Tunnel vision that is endangering India’s history

Source: This post is created based on the article “Tunnel vision that is endangering India’s history” published in The Hindu on 20^th July 2022.

Syllabus: GS Paper 1 – Art and Architecture in India

Context: The article criticizes the planned revision to Section 20 of the ‘Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains’ Act.

Section 20 of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act of 1958 was amended in 2010.

It prohibits construction within a 100-metre radius of all Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-protected monuments. Furthermore, it regulates activities within another 300-metre radius.

Now, the expert committees will decide on the extent of the prohibited and regulated areas around each monument and the activities permitted.

How ancient monuments are connected to the surrounding landscape?

ASI protects around 3,700 archaeological sites and ancient monuments from across the history, as per the provisions of the law. Historically, each monument was integrally connected to the landscape around it. For example;

1. Rock-cut sanctuaries from Barabar (Bihar) to Ajanta (Maharashtra) and from Masrur (Himachal Pradesh) to Guntupalli (Andhra Pradesh) were physically connected to outcrops and canyons.
2. Pattadakal’s temples (Karnataka) were symbolically linked to the Malaprabha River.
3. Lucknow’s imambaras were tied to markets, palaces, processional roads, and gardens.

During colonial times, after 1857, some of the dwellings around monuments, they were interested in, were removed by the British. Thus, the connection weakened during this time.

However, ASI-protected sites have served diverse needs after the independence:

1. The grounds of the Purana Quila and other iconic buildings gave refuge to tens of thousands of individuals arriving from newly-formed Pakistan.
2. After the resettlement of refugees, these grounds emerged as public spaces for exercise, prayer meetings, protests, and more.
3. The green edges around Delhi’s protected monuments became havens for migratory birds, small mammals, and a host of reptiles and amphibians.

For a well-trained historian, the earth around an archaeological site or ancient monument is like a text. If the soil around artefacts is disturbed, their contexts are destroyed, making new research more difficult.

What could be the implications of changing the landscape?

Changing the landscape around ASI-protected monuments into industrial, commercial, or even residential plots will thus deprive human and animal communities of much-needed commons.

Permitting construction work risks weakening the foundations of centuries-old edifices.

What are some of the model examples of landscape conservation in India?

Conservation architect Ritish Nanda’s team at Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi by their conservation efforts provided meaningful employment to an entire basti.

Odisha’s government has formulated a scheme to protect a cluster of ancient temples, tanks, and ponds to nurture a sense of regional identity, restore habitats, and bring in visitors in a methodical way.

At the ancient city of Nagaur, Rajasthan, local artisans, and multidisciplinary teams have worked together to conserve a citadel, reopen ancient gates, plant trees, and promote a lively bazaar outside its main entrance. It gave a new lease of life to a medieval complex and strengthening social fabrics.

Thus, efforts must be made to protect the monuments together with the surrounding landscape.