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Time of India
3 days ago
- General
- 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
3 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Students struggle during admissions due to confusion over subject selection under NEP
Indore: As the online college admission process under the department of higher education (DHE) continues, many students are grappling with confusion while selecting their major, minor, elective, and vocational subjects. The absence of proper guidance, complex subject titles, and an overwhelming number of combinations have made the process difficult for many. Under the National Education Policy (NEP) framework, students must finalise their subject preferences at the time of registration. But, due to limited awareness and understanding, many are making hurried choices—only to realise later that they either don't recall their selections or have chosen courses misaligned with their interests or career goals. "While filling out the form, I selected the subjects in a hurry because there was no one to guide me. Now I can't even remember what I selected as my minor subject," said Drishti Patel, a student applying for a BA programme. "Subject names are so technical and confusing. I had to search each one online, but even then I wasn't sure which subject is best for my career," said Raghav Sharma, another applicant. Educationists from the city said that subject names are unfamiliar to most students as they just cleared the Class 12 examinations, and there is neither enough information on the website nor trained faculty to help them during the process. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 오스템 임플란트 받아가세요 임플란터 더 알아보기 Undo Colleges must create dedicated guidance teams. Vocational subjects, despite being encouraged under NEP for promoting skill development, are scarcely available in private colleges due to faculty and infrastructure limitations. This further narrows the options for students who may have preferred these courses. Meanwhile, the DHE officials said that the students can approach the helpdesks set up at the govt colleges for any guidance. To accommodate the rising number of applicants, the DHE has extended the registration deadline to June 6. The initial deadline was May 31. Document verification will continue until June 7, and the first round of seat allotment will be announced on June 12. Students must pay their admission fee between June 13 and 18 to confirm their seats. Failure to do so will lead to automatic cancellation. As the deadline nears, students and parents are demanding simplified procedures, better counselling, and subject brochures in easy language to help them make more informed and confident decisions.
Indian Express
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
New Delhi's Taliban reset
Written by Raghav Sharma Barely a week into an uneasy truce with Rawalpindi, New Delhi dialled Kabul, marking the first ministerial-level contact with the Afghan Taliban since 1999. What stood out was the timing of the telephonic conversation between Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar and his Afghan counterpart, Amir Khan Muttaqi. After all, the Taliban have long been regarded as a proxy of Rawalpindi. The outreach signals New Delhi's desire — albeit a belated one — to accelerate its engagement in the Afghan theatre: A tall order, given China's deep history of involvement with the Taliban since the 1990s, alongside its cultivation of an array of non-state actors in the Af-Pak region. Beijing's moves have been carefully aligned with Moscow, Tehran and Rawalpindi, further buttressed by its robust diplomatic presence, economic leverage, and its position as a veto-holding member of the UN Security Council. Developments since the Afghan Taliban's return to power have underscored the pyrrhic nature of the 'victory' for the generals in Rawalpindi — particularly in light of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) acquiring reverse strategic depth in Pakistan. Moreover, Rawalpindi's failed attempts to goad an antipathetic Kabul into acting against TTP safe havens on its side of the Durand Line have led it to resort to forced repatriation of Afghan refugees and the use of air power to bomb alleged TTP camps. This has only served to further embitter the relationship and reinforce pervasive anti-Pakistan sentiment at a popular level in Afghanistan. This has created a unique situation for both Kabul and New Delhi. For the Afghan Taliban, engagement with India offers not only an opportunity to shore up its quest for elusive legitimacy but also an antidote to pressure from Pakistan. It further enables the Taliban to counter doubts cast on its credentials as an independent, nationalist actor in its own right. During the 20 years of the Afghan republic's existence, New Delhi's development initiatives were widely acclaimed. Now, however, the timing of this renewed outreach runs the risk of India being seen as a power seeking to use Afghanistan as a proxy battleground to settle scores with Pakistan. Moreover, given Trump's recently acquired penchant for brokering 'peace' in Kashmir, India must be cautious not to provide Washington with an opportunity to re-hyphenate New Delhi and Rawalpindi. India might also find it difficult to reconcile its image as the 'world's largest democracy' and its commitment to a rights- and rules-based order due to engagement with a regime that has a deplorable human rights record. While India may be compelled to sup with the devil, it should not only do so with a long spoon but also pay close attention to how public narratives are shaped, given their increasing significance in international affairs. India would not want to be perceived as a profit-seeking power whose rhetoric around the well-being of the Afghan people is at odds with its peripheral position in its larger geopolitical calculus. For instance, while Jaishankar issued a statement appreciating Muttaqi for his 'condemnation of the Pahalgam terrorist attack… his rejection of recent attempts to create distrust between India and Afghanistan,' the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that discussions '…focused on enhancing bilateral relations, promoting trade and upgrading diplomatic engagement… streamlining the issuance of visas.' Therefore, for a meaningful and effective reset in its ties with Afghanistan, India will have to bridge the gap between rhetoric and reality. Resuscitating a sizable development footprint, re-centring the Afghan people, creating economic leverage through trade, drawing on Ankara and Tehran's playbook of retaining ties with a cross-section of the Afghan elite, and engaging lateral experts in the field could be some starting points. The writer is Professor and Director, Centre for Afghanistan Studies at the School of International Affairs, OP Jindal Global University, India
