News Analysis India

Tag: Archaeological Survey of India

  • First consignment of stolen artefacts returns to India from US

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI:  The first consignment of antiquities containing 63 artefacts and idols, which were smuggled out of the country over the decades, reached Delhi on Tuesday from the United States. The returned articles — most of them are statues made of metal, stone, and terracotta — were handed over to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the US in September.

    The officials of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) received antiquities at Delhi airport and shifted them to its headquarters late evening.

    After feasibility study and assessing security arrangements, the retrieved objects may be given to the authorities to states from where they were stolen, said an official of ASI.

    “We have no plan as of now. These artefacts will remain in the custody of the ASI until any decision is taken. We have an arrangement to store antiquities at Purana Quila,” said the official.

    The items being returned to India largely belong to 11 CE to 14 CE. The copper anthropomorphic object is from 2000 BC and one of the terracotta articles dates to 2 CE. Nearly 45 antiquities belong to the Before Common Era.

    An 18th-century idol of Goddess Annapurna was brought back last month. The deity was stolen and taken out of the country around 100 years ago from Varanasi.

    The culture minister G Kishan Reddy has already announced that it will be placed in Kashi Vishwanath Temple on November 16.

    “The statue of Goddess Annapurna will be handed over to the representatives of the Uttar Pradesh government during a ceremony to be held at National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) on Thursday. The union minister Reddy and two ministers of state for culture Arjun Ram Meghwal and Meenakshi Lekhi will also be present,” said the official.

    The idol of Goddess Annapurna retrieved from Ottawa, Canada.

    In November last year, PM Modi announced that the idol was being brought back.

    According to the culture ministry, since 1976, 55 idols have been returned to India. Nearly 75 per cent of them were retrieved during the tenure of BJP government at the Centre from 2014 to 2021.

    Out of the 55 antiquities, 42 were returned after 2014.

    The process of ferrying remaining antiquities from the US will be completed before the end of this year, the official added.

  • Boost to ASI field offices in states

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: For efficient conservation and maintenance of over thousands of protected monuments, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has increased the strength of its field offices in states. the allocation of additional staff was made after the revival of 41 posts and creation of 758 new posts across different cadres particularly conservation and archaeology, which was completed recently.

    With the revision of the sanctioned strength, various circles (state level sub-offices) such as Chennai, Agra, Bhopal, Delhi, Dharwad and Lucknow including newly carved circles — Jabalpur, Trichy, Jhansi, Meerut, Hampi, Raiganj and Rajkot, and Hampi mini circle will be benefited the most. Some of these divisions have a couple of prominent UNESCO world heritage sites under their jurisdiction.

    The new sanctioned posts under conservation and archaeology cadres for Agra circle are 43. This division comprises 266 monuments spreading in 26 districts of Western Uttar Pradesh including three world heritage structures of taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri. Delhi circle has also got a major share after revision of strength.

    It has been given 46 archaeology and conservation posts. the ASI headquarters was sanctioned nearly 140 posts under different cadres including such as surveyor officer, drawing officer, draftsman, photographers, administrative officers, and clerks. the deputy director (administration) issued an office order earlier this month. In August 2020, the ASI created seven new circles to step up preservation of monuments after which a section of officials demanded to fill vacant posts. earlier, there were 29 circles

  • Allahabad High Court stays Varanasi court order for ASI survey

    By Express News Service

    VARANASI: The Allahabad High Court on Thursday stayed a fast-track court order directing the Archaeological Survey of India to do a physical survey of the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi to know if the mosque was built on the ruins of an old temple. A single-judge bench of Justice Prakash Padia also stayed all proceedings related to the matter in the Varanasi fast-track court.

    The bench noted the HC had on March 15 reserved its verdict on petitions related to the same dispute pending before it, but the lower court did not have the “judicial courtesy and decorum” to respect the same.

    “It is to be regretted that the court below departed from this traditional way in the present case and chose to examine the question himself… Judicial enthusiasm should not obliterate the profound responsibility that is expected from the Court,” the HC said. 

    On April 8, 2021, the Varanasi court had directed the ASI director-general to get a comprehensive archaeological survey of the entire Gyanvapi compound done. The order was based on a petition seeking restoration of the mosque land to the Hindus.

    The petitioners claimed the mosque was built by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1664 after demolishing a portion of the ancient temple. The matter later reached the Allahabad HC in the form of a writ petition. 

  • Seek private involvement to beat fund crunch, make ASI sites international level: Parliament panel

    The parliamentary committee also expressed its dismay that almost 29 per cent of the sanctioned staff strength of ASI is lying vacant.

  • ASI removes plaques that said Maharana Pratap’s forces retreated from Haldi Ghati battle

    By PTI
    JAIPUR: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on Thursday removed plaques at Rakta Talai in Rajasthan’s Rajsamand district that said Maharana Pratap’s forces retreated from the Haldi Ghati battle.

    This follows the demand by several Rajput outfits and public representatives.

    Union Minister of State for Culture Arjun Ram Meghwal confirmed that orders were issued to the ASI to remove the plaques.

    “Yes, orders have been issued. Whatever is right, it has to be written,” Meghwal told PTI when asked whether the ministry gave its its approval to remove the plaques.

    ASI Jodhpur Circle Superintendent Bipin Chandra Negi said the plaques were removed on Thursday following departmental orders.

    “The plaques were over 40 years old. Letters had worn out and the signages didn’t belong to the ASI. They were put up by the state’s Tourism Department and ASI started maintaining the sites in 2003. So, they were removed today,” he said.

    Earlier, Rajsamand MP Diya Kumari and Rajsamand MLA Deepti Maheshwari had raised the demand for removal of plaques with former Union Tourism minister Prahlad Singh Patel.

    Chetak Smarak Samiti, Haldi Ghati, had also lodged a complaint with the Jodhpur ASI in this regard.

    Negi said, “Be it the battle date or other controversies, the ASI will verify everything and put up certified information with a factual basis. History and archaeology have various basis differences, which will be taken care of.”

    He said new plaques will be put up by following a tendering process, which will take about 20 days.

    Negi said the purpose of putting up fresh plaques is to highlight the importance of the place and the event.

    The plaques were installed by the state’s Tourism Department during former prime minister Indira Gandhi’s visit to the region in the early 1970s.

    The Haldi Ghati battle was fought between Rana of Mewar Maharana Pratap and Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1576.

    While NCERT books mention the date of the battle as June 18, 1576, the date on the plaques is June 21, 1576.

    Udaipur’s Meera Government Girls’ College history professor Chandra Shekhar Sharma said the “correct picture” will be provided to the generations to come.

    “This was a misconception from over 40 years. Science and history are two subjects where old notions change when new facts arise. I had raised objection on the wrong information being provided to people. Now, it will be removed and facts will be provided to future generations,” he said.

  • ASI to take up conservation work in Taj Mahal, Agra Fort during pandemic closure

    By PTI
    AGRA: With monuments run by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) closed due to a spike in COVID-19 cases, the central government organisation will use the time to carry out conservation work at Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri premises in Agra.

    The aim behind carrying out such work was to make the monuments more beautiful for the tourists when once they reopen, a senior ASI official in Agra said on Saturday.

    On April 15, the iconic Taj Mahal and other ASI centrally protected monuments, sites and museums were shut till May 15 by the Ministry of Culture due to the rise in coronavirus cases across the country.

    Superintending Archaeologist, ASI, Agra Circle, Vasant Kumar Swarnkar told PTI, “As monuments have been closed till May 15 due to the spike in COVID cases, we will utilise that time in conservation of Taj Mahal premises, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri.

    ” He added, “During the closed period, mud pack treatment will be applied to the main dome of Taj Mahal while conservation of minars in the monument will be done.

    ” “The old stones of pietra dura art at the royal gate will be changed and the royal gate itself will be given a new look,” Swarnkar added.

    Mud packs have been regularly used by the ASI to remove yellow stains that have appeared over the years on Taj Mahal’s white marble facade.

    The treatment is believed to help in restoring the natural shine and colour of the monument.

    The senior official said renovation of the fortification of walls of Agra Fort is also in the list along with other renovation work of Amar Singh Gate, Diwan-e-Aam, Musamman Burj, etc.

    In Fatehpur Sikri, the ASI will carry out conservation of Todarmal Baradari, Hamam and Samosa Mahal inside the Mughal-era premises.

    During the time of renovation and conservation, the guidelines of COVID-19 will be followed, Swarnkar added.

    “The budget for the renovation and conservation of the monuments’ premises was about Rs 1 crore and that was proposed in the last financial year,” the ASI official added.

    Vice-president of Tourism Guild of Agra Rajeev Saxena appreciated the step and said, “It will give a new look to Taj Mahal and other monuments.

    The initiative would give a ‘Wah Taj!’ experience to visitors when the monuments will be reopened based on the government guidelines.

    ” He added that the Indian railways had last year utilised the pandemic related lockdown months in renovation and other development works for better experience of travellers.

    Similarly, the step taken by ASI, Agra would make a good impression on tourists, Saxena said.

  • Court allows ASI to conduct survey of disputed Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanvapi mosque complex

    Express News Service
    LUCKNOW: A Varanasi civil court on Thursday allowed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct a survey at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple-Gyanvapi mosque complex. 

    The ASI has been asked to set up a five-member committee, comprising two from the minority communities, to conduct the survey. The court directed the Uttar Pradesh government to bear the cost of the survey so conducted.

    Local lawyer Vishnu Shankar Rastogi had filed a plea demanding restoration of the land entailing Gyanvapi Mosque to Hindus claiming that Mughal emperor  Aurangzeb had pulled down a portion of 2,000-year-old Kashi Vishwanath Temple to build the mosque there in 1644. Rastogi had filed the petition to claim the land for Hindus on behalf of Swayambhu Jyotirlinga Bhagwan Vishweshwar.

    The court mandated the ASI to conduct the survey to find out if there was a superimposition, alteration or addition or structural overlapping with/over any other religious structure at the disputed site.

    ALSO READ | Mathura’s Krishna temple deity lies buried under a mosque in Agra Fort, claims advocate

    The petitioner had urged the court to declare that the land on which the mosque is standing belonged to the Hindus. The court was also urged to allow Hindus to worship and reconstruct the temple on the said land as the Hindus claim that the Gynavapi mosque was built on it by demolishing a portion of the Kashi Vishwanath temple.

    The petition was opposed by Anjuman Intezamia Masazid — the Gyanvapi Mosque management committee. But now the court has allowed the ASI to survey the Kashi Vishwanath Temple-Gyanvapi mosque complex.T

    According to the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid, a civil court is barred from adjudicating the instant dispute in view of the Places of Worship (Special Provision) Act-1991 read with Section 9 of CPC.