Imagine…..
What, if all the ancient sites are destroyed??????
Can we save our ancient sites from the human and natural destruction?????
Can we stand up to protect our archaeological sites????
After all, whose responsibility it is to protect these sites??
Why only a few bigger sites are protected by the ASI and why not the smaller ones??
Why cannot we press the GOVERNMENT to take step in this regard?
The sites are being razed to ground in alarming rate and we have remained silent observers so far.
GOKALPUR: A Recent Example
The ancient site of Gokulpur-Gargaia, a small village on the outskirt of Bareilly city in Uttar Pradesh, was fairly preserved when I discovered it in 2007. I selected the site for excavation in continuation of our investigations in the upper Ganga valley after the closure of excavations at the site of Abhaipur in Pilibhit district. We started working at this site hereafter. However, to our utter dismay, one day we found a large portion of the site has been bulldozed and soil is taken away for brick making. As we intensified our visits and investigations here, the soil quarrying also intensified in our absence. Being aghast by the situation, we drew the attention of the people and authorities through the local newspapers. Having no reaction from any corner, we wrote to the District Magistrate who kindly set up an inquiry. However, unfortunately the inquiry stepped into cold feet with the commencement of Panchayat and Block elections in Uttar Pradesh. Recently, another large portion of the site has been razed to ground. Again, I brought it to the public notice through the news papers but still no one has come forward to its rescue.
This is the story of thousands of such mute archaeological remains of India. If we archaeologists do not bother to stand up and raise our voice and take proactive steps for their preservation now, one day all the sites will be razed to the ground.
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| View of the site from the South |
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| Bulldozing of the Site |
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| Soil is transported to the Brick manufacturing places |
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| Nine feet deep dug away area |
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| Destroyed Area of the Site |
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| Brick manufacturing at the Site |
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| Section Scraping at a Bulldozed part |
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| Antiquities collected from the destroyed parts |
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| A Storage Jar in the Section of a Bulldozed Area |
A Pledge…………..
Please ENSURE that all the ANTIQUITIES and DATA including the PHOTOGRAPHS are stored carefully by you or submitted to the Department/Museum to do so. Because, you may be the last person who visited the site and your collected antiquities are the only tangible evidences of that site.
Make sure that you do a bit in your capacity to save a site by reporting in the News Papers, writing to the local authorities and placing the matter in different forums/NGOs.
A Request ………..
If you have a similar story to share with us, send it to this forum with a few photographs. I also request you to send your comments, grievances and suggestions to this forum which will be circulated widely.
Mail to…………..
1 comment:
condemnable they should be jailed under Ancient Monuments Act.
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