VDA to engage INTACH to preserve its docus, maps
Varanasi: The Varanasi Development Authority has decided to engage the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) to provide technical assistance for the preservation and maintenance of important records, files and cadastral maps stored for years in its office's record room.VDA announced on Saturday that, in view of the necessity of preserving old documents and records, including maps, the officer in-charge of archives gave a proposal in this connection.
It was tabled before vice-chairman Pulkit Garg and secretary Ved Prakash Mishra. Following this, the process for financial and administrative approval began. Upon receiving approval from the VDA vice-chairman and secretary, a team of experts from INTACH, led by its director Dharmendra Mishra, will survey the current condition of the documents and maps stored in the record room and take necessary actions for their physical preservation. Notably, some of the files to be preserved contain documents dating back to 1950, which are of significant administrative importance.The proposed plan also includes provisions for training relevant staff to make the record management system more effective and secure. This training will ensure the organised maintenance of maps and records. Additionally, a scientific system of
Integrated Pest Management
(IPM) will be implemented. IPM is a comprehensive pest management approach that balances mechanical, physical, biological, and minimal chemical measures as needed to protect documents from termites, insects, mould, and other factors. This method not only ensures the long-term safety of the stored materials but is also environmentally friendly.
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Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Fall of Solahkhambi pillars: Conservation efforts by state raise eyebrows of experts
Bhopal: The pillars of 'Solahkhambi', a Paramar era creation with a startling visual resemblance to the Greek Acropolis, were built in the 10th-11th century. They stood tall, facing the vagaries of nature for thousands of years, but are now grounded. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now They are set to be erected soon under a 'conservation' effort by the state archaeology department. This effort has raised eyebrows, leading to concerns from conservation enthusiasts and experts. A short drive from the state capital, Bhopal, the Solahkhambi site is situated in Bihar Kotra village of Rajgarh district, around 3 kilometres from Chidikoh Bird Sanctuary. Although the name suggests 16 pillars, the structure had 14 pillars mounted on a platform, which stood for thousands of years until last week when they were 'opened' or brought down. The site is a protected area under the state archaeology department. The state archaeology department has given the work for the conservation of the site to the Indian National Trust for Conservation of Art and Heritage (INTACH), a non-government body working for the conservation of heritage. Under the conservation efforts, INTACH has 'opened' the pillars, brought them down, and will be erecting them again after strengthening the pillars. Officials from the directorate of archaeology say that the move was undertaken after all necessary evaluations and procedures were followed. "Proper evaluation was done. Efforts were made to see whether anything could be done externally to ensure the safety of the heritage site. But its base was not strong, and the pillars were slanting. The best option was to re-install the pillars. The same structures will be installed again, with no changes made. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Some repairs, using the same materials, will be done if required. All procedures have been followed," Assistant Engineer, Directorate of Archaeology, Santosh Namdeo, told TOI. Sources from the department said that during the conservation efforts undertaken around a decade ago, some weight was put on the roof of the structure, which also added to the deterioration of its base. "A detailed and long evaluation process was adopted before starting the conservation efforts. Its platform or the base on which it stands has been weakened. It was a months-long process of evaluation. Thereafter, a detailed report was submitted to the govt. It was then evaluated by the govt before giving a go-ahead. It was only after due approvals that the pillars were opened up. The pillars will be re-installed after conservation," Conservation Architect from INTACH, Raghav Sharma, told TOI. Convener of the INTACH Bhopal chapter, MM Upadhyay, said, "We always ensure that there are no changes in the structures during conservation. Every minute detail is taken care of." Meanwhile, the move has raised eyebrows among conservation enthusiasts. "The first principle of conservation is that there should be minimum intervention. And the second important principle is whatever work you do should be reversible, like if any prop is installed to support the structure, it is removable. Thus, minimum intervention and reversible intervention are two very important aspects of conservation. And the third most important thing is the structure should be evaluated for movement. If a pillar was bent, it should have been seen whether it still has movement or has stabilised. It should have been observed for a year or so before taking such measures. It is only under extreme conditions that moves like this could be undertaken; otherwise, interventions should be minimal," Conservation Architect and former member of the National Monument Authority, Meera Ishwar Das, told TOI. Bhopal: The pillars of 'Solahkhambi', a Paramar era creation with a startling visual resemblance to the Greek Acropolis, were built in the 10th-11th century. They stood tall, facing the vagaries of nature for thousands of years, but are now grounded. They are set to be erected soon under a 'conservation' effort by the state archaeology department. This effort has raised eyebrows, leading to concerns from conservation enthusiasts and experts. A short drive from the state capital, Bhopal, the Solahkhambi site is situated in Bihar Kotra village of Rajgarh district, around 3 kilometres from Chidikoh Bird Sanctuary. Although the name suggests 16 pillars, the structure had 14 pillars mounted on a platform, which stood for thousands of years until last week when they were 'opened' or brought down. The site is a protected area under the state archaeology department. The state archaeology department has given the work for the conservation of the site to the Indian National Trust for Conservation of Art and Heritage (INTACH), a non-government body working for the conservation of heritage. Under the conservation efforts, INTACH has 'opened' the pillars, brought them down, and will be erecting them again after strengthening the pillars. Officials from the directorate of archaeology say that the move was undertaken after all necessary evaluations and procedures were followed. "Proper evaluation was done. Efforts were made to see whether anything could be done externally to ensure the safety of the heritage site. But its base was not strong, and the pillars were slanting. The best option was to re-install the pillars. The same structures will be installed again, with no changes made. Some repairs, using the same materials, will be done if required. All procedures have been followed," Assistant Engineer, Directorate of Archaeology, Santosh Namdeo, told TOI. Sources from the department said that during the conservation efforts undertaken around a decade ago, some weight was put on the roof of the structure, which also added to the deterioration of its base. "A detailed and long evaluation process was adopted before starting the conservation efforts. Its platform or the base on which it stands has been weakened. It was a months-long process of evaluation. Thereafter, a detailed report was submitted to the govt. It was then evaluated by the govt before giving a go-ahead. It was only after due approvals that the pillars were opened up. The pillars will be re-installed after conservation," Conservation Architect from INTACH, Raghav Sharma, told TOI. Convener of the INTACH Bhopal chapter, MM Upadhyay, said, "We always ensure that there are no changes in the structures during conservation. Every minute detail is taken care of." Meanwhile, the move has raised eyebrows among conservation enthusiasts. "The first principle of conservation is that there should be minimum intervention. And the second important principle is whatever work you do should be reversible, like if any prop is installed to support the structure, it is removable. Thus, minimum intervention and reversible intervention are two very important aspects of conservation. And the third most important thing is the structure should be evaluated for movement. If a pillar was bent, it should have been seen whether it still has movement or has stabilised. It should have been observed for a year or so before taking such measures. It is only under extreme conditions that moves like this could be undertaken; otherwise, interventions should be minimal," Conservation Architect and former member of the National Monument Authority, Meera Ishwar Das, told TOI.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Time of India
CM inaugurates excavation in Lakkundi
Gadag: With the inauguration of the excavation of the historical site Kote Veerabhadreshwara Temple in Lakkundi by the chief minister, Siddaramaiah , on Tuesday, hopes of getting crucial clues have multiplied among history enthusiasts of the state and nation as well. Meanwhile, the Lakkundi Heritage Area Development Authority is preparing for an open museum on the lines of Warangal in Telangana. CM Siddaramaiah said that the govt is committed to establishing an open museum in Lakkundi. "This village, Lakkundi, was the capital of the Chalukyas, who constructed temples and a fort here. Remnants of these structures have provided historical information. We provided the required funds to unearth historical structures and artefacts, and that is why conservation became possible here," he claimed. He attributed law minister HK Patil's interest as the reason for launching an excavation in Lakkundi. He thanked the residents of Lakkundi who transferred their land and houses, where relics were found, to the govt. It should be noted that Lakkundi is one of the 844 sites notified for protection. Govt departments like tourism, archaeology, museums, and heritage organised a special campaign between Nov 22 to 24 last year to collect relics from the doorsteps of villagers. The campaign collected over 1,500 relics, and they will be displayed in an open museum of 4 acres. The govt announced funds for the museum in the current year's budget. A team of experts already visited Warangal and opined that a museum better than the one in Warangal can be established here. According to Patil, who is also in charge of Gadag district, Lakkundi villagers are very cooperative with the excavation. "Experts have said that if 27 families leave their houses, five temples can be traced. Most of the house owners agreed to give up their properties, and we will provide alternative accommodation to them," he shared. Meanwhile, the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) conducted a study and submitted a nomination to get a world heritage tag for Lakkundi. The govt is mulling submitting a request to the International Council on Monuments and Sites to add Lakkundi to the world heritage temporary list. Gadag residentse believe that Lakkundi could become a bigger world heritage site than Hampi if it is excavated and developed properly. The previous excavation was in 2004-05 in Lakkundi, and various important relics were found then.
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Time of India
Govt must step up efforts to protect our heritage: INTACH
When INTACH did an inventory of heritage buildings in Bengaluru in 1985, there were around 823 iconic structures. "By 2015, that number dwindled to 354. It could be much less now," says Aravind Chandramohan, co-convener of the Bengaluru Chapter of The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH). Aravind notes that Bengalureans, over the past 10 years or so, have become more aware of heritage structures in the city — a fact that can be validated by the growing success of guided inner city tours and heritage walks. "It is high time the govt stepped up its efforts to conserve remaining structures in the city," he says. A chunk of the structures that have disappeared over the years are residences. "There are around 100 govt buildings in Bengaluru that are heritage structures. Apart from the routine painting and cleaning, nothing concrete is done to restore them." INTACH has been at the forefront of restoring and conserving heritage structures in the city for several years now. Its key restoration works include Fort High School, Nimhans and Vani Vilas PU College. The team is now carrying out restoration work in the main building of the Bangalore Club and Beaulieu, a building on Palace Road housing the office of the Chief Post Master General. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Secure Your Child's Future with Strong English Fluency Planet Spark Learn More Undo Apart from conserving and restoring heritage, INTACH conducts heritage walks and exhibitions to create awareness among the public. "Anything from the past can be considered as a heritage and we all should step up efforts to protect our legacy," says Aravind. Many of the heritage structures in the city are built with brick and lime mortar and not cement. "For many people in Bengaluru or southern Karnataka, Mysuru is the only city that has a legacy of heritage. But, Bengaluru has its own share of heritage structures," reminds Aravind. INTACH focuses mainly on structures that are not part of the Archaeological Survey of India. "We rope in contractors who are specialists in restoration. We have architects to guide them." Any restoration work would usually take a couple of months and if the structure is still functional, then carrying out the work without affecting the day-to-day working of the institution operating out of the building is a great challenge. "For example, if it's a school, it just cannot be shut down for a long period," he says. While INTACH has worked with the govt on a couple of occasions, most of their projects are funded by the public. Arvind says there are generally two ways to restore heritage structures — either adaptively reuse existing heritage buildings or restore them to their original purpose. The way forward is adaptively reusing heritage structures as it is commercially viable, but it should be done sensitively, he says.
