. Nallam, the title’s first recipient. The citation presented by Kakoli Banerjee of People for Pondicherry’s Heritage, summed up the contributions of the luminary. Jean Deloche, who was senior associate member of Ecole Française d’Extrême Orient (EFEO) (French School of the Far East), and French Institute of Pondicherry (IFP), and later the Director of Alliance Française of Madras, was conferred with the Hirayama Prize by the Academy of Inscriptions and Belles-Lettres, Paris. His first publications focused on the history of traffic in India (chariots, boats), and especially that of transport routes, including a memorable study on Indian bridges.

For the place he called home, the historian created a CD documentary, ‘Pondicherry Past and Present’, detailing the history of the former French enclave since its creation in the 17th century to the present day with texts, illustrations, photos and maps preserved in French archives.

Textile centre
It summarises the history of erstwhile Pondicherry from the struggle between the French and British in establishing colonial empire in India, the territory’s dazzling growth as a modest textile centre to its subsequent denigration by the British in 1761. On the creation of Pondicherry, he showed that the city grew according to a rigorous urban plan designed by a Dutch mapmaking engineer in the late seventeenth century.

The final part of the CD details the efforts taken by the government and other institutions in preserving the rich heritage of the tiny former French enclave and the territory’s emergence as an important tourist destination in the country today. The documentary is now a valuable inventory of monuments and a guide for the residents, domestic and foreign tourists.

Jean Deloche’s second field of research concerned the history of Indian technology. His meticulous research on transportation techniques, cars, boats, bridges, has been the subject of an extensive synthesis published in French and English and partly reproduced in Volume II of History of Technology in India. Finally, it should be noted that, based entirely on the use of iconographic material, his investigations of military techniques in the Hoysala period, the harnessing of the horse, and daily life in the Nayaka period represent a methodological novelty.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/puducherry/pondicherry-heritage-festival-comes-to-an-end/article30804958.ece, February 13, 2020

The stage is set. Qila Mubarak, which is undergoing renovation, is all set to host events, part of the heritage festival, which will begin on February 22. Preparations for events are going on along with renovation of the darbar hall, front façade, the Ran Baas area and Androon Mehal. The restoration work will finish by June this year. Qila Mubarak is an old fort first built as a ‘kachigarhi’ (mud fort) by Baba Ala Singh, known to be the founder of Patiala in 1763. Later, the fort was reconstructed with bricks.

The fort will host musical evenings and performances of noted artistes, including Kuchipudi dancer and Padma Bhushan awardee Raja Radha Reddy, Padma Bhushan Ustad Zakir Hussain and sitar player Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan among others. Noted artistes, including Ustad Shujat Khan, Pt Ulhas Kashalkar and others have performed at Qila Mubarak during previous festivals.

Darbar hall, front façade, the Ran Baas area and Androon Mahal of the iconic Qila Mubarak are being renovated as part of different projects initiated by the Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Punjab. The state government is spending Rs 10.34 crore on the renovation and restoration of the Ran Baas area, which could be used for running a hotel. Along with the Ran Baas (guest house), darbar hall, museum and art gallery are also undergoing renovation and at present are closed for the public.

The district administration is restoring walls from which paint has come off. The Deputy Commissioner, Patiala, Kumar Amit, said, “As was done for the previous events, we are managing transportation facilities, the venue and the stage. We will be reviewing all the preparations before the start of the event.”

Efforts on to restore monument
Earlier, 300-year-old Qila Mubarak was in bad shape. Efforts were made by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), Patiala, for the preservation of the historic fort. Amrik Singh Chinna, then convener of the trust, led efforts for the restoration of the ‘qila’, Sheesh Mahal and Moti Bagh Palace. The trust also filed petition in a court against the state government’s decision to demolish building ‘declared unsafe’. Later, the government was directed to restore the heritage building.

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/qila-mubarak-all-set-to-host-musical-evenings-41079, February 13, 2020

Five little visited UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India

Though India has 6th largest number of sites in the world, recognised as World Heritage Site by UNESCO, tourists mainly flock to a handful, while a large number of other jewels of Indian heritage remain largely unexplored. Being recognised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a World Heritage Site signifies a remarkable achievement for not only the site and the city or area where it is located, but indeed it is the entire country that benefits, not only from greater awareness around the world but also due to higher tourist footfall.

The UNESCO tag brings along a value of distinction and fame that becomes a prime consideration for discerning travellers and excursionists. India has a total of 38 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, sprinkled all over the country. However, just a handful, notably the Taj Mahal in Agra or the Red Fort in Delhi have grabbed the attention of tourists as well tour operators from all over the world and as a result, many of India’s World Heritage sites remain in the shadow of the most popular ones, even though they have their own rich cultural, historical or scientific significance and are incredible in their own way.

Here, we mention five such UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India hiding their own charm. Rani ki vav, Gujarat
Rani ki vav, a stepwell situated in the town of Patan in India’s western state Gujarat, is a prime illustration of stepwell architecture in India. The stepwell figures on the rear side of the INR 100 (₹100) banknote in lavender colour. Conceived, designed and built as an inverted temple, Rani ki vav measures approximately 65 metres in length, 20 metres in breadth and 28 metres in depth. The stepwell is divided into seven levels of stairs that lead down to a deep circular well that emphasises the sanctity of water. Named India’s ‘Cleanest Iconic Place’ at the 2016 Indian Sanitation Conference, the stepwell’s 212 pillars, seven terraces and multiple beams, columns and brackets are adorned with beautiful carvings of more than 500 major statues of Hindu gods and goddesses and thousands of little ones.

It is believed that the stepwell was built in the 11th century by Udayamati in the memory of her husband, King Bhima I, a Chaulukya king under whose reign the Turkic ruler Mahmud of Ghazni, from Afghanistan, ransacked the Somnath Temple and many other places in Gujarat.

Centuries of neglect and frequent flooding by the nearby Saraswati River led to silting of the stepwell and it was only in the 1980s that it was restored by the Archaeological Survey of India and it went on to be listed as one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites in 2014.

Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Park, Uttarakhand
This UNESCO World Heritage site is comprised of two core areas, the Nanda Devi National Park and the Valley of Flowers National Park which are about 20 km apart, plus an encompassing Combined Buffer Zone. The Nanda Devi National Park, home to India’s third highest mountain at a peak, Nanda Devi at 7,817 metres, is blessed with excellent high-altitude rugged Western Himalayan landscapes. In a sharp contrast, the Valley of Flowers National Park has delicate meadows of endemic alpine flowers and rich biodiversity.

The high mountain wilderness of both these parks shelter impressive populations of globally threatened species including the Asiatic black bear, snow leopard, Himalayan musk deer, brown bear, blue sheep and numerous plant species. Since the entire area falls under the Western Himalayas Endemic Bird Area (EBA), it also possesses a remarkable amount of Galliformes.

Capitol Complex, Chandigarh
Built against the Shivalik Hills, the complex is famously designed by the Swiss-French architect Charles-Edouard Jeanneret-Gris, generally known as Le Corbusier. One of the fore-fathers of modern architecture, Le Corbusier, also credited to having designed Notre-Dame du Haut in France; his work in Chandigarh is home to numerous architectural projects of Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Matthew Nowicki and Albert Mayer. Architecture students and fans usually sign up for a guided tour of the complex.

The complex also consists of three crucial government buildings, the Secretariat, High Court, and Legislative Assembly and was added to the UNESCO list in 2016.

Mountain Railways of India
The Mountain Railways of India, as the name suggests, are the railway lines that are built in the mountainous regions of India. Three of these railway lines namely, the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (between Siliguri and Darjeeling), the Nilgiri Mountain Railway (between Mettupalayam and Udagamandalam) and the Kalka–Shimla Railway (between Kalka and Shimla) collectively got inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1995, 2005 and 2008 respectively. Their UNESCO acknowledgement states them as being “outstanding examples of bold, ingenious engineering solutions for the problem of establishing an effective rail link through a rugged, mountainous terrain”.

Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam
In the quiet plains of the Manas River, bordering Bhutan in the foothills of the Himalayas, amidst forested hills, alluvial grasslands and tropical evergreen forests lies the Manas Wildlife Sanctuary. With an area of about 390 square kilometers, it is a part of the core zone of the Manas Tiger Reserve spanning for 2,837 square kilometers. In 1907, it was declared a reserve forest, a sanctuary in 1928, a tiger reserve in 1973 as part of “Project Tiger” and finally a UNESCO World Heritage Site in December 1985.

The exquisite Himalayan subtropical broadleaf forests lead the region to have one of the richest biodiversities areas in the world. The sanctuary is home to numerous rare and endangered species of flora and fauna. With tigers, greater one-horned rhinos, swamp deers, pygmy hogs, Bengal floricans Asian golden cats, dholes, capped langurs, golden langurs, Assamese macaques and much more animals, the sanctuary is recorded to have 55 species of mammals, 380 species of birds, 50 of reptiles, and three species of amphibians.

https://mediaindia.eu/tourism/lesser-known-heritage-jewels-of-india/, February 13, 2020

Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Kapoor’s letter said that city residents had no objection to revamping the park and water bodies but people want it to be named after India's soldier Hamid. A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) functionary has objected to restoration of 17th century palace —Sheesh Mahal — in north Delhi’s Shalimar Bagh, where sixth Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s coronation took place in 1658. Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor on Thursday wrote to Union Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel to review the decision and also suggested to rename the garden after Havildar Abdul Hamid, who was posthumously conferred India’s highest military decoration, Param Vir Chakra, for his actions during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.

“Aurangzeb has been the most hated ruler in this country who forced lakhs of Hindus to convert to Islam and history holds him as the cruelest ruler. The people of the country irrespective of religion disapprove of Aurangzeb’s conduct. In view of his tainted record, New Delhi Municipal Council had renamed Aurangzeb Road as Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Road,” his letter said. Kapoor also sent copies of his letter to Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, who is the local MP.

Last year, following Baijal’s intervention, the redevelopment work of the site started in Shalimar Bagh. In August, the L-G directed all stakeholders to finish the project by December 2020 for which a committee was constituted with representatives from the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, the Archaeological Survey of India, PWD and the police. Kapoor’s letter further said that city residents had no objection to revamping the park and water bodies but people want it to be named after the country’s celebrated soldier Hamid.

“We the people of Delhi are strongly disturbed to know of this decision of the ASI to uplift a monument related to a cruel ruler Aurangzeb whose memory should not be celebrated. A small replica may be put on wall of depleted Sheesh Mahal (which should not be revamped) calling it the unfortunate site of Aurangzeb’s coronation,” he said.

Palace of mirrors
Sheesh Mahal was commissioned by Shah Jahan’s wife, Akbarabadi Begum. The surrounding garden consisted of fruit orchards

https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/delhi/2020/feb/14/delhi-bjp-objects-restoration-of-sheesh-mahal-mughal-emperor-aurangzebs-coronation-palace-2103216.html, February 14, 2020

Caught up with Sun temple’s conservation, prime custodian ASI seems to have relegated these little entities to backburner, leaving them to virtually rot. About a kilometre away from where Sun Temple stands, towering into the sky as an ode to the timeless Kalingan architecture, fragments of Odisha’s invaluable legacy lay on a mound.

Each sculpture, once part of the architectural marvel, now bears distinct marks of weariness of weather and indifference inflicted over the decades. Welcome to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)’s museum where these pieces of Odisha’s magnificent history pile on each other under the open sky, as if seeking cover from the unforgiving summers, monsoon and winters.

Caught up with Sun temple’s conservation, prime custodian ASI seems to have relegated these little entities to backburner, leaving them to virtually rot. India’s premier archaeological agency is often accused of replacing intricately engraved sculptures with plain stones on the walls of the 13th-century monument, a charge ASI has constantly refuted. However, it is at pains to explain why the sculptures engraved on Khandolite stones which have fallen off the monument over the decades remain uncared for. And these are not just a few of them; a count says that there are 2,050 carved and plain sculptures (architectural fragments) which are stacked up at an open space called the “sculpture shed."

None of them is documented. The ASI museum was established in 1968 and now has four galleries that exhibit 262 sculptures, comprising mostly fallen compositional pieces and figures that were found by the British when they began clearing the Konark temple complex in 1901. Designated antiquities, these sculptures are secured in galleries and a reserve room. Not each part of Sun temple has been as lucky. Outside the museum building and on its premises at Konark, ASI has stocked hundreds of small and large fragments of the main temple that first collapsed. Parts of Jagamohan and Natya Mandap also find refuge out in the open. Although the museum was meant to preserve remains of the protected temple, ASI clearly is struggling with space and logistics.

Odisha Government, on its part, has rarely shown any interest to chip in with support though it has embarked on a grand heritage project across the State, including at Konark. Many of the freestanding images and architectural fragments, broken ornamented panels of the Sun temple, which exhibit the rich repository of Kalingan architecture and sculptural grandeur, stand mute spectator to the state apathy. Besides the 262 antiquities which are safe in the galleries, as many as 293 large fragments of Sun temple are placed on 106 pedestals in the courtyard while over 2,050 carved and plain architectural fragments have found place in the sculpture shed. Most sit on boundary walls and a series of brick pedestals rising to the height of around 3 ft exposed to humidity and salinity. Fragments are not as important as the antiquities of Sun temple, says ASI and, that is why they must suffer their fate. None of the fragments has, so far, undergone chemical cleaning or any other treatment to delay aging of stones. As a result, many get corroded, blunted and are losing layers.

"Fragments in the courtyard are being cleaned but it is difficult to treat such a large number of fragments stocked in the sculpture shed,” museum in-charge PK Nayak claims. None of these fragments has been documented till date, either by the British or ASI. On the contrary, at least 100 fragmented sculptures are properly documented by the National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities. Conservationists are aghast at the indifference. They say fragments are as precious as antiquities because they are part of the majestic monument’s history. “The fragments are all the more important because they belong to a designated World Heritage Site. Instead leaving them out in the open, these must be conserved and stacked because these are important pieces of architectural evidence which can piece together history and architectural significance of the temple. Every bit of information is important when it comes to Konark temple", says eminent heritage conservationist Urvashi Srivastava.

At The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, conservationists feel fragments must ideally be conserved in-situ but if it is not possible, these should be relocated to a place where it would be safe for continued contemplation. Superintending archaeologist of ASI-Bhubaneswar Circle, Arun Mallick informs that he has submitted a proposal for construction of a roof for sculpture shed. “Conservation works move at a slow pace and so far, focus has been on Sun temple’s Jagamohan and its periphery.

However, we have now approached ASI to construct a shed or a roof like structure”, says Mallick who initiated a massive restoration work at the Sun temple. Under the renewed restoration drive, iron scaffoldings were removed recently from the Jagamohan after two decades.

In ASI custody

262 sculptures in 4 galleries of the museum 293 large fragments of Sun temple are placed on 106 pedestals in the courtyard 2,050 carved and plain architectural fragments have found place on the brick pedestals and boundary walls of sculpture shed

Story of neglect
None of the fragments has been documented by either the British or ASI Although the museum was meant to preserve remains of the protected temple, ASI clearly is struggling with space and logistics Odisha Government has rarely shown any interest to chip in with support

https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bhubaneswar/2020/feb/16/konarks-museum-of-ruins-2104061.html, February 17, 2020

Erected 200 years ago in an area now falling under Gurgaon, the tomb has undergone massive deterioration — with chipping paint revealing bits of bricks underneath, and the inscription on the tomb faded in several places. The tomb of a French major, who served in the army of Begum Samru, will undergo a transformation in the next two months, with the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) taking it under its wing and intending to begin restoration work in coming weeks.

Erected 200 years ago in an area now falling under Gurgaon, the tomb has undergone massive deterioration - with chipping paint revealing bits of bricks underneath, and the inscription on the tomb faded in several places. “Our drawings, project and financial reports are ready. We now have to award the contract to a contractor to start work, which should be done in the next 15-20 days.

An architect, who is an INTACH member, will supervise the work. He has estimated it should be done within a month,” said Atul Dev, convenor of INTACH’s Gurgaon chapter, adding that the restoration will likely cost “between Rs 15-20 lakh”. Located at the centre of one of the three parks tucked away in Gurgaon’s Mohyal Colony, the structure has a tombstone at the top, which can be accessed by a flight of four stairs that runs along three sides. The inscription on the tombstone reveals it had been erected in memory of Major Jean Etienne, who was born in Bordeaux, France, and died in 1821 aged 75. “He served HH BEGUM SOMBRE for Thirty Five Years was a Gallant Soldier and an honest Man” the inscription reads, ending with the phrase, “Poor Mortals Fare You Well”.

The wife of Captain Sombre from France, Begum Sombre came to locally be known as Begum Samru since people found it difficult to correctly pronounce her French name, say historians. After her husband’s death, she began her own mercenary army which, during one of its assignments, had camped in Gurgaon, between Badshahpur and Jharsa. Historians believe the tomb of Jean Etienne helped ascertain the location of this camp, when there was no other evidence of it.

"People talk of a palace in Jharsa that was demolished by a builder in 2008. Nobody really could tell you where exactly her camp was, until we discovered the major’s tomb , who served in Begum Samru’s army and was her trainer. His tomb lies at the edge of Jharsa village. That gave us proof of Begum Samru's establishment in Gurgaon,” said Dev. Among local residents, the story behind the tomb is vaguer, with most only knowing it was erected in memory of a French major. Rumours and myths, however, surround another structure that adjoins it.

While some insist it is “the grave of the major’s horse”, others say it is the tomb of Etienne’s daughter. Dev dismissed these claims: “These are all local myths. The structure actually seems to be not more than thirty or forty years old. It is not from the same time”.

“After the work is complete later this year, we hope to invite the French ambassador for the inauguration, and to also involve him to see if any of the major’s family in France can be tracked down, who can come and be part of the ceremony,” said Dev.

https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/at-mohyal-colony-200-year-old-tomb-of-french-major-in-gurgaon-to-be-restored-6271432/, February 17, 2020

As in most of India, the cultural heritage of Gurugram and Haryana has a rich corpus of traditional oral literature. This valuable intangible heritage is passed on from one generation to another by word of mouth. This rich folklore is expressed in the forms of songs, ballads, tales, legends, myths, sayings, proverbs, idioms, etc. Although intangible cultural heritage is well sustained by continuing communities, sometimes it faces risk due to increasing modernisation, loss of cultural values, and generational gaps.

UNESCO, therefore, encourages countries to safeguard and list their intangible cultural heritage. In the case of Gurugram, safeguarding such intangible heritage of folklore becomes even more significant because of the dearth of tangible and built heritage. As per renowned researcher Sudhir Sharma, who was previously the INTACH Rohtak convener, the intangible heritage of jogi singers in Haryana is found mostly in Gurugram and Rohtak districts.

It is preserved mainly through the songs, stories, and music of various communities, such as jogis, bhats, mirasis, etc. Ragni composers and singers have also enriched the oral literature of this region. There is also an amazing variety of women’s folk songs for almost every occasion, season, rite, and ritual. However, it has recently been observed that the jogi singers of Haryana are becoming an endangered community. The jogis sing lengthy narrative compositions, such as ballads, story-poems, devotional songs, etc.

with their sarangis, highlighting the qualities of valour, courage, adventures, exploits, and devotion of popular folk heroes. The lengthy songs they sing include stories of Heer–Ranjha, Alha-Udal, Gora-Badal, Jaimal-Fatta, Satyavan-Savitri, Harphool Singh Jat, etc. The jogis also perform several socio-cultural roles, such as those of village historians, motivators, and preachers. Some jogis have even composed and sung songs of the First War of Indian Independence of 1857. In the month of Sawan (July-August), the Jogis are specially invited to villages to sing the legend of Ranjha for seven to fifteen days. It is believed that their singing has a medicinal effect as it is supposed to ward off and cure foot-and-mouth and other animal diseases.

As per the data collected by Sudhir Sharma, who has video-documented jogi singers for Intach’s Intangible Heritage Division, the official estimates show as many as 600 performing jogis and bhats in the two districts of Rohtak and Gurugram alone. However, their numbers are fast dwindling. If not resuscitated by proper documentation and promoted through cultural performances and training programmes, this rich aspect of Haryanvi folk-lore and its artistic expression would be lost forever. Other forms of important Haryanvi folklore in the region are ragni and shabad. Ragnis are dialogue-songs sung in the saangs.

They are an indispensable part of the folk theatre of Haryana. While the saang performances are on the decline, ragnis are still popular, entertaining thousands of people in what are called ragni kumpitishuns. When sung in a saangs, they are sung to the accompaniment of a full folk orchestra comprising the sarangi, dholak, nakkara, harmonium, clarinet, etc. However, when sung in isolation, they are accompanied with the gharwa (earthen pitcher) and banjo. Except for a few ragnis composed by singer-poets like Mehar Singh, most of these songs have been composed by masters of the stage, such as Pandit Lakhmi Chand, Mange Ram, Dhanpat Singh, Jamua Meer, Ram Kishan Vyas, Baaje, Chander Baadi and many others. Sufism had a strong influence on the devotional songs of the folk poets of Haryana. These songs, called shabads in the local dialect, are sung by devotees on the iktara. The compositions or vaanis of eminent saint-poets of Haryana like Garib Das and Nitanand are also sung with devotion.

The devotional songs have also been enriched by the by bhajans of the Arya Samaji singers. In such a scenario, where we are fast losing our intangible heritage, it is encouraging to see establishment of museums, such as the Urusvati Museum of Folklore in Gurugram (near Tauru on National Highway-8), that encourage and promote local folk music, arts and crafts. (Shikha Jain is state convenor, INTACH Haryana Chapter and member of Heritage Committees under ministries of culture and HRD. She is co-­editor of book ‘Haryana: Cultural Heritage Guide’; director, DRONAH (Development and Research Organisation)

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/the-intangible-cultural-heritage-of-the-folk-singers-of-haryana/story-4V5JKZx26zRK3potbmgVCP.html, February 17, 2020

Invisible sites of history serve as living context. There was a small school that my father went to in our old town. The school continues to exist and so does its old building. It gives us a sense of continuity,” said the tall frail man. Thomson Mayes, chief legal officer and general counsel of Washington D.C.’s National Trust for Historic Preservation, was in Calcutta a while ago. He was addressing a select gathering at the Indian Council of Cultural Relations, organised by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage or Intach. He continued to make his point, “We perhaps see this continuity most forcefully when the connection between people and places are broken and when there is displacement."

Mayes cited the example of Palmer Chapel in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park (in North Carolina, US), where people were forcibly removed so the park could be built. And Matera Nui in Italy, where people were forcibly removed from the buildings. He said, “The guide there told me that his grandmother was removed and the community was never the same.” A lifelong preservationist, Mayes has extensive knowledge about the preservation policy landscape in the US and is an expert on urban heritage. From places and individual identity to places and collective identity, the talk moved to places and national identity. Mayes said, “Countries have also long preserved places that represent national identity. But I have spoken to people who are uncomfortable talking about heritage as a way to preserve places of patriotism or aspects of national identity."

Memories of the past are often shaped in accordance with a certain notion of being or relatability. In the US, plantations are preserved but they often black out the stories of the enslaved. On the frontiers, the stories of native Americans were omitted but those places where they lived were preserved. According to Mayes, in his experience, the survival of the place provides an opportunity and the context for the story to be continued to be told. He spoke about Abraham Lincoln’s summer cottage in D.C. “Visitors love to touch the handrail he used and love walking on the floorboard knowing that their president walked on it,” he explained. “At Emily Dickinson’s house, we learn something about her poetry we could not have learnt from her biography,” he continued.

And went on to add that the tiny Kwan Tai Temple in California is as much about religion as it is about the history of Chinese Americans. Mayes suggested that apart from stoking nostalgia and tethering identities, places of heritage are also conducive to creativity. He cited how some such spaces had been converted to house new businesses and vocations. He said, “People want to be inspired by real people.” Old places also matter because some have a halo owing to the difficult things that have happened there, Mayes said that day. Any violation of an old place — Bamiyan statues or a burning Notre Dame — elicits outrage across the world because of the association with a common humanity, a shared universal identity, he reiterated to an audience in a city where a quiet de-listing of a rich and varied heritage is continuing unabated.

https://www.telegraphindia.com/states/west-bengal/regarding-relics/cid/1745515, February 17, 2020

The picturesque Osmansagar, an engineering and architectural marvel, has turned 100. While it should have been an event for Hyderabadis to rejoice, ironically the reservoir across the river Musi has fallen on bad days in its centennial year. Osmansagar was built in 1920 by the Nizam VII, Mir Osman Ali Khan, as part of the two-pronged strategy of engineer-genius Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya to tame floods in Musi and provide drinking water to a million people in Hyderabad. The foundation stone was laid by the Nizam on March 23, 1913, and the lake was ready, brimming with water in 1920.

The Nizam VI, Mir Mahbub Ali Khan, had conceived the project soon after the devastating deluge in 1908 that had killed about 50,000 people (reported by Los Angeles Herald in its October 2, 1908, issue). The flood had affected over 4 lakh people and caused financial loss of Rs 20 crore, which, if compared to present-day price of gold, would be Rs 6.05 lakh crore. The devastation was huge and human bodies lay strewn all over.

The deluge was the result of unprecedented rainfall over a catchment of 860 square miles of Musi and its tributary Esi on September 28, 1908. The quantum of rainfall recorded at Shamshabad, where a rain gauge was available, was 12.8 inches in 24 hours and 18.90 inches in 48 hours. The flood discharge was 4.25 lakh cusecs and the narrow Musi could not withstand the flash flood, resulting in unprecedented death and destruction in Hyderabad.

The construction of Osmansagar had prevented flash floods in Hyderabad in the last 100 years. The occasional flooding in the city is not due to overflowing of the Musi, but encroachments on channels that drain the rainwater into the numerous lakes dotting the city and ultimately into Musi. INTACH Hyderabad convener P Anuradha Reddy says Osmansagar is not a mere water body, it is part of the engineering and architectural heritage of the princely Hyderabad state. The survival of Osmansagar is essential for Hyderabad for many reasons. Apart from its environmental charm and benefits, Osmansagar is part of Hyderabad’s hydrological cycle. It was one of the biggest structures built in the British India. “Osmansagar is an engineering marvel.

It speaks volumes of the genius of the father of Indian engineering, Sir Visvesvaraya, who took care of every detail of the dam. We presented the lake with INTACH award not only for its engineering superiority but also for the unique hydrological equipment it possesses,” she says. Unprecedented planning went into the lake design and construction. Material was sourced from a special railway line laid for the project.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/at-100-osmansagars-tide-hits-an-ebb/articleshow/74154591.cms, February 17, 2020

A large portion of the Najafgarh wetland, which squats across the DelhiGurugram border, could dry up if a check dam is built there as the Haryana government finds itself at the intersection of local land owners’ demands and concerns about a major environmental loss. Gokul (name changed) is 67 and has spent all his life in Dhankot village, large parts of which remain submerged in water from the drain most months.

Standing on the muddy bank, he looks across the vast expanse of still, dark water where, till a few days back, ‘Baguley’ or water birdswere dancing around the cackling migratory birds, disturbing the perfect reflection of the blue sky and its milky clouds. “Years back, the waterbody used to make the soil so fertile that villagers grew watermelons here. Now, toxic sewage that flows into this nullah (drain) has polluted our agricultural land and we cannot cultivate anything.

I would like a bund to come up in the area so that the land dries up,” he said, looking away. Gokul echoes hundreds of farmers from eight villages spread over 5,600 acres of Gurugram district - Dharampur, Mohammad Heri, Daulatabad, Kherki Majra, Chandu, Budhera, Makrola, and his home, Dhankot — which remain flooded most of the year, rendering a good percentage of their land uncultivable. From right before the state elections last October, their demand to build a check dam on the drain found a prominent place in poll promises. Last month, the newly elected government instructed its departments to carry out a feasibility survey for the construction of an embankment that will restrict water from flowing out of the Najafgarh drain, eventually drying up and destroying the eponymous wetland (or lake, as some call it) that squats across the Delhi-Gurugram border. The wetland hosts over 280 bird species, apart from being vital to the aquifer network of the National Capital Region (surveys have pointed out that the waterbody has the potential to provide about 100 million litres of potable water a day to southwest Delhi and Gurugram). Move that dashed revival hopes Environmentalists see this move as the government going back on its words because after years of denying its existence, in 2016, the Haryana government submitted a brief to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) expressing its intention to notify 1,200 acres in Najafgarh as officially ‘wetland’, a label that would protect the eco-sensitive marshes from construction activities. This was a giant leap from its earlier claim that only a ‘low-lying area’ exists in Najafgarh. Manu Bhatnagar from Indian National Trust for Art & Cultural Heritage (INTACH), who had filed a petition with NGT last year against the proposed embankment, said, “The government is absolutely backtracking on its stand. That is why we filed an execution application in April 2019 as the state government has not done anything yet to notify Najafgarh Lake as a wetland. The proposed bund is contrary to notification of the wetland. There is a need to understand that the destruction of the wetland will have a major impact on the groundwater level in Delhi-NCR, apart from destroying the entire ecology."

Although the land owners have a strong argument, several factors have led environmental experts to doubt their intentions. Firstly, the land these villagers own was originally part of the common pool, pieces of which they received through the process of consolidation. In the 1970s, Haryana government gave every villager private ownership of a piece of land from the common pool, all of which was previously owned by the Panchayat. Secondly, as green activist Vaishali Rana Chandra has pointed out, the area only allows for seasonal agricultural activity. Despite that, the demand for a bund has raised concern that the ultimate objective is not to farm but sell. “Asalways, politicians are enticing the farmers since the land costs have shot up in the area,” she said.

A picture of confusion
The concerns, said Bhatnagar, are not unfounded as the Gurugram Masterplan 2031 contains proposals of developing several residential sectors in the Najafgarh basin that has recorded high flood levels many times in the last 100 years. The landowners, however, have consistently denied the very existence of any waterbody in the area. “There was no lake here some decades back. For the last 15-20 years, sewage has flowed into the Najafgarh area and it is impossible to carry out any kind of agriculture.

Our lands have become wastelands. If the government notifies it as a wetland, the authorities should compensate us,” said a land owner Ramesh Vashisht of Sector 15 who has land in Budhera village. Newly elected MLA from Badshapur Rakesh Daultabad, an Independent who has extended support to the BJP-JJP coalition government in the state, has approached the state human rights commission on behalf of the farmers.

"About 35 years ago, a canal was made here. However, as the city expanded, waste started being dumped in the area. Due to continuous overflow of the drain, our agricultural fields are always submerged in filthy sewage,” he said. However, every government record and map, including that of the Delhi Development Authority, state gazetteers, flood-control department of Delhi, NCR regional plans, the Union environment ministry (MoEFCC) and Isro wetland documents, mentions that the wetland dates back to 1807, and in 1865, the government dug a 51-km channel from the eastern end of the lake to the Yamuna, which came to be known as the Najafgarh drain.

"After the floods of 1964, the Najafgarh drain was widened to accommodate the flood discharge. Delhi built an embankment on its side of the lake to prevent flooding of its areas,” said Bhatnagar. Also, an INTACH study shows the Najafgarh basin is part of the centuries-old Sahibi Nadi, a dying ephemeral river that would flow through Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi before draining into the Yamuna.

Saving wetland saves lives
Historically, the Najafgarh basin, which is the winter home to about 2,000 flamingos and some endangered birds like the pink-headed ducks and the Siberian crane, has played a crucial role in helping drain flash floods. An estimated 7,000 cusec water flows from the city into Najafgarh drain during monsoon. Due to this huge volume of runoff, the Najafgarh basin is extremely significant for groundwater recharge of the region.

Of the several figures that show the extent of water scarcity in Gurugram, perhaps the most striking is its groundwater development stress index (groundwater abstraction as a percentage of groundwater recharge annually) which is at 209%. Hence, the district has been categorised as ‘over-exploited’ or ‘dark’ by the Central Ground Water Board. There is also a steady decline in the city’s water table at an average rate of 1.5 to 2 metre every year.

Even though the authorities provide canal water through Yamuna, more than 50% of the city’s rising water demand is met from groundwater sources. Instead of killing the wetland by building embankments and dams, green activists have proposed a slew of measures, including treating wastewater before releasing it into the lake, to revive and protect it.

Bhatnagar said the wetland should be declared an area of permanent waterspread and farmers can be compensated to save the lake for groundwater recharge. “The farmers may be compensated for use of land for water submergence as proposed by Haryana government in ‘Functional Plan For Water Recharge in the NCR’ and the money can be recovered from several revenue stream, including groundwater supply. Also, scattered gram sabha land in Delhi side can be consolidated along the embankment, and exchanged with private lands in the depression area,” he said.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/gurgaon/land-or-wetland-haryana-at-a-crossroads/articleshow/74155698.cms, February 17, 2020

Expressing concern over rising cases of temple thefts in Odisha and illegal export of idols, non-profit INTACH urged the government for framing a holistic policy and taking legal measures to deal with the menace. The organisation's state convener Amiya Bhusan Tripathy, who is also the former police chief of Odisha, lamented that there is an absolute lack of awareness and gross apathy regarding the intrinsic value of antique idols that represent the rich cultural heritage of the state.

The prevailing laws intended to prevent idol thefts and burglary are inherently ineffective and a holistic national heritage protection policy and system should be put in place, he said. There is no objective database of antiques -- both stone and metallic idols -- in the approximately 22,000 ancient places of worship in Odisha, Tripathy said on Friday at the annual state conveners' conference of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH).

More than 95 per cent of the antique idols in these temples remain legally unregistered as the National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities remains incomplete, he added. Asserting that the present laws for protecting antiques are weak, Tripathy said new legislation and amendments are a need of the hour and the police should have a separate wing to deal with such crimes.

INTACH's state project coordinator and historian Anil Dhir, who recently published a report on the 'Antiquities of the Prachi Valley', said more than 300 valuable idols were found missing in different places during his survey. Idols which were photographed and documented by scholars in the last three decades have vanished, he said. Nearly 48 cases regarding missing idols were filed in different police stations of the Prachi Valley in the last decade and only one recovery was made, Dhir noted. There were 20 cases of idol theft in the last decade in Bhadrak, but not a single recovery was made, said Digamber Mohanty of the non-profit's Bhadrak district chapter.

Seeking adoption of methods as per international norms, Dhir said metal idols should have laser markings and the stone ones should have metallic engravings as evidence of ownership. There have been many instances where recovered stolen idols could not be traced back to their original places, and are lying in different police stations and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) godowns, Dhir said.

https://www.deccanherald.com/national/east-and-northeast/concern-raised-over-rising-cases-of-temple-thefts-in-odisha-805226.html, February 18, 2020

The gap between what the planners of New Delhi wanted the India Gate area to be and what it has come to resemble today seems to be ever widening. First, it was National War Memorial that came up amid some controversy and secrecy, which kept parts of the India Gate lawns off bounds for the people during its construction. Then came some ugly Delhi Police barricades that were put up due to “security concerns” after the memorial opened.

Now, ugly signboards with embarrassingly inaccurate spellings have been installed around the area by the traffic police, ignoring the aesthetics of the heritage zone. Most of these are flex signage indicating ‘entry’ and ‘exit’ points. Some tell you how to enter and exit ‘Shanjhan Road’ (Shahjahan Road); another is a huge, fallen signboard that points you away from Amar Jawan Jyoti and the National War Memorial. These boards are an eyesore and jarring to the senses. Vivek Vihar resident Dhiraj Kumar thinks so.

He came with his five-year-old daughter on Saturday and felt the disconnect immediately. “For every Delhiite, India Gate is a place of grandeur and a place for family outings. So many memories are associated with this place. These boards feel very out of place here. Maybe they could have used better material. Or guided people about entering and exiting in some other way,” said the 35-year-old. Nandita Aich, a young visitor from Kolkata, was aghast.

“Aren’t there any norms for signage for heritage sites? I am trying to capture India Gate in one frame but look at these ugly signboards that are intruding,’” she said in exasperation. “You see this only at rallies.” The traffic police say that they consulted the civic agencies before going ahead. “The purpose of these is crowd control. These were set up after the major ruckus at India Gate on January 1 last year. The boards are temporary and can be removed when the purpose is served,” said a traffic police officer. Experts are not convinced. Dr Swapna Liddle, convenor of the Delhi Chapter of Intach, said there’s now a huge gap between what the builders of Lutyens’ Delhi had in mind when they designed the place and how the security agencies use it today.

“It was an open space where people just lounged around and had picnics. It had minimal police deployment earlier. After the war memorial, deployment has increased. All these systems were put in place from the security point of view,” Liddle said. According to her, National War Memorial is a prime example of a design and usage gap. “The main gate of the memorial is from the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium end. But it is never open. There are multiple gates which are not operational. When a signage is designed, it is done as part of the original plan.

This was an afterthought for a security purpose, an ad-hoc police requirement which was not systematically planned for,” said Liddle who is also a historian of Delhi. Urban planner and conservation consultant A G K Menon thinks the common man is no longer considered when grand plans are made. “You can see that in this whole drive behind revamping Central Vista. They are not considering convenience of the people at all. This has always been a public space, designed to be used by people. Instead of enhancing the space, the effort seems to be to cut down on that space,” said Menon.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/the-view-on-central-vista-between-india-gate-and-you-signage-that-jars/articleshow/74199575.cms, February 19, 2020

These artists show how culture and the environment can be a focus of commercial as well as responsible enterprises. They were exhibitors at the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival’s 2020 edition. Launched in 2014, PhotoSparks is a weekly feature from YourStory, with photographs that celebrate the spirit of creativity and innovation. In the earlier 445 posts, we featured an art festival, cartoon gallery.

world music festival, telecom expo, millets fair, climate change expo, wildlife conference, startup festival, Diwali rangoli, and jazz festival. The Kala Ghoda Arts Festival (KGAF), held in Mumbai early every February, wrapped up its 21st edition this month. See Part I, II, III, IV and V of our coverage of the 2020 edition, as well as our earlier articles on the festival editions of 2019, 2018 and 2017.

Sustainability and heritage were notable themes this year, as show in this photo essay and artist interviews. “Crafts not only define our cultural roots but are a testament of age-old traditional wisdom and social memory,” explains Jui Tawade, convener of the Pune chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH).

The heritage handicrafts shop Warsaa is one of the initiatives of the chapter, and aims to promote Maharashtrian traditional handicrafts. “The products are made using simple, indigenous tools by craftspeople who belong to a strong fabric of tradition, aesthetics, and artistry. Objects that are crafted by hand embody a unique identity and convey a special sense of purpose,” Jui says, in a chat with YourStory. At KGAF, Warsaa exhibited products priced from Rs 25 to Rs 5,000. The lineup included khann, irkal, woven cloth products, copper and brass metalware, terracotta, stoneware, and papier mache.

“This is our third time exhibiting at KGAF. We've always had a great experience here,” Jui enthuses. In addition to sales, her team got to interact with like-minded people who appreciated their efforts in reviving crafts. “As for the products, most of them do well,” she proudly adds. Sustainability in art practices was another popular theme at KGAF this year, as shown by Saurabh Kadyan, Founder of Corkiza. The company designs lifestyle products with cork wood, which is a natural renewable resource. “Art awareness can be improved in India if we work at the grassroots level, with the new generation in schools, by introducing art classes in a more holistic way and not restricting them to traditional painting, music and dance,” Saurabh emphasises. “When we do that we will be able to develop a generation that will be more connected to our rich cultural heritage. At the same time, they will become more innovative and mindful individuals,” he adds. In a fast-moving commercial world, sustainable resources and practices have unfortunately been ditched, Saurabh laments.

His company designs products such as fashion accessories and home décor, priced from Rs 500 to Rs 9,000. “We participated at KGAF for the first time, and it was a great experience. We met hundreds of people who are makiñg efforts to live a sustainable life and aim to consciously choose products that are good for our planet,” Saurabh enthuses. He says their products were appreciated by all, and they gained many patrons for the sustainable cork products. “Many people suggested new products which we shall be developing and adding to our upcoming collections,” he adds. Both Jui and Saurabh have words of advice for aspiring artists. “Perseverance and hard work always bring good returns,” Jui advises.

Now, what have you done today to pause in your busy schedule and explore your commitment to heritage and sustainability? Got a creative photograph to share? Email us at [email protected]! See also the YourStory pocketbook ‘Proverbs and Quotes for Entrepreneurs: A World of Inspiration for Startups,’ accessible as apps for Apple and Android devices.

https://yourstory.com/2020/02/kala-ghoda-arts-festival-heritage-sustainability, February 20, 2020

The allegation was made—and promptly refuted. But the clarification by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) did little to set at rest the misgivings stoked about intricately carved stones at the 13th-century Sun Temple at Konark being allegedly replaced with plain ones. It all started on February 10 with a tweet by Anushka, who tweets as @ANaayak_.

It had two ‘before and after’ pictures, one showing the exquisitely carved stones and the other showing plain stones. “Restoration they call this. In the first picture, you can see how it must have looked like.

Second picture is their restoration,” she wrote. “I asked one guide. He said maybe they restored it this way because it had erotic sculptures.”

There were angry reactions from outraged twitteratti and the ASI soon came out with a denial: “The two images shown in the tweet are from different locations. The image with sculptures is from Natya Mandapa, while the plain stones images are from the plinth of Jagamohana (the main temple).”

It followed that up with ­another post: “The plain stone work shown in the image was done in the mid-1980s. ASI used plain stone only wherein there was no evidence left and, as per ASI’s the then archaeological policy, only such portions were filled with plain stones. ASI would like to confirm that no sculpture has been replaced.” But concerns about the fine sculptures of the Sun Temple, ­declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1984, have persisted.

“How can the ASI wash its hands off when it has been in charge of maintenance of the temple since 1939?” asks Amiya Bushan Tripathy, convenor of the Odisha chapter of INTACH. The problem, say experts, is that the temple is made of khondalite stone, which is highly susceptible to the effects of weather and the sea breeze because of its irregular porosity. “It is caused by the enclosed dark damp space within the structure that has become ideal breeding ground for harmful moss formation, which slowly decomposes khondalite and can result in ejection of loose stones from the tightly gripping corbel,” former ASI director-general Debala Mitra wrote in a study of efforts to conserve the temple.

Mitra’s apprehensions have been borne out by many instances of stones falling off the structure in the past few years. Preservation of the stones is only part of the problem. The bigger task is conservation of the structure itself. Based on the recommendation of the Roorkee-based Central Building Research Institute, the ASI is all set to begin sand refilling of the entire structure, a strategy adopted during the 1901-03 period by the Britishers in an effort to prevent further damage to the temple.

This, in the backdrop of repeated suggestions for removal of the sand put in by conservation ­experts from around the world over the past three decades. “The extent of damage that has already taken place can be assessed only when the sand is removed, and technology for conservation or even wholesale shifting of the temple is already available globally,” says Anil Dey, who has spent a lifetime studying this piece of ancient Odisha heritage.

“The best course would be to hand it over to the UNESCO, which has in the past relocated the entire Abusimbel temple in Egypt that faced the threat of flooding due to construction of the Aswan dam. It also recovered, piece by piece, Borobudur, an eight-storied monastery, from the Malaysian forests.

Konark will be much easier.” But will the ASI listen to the experts? Will the political leadership, both in the state and at the Centre, display the foresight and courage to conserve this magnificent piece of global heritage, described by UNESCO as “the only ­invaluable link in the history of diffusion of the cult of Surya, which, originating in Kashmir during the 8th century, finally reached Udra Desh during the peak of the Silk Route”?

https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/india-news-archaeology-of-panic/302837, February 20, 2020

Authorities from Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) have done little to protect Mysuru Maharaja Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar’s statue at K.R. Circle which is now cracked and faded, thanks to years of neglect. Cracks have developed in the face and neck of the life-size statue. Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar was known for his development works and promotion of art and culture.

The king’s marble statue was unveiled on October 16, 1952 by Sir M. Visvesvaraya, which was sculpted by R.P.

Kamath from Mumbai. Basavegowda of K.G. Koppal had constructed the structure around it using marble which is the main attraction on New Sayyaji Rao Road and D. Devaraj Urs Road Junction.

The statue is a main attraction at K.R. Circle which houses several heritage structures. Though there was a fountain at the Circle, it was moved to Tipu Circle, near Mysuru Jail to accommodate the statue soon after the death of the Maharaja in 1940.

The statue, made out of marble, is placed in close proximity to the statue of Tenth Chamaraja Wadiyar, the father of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar, in front of the Mysore Palace.

Though the MCC has enhanced its beauty with illumination by placing ornamental plants around it and illuminating it during festive occasions like Dasara, the Civic body has not taken any steps to restore the statue.

Metal pendants damaged, replaced
It may be recalled here that in 2018, the damaged metal pendants in the turban of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar’s Italian marble statue were replaced and the works were carried out by sculptor Arun Yogiraj. There are some hairline cracks on the face and the sword. Climatic conditions also play a role since the statue was exposed to sunlight, wind and dust, said officials. Member of Mysuru District Heritage Committee Prof. N.S.

Rangaraju, who is also the Convener of Mysuru Chapter of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) said that using acid to wash the statue and rough brushes may be a few reasons for the cracks. The statue should be washed in soap water without allowing it to percolate inside through gaps, he opined. “It is not the job of the MCC to clean the statue as it should be assigned to archaeologists as they have expertise in handling such heritage structures. There are a lot of heritage structures and statues in Mysuru and if the Government releases Rs. 50 crore, we will take the responsibility of restoration,” he said.

Yesterday, a team of archaeologists visited the monolithic Nandi Statue atop the Chamundi Hill that had developed cracks due to weather vagaries and man-made Abhishekas.

The celestial Bull (Nandi) rests midway along the road to Sri Chamundeshwari Temple and the monolithic statue is a major tourist attraction. The statue, reckoned to be at least 350 years old, was sculpted during the period of Dodda Devaraja Wadiyar who ruled from 1659 to 1673 and is the only one of its kind in the State. The statue is 3,489 ft above main sea level. The statue had developed cracks near the thighs and carved lips. When the statue was observed with magnifying glass, it was observed that the black varnish applied on the statue had concealed the cracks. The fissures were observed when the Heritage Committee used high-power water jets to clean the oil deposits on the statue that had turned it black. Since many years, owing to rituals like Abhishekas that are regularly performed on the statue, layers of deposits of oil, dirt and dust had accumulated on the statue and it had turned black.

Following the discovery of crack, the District Administration had formed a Committee to inspect the statue. Accordingly, Director of Department of Archaeology and Museums R. Gopal led the inspection team.

https://starofmysore.com/nalwadis-statue-develops-cracks-again/, February 20, 2020

The 153-year-old Watson’s Esplanade Hotel or Esplanade Mansion, one of the earliest surviving cast-iron framed building in the world, may soon undergo restoration after the building owner informed the Bombay High Court on Thursday that he, along with 146 bona fide tenants, will receive ₹50 crore to restore the structure. Earlier, the Maharashtra government had expressed its inability to acquire the building for nearly ₹3,200 crore.

The owner also submitted that a plan will be formulated on the disbursement of the amount (the funding details were submitted in a confidential envelope to the court) and be given to the HC in two weeks.

A Division Bench of Justices S.J. Kathawalla and R.I. Chagla told the landlord not to start repairs or to refurbish the structure before submitting the plan. Appearing for the landlord, advocate Chirag Balsara submitted the confidential letter to the Bench bearing the proposal from the owner and tenants and said, “We are eager to undertake the restoration, and will do the work on our own.”

The Bench then suggested that the work be done under the supervision of an expert, to which the landlord said, “If the court so desires, we will not have any problem in an expert coming on board.”

Senior advocate Janak Dwarkadas, appearing for Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), brought to the court’s notice a hoarding on the building which the court directed to be removed. The court also added that if any tenant had objections they would have to serve an advance notice of 15 days before coming to the court. Earlier, the High Court had directed the landlord to submit the cost estimates for the conservation and restoration of the building by February 20 after it found discrepancies in the list submitted by experts.

One expert submitted an estimate of ₹23 crore while a second one said that it would cost ₹98 crore for the conservation and restoration of the building.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/esplanade-owner-to-submit-repair-plan/article30875219.ece, February 21, 2020

It was a rare experience for students of University of Madras when they uncovered ‘neolithic ash mounds’ at an archaeological excavation at Valasai, near Modikuppam in Gudiyatham. Twenty-one students pursuing Masters in Ancient History and Archaeology were involved in the undertaking as part of their project work for the past three weeks at the village.

Their findings included a neolithic polished axe, grindstones of different dimensions, iron-age potsherds with different engraved letters and handmade pottery. First in T.N. According to research, neolithic ash mounds have been dated to 3,000 to 1,200 BCE. Earlier they were found in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh and this is the first time they were found in Tamil Nadu.

The findings shed insight on the lifestyle of people who lived in the region during the Neolithic period. Detailing the project, Jinu Koshy, excavation in-charge, said, “It was based on a brochure issued by the Archaeological Survey of India and research work by K. Kumar, who has a Ph.D in Archaeology of Vellore.” Initially, the students created a trench of 7 m and 6 m and ended up with a few potsherds, which made them push the excavation further. They created a step-trench which led to them unearthing an immense amount of ancient artefacts that had belonged to the regions erstwhile inhabitants.

Swetha, a student, said they would conduct further studies to identify the objects and their ages. It was the first time she had worked on a project like this and it had helped developed her skills as an archaeologist, she said.

Scope for research
Another student, Dhanushya said the findings proved that people who lived in this region reared cattle in neolithic ages and the work provided them scope for further research on the subject. Black and redware pottery items including potsherds with colouring and engravings shows that people were involved in pot-making and used them in their lifetime, she added. The finds would be used by archaeological experts to ascertain the age of these materials, Mr. Jinu said.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/students-from-university-of-madras-uncover-neolithic-site-in-valasai/article30874743.ece, February 21, 2020

International Mother Language Day 2020: On 21st February, International Mother Language Day (IMLD) will be celebrated as a worldwide annual observance of UNESCO. MHRD will also observe Matribhasha Diwas on 21st Feb to highlight the linguistic diversity of our country.

Get complete details here. International Mother Language Day 2020 - Matribhasha Diwas 2020: Know Theme, Background, Importance for India International Mother Language Day 2020: On 21st February, International Mother Language Day (IMLD) will be celebrated as a worldwide annual observance of UNESCO. MHRD will also observe Matribhasha Diwas on 21st Feb to highlight the linguistic diversity of our country. Get complete details here.

Theme for 2020
The central theme for International Mother Language Day 2020 is ‘Languages without borders’. According to UNESCO, ‘local, cross-border languages can promote peaceful dialogue and help to preserve indigenous heritage’. On 21st February 2020 – the organization will be celebrating Multilinguism under this theme.

Importance for India
India celebrates its cultural heritage under the aegis of ‘Unity in Diversity’ principle and languages are not an exception to this. India has 22 officially recognised languages, 1635 rationalised mother tongues, 234 identifiable mother tongues, according to Census 2001. This makes International Mother Language Day especially significant in the Indian context.

Especially, with this year’s theme being ‘Languages without borders’, it gives the diverse linguistic heritage of India to showcase its strength of how it has managed to house so many languages within the same geographic boundaries and used it as a tool to facilitate dialogue for conflict resolution.

Celebrations in India
India will observe and celebrate International Mother Language Day as Matribhasha Diwas across the country on 21st February. The main celebratory event will be organised by MHRD on 20th February 2020 in New Delhi. The event will be graced by the Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu as the Chief Guest. Union HRD Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ will also attend the event as Guest of Honour along with MoS, Ministry of Culture and Tourism Shri Prahlad Singh Patel and MoS, HRD Shri Sanjay Dhotre. The theme of the Matribhasha Diwas 2020 to be celebrated across India is ‘Celebrating our Multilingual Heritage’ reflecting the spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshth Bharat.

On 21st February 2020, MHRD along with educational institutions will organize activities like Elocution, Debating, Singing, Essay writing competitions, painting competitions, Music and dramatic performances, Exhibitions, Online resources and activities as well as events exploring the cognitive, economic, social and cultural activities of multilingual society, Exhibitions depicting linguistic and diverse wealth of India in at least two languages and also more.

Background
The roots of the International Mother Language Day can be traced back to a students’ movement in Dhaka, Bangladesh which took place in 1952. On 21st February 1952, four students from four students of Dhaka University namely Abul Barkat, Abdul Jabbar, Sofiur Rahman, Abdus Salam were gunned down by police, during their protest march demanding inclusion of ‘Bangla’ as one of the two national languages. The IMLD is celebrated to commemorate their sacrifice. On 29th February 1956, Bengali was adopted as an official second language of erstwhile East Pakistan.

From 1999 onwards, UNESCO – the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, started observing International Mother Language Day on 21st February every year. Over the two decades of observance of IMLD, UNESCO has promoted mother tongue-based multilingual education. Every year, UNESCO announces a unique theme for the International Mother Language Day and plans activities around it.

https://www.jagranjosh.com/current-affairs/international-mother-language-day-2020-matribhasha-diwas-celebrated-on-21st-february-1582196490-1, February 21, 2020

Learn everything there is to learn about your town, with this month-long initiative that celebrates India’s diverse cultural heritage with walks, workshops, talks, insta-meets and more. Take a walk with locals at the 250 years old Cheenapara in Kolkata or drop in at RK Narayan’s house in Mysore to know more about the life and times of the late author.

Living in Shillong? How about a visit to the Lyngiong Sacred Grove, one of the oldest secret groves, home to several species of orchids, medicinal trees, plants and animals. This and many such culture-rich experiences are part of the third edition of the India Heritage Walk Festival organised by Sahapedia in partnership with UNESCO. The Festival is the recipient of the PATA Gold Award 2018 under Culture and Heritage category.

Varied Experiences
With over 140 experiences in more than 65 Indian cities and over 65 local-level partners, the month-long initiative till the end of February has everything from curated walks to baithaks, workshops, insta-meets, Insta tours and anubhutis…everything that makes culture more accessible.

From museum visits to historically significant monuments and markets, explorations of interesting natural landscapes and areas known for their rich cuisine, to gender-oriented narratives, the programme this year is curated thematically across ten central themes including Knowledge Traditions, Visual and Material Arts, Performing Arts, Literature and Languages, Practices and Rituals, Histories, Institutions, People, Built Spaces and Natural Environment.

Through the Lens Craft
The Festival will highlight a number of local crafts for people to get a better understanding of their cities and heritage. In Amritsar, you can visit the craft village of Jandiala Guru and drop in at the homes of master artisans to watch them work. You can witness the Shibori process live in Delhi, followed by the captivating process of Indigo dyeing.

In the heart of Hyderabad, you can bring children to attend a Bidri workshop and encourage them to speak to the artisans who have been involved in the craft.

Diverse Experiences
Throwing more light on how the festival has gone from strength to strength in the past three years, Vaibhav Chauhan, Festival Director (IHWF) and Secretary, Sahapedia says, “When you think of heritage and culture, you always think of major cities. It’s considered elitist. But if you see the schedule, our strength lies in the tier 2 and tier 3 cities. Secondly, we also organise for different user groups, including kids from underprivileged backgrounds or those with special needs. We have trained women from a government shelter to lead a few experiences. So, there is diversity in terms of geography, subjects and even in terms of people leading it,” he adds.

Community Building

For Chauhan, who belongs to a smaller town himself, the most gratifying thing has been to see how much people appreciate the culture and heritage of the place they belong to. “When people migrate from smaller cities to metros, they crib that their native place doesn’t have much to offer. But now, I get letters from them, saying they never realised there was so much heritage and culture around them. In that way, we have been catalysts as we want to create communities and a network of cultural entrepreneurs who take this ahead. Now, there are so many communities and individuals who are doing experiences for us and others, which is so gratifying,” he concludes. India Heritage Walk Festival 2020 will continue till February 29

https://www.architecturaldigest.in/content/a-deep-dive-into-culture-and-heritage-with-india-heritage-walk-festival/#s-cust0, February 21, 2020

Who was the heir-apparent of Emperor Shah Jahan, is the only royalty of Mughal lineage being promoted as the face of inclusiveness and a true Muslim by the current BJP government at the Centre. A first-of-its-kind museum depicting the life of ill-fated Mughal prince Dara Shikoh, known for his mystical bent of mind, is in the offing as the state archaeology department (SAD) plans to set up a gallery in his name. It is set to be a part of a proposed museum on the seven cities of Delhi in Dara Shikoh library at Kashmere Gate. The heritage edifice — a blend of Mughal architecture and colonial addition — was essentially a mansion on the Yamuna bank built by Shikoh, who was supposed to take over the reign of Mughal empire after Shahjahan, himself in 1637. The prince, killed at the age of 44, was also a poet and Sanskrit scholar. He is believed to have translated the Upanishads into Persian languages at this library, which in later years served as the residence of Mughal viceroy of Punjab Ali Mardan Khan and a powerful British officer in Mughal court David Ochterlony. It is presently a part of Ambedkar University’s campus and is being restored. A senior official of the Delhi government, aware of the plan, said that the department had agreed in principle to the idea, mooted by former Union Minister MJ Akbar. “When the minister (Akbar) was in the office, he had written to the archaeology department to dedicate a section of the museum to Dara Shikoh. The department decided to honour his suggestion and proposed to set aside one-fourth portion of the planned cities of Delhi museum for a gallery showcasing the life history and philosophy of Dara,” said a government official. Shikoh, who was the heir-apparent of Emperor Shah Jahan, is the only royalty of Mughal lineage being promoted as the face of inclusiveness and a true Muslim by the current BJP government at the Centre. Shikoh was executed in 1659 following a struggle for succession by his younger brother Aurangzeb, who declared himself the king later. Recently, the Central government formed a seven-member committee of historians and archaeologists to locate the grave of Shikoh, who is believed to be buried inside Humayun’s Tomb complex in Nizamuddin. In 2017, Dalhousie Road in Delhi was renamed after Shikoh. According to government officials, associated with the restoration of the historic library being carried out by Delhi chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, it will take another couple of months to finish the job after which the department will start working on the museum project, which was conceived back  in 2011.

https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/delhi/2020/feb/24/a-museum-dedicated-to-life-philosophy-of-dara-shikoh-at-his-mansion-in-new-delhi-2107685.html, February 24, 2020

Every urban body should have a heritage cell, which should work for the conservation of the city’s heritage, natural structures and legacy. The Director General of Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Good Governance and Policy Analysis R Parshuram said this during the signing of a MoU, between the institute and the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach) New Delhi. In the MoU, agreement has been reached to work on several points including agenda for Heritage Policy of Madhya Pradesh, Documentation of Ancient Heritage, Capacity Building, Training and Culture-21.

Parshuram said that in the vision document issued by the government, development of cities like Chanderi, Bhopal and Mandu has been given priority. He said that in the first phase, work should be started in some cities only. Parasuram said that conservation of natural and ancient heritage is a challenging task. There is a need to work fast using scientific methods for their protection and conservation. The Principal Director of Intach Naveen Piplani said that there is a need to open an academy for heritage development related training in Bhopal. He informed that including Gauhar Mahal, he has done the conservation work of heritages of other areas.

The Chief Advisor of the institute Madanmohan Upadhyaya said that this MoU will prove to be a milestone in conserving ancient heritages and structures of the state. The Chief Advisor of the institute Mangesh Tyagi and other officers were present on this occasion.

https://www.dailypioneer.com/2020/state-editions/---every-urban-body-should-have-a-heritage-cell---.html, February 24, 2020

The institution added a floor to its Park Mansions address, doubling its area. The city’s hub of French culture and language rung in its 80th year of existence with expansion of its premises. Alliance Francaise du Bengale added a floor to its Park Mansions address, doubling its area. Most of the acquired space will be taken up by the Jit Paul Auditorium, which was inaugurated recently by Emmanuel Lenain, the ambassador of France in India, and Shirin Paul, chairperson emeritus, Apeejay Surrendra Group, which owns the property. The inauguration will be followed by commemorative events through the year and new educational courses, it was announced. “The relation between France and Bengal has always been special. We share a lot, like this love of witty conversation — you call it adda, I guess. We also love to spend time arguing — sometimes it is on politics, sometimes philosophy. So I am not surprised that Alliance Française is thriving here,” said Lenain. AFB, he pointed out, has extended its premises “in response to their growing number of students and audience over the past three years”. “India is our number one network in the world with 14 Alliance Française centres. And this is the birthplace in India,” he added, describing Fabrice Plançon, the AFB director, as “exceptional”. The architect Laurent Fournier took the guests around the auditorium after the ceremonial opening. “This is an impressive building. This auditorium is a wonderful piece of architecture, using materials that are good from the aesthetic point of view and are sustainable,” Lenain commented later. Paul spoke of the history of Park Mansions. “This building was built in 1910, the same year as Apeejay was born. In 1976, Jit Paul acquired Park Mansions, spread across 1.77 acres.... Reconstruction work started in 2008 under his direct supervision and in 2009, the project was taken over by my children, Karan and Priti Paul. The restoration was completed in 2011 during the Apeejay Centennial and this building was awarded a heritage award for exemplary restoration in 2013 by the Calcutta Municipal Corporation and INTACH,” she said, standing under a star-lit sky on the terrace, with the iconic milk-white dome behind her. “AFB has a new life, like a phoenix, and it continues, with its indomitable spirit, its journey towards the future,” said Kanchana Mukhopadhyay, president of the AFB committee, comparing the mythical bird that is reborn from its own ashes to the grand return of AFB to its original premises after being dislodged in a fire in 1999. The ambassador also decorated teacher Kaushik Chatterjee with a medal for more than 35 years of service at AFB. “You have been a torchbearer of ties between two countries,” he told Chatterjee, who had created a record when he passed diplome with 98.5 per cent marks as a student. The event ended with a cultural programme supported by the Institut Français in India and Institut Français in Paris.

https://www.telegraphindia.com/states/west-bengal/alliance-francaise-du-bengale adds-new-floor-to-park-mansions-to-mark-its-80th-year/cid/1748241, February 24, 2020

A team of researchers are trying to document the settlements that have cropped up along the banks of the Bhagirathi-Hooghly in Bengal, from Farakka to Gangasagar, to record tangible as well as incorporeal heritage inspired by the river. A part of a national project commissioned by the National Mission for Clean Ganga, the the Bengal section is being executed by the Kolkata chapter of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach).

While some aspects like the shifting of ‘char’ or sandbar, as is the case with Bhootnir Char near Malda, or the vanishing of Ghoramara island in the Sunderbans are being recorded as natural history, ‘Adda of North Kolkata’ will document the cultural heritage and of course, the built heritage, dotting the two banks. “Purbasthali on the border of Nadia and Burdwan is emerging as a unique eco-system because the river has changed course, leaving acres of an oxbow marshy land behind.

But how much of it has been officially documented? We are trying to fill in the gap,” said G M Kapur, state convenor of Intach. The study, which will include the river course in Murshidabad, Nadia, North 24 Parganas, Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly and South 24 Parganas, has begun and the findings will have to be submitted in a year.

In each district, researchers will study a 5km-wide corridor on either side of the bank to bring out the unique features of heritage. “Even adda, the kind that is still prevalent in north Kolkata, hours of chatting not with any particular intent, will be documented as intangible heritage,” said Swarnali Chattopadhyay, a remote-sensing GIS analyst, who is coordinating the research for Intach, Kolkata. “We have come across some unique features. Today, Bajrangbali, Ganapati and Kartick idols are being made in multitudes in Kumartuli, which is a clear indication of a demographic change, as they were not worshipped in such extent earlier.

Also, earlier only a handful of ghats saw Chhath celebrations. Today ghats right up to Murshidabad come alive on Chhath,” she said, adding demography shift would be mapped. The revival of the Kalighat patachitra and the little-known tradition of Bara Puja in Namkhana, where an African-looking God is worshipped, have been noted by researchers, who will try to establish a lost link. “Ganga-inspired heritage has never been documented in its entirety. But in this project, we are talking about the myriad traditions that have been handed down to us overcenturies and many of which are gradually getting lost,” Kapur said.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/researchers-to-record-traditions-heritage-on-two-banks-of-hooghly/articleshow/74274337.cms, February 24, 2020

A group of around 20 trekking enthusiast medical students and doctors were in for a shock on Sunday morning when they climbed the hilltop Buddhist heritage site of Pavuralakonda near Bheemunipatnam only to be greeted by hundreds of broken alcohol bottles and plastic litter around the ruins of the 2,000-year-old Buddhist site.

At a time when the government has been talking about restoration and conservation of heritage sites like Thotlakonda, Bavikonda and Bojjanakonda, the Pavuralakonda site dating back to third and second century BCE seems to be completely forgotten. Vivek Rathod from the Junior Chamber International (JCI), who organized Sunday’s trek, said the ancient Buddhist monastic complex lacks even a signage explaining its significance.

“Forget security staff, there is not even agate, proper fencing or approach road. The site lies completely neglected and is overgrown with weeds. Anti-social elements and drunkards seem to have made it their home. There are a few 17th century Dutch bungalows atop the hill which have been renovated, but the Buddhist relics like the ruins of stupas, circular chaityas, staircases, foundations of viharas lie in a shambles,” Rathod said. Heritage narrator Jayshree Hatangadi, who is also a member of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach), said neglect of the ancient site is an insult to the state’s heritage.

“We have beach patrol these days and protecting historic sites from hooligans are aspects that the police should take care of. The government seems to be only doing lip service about the proposed Buddhist corridor. There is no board, no signage explaining the significance of the sites nor is there any conservation and renovation work,” Jayshree fumed. When contacted, additional director of state archaeology department S Venkat Rao said the roads and buildings department plans to construct a 1.5km motorable road from the beach road which will connect the hilltop site.

“Once the road is laid, we can undertake restoration works at the site. Since no security staff has been allocated to my department to guard Pavuralakonda site, we will send a complaint to the Bheemili police and request them to patrol and prevent anti-social elements from using the ancient heritage site for drinking or other illegal activities,” he told TOI.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/visakhapatnam/2000-year-old-pavuralakonda-heritage-site-lies-in-state-of-neglect/articleshow/74273243.cms, February 24, 2020

Even though the state government is yet to notify the Najafgarh water body as a wetland, the eco-sensitive zone is already under threat due to the construction happening on the Najafgarh basin. When TOI visited the waterbody on Monday, a six-storey building was under construction on land which is lower than the critical 212.5m-above-sea-level mark, below which buildings are extremely susceptible to damage.

This mark is called the ‘100 year flood level’ and was determined after the floods in the year 1997-98. “These buildings have been developed at a level of 209m above the sea level making them very vulnerable,” said a source within the state government requesting anonymity. This is very similar to what has happened with multiple high-rise residential buildings developed around the Ghata Bundh which are at the risk of flooding in case of heavy rainfall.

The observations were made in a study done by GMDA last year. And this is in addition to the grave destruction concretisation would mean for the biodiversity of this area which is home to hundreds of migratory birds and waterfowl, and is important for preventing floods in the adjoining places. “These water bodies are basically meant for holding the water in case of heavy rainfalls and if there is construction in and around the water bodies, it will obstruct the flow and adversely impact the flood moderation capacity of the waterbody,” said Dushyant Mohil who works as with Wetland International.

If the under-construction projects pose such dangers and are vulnerable themselves, then why were licences issued for them? When asked about the same, the officials at the Department of Town and Country Planning said they are ‘examining the situation’. Sources within the DTCP said they were issued in batches between 2004 and 2014. “When the licences were issued, there was no water in the area. Now, we are also examining how to address this issue,” said KM Pandurang, director, DTCP. Environmentalists rubbished the claim and accused the government of being hand in gloves with the developers. Manu Bhatnagar, principal director, natural heritage division, INTACH says that even the projects in the surrounding sectors are in danger of flooding as the basements have been developed below the permissible levels. “Most of these basements would be damp and vulnerable,” said Bhatnagar.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/noida/why-realty-projects-on-najafgarh-basin-face-flood-risk/articleshow/74291326.cms, February 24, 2020

The discovery of three pre-Iron Age chariots in the present-day Western Uttar Pradesh's Baghpat district in June 2018 had electrified the historians and the archaeologists alike. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) stumbled upon the chariots, found inside burial pits at Sanauli, around 75 km from Delhi. The site was earlier excavated in the years 2003-04 and 2005-06, revealing a necropolis. It is the largest known burial site in India.

The present excavations led by S K Manjul, Director of Institute of Archaeology, ASI found the chariots buried with dead bodies. The chariots discovered have two wheels fixed on an axle that was linked by a long pole to the yoke of a pair of animals.

A super structure was attached to the axle consist of a platform protected by side-screens and a high dashboard. The wheels were found solid in nature, without any spokes, and studded with triangular pieces of copper.

According to a TOI report, carbon dating has now confirmed that the burials date back to 1900 BC, making the chariots 3,800 years old. In this article, we will examine the implications of Sanauli findings.

OCP and Harappan culture in western UP
In a paper published in the Indian Journal of Archaeology, Vijay Kumar notes that the pottery found at the Sanauli site is of Ochre Coloured Pottery (OCP) culture. The OCP is a 4000 BC to 2000 BC Bronze Age culture of the Indo-Gangetic plain.

It was a contemporary neighbour of the Sindhu-Saraswati civilisation. “No Harappan pottery or any other pottery except OCP was found from the graveyard of Sinauli. The grave in question belongs to the OCP people who were late contemporaries of Harappans”.

https://swarajyamag.com/news-brief/carbon-dating-shows-ups-sanauli-had-chariot-riding-warriors-in-1900-bc-heres-what-it-means-for-aryan-invasion-theory, February 24, 2020

A team of archaeologists from BHU’s department of Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology, have claimed to have found remains of a 3,500-yearold human settlement of sculptors on the city outskirts at Babhaniyav village situated along the holy Panchkoshi route.

“During the field survey of the area, we found several evidences, including a pillar with inscription in Brahmi script and a number of stole sculptures and idols of deities of Kushan and post-Gupta periods,” said project director and head of the department professor Onkar Nath Singh. “Discovery of idols and Shivlingas, both complete and incomplete forms, suggests that there might be a settlement of sculptors. After these findings, we sent a proposal to the Archaeological Survey of India for excavation, which was accepted,” he added.

“We are going to begin the excavation from February 26 at the village,” said professor AK Dubey, a team member. “As the antiquity of the surface evidences belong to the period of around 1500BC, it could be safely said that it is contemporary to Harappan civilization,” he said.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/remains-of-3500-yr-old-human-settlement-found/articleshow/74292351.cms, February 24, 2020

A nearly 4,000-year-old urban settlement has been unearthed by a team of surveyors from the Banaras Hindu University, which experts say could be one of the craft villages mentioned in ancient texts. The university’s Department of Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology, which did the preliminary survey of the site in Babhaniyav village, 13 km from Varanasi, said it found remnants of one of the settlements mentioned in ancient literature about the holy city. The survey found a temple dating back to the 5th century through 8th century, potteries which are 4,000-year-old and walls which are 2,000-year-old, said Professor A.K. Dubey of the BHU department. “On the basis of the surface materials we can say the structure is anywhere between 3,500 to 4,000 year old,” said Mr.

Dubey, who is part of the team which will start excavation at the site from February 23. He said the site gains significance because of its proximity to Varanasi, which is said to be 5,000 years old, though modern scholars believe it to be around 3,000 years old. “The site at Babhaniyav could be a small sub-centre of Varanasi which grew as an urban town,” said Mr. Dubey.

‘Satellite town’
The findings are important as Babhaniyav could have been a satellite town and feeding centre for Varanasi-Sarnath region, said B.R. Mani, a former additional director general of Archaeological Survey of India. Mr. Mani was invited by the BHU during its initial survey, and said the team unearthed a 5-metre cultural deposit like the ones found in Sarnath.

Kushan-Brahmi script
“While such crafts villages have been earlier unearthed in Sarnath, Tilmapur, Ramnagar and other areas, Babhaniyav is an addition. They have also found a pillar with a two-line text in Kushan-Brahmi script which makes the findings at least 3,500-4,000 years old. Once the excavation is complete we will get a clearer picture,” Mr. Mani, who heads the National Museum, told PTI.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/4000-year-old-crafts-village-unearthed/article30900983.ece, February 24, 2020

The Masonic Lodge donated 12 new cycles to Praja Vidyalayam students here on Sunday. The school is being run by an NRI, Kambhampati Susheela Rani, the founder of Kambhampati Mahidhara Foundation. The school provides value based education by providing uniforms, books free of cost and also midday meals. The philanthropic people also are rendering their help to the students. As part of Golden Jubilee Celebrations, the Masonic Lodge organizers KVS Anjaneya Murthy distributed new cycles to the students. INTACH convener L Seshu Kumari, Praja Vidyalayam headmistress Ch Surya Kumari, teacher Murthy and others were present on the occasion.

https://www.thehansindia.com/andhra-pradesh/kakinada-bicycles-distributed-to-praja-vidyalayam-students-607460, February 25, 2020

The draft 2031 masterplan for Bhopal could give a nod to transfer of development rights (TDR) or tradable floor space index (FSI) available to more than 500 private heritage structures in Bhopal, said sources. Trading FSI aims to help heritage properties owners carry out much needed repair and restoration works. The cumulative net value of TDR and FSI of these properties is pegged at Rs 2,000 crore. “TDR and FSI have spurted heritage restoration in many other cities. The move lays the foundation for heritage protection and incentivising it,” said a senior urban development official. According to Indian National Trust for Art and Culture Heritage (INTACH) listing of heritage in Bhopal, there are 374 structures of importance which are under immediate threat and need conservation. The issue of TDR would be for private property owners who undertake restoration of their heritage.

In turn, the private owners would be issued TDR, a certificate to give FSI as compensation or benefit. Heritage property owner can encash the certificate that will allow him or a third party to construct additional built-up area anywhere else in the city. Bhopal has hundreds of heritage structures that need conservation. Most of these properties are in the walled city. The owners do not have the money to undertake restoration. TDR allows for heritage conservation and at the same time incentivises the heritage owner, according to experts.

Similar interventions have taken place in Ahmedabad, which became India’s first world heritage city in 2018. “Issue of TDR certificates is going to be a complicated deal. The property ownership is not a single ownership in many instances. Government needs to find direct ways to fund and support heritage restoration,” said author and conservationist, Rizwanuddin Ansari. The TDR policy will reduce the burden on the civic body, besides reducing the project’s cost.

It includes interventions like road widening and acquiring of land. Private builders could also be roped in for development of proper housing along 700 plus slums in the state capital. A similar draft has been proposed for Indore, said sources.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhopal/now-trade-fsi-heritage-for-repairs-in-new-plan/articleshow/74309087.cms, February 25, 2020

For many indigenous communities, they are an integral part of primary healthcare. Five trillion US dollars. That’s how much the overall international trade in medicinal plants and their products alone is expected to amount to by the year 2050. Estimates, as far as medicinal plants go, are many. According to one by the World Health Organisation, 70% to 95% of people in many developing countries rely largely on traditional medicine, mostly herbal remedies, for primary healthcare. In 2006, researchers estimated that more than 70,000 plant species were being used in medicines worldwide. However, despite their growing economic importance, medicinal plants – as an ecosystem service crucial to human health, livelihood and knowledge – are not popular in discourse.

And with global biodiversity loss and erosion of traditional knowledge systems, threats to medicinal plants and their associated knowledge are many. Increased commercialisation of medicinal plant resources also brings in issues of access to this wealth and equitable sharing of benefits. According to the Botanical Survey of India, India is home to more than 8,000 species of medicinal plants. The country has a rich history of traditional healing systems, many of which list the use of these plants.

For instance, the oldest printed book on Indian medicinal plants, Hortus Malabaricus ‒ a 12-volume treatise on the medicinal plants of the Malabar region along India’s west coast ‒ dates back to 1678. Even in current times, research on medicinal plants and their use across India documents how local communities, especially indigenous ones, still use them in their daily lives. In the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, four indigenous communities, including the Jarawas, use 39 endemic medicinal plants for their health needs and 17 of these are used to cure multiple ailments, finds a 2018 study.

Of the 83 plant species used by the semi-pastoral Gujjar community in Himachal Pradesh, 32 are used as medicine alone. Indeed, many communities, especially indigenous ones, still rely almost entirely on traditional systems of medicine for their health needs, said N Anil Kumar, senior director and head of the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation’s Community Agrobiodiversity Centre at Kerala’s Wayanad. Apart from medicinal plants being vital to their livelihoods, such as the medicinal non-timber forest produce that indigenous communities collect and sell for a living, the plants are also a crucial cultural resource, he added. “These include non-codified systems such as oral histories in which knowledge is transferred by word of mouth from generation to generation,” said Kumar. Such knowledge often varies across communities; sometimes, even across genders.

Kumar recounts how a woman from a Kurichiya tribe in Wayanad knew of a small, pretty-flowered herb as a remedy for skin rashes for babies, while a Paniya man claimed they did not use the herb for any ailment at all.

A pseudoscience?
However, many do question the scientific basis of using direct plant derivatives in medicine. And not without reason: medicinal concoctions are notoriously difficult to test using methods laid down by science. Several plant compounds are often used in a single preparation, purification and other means of evaluating these concoctions result in a loss or change of chemicals. Toxicity and side effects, ranging from nausea to kidney failure, are a possibility. Spurious substances, adulterants and substitutes have been reported from many herbal medicines.

Moreover, science’s golden rule of replicability is not testable, since preparation methods are often heavily-guarded secrets. What cannot be denied though is the role of medicinal plants in drug discovery. According to the WHO, at least 25% of all modern medicines are derived, either directly or indirectly, from medicinal plants. Several drugs, including those used to treat cancers, are derived from plants.

And science is beginning to reveal that some suspected medicinal benefits may indeed be true, as it has in the case of the arogyapacha herb, Trichopus zeylanicus. Several studies and a detailed genomic analysis later, we could be closer to understanding why the rare “miracle herb” has come to be used by the Kani community of southern Kerala, traditionally as an instant energy-releaser. The challenges. But such traditional knowledge of communities is fast eroding as there is no transfer of knowledge across generations and younger generations are no longer interested, said Kumar.

Simultaneously, human-caused biodiversity losses are affecting medicinal plants and associated traditional knowledge too. Degradation of forests and loss of species make some plant species unavailable for the use of local communities. As a result, traditional methods of use including sustainable methods of collection are being lost. However, some efforts – including in-situ and ex-situ techniques – are underway to conserve plant resources and associated traditional knowledge. The National Medicinal Plant Board lists 72 “medicinal plants conservation and development areas” covering 10,935 hectares that have been set up across 13 states to conserve medicinal plants in their natural habitats.

Under the Department of Biotechnology, four “field gene banks” of threatened plants, including those known for their medicinal uses, are also being maintained across India. Additional research on such in vitro methods including the production of secondary metabolites would be crucial for the “effective and sustainable use” of these plants, comment scientists in a review of in vitro technology for the conservation of medicinal plants in the Western Ghats. At MSSRF’s Wayanad centre, ethnotaxonomy – the traditional ways in which communities identify and classify plants – is a study focus. Their six-hectare medicinal plant park developed with the state government in Odisha’s Jeypore functions as a plant genetic repository and field site for nine tribal communities to cultivate and harvest the medicinal plants they have relied on for centuries. A month-old “warning” paper endorsed by more than 20 scientists worldwide suggests that climate change is likely to affect peoples’ access to medicinal plants.

Small taxa such as herbaceous plants, especially in temperate areas, would be some of the first to be affected by climate change, points out K Haridasan, retired joint director of Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions, now The University of Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology, who has extensively studied medicinal plants and floristics in the western Himalayas and north-east India. A recent study does hint at this. In answer to questionnaire surveys, traditional healers in Uttarakhand claimed that many of the species they use now flower and fruit earlier than before, which affects their traditional times of plant harvests. Some species are now found at higher elevations. Herbs that were available just a day’s walk away from their homes are now more difficult to procure, they add. Overharvesting, however, is a more immediate concern. Medicinal plants are one of the most “famous” examples of overharvesting by collection, declares a summary by the Harvard Medical School.

While cultivating medicinal plants could reduce pressures on wild plants, it comes with many challenges. Cultivation may not be economically viable for some species. For others, growth periods can run into several years, according to a 2002 Food and Agriculture report. Cultivated plants are also often considered inferior, so most medicinal plants will continue to be harvested from the wild, the report emphasises. Poverty is an issue too, said RK Maikhuri, scientist-in-charge at the GB Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment and Sustainable Development in Uttarakhand’s Garhwal, whose team has studied plant resource extraction in the area. “Many people really need the money,” he said. “However, we did find that villagers followed sustainable patterns of harvest when we recommended they harvest only 60% of Rhododendron flowers from each tree. So awareness is key.” Sharing wealth, knowledge Sharing such sustainably-harvested biological diversity, including medicinal plants, in return for benefits to local communities – called the Access and Benefit Sharing model – is what the Convention on Biological Diversity, a 1993 multilateral treaty that India is also a signatory to, focuses on. With the Biological Diversity Act of 2002, India became the first country to take the lead in passing a law to uphold the CBD nationally.

The Biological Diversity Act appointed the National Biodiversity Authority to implement the conservation of biodiversity, its sustainable use and equitable sharing of benefits across all states through state biodiversity boards and at the panchayat levels through biodiversity management committees. Currently, there are 29 state biodiversity boards and more than 155,868 biodiversity management committees. On paper, the latter is responsible for the preparation of the people’s biodiversity register at the local level, which documents biodiversity in their area and associated traditional knowledge. The state of Kerala, for instance, has prepared registers for all its 1,034 local bodies – 941 grama panchayats, 87 municipalities and six corporations. So more than 15 years after the Act, how effective have these international and national policies been? How have communities across the country benefitted? An upcoming second part of this story will explore these in details, and trace cases of access-and-benefit sharing in India.

https://scroll.in/article/954167/india-is-home-to-over-8000-species-of-medicinal-plants-and-theyre-increasingly-under-threat, February 26, 2020

The historic Asura Vihara Gumphas near Choudwar, an ancient archeological site having three rock cut caves, have been handed over to a private company by the state government. The three caves, dating to the 1st century C.E are located at the Indrani hillock near the Indranipatana village near Choudwar. The caves are similar to the ones at Khandagiri and Udayagiri and belong to the same period. A team from Indian National Trust for Arts and Cultural Heritage, while conducting the survey of the Mahanadi Heritage Documentation Project, stumbled on this when they were prevented from approaching the site as it has been walled over by a private cement company.

The three west facing caves are rectangular in plan and hewn out of an outcrop of laterite rock. Before being walled in, they were visible from the NH-42 connecting Katak with Talcher, just 300 metres away from the highway. According to Anil Dhir, the Project Coordinator of INTACH’s Mahanadi Heritage Project, these unique caves were made by Jain monks and were later used by Buddhist monks. They have been a landmark in the area for centuries and locals also conducted worship at the place.

The place has rich oral history and local folklore has it that the Choudwar region was the Virata kingdom during the Mahabharata era and was the abode of the Pandavas while in exile. Locals believe that a demon named “Manda Khia Rakhyasa”, who lived in the caves, had spread terror due to his demands of a cartload of Manda Pithas along with a “Nara bali” (human sacrifice) every day. Bhima, the second of the Pandavas, had challenged the demon and slain him in a fierce duel at this spot. The locals held an annual festival at the spot for centuries, which has been discontinued since the last two years.

The villagers had protested when the wall was being made, but they were arrested and thrown in jail. Dhir, who had visited the place a few years ago, says that the caves were very well maintained by the locals and were in a very good state.

However, the State Government handed over the entire hillock along with the adjoining land to a private company under the Make in Odisha Conclave. In fact the Chief Minister of Odisha had inaugurated the 3.86 lakh TPA capacity cement plant of Toshali Cements by video conferencing in May 2018. To ensure that the investments intents received during the Make in Odisha Conclave were converted quickly, the government ensured that all required support such as land; utilities and clearances were made available to them expeditiously. In this fast tracking, the archaeological site was overlooked and the caves too were included in the land allotted and were quickly walled in by the Company.

Dhir further stated that it was a pity that this important site has neither been notified by the State Archeology Department nor the Archaeological Survey of India. The Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts had documented the site in 2001 and accorded it Monument Serial No OR/CTC-51. Choudwar was an important ancient Buddhist centre and many fine specimens of Buddhist sculptures have been found in and around the caves. Many eminent Odia historians and archaeologists have written about the site. Mention about the Buddhist sites of Choudwar are found in the works of Ramprasad Chanda’s Exploration in Odisha, Paramananda Acharya’s Odishara Pratnatatwa and Anannya Prabandha, Dr Harekrushna Mahatab’s Odisha Itihasa, Dr Krushana Chandra Panigrahi’s History of Odisha and R. C. Mohapatra’s Archaeology in Odisha. The Viratagadi site of Choudwar is an ancient Buddhist site. A few mounds near Viratagadi are the remains of an ancient Buddhist monastery.

In the last two centuries many idols and broken stone images and sculptures have been excavated in the area. Many Buddhist idols are being worshipped as village goddesses in the vicinity. A Tara image is being worshipped as Mahalaxmi and a Marichi image as Parvati at the nearby Chateswara Shiva temple. In the Choudwar Sabar Sahi, an Avalokitesvara image finds it place as the Gramadevi. Proper archaeological excavations in the area will reveal rich finds. Anil Dhir says that presently the caves are covered by thick vegetation which may damage them. The laterite stone is honeycombed, and if proper clearing is not done, the vegetation will split the rock face and cracks will develop.

Proper conservation and preservation is the need of the hour. A.B.Tripathy, State Convener of INTACH is of the opinion that the caves should be retrieved from the Company and the allotment of the site cancelled. The Company should provide free access and open up the caves for the public and villagers. He stressed the need for a proper documentation and listing of the lesser known monuments spread all over the State. Many important sites lying in neglect need to be notified as protected monuments by the State Archaeology, and proper safety and security measures taken. INTACH has taken up a comprehensive survey of the entire Mahanadi Valley in Odisha and is documenting both the tangible and intangible assests. The project was flagged off in January 2018 and will be completed this year. More than a 1000 monuments have already been identified on both banks of the river and will be listed along with the intangible heritage.

https://orissadiary.com/historic-buddhist-caves-handed-over-to-cement-company-alleges-anil-dhir-project-coordinator-of-intach/, February 27, 2020

Burial urns have been found in Konthagai village near Keeladi, which is being excavated in the sixth phase of excavation by the Tamil Nadu state archaeology department. The sixth phase of excavation at Keeladi in Thirupuvanam taluk in Sivaganga district was inaugurated on February 19 by chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami through video conferencing. Apart from Keeladi, three more villages - Konthagai, Manalur and Aharam - have also been taken up for excavation in this sixth phase. On Wednesday, workers at Konthagai found the top portion of two burial urns. Konthagai is already said to be the burial site of the civilization that had thrived on the banks of river Vaigai over 2,600 years ago. Sources at the department of archaeology said that while burial urns have been found in many places in the state, brick structures were being revealed in Keeladi, and hence importance was given to Keeladi. It will take a few days for the workers to work on the site and find out if the urns are intact or damaged. But, there are chances of finding many more urns in Konthagai, said sources. Meanwhile, visitors have already started coming to Keeladi to witness the excavation process. It may be recalled that thousands of people thronged Keeladi after the report of the fourth phase of excavation was published by the archaeology department in August last year. The temporary exhibition at the Tamil Sangam building in Madurai is drawing hundreds of people on a daily basis. Now, people have started thronging Keeladi already, though it has been just five days since the work began. In order to ensure that the public are not disappointed, he department has put up a photo exhibition at the site.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/madurai/burial-urns-found-in-konthagai-near-keeladi/articleshow/74326351.cms, February 27, 2020

A team from Indian National Trust for Arts and Cultural Heritage stumbled upon a treasure trove connecting Odisha’s rich past with Jainism and Buddhism while conducting the survey of the Mahanadi Heritage Documentation Project. It was the historic Asura Vihara Gumphas near Choudwar.

The three caves, dating back to the 1st century C.E are located on Indrani hillock at Indranipatana village near Choudwar. The caves are similar to the ones at Khandagiri and Udayagiri and belong to the same period. These, however, have been walled off by a private cement company. The three west facing caves are rectangular in plan and hewn out of an outcrop of laterite rock. Before being walled in, they were visible from the NH-42 connecting Katak with Talcher, just 300 metres away from the highway. According to Project Coordinator of INTACH’s Mahanadi Heritage Project Anil Dhir, these unique caves were made by Jain monks and were later used by Buddhist monks. They have been a landmark in the area for centuries and locals also conducted worship at the place.

The place has rich oral history and local folklore. Legend has it that Choudwar region was the Virata kingdom during the Mahabharata era and was the abode of the Pandavas while in exile. Locals believe that a demon named ‘Manda Khia Rakhyasa’, who lived in the caves, had spread terror due to his demands of a cartload of Manda Pithas along with a ‘Nara bali’ (human sacrifice) every day. Bhima, the second of the Pandavas, had challenged the demon and killed him in a fierce duel at this spot. The locals held an annual festival at the spot for centuries, which has been discontinued since the last two years. The villagers had also protested when the wall was being made. Dhir, who had visited the place a few years ago, said that the caves were very well maintained by the locals and were in a very good state. However, the entire hillock along with the adjoining land was handed over to the private company under the ‘Make in Odisha’ conclave.

He further stated that it was a pity that this important site has neither been notified by the State Archeology Department nor the Archaeological Survey of India. “The Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts had documented the site in 2001 and accorded it Monument Serial No OR/CTC-51. Choudwar was an important ancient Buddhist centre and many fine specimens of Buddhist sculptures have been found in and around the caves. Many eminent Odia historians and archaeologists have written about the site,” he said. Mention about the Buddhist sites of Choudwar are found in the works of Ramprasad Chanda’s Exploration in Odisha, Paramananda Acharya’s Odishara Pratnatatwa and Anannya Prabandha, Dr Harekrushna Mahatab’s Odisha Itihasa, Dr Krushana Chandra Panigrahi’s History of Odisha and R. C.

Mohapatra’s Archaeology in Odisha, he added. The Viratagadi site of Choudwar is an ancient Buddhist site. A few mounds near Viratagadi are the remains of an ancient Buddhist monastery. In the last two centuries, many idols and broken stone images and sculptures have been excavated in the area. Many Buddhist idols are being worshipped as village goddesses in the vicinity. A Tara image is being worshipped as Mahalaxmi and a Marichi image as Parvati at the nearby Chateswara Shiva temple. In the Choudwar Sabar Sahi, an Avalokitesvara image finds it place as the Gramadevi. “At present, the caves are covered by thick vegetation which may damage them. The laterite stone is honeycombed, and if proper clearing is not done, the vegetation will split the rock face and cracks will develop. Proper conservation and preservation is the need of the hour,” Dhir said.

State Convener of INTACH A B Tripathy said that the caves should be retrieved from the Company and the allotment of the site cancelled. “The Company should provide free access and open up the caves for the public and villagers,” he said. Tripathy stressed the need for a proper documentation and listing of the lesser known monuments spread all over the State. “Many important sites lying in neglect need to be notified as protected monuments by the State Archaeology, and proper safety and security measures taken,” he added.

INTACH has taken up a comprehensive survey of the entire Mahanadi Valley in Odisha and is documenting both the tangible and intangible assests. The project was flagged off in January 2018 and will be completed this year. More than a 1000 monuments have already been identified on both banks of the river and will be listed along with the intangible heritage.

https://odishabytes.com/intach-demands-access-to-walled-in-historic-buddhist-caves-in-odishas-choudwar/, February 28, 2020