![School of Planning & Architecture [Bhopal, India]](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZdNnZRcb_2g/UdTG0v4gEYI/AAAAAAAAG3k/XsvdKdaaVDQ/s1600/bopal02.jpg)
The School of Planning & Architecture located in Bhopal, India was designed by Abin design studio. The project was conceived as a series of pavilions laid out along a central landscaped promenade to give students them the freedom to sit, walk, create and imagine at leisure as well facilitates the inevitable future expansion of the school.
A visit to Thotlakonda on Wednesday revealed that not much has changed during the last decade. The base of the main stupa has been damaged and heaps of damaged ancient bricks and material were seen lying at some places.
The centuries-old rock ‘thotlu’ (cisterns) with steps leading into them, for drawing of rain water, are still serving their purpose of collection of rain water. Tourists arriving by the AP Tourism buses are greeted by the monumental ruins and the sign boards and other amenities damaged by cyclone Hudhud in October last year.
One cannot, however, ignore the laying of roads, landscaping and provision of some basic amenities at Thotlakonda and Bavikonda by the Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority (VUDA) over a decade ago and works taken up in subsequent years.
The monuments can be protected only when scientific restoration is done to protect the stupas, chaityagrihas and relics discovered at the heritage sites. A proper coordination between the Archaeology and Tourism Departments and VUDA is needed for this purpose.
“The rich cultural heritage of Bhavikonda, Thotlakonda and Pavuralakonda, dating back to the 3rd century BC and the ashes of the Buddha, found in a Mahasthupa at Bavikonda, need to be protected. We cannot afford to lose them. Protecting them will also help tourism development in a big way,” says CII Vizag Chapter former chairman G. Sambasiva Rao.
“Thai tourists are willing to come here but there is no information on the Buddhist heritage sites available on the east coast, the Deputy Consul General (Commercial), Royal Thai (Chennai), Tharadol Thongruang”, said at a recent meeting organised by the CII in the city.
“Estimates have been sent for development of tourist information centres and public amenities at the Buddhist heritage sites at Thotlakonda and Bhavikonda in the city at an estimated cost of Rs.80 lakh and Rs.76 lakh respectively. Tenders will be called once the approval of the government was received,” Tourism General Manager G. Bheemasankara Rao told The Hindu recently.
Author: B. Madhu Gopal | Source: The Hindu [July 18, 2015]
Both the gateways are located on GT Road, close to ASI-protected Tripolia gateways. Nobody was hurt when the structure collapsed on Sunday. One could only see rubble, debris and remains of the monument on Monday, with only some portions left standing. "It's fortunate no one was hurt when the building came tumbling down. We have never seen the authorities showing any interest to preserve this building, even though it dates back to 1710,'' said Vinod Bansal, who owns a shop adjacent to the collapsed gateway.
It is not clear which agency has jurisdiction over the monument. But encroachment is rampant in the area with many heritage structures being damaged by vandals and squatters. "I have been living here for many years. I used to pay rent for running my shop in the building to its owner. We knew the building was going to collapse as we saw small pieces of debris falling and noticed an unusual tilt to the monument early on Sunday. My shop has been closed as the whole building is declared dangerous now,'' said Niranjan Sharma, who had a telecommunications shop right next to the gateway entrance.
According to Intach Heritage listing, the double-height gateway was originally faced with red sandstone. The upper floor was taken over as a residence years ago, which is the only portion still standing.
The surviving gateway to the garden of Maldhar Khan, meanwhile, is also falling to pieces.
Sources said both the gateways were surveyed and identified by the department of archaeology for conservation and protection under the Delhi Archaeology Act. While it is unclear whether the department had identified both gateways for protection or just one,
Experts said the delay in implementing conservation measures had caused more damage to them. Officials from the department of archaeology did not respond to calls made by TOI.
Both structures also figure in the municipal corporation's list of notified heritage buildings. North Corporation commissioner P K Gupta said: "We'll have to look into the reasons of the collapse and determine the building's ownership. Action will be taken accordingly.'' The Maharana Pratap Bagh RWA has also written to the Delhi government over the collapse, accusing them of negligence.
"This historic building was heavily encroached upon. The department of archaeology failed to take action, which led to this,'' said Saurabh Gandhi, RWA president. On Monday, a team from ASI visited the site to assess whether the collapse had any effect on the Tripolia gateways.
While much is not known about the history of the gateways, experts say there were older than the ASI-protected Tripolia gateways. While Tripolia was built in 1728, these two gateways were built in 1710. History has it that they were built by Maldhar Khan, Nazir during the reign of Mohammed Shah Rangila. The two gateways used to lead to a beautiful garden also built by Khan. The garden vanished many years ago, and only can only see a clutter of shops and crowded houses there now. Not much is known about Maldhar Khan but it is assumed he was an influential noble and gifted architect.
Author: Richi Verma | Source: Times of India [July 07, 2015]
The dealer, Subhash Kapoor, is now awaiting trial in India for allegedly looting artifacts worth tens of millions of dollars.
Mr. Kapoor operated a now-defunct gallery on the Upper East Side called Art of the Past. Prosecutors allege that between 1995 and 2012 he illegally imported and sold stolen antiquities from India, Afghanistan, Pakistan and elsewhere, often using forged documents to pass the items off as legitimate.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations unit and the Manhattan district attorney’s office have together recovered more than 2,500 artifacts worth more than $100 million from the gallery and storage facilities in and around New York City.
Kenneth J. Kaplan, a lawyer in New York representing Mr. Kapoor, declined to comment Wednesday, but said his client had asserted his innocence both to him and to his counsel in India. Mr. Kapoor has not yet entered a plea in India, according to a spokeswoman for Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr.
The item recovered this week is a Chola-period bronze representing a Tamil poet and saint that dates to the 11th or 12th centuries, according to Brenton Easter, a special agent with Homeland Security Investigations. The statue, which stands nearly two feet tall and weighs more than 80 pounds, was allegedly looted about a decade ago from a temple in a village in the southeastern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
The theft of the figure was “completely devastating” to the villagers, Mr. Easter said on Wednesday afternoon, as he stood by the open door of the van containing the relic parked on East 91st Street near Park Avenue. The item was smuggled into the U.S. labeled as a handicraft, and then offered for sale at Mr. Kapoor’s gallery on Madison Avenue.
In recent months some institutions that purchased objects from Mr. Kapoor have surrendered the items to Homeland Security Investigations. They include the Honolulu Museum of Art and the Peabody Essex Museum in Massachusetts.
In a statement, Honolulu Museum Director Stephan Jost said in April that “clearly the museum could have done better” with its past vetting of objects. Dan L. Monroe, the Peabody Essex Museum director, said in a statement that month that the institution has undertaken “a rigorous internal assessment of its collection and is working in full cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security.”
This time around, the stolen object was voluntarily surrendered by an anonymous collector who had been contacted by investigators about the piece. Officials said the buyer was considered a victim because the statue was accompanied by a false provenance, or ownership history, that predated its theft.
“We commend this collector for his conscious decision to return this stolen idol,” said Raymond R. Parmer, Jr., special agent in charge of HSI New York. “We hope that other collectors, institutions and museums will continue to partner with HSI, and to see this surrender as a successful way to move forward when dealing with artifacts that might be of concern.”
The agency has recovered at least six other sacred Chola bronzes that it anticipates repatriating to the Indian government.
In April, the Manhattan district attorney’s office filed papers in New York State Supreme Court seeking the forfeiture of 2,622 items seized from the gallery and storage units in Manhattan, Queens and Long Island. The items were worth $107 million, according to the summons. Among them: a statue from India valued at $15 million, a large bronze statue from Cambodia or Thailand worth $5 million and a large standing Buddha from North India estimated at $7.5 million.
According to the April summons, Mr. Kapoor and his gallery manager, Aaron Freedman, “engaged in a common plan and scheme to illegally obtain and sell stolen items of art and conceal or disguise the nature, source and ownership of the illegally obtained property.”
Mr. Freedman pleaded guilty in December 2013 to five counts of criminal possession of stolen property and one count of conspiracy, according to the summons. Prosecutors said the antiquities were forfeitable from Mr. Kapoor and his gallery as proceeds and/or instrumentalities of crime.
Author: Jennifer Smith | Source: The Wall Street Journal [July 03, 2015]
Lothal's cemetery is no longer accessible due to wild growth on the approach. The cemetery houses two skeletons found during excavations at the site, carried out between 1955 and 1962.
Lothal, which means `The City of Dead' in Gujarati, attracts legions of visitors, particularly students. A museum containing articles belonging to the Harappan era is another major draw. The excavation sites and museum are under the care of the Archaeological Survey of India ( ASI).
Officials said shortage of funds has lead to a staff crunch, affecting even routine maintenance. The museum gateman has to run to the historical Lothal dock to caution visitors against moving on the precarious structure. Boundary walls of wells are broken. The funds crunch prevents officials from carrying out further excavations.
Tushar Patel, a visitor on Sunday, said he asked the staff for information on the artefacts, but they hardly showed any interest in responding to his queries.
Author: Himanshu Kaushik | Source: The Times of India [June 22, 2015]
But officials of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) say it is not just the rain that should be blamed. The granite pillars in the bazaar were in a dilapidated condition, with the foundation of the structures weakening over the years due to loosening of soil caused by water stagnation.
Several ‘saalu mantapas’ line either side of the road from the Virupaksha temple to the ‘Edhuru Basava’ which earlier served as space for business.
“The work of resurrecting these mantapas was proposed and the pillars were also numbered. The work was expected to begin shortly, but they collapsed before that. Steps will be taken to restore the mantapas to their original at the earliest,” ASI officials said.
It was only recently that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) had raised concerns over irrigation and water-intensive agricultural practices in the area posing a threat to the heritage structures located in agricultural fields.
This is not the first time that the mantapas have faced threat. In December 2013, a couple of pillars at the same bazaar were damaged when a lorry loaded with material for putting up a pandal for the upcoming Hampi Utsav hit a couple of pillars. Earlier, construction of a bridge close to the Hampi monuments had invited the UNESCO’s wrath.
Author: M. Ahiraj | Source: The Hindu [June 18, 2015]
When TOI visited the four villages — Rasoolpur, Patsal, Madanpura and Bandroli — where this ancient art is located, it found that almost 70% of the paintings had been destroyed, and only the efforts of a few persevering villagers had enabled the remaining specimens to somehow escape destruction. Dal Chand Dhuliya, an elderly resident of Madanpura, spoke for many villagers when he said, "We know that once these paintings are destroyed, they can't be recovered. We keep an eye on them at present, but for how long will they survive, and how long can we keep protecting them?"
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) amazingly has not done much to protect these paintings. When probed on why the agency has not initiated any action on preserving this heritage, ASI superintending archaeologist Bhuvan Vikrama said, "We will try and save the remaining works of art and are working on a proposal. It will be sent to the headquarters for approval."
Over 70% of the cave paintings have disappeared due to illegal mining.
The remaining paintings, some still shining out in colours of maroon and ochre, show ancient men domesticating cattle as well as engaged in hunting. Some of them depict animals like elephant and bull. The best specimens, though, are at Patsal where there are two sites locally known as Sita ki Rasoi and Nai ki Gufa. Sita ki Rasoi is a natural cave situated at a height of 150 feet where ancient men probably lived. Inside it, there is a depiction of a character that looks like a bison. At Nai ki Gufa, deer and sambar can be seen in the paintings.
M K Pundhir, medieval archaeologist from the Centre of Advance Studies in History, Aligarh Muslim University, testifies to the antiquity of this art. "The paintings are definitely from the Mesolithic period as they depict animals of four legs with smaller size and linear decoration which is how they were portrayed at that time."
Meanwhile, an ASI official said that the caves were first discovered in 1967 in Rasoolpur at one site and later at adjoining places around 1976. When queried as to why they were not preserved by the archaeological body then, the official response was that it should have been done, but the agency's focus was more on the monuments of the area.
Author: Aditya Dev | Source: Times of India [June 08, 2015]
And with no solution in sight to brave the fast changing climatic conditions, the government now plans to brainstorm ways to protect the Buddhist heritage site in Tabo, a bowl-shaped valley in Lahaul and Spiti.
Built in 996 AD by a Buddhist king and his two sons, the Tabo monastery is among 36 protected monuments under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). It has nine temples, four decorated stupas and cave shrines, besides a huge collection of manuscripts and 'Pramana' texts.
However, over the recent years, the monastery's mud structure and murals depicting the rich Buddhist culture have been under a threat. Increased rainfall and moisture level have already affected the miniature paintings drawn by masters of the time.
Moreover, repeated restoration by ASI has also caused damage to the mud structure, and the state languages, art and culture department has already raised the issue with it.
Now, the government says it will be deliberating with archeological experts and historians to find ways and act fast.
“We are holding a seminar at Tabo to find ways to protect the monument,” additional chief secretary of the languages, art and culture department, Upma Chaudhary, told HT.
The deliberations are being held jointly with the ASI.
The state department is also concerned about the fast increasing construction in an around the Tabo monastery, situated at a height of 3,050 m above sea level. Over the past few years, haphazard constructions had come up in an around the monastery, and the art and culture department wants the local administration to regulate building activity there.
Earlier, the state government had raised the issue of the monastery's bad condition during a conference of tourism ministers. Himachal had apprised the Union tourism minister that maintenance of the Tabo monastery was being carried out by ASI, but that it was still in a poor shape.
The state sought to inform the Centre that Tabo is emerging as a centre of Buddhist studies, besides being a famous hub of Buddhist tourism and as such the maintenance work at the monastery should not be sloppy.
Author: Gaurav Bisht | Source: Hindustan Times [June 06, 2015]
The renovation work that began on January 26 has been going on in full swing, with the preliminary poojas for performing Kumbhabhisekham (consecration) expected to begin within a couple of weeks, according to the Agama Sastras.
The work is under the close monitoring of HR and CE Minister R Kamaraj, while R Kannan, Culture, Museums, Tourism and Religious Endowments Departments Secretary, experts from Archaeological Survey of India, State Archaeological Department and Museum department are extending advice. All renovation works have been documented from the beginning.
The renovation work is estimated to cost ` five crore, funded by donors. According to sources, the work is done in such a way that it would not require any structural repair for a century.
Talking to City Express, P Kothandaraman, Deputy Commissioner, Parthasarathy temple, said all the 29 holy kalasams had been gold-coated for the first time. This was done in the conventional way instead of modern electroplating process, and used 364 grams of gold for this.
“The electrical network has been replaced. The bulbs have been replaced with important LED bulbs. In accordance with our ancient practice, no electric light would be installed inside Karpa Griha (sanctum sanctorum). Once the consecration of temple is complete, the devotees can have darshan only in the light of ghee lamps,” Kothandaraman said.
Along with the structures, the lily pond (Allikeni), which gave the village its name Tiru Allikeni, has been restored. According to the temple history, the pond is called kairavini pushkarani — filled with red Lily flowers. It is believed that Goddess Mahalakshmi was born in this tank as Vedavalli. For the past four or five decades, there have been no lillies in the pond. But soon, red colour lily flowers will fill the pond to suit its name.
Kothandaraman added that unnecessary structures built inside the temple over a period using cement and all the marble structures have been removed. In their place, unpolished granite (karunkal) levelled by hand push hammering would be laid in all parts of the temple, adding to its ancient eighth century look.
As the woodwork inside the gold- plated Ananda vimanam atop the sanctum sanctorum of the presiding deity Lord Parthasarathy has been damaged over the years, it has been renovated using new teak wood. Instead of steel nails as is usual, brass nails have been used for the work.
The two temple cars will be covered with unbreakable transparent glasses in their middle portion at a cost of `27 lakh.
The karungal on the compound walls have been applied with an organic mixture called noogra paste imported from Afghanistan and another clay imported from Africa to ensure their safety.
Another mixture called surya kavasam, a mixture of aloe vera, vasambu (sweet flag), kadukkai (terminalia chebula) and a few other herbs will be applied inside of all temple towers in order to protect them from termites and other decay.
The 16-pillar mandapam (Andaal Neeraatta Mandapam) located on the Eastern side of the temple has also been renovated. The lime coatings given during the past 10 decades have been removed using an organic material called devata.
Dream Darshan
The presiding deity here is Sri Venkatakrishna Swami also known as Geethacharya. Puranas say King Sumathy prayed Lord Thiruvengada of the Seven Hills to give him darshan in the form of the charioteer (Sarathy) to Partha (Arjuna) during the Mahabharata war, rendering Bhagavad Gita. Lord Thiruvengada appeared in his dream and bade him to go to Brindaranya (Triplicane) where he would give him darshan in the form he wished. Sri Venkatakrishna Swamy is enshrined in the middle of the sanctum sanctorum, while Sri Rukmani Thayar and Satyaki are on his right and left. Elder brother Balarama is seen on the right side of Rukmani Thayar facing North and his son Prathyumnan and grandson Anirudhan are on the Northern side facing south The Utsava Moorthi is seen with marks in the face caused by Bheeshma’s arrows during the Mahabharatha War.
Author: T. Muruganandham | Source: Indian Express [May 21, 2015]
Today, the construction of the temple is almost over. But the new structure has taken over the place where the rare sculptures were kept. As a result, a broken shiva linga, a moss-covered Somaskanda panel and many more sculptures are scattered around the temple, covered by grass and almost lost. Heritage activists say the committee members of the temple shifted all the sculptures without informing the Archeological Survey of India or the state archaeology department.
"When I first visited the site six years ago, I could see all sculptures in proper form. But today they have been removed from their original place and lie scattered near the newly constructed temple. They are in ruins," said P Rajasekar, a heritage activist, who recently visited the place and photographed the ruined sculptures.
Aravind Venkatraman, who has so far photographed and documented 200 Chola temples, said the site with ancient Pallava sculptures was discovered in the 1990s. "I have seen the photograph of this ancient Pallava site taken in 2008 at the library of the French Institute of Pondicherry. Some other pictures also show the site with all the sculptures intact," he said.
A committee member of the temple said it was while constructing the temple they removed all the structures and housed them inside a shed. But as the work of the temple progressed, the shed was demolished. Apparently, no one was interested in taking care of the sculptures and they were thrown out. "When we asked the committee members said they would place the sculptures permanently inside a hall adjacent to the temple. But they are not sure when they are going to do this. They are not aware of the heritage value associated with the sculptures," said Venkatraman.
The ruined sculptures, according to Rajasekar, are special in many ways. "There is a beautiful panel of Somaskanda, a form of representation of Shiva with his consort Uma and Skanda on his left. In this panel, you can see Uma and Skanda seated on his right. It's a rare site. There are some inscriptions in 'Vatteluthu'. But the people in the village don't know the value of these sculptures," said Rajasekar.
Apparently, no one has informed the ASI or the state archeological department before shifting these heritage structures. "The sculptures are in bad shape. It's high time either the ASI or the state archaeology department took up the issue. Otherwise, we will lose these ancients pieces of art soon," he said.
Author: M. T. Saju | Source: The Times of India [April 30, 2015]