Hindu
civilization and history has a lot of monuments from its glorious past.
Many fall in the modern nations of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh
as well as India. While we do not expect these countries to protect
these monuments, willful destruction of the same is an attempt to erase
the pre-Islamic past of these nations and deny the true lineage and
ancestry of the peoples of these nations. We
all know the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddha statues in Afghanistan
by the Taliban but many Hindu temples and ancient monuments are silently
being erased out. One such example is the ancient city of Takshasheela
(Taxila) which now serves as a garbage dump and an excavation site for a
mine [1]. Mahasthangarh in Bangladesh is another example where a sacred
site for the Hindus is looted and vandalized[1]. These are just a few
examples of the many.
We know many of our temples have been demolished and destroyed by barbarians and invaders since 712 AD. However, let us now look at the state of some of our countries own monuments and museums which exists and how we treat our own cultural past and rich heritage.
NOTE: Please bear in mind that this will not be comprehensive list but just a few which have been reported and to which we have public information.
Before I begin, let me just preface this with an article which is part of our constitution. This is an excerpt from the book “The Forgotten Monuments of Orissa” by Bijaya Kumar Rath and Kamala Ratnam.
Under the Fundamental Duties, enshrined in the Constitution of India, it is laid down that “it shall be the duty of every citizen of India to value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture.” Hitherto, the responsibility for such preservation had rested with the Government. Monuments declared to be of national importance are looked after by the Central Government through the agency of the Archaeological Survey of India, and monuments other than those of national importance by the State Governments through their respective Departments of Archaeology.
So let us as good citizens first learn to respect these monuments as we respect our ancestors and our religion and try not to deface/disfigure or dirty the complexes by littering it. If we can provide small donations to NGOs who protect such sites the better.
Kakatiya Temples in neglect [2]
This is a cluster of Kakatiya temples in and around Nagunur village of Karimnagar, Andhra built in 1200 to 1300 AD by the Kakatiya dynasty. A past with rich architecture and sculptures are now lying in neglect. Precious artifacts from the temple have disappeared from the site. The temple located on the road side, which has beautiful sculptures such as swans, bulls, elephants, flowers etc, is literally in the state of neglect. The main idol of Shiva lingam in this temple is missing.
The main Shiva temple in the village is another beautiful site depicting the art and culture of Kakatiya rule. This temple is constructed with red stone with modern sculptures, but the remnants scattered in various parts of the village had become a cause of concern.
Hampi Monuments : A World Heritage Site desecrated[3]
Chidanandmurthy, a research scholar who is spearheading a campaign to save Hampi, said the world heritage site was becoming a haven for terrorists and foreigners who were destroying the culture of the place.
Several monuments and Hindu temples in Hampi had been converted into “dargahs” and the attempt to encroach upon other areas was still on. “The Vijayanagara kings propagated and practiced religious tolerance and treated all religions equally. After its fall, Hampi has gone to seed.” The sale of non-vegetarian food, liquor and marijuana in restaurants adjacent to the Virupaksha temple was rampant and a matter of grave concern.
Pallipadai Temples in Thanjavur in ruins [4]
About a dozen Pallipadai temples, mausoleums of Maratha kings and queens who ruled Thanjavur for 175 years, are in a shambles in the historic town.
Today, the area around the temples has been taken over by people who have built houses. The land still remains private property and is with Babaji Rajah Bhonsle, senior prince of Thanjavur, a descendant of the Maratha dynasty. He is willing to hand it over to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) or the State Archaeology Department for renovating the temples and making them heritage sites.
Shivaji’s forts in Maharashtra neglected [5]
Chhatrapati Sambhajiraje, the descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji and scion of the royal family of Kolhapur has appealed to the political parties to stop the “misuse” of the warrior king’s name for petty politics and join hands to preserve his legacy in the form of forts.
As the political games in the name of the warrior king continue unabated, Shivaji’s original terrain - hundreds of sea, land and hill forts, remain ignored and are in real danger of falling into complete ruin.
Jaisalmer Fort Rajasthan foundations weakened [6]
The Jaisalmer Fort in Rajasthan is notorious for figuring in similar lists of the World Monument Watch reports since 1996. ‘The introduction of running water to the city without a proper drainage system is an enormous problem — allowing water to run down streets and absorb into foundations. Water-eroded foundations have caused scores of properties to collapse. Most recently in August 1999, an unprecedented six inches of rain in 48 hours fell on the city resulting in collapse of three of the 99 bastions,’ the report points out.
Maitreya Temple Ladakh unstable[6]
The Basgo Gompa, also known as the Maitreya Temple, in Ladakh ‘occupies a man-made hill that is being eroded by wind’, a World Monument Watch report has pointed out. Monks and locals regularly shore up the crumbling walls but the exterior cobblestone foundation needs structural stabilization it says. ‘Water leaking through the roofs has threatened the stability of the floor of the main temple, as well as its statue and murals. An active community and residents of the temple complex are eager to begin restoration as soon as a plan is devised and funds are secured,’ WMW has said.
Champaner site encroached [6]
The Champaner archaeological site, below the Pavagadh hill in Gujarat, also is listed among the most endangered sites. Champaner faces ‘the threat of dissolution from encroachment and unplanned development. Highways cutting across the site, industrial pollution, new construction, and blasting from nearby quarry operations undermine the foundations. Champaner’s integrity and viability as a historic site is at risk; it desperately needs adequate designation and recognition on a national and international scale,’ World Monument Watch says.
In Orissa, there are nearly 2,900 monuments across 30 districts where the Government spends less than Rs.100 a year on upkeep [7]. Also, heavy waterlogging and urban vandalism, which plague heritage monuments such as the 8th century Vaitaal temple located in Old Town Bhubhaneshwar [8]. Then there are some 300 odd Buddhist sites which are in a state of neglect all over the country [9].
We know many of our temples have been demolished and destroyed by barbarians and invaders since 712 AD. However, let us now look at the state of some of our countries own monuments and museums which exists and how we treat our own cultural past and rich heritage.
NOTE: Please bear in mind that this will not be comprehensive list but just a few which have been reported and to which we have public information.
Before I begin, let me just preface this with an article which is part of our constitution. This is an excerpt from the book “The Forgotten Monuments of Orissa” by Bijaya Kumar Rath and Kamala Ratnam.
Under the Fundamental Duties, enshrined in the Constitution of India, it is laid down that “it shall be the duty of every citizen of India to value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture.” Hitherto, the responsibility for such preservation had rested with the Government. Monuments declared to be of national importance are looked after by the Central Government through the agency of the Archaeological Survey of India, and monuments other than those of national importance by the State Governments through their respective Departments of Archaeology.
So let us as good citizens first learn to respect these monuments as we respect our ancestors and our religion and try not to deface/disfigure or dirty the complexes by littering it. If we can provide small donations to NGOs who protect such sites the better.
Kakatiya Temples in neglect [2]
This is a cluster of Kakatiya temples in and around Nagunur village of Karimnagar, Andhra built in 1200 to 1300 AD by the Kakatiya dynasty. A past with rich architecture and sculptures are now lying in neglect. Precious artifacts from the temple have disappeared from the site. The temple located on the road side, which has beautiful sculptures such as swans, bulls, elephants, flowers etc, is literally in the state of neglect. The main idol of Shiva lingam in this temple is missing.
The main Shiva temple in the village is another beautiful site depicting the art and culture of Kakatiya rule. This temple is constructed with red stone with modern sculptures, but the remnants scattered in various parts of the village had become a cause of concern.
Hampi Monuments : A World Heritage Site desecrated[3]
Chidanandmurthy, a research scholar who is spearheading a campaign to save Hampi, said the world heritage site was becoming a haven for terrorists and foreigners who were destroying the culture of the place.
Several monuments and Hindu temples in Hampi had been converted into “dargahs” and the attempt to encroach upon other areas was still on. “The Vijayanagara kings propagated and practiced religious tolerance and treated all religions equally. After its fall, Hampi has gone to seed.” The sale of non-vegetarian food, liquor and marijuana in restaurants adjacent to the Virupaksha temple was rampant and a matter of grave concern.
Pallipadai Temples in Thanjavur in ruins [4]
About a dozen Pallipadai temples, mausoleums of Maratha kings and queens who ruled Thanjavur for 175 years, are in a shambles in the historic town.
Today, the area around the temples has been taken over by people who have built houses. The land still remains private property and is with Babaji Rajah Bhonsle, senior prince of Thanjavur, a descendant of the Maratha dynasty. He is willing to hand it over to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) or the State Archaeology Department for renovating the temples and making them heritage sites.
Shivaji’s forts in Maharashtra neglected [5]
Chhatrapati Sambhajiraje, the descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji and scion of the royal family of Kolhapur has appealed to the political parties to stop the “misuse” of the warrior king’s name for petty politics and join hands to preserve his legacy in the form of forts.
As the political games in the name of the warrior king continue unabated, Shivaji’s original terrain - hundreds of sea, land and hill forts, remain ignored and are in real danger of falling into complete ruin.
Jaisalmer Fort Rajasthan foundations weakened [6]
The Jaisalmer Fort in Rajasthan is notorious for figuring in similar lists of the World Monument Watch reports since 1996. ‘The introduction of running water to the city without a proper drainage system is an enormous problem — allowing water to run down streets and absorb into foundations. Water-eroded foundations have caused scores of properties to collapse. Most recently in August 1999, an unprecedented six inches of rain in 48 hours fell on the city resulting in collapse of three of the 99 bastions,’ the report points out.
Maitreya Temple Ladakh unstable[6]
The Basgo Gompa, also known as the Maitreya Temple, in Ladakh ‘occupies a man-made hill that is being eroded by wind’, a World Monument Watch report has pointed out. Monks and locals regularly shore up the crumbling walls but the exterior cobblestone foundation needs structural stabilization it says. ‘Water leaking through the roofs has threatened the stability of the floor of the main temple, as well as its statue and murals. An active community and residents of the temple complex are eager to begin restoration as soon as a plan is devised and funds are secured,’ WMW has said.
Champaner site encroached [6]
The Champaner archaeological site, below the Pavagadh hill in Gujarat, also is listed among the most endangered sites. Champaner faces ‘the threat of dissolution from encroachment and unplanned development. Highways cutting across the site, industrial pollution, new construction, and blasting from nearby quarry operations undermine the foundations. Champaner’s integrity and viability as a historic site is at risk; it desperately needs adequate designation and recognition on a national and international scale,’ World Monument Watch says.
In Orissa, there are nearly 2,900 monuments across 30 districts where the Government spends less than Rs.100 a year on upkeep [7]. Also, heavy waterlogging and urban vandalism, which plague heritage monuments such as the 8th century Vaitaal temple located in Old Town Bhubhaneshwar [8]. Then there are some 300 odd Buddhist sites which are in a state of neglect all over the country [9].
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