“India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend, and the great-grandmother of tradition.” This statement was given by Mark Twain during his travels to India in 1896, making it nearly a hundred and thirty years old. Despite its timeless essence, this sentiment has yet to translate into action.
Today, as many proud nationalists will gladly remind you, India has 43 UNESCO World Heritage sites, one of the highest in the world. Out of these, 35 are cultural landmarks alone. India has declared 3,697 ancient monuments and archaeological sites of national importance. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) oversees their conservation and maintenance. It also provides basic amenities at these places, including paths, signage, benches, facilities for differently-abled visitors, sound and light performances, and souvenir stores. Typologically, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) boasts over 1471 religious monuments, 749 archaeological sites, 490 forts, palaces and fortresses, and 437 memorial buildings, apart from historic gardens, water systems, and public buildings. With 2183 religious monuments, 723 archaeological sites, 574 forts and palaces, 326 memorials and the rest of various kinds, state-protected sites exhibit a similar break-up.
Despite this well-merited pride in our heritage, many of India’s monuments and cultural sites lie in ruin. Under different government and private ownership, over 90,000 historically significant buildings remain mostly unprotected.
Like nearly all other issues in today’s India, this disregard for the protection of heritage is rooted in its colonial history. Significant discoveries in the realm of archaeology and art history were made in British India, but the empire’s handling of its practices was, at best, a product of their time.
Established in 1861 for the purposes of military reconnaissance and colonial oversight, the Archaeological Survey of India was assigned the responsibility of exploring, identifying, classifying, and cataloguing India’s extensive archaeological history as encountered by British imperial authority.
In 1854, Walter Elliot, the commissioner of Guntur (Andhra Pradesh), travelled to Amaravati and discovered the Buddhist site there. They removed sculptural panels and transported them to Madras. He discovered the remnants of the western gateway and concluded that Amaravati’s Buddha stupa was one of the largest and most magnificent ever erected. In the 1850s, Amaravati slabs were moved to several locations, including the Asiatic Society of Bengal in Calcutta, the India Office in Madras, and London. Sculptures like these were commonly found in the gardens of British administrators. New officials in the area continued to remove sculptures from the site, citing the precedent set by previous officials. This led to an obvious loss of information and cultural history about the monument.
A few decades later, Sir John Marshall served as the Director General of ASI when the ruins of the Indus Valley Civilisation were discovered. Marshall’s sympathy towards the Indian nationalist movement, however, could not stop him from making grave errors in his work. Marshall overlooked the site’s stratigraphy and excavated in straight horizontal lines, mixing up the artefacts from different stratigraphic layers, causing much valuable information about the context of his findings to be lost forever.
While his immediate successor, R.E.M. Wheeler, corrected this mistake, the ASI’s questionable excavation and preservation practices continue to this day. Despite developments in archaeological practices and increased awareness, the organisation continues to be embroiled in controversial activities.
Cultural Anthropologist Ashish Avikunthak revealed his thoughts on the matter, saying, ‘ I found that the process of archaeology in the ASI is shaped by an intricate mix of scientific logic and bureaucratic practices, infused with nationalistic ideologies in India. It grapples with the country’s colonial past, an inefficient government machinery, plagued by widespread dissatisfaction among employees.’
Although reports of superficial restoration of heritage sites as preparation for the G20 summit may be few, the impact of the degradation of ancient architecture, such as careless plastering over the Nakashi artform, is felt not just by art connoisseurs but also by the people of the country, from the elderly who have lived by these monuments to the youth, who are losing a great part of their cultural identity.
In January 2024, Outlook magazine reported “Gol Gumbaz, Safdarjung’s tomb, Sikander Lodi tomb and a number of other monuments that are part of the capital’s heritage have been carelessly covered in a fresh coat of sand, cement and paint in a botched-up attempt to beautify the city’s heritage sites. In the process of restoring the monuments, the delicate details and carvings on the walls have been erased. While crores have been spent on the restoration plan, the execution looks hurried with generous use of plaster and paint covering up the monuments’ former glory.”
But is ASI the sole responsible factor for the decline of our cultural heritage? The Constitution lays down several fundamental duties as the obligation of every Indian, including ‘to value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture’. How many of us can realise this, not just in thought but in action?
“Human activity is playing a major role in threatening our heritage sites. With rapid urbanisation around these Indian heritage sites, pollution is becoming a serious issue. The ancient stone structures of Hampi are being affected by increasing tourist footfall and surrounding urban growth,” says Dr Sheeba Chandar, Dean, School of Planning, Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science, Chennai.
In this increasingly polarising nation, on one hand, we have this unbelievably robust apathy towards the ruin of cultural heritage and on the other, we have people demanding that the graves of Mughal emperors such as Aurangzeb be destroyed. Perhaps, those calling for such action should stop and ask themselves, if history is only worth protecting when it glorifies and exculpates our ancestors, or is every aspect of our past worth preserving?
While we ponder these questions, it is important to note that successful attempts have been made to preserve culture as well. The Hampi Group of Monuments was added to the UNESCO World Heritage in Danger List in 1999 due to the construction of a cable-suspended bridge within the protected archaeological area. The construction undermined the site’s integrity and authenticity. The bridge construction was halted, and mitigation measures were implemented, resulting in the site’s removal from the risk list in 2006.
This is just one example of the government’s swift action, but continued efforts along with awareness amongst people and help from the locals can become a true game changer. It is essential to acknowledge the mistakes of the past and do better. Efforts for heritage education, increasing the ASI’s funding, and policy changes can further strengthen this. There are already small-scale efforts, such as social media campaigns to preserve specific sites and monuments.
NGOs such as INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage)
have cooperated with the government occasionally, and the public supports most of their programs. There are two approaches to restoring heritage structures: adaptively reusing existing heritage buildings or returning them to their original use. The way forward is adaptive reuse of heritage structures, which is commercially viable, but it must be done with caution.
India can take inspiration from other nations with a rich cultural past, such as Italy. Italy introduced a new tax programme, with a favourable regime for those who contribute to culture through charitable giving. The Art Bonus offers a 65% tax credit for personal or corporate donations towards public cultural heritage. A donation not only provides a cash benefit but also allows people to contribute significantly to preserving Italian culture and heritage.
India is at a crucial juncture, and our leaders aspire for it to become a global superpower. For this, and all other aspirations, we must value our rich and glorious cultural past, learn from the ancient wisdoms of passed down generation to generation and immortalised through our heritage sites and monuments. Ultimately, the responsibility of protecting, preserving and maintaining our cultural legacy falls on the shoulders of every Indian. We must work together as a country, and as communities in our respective localities, to make an actual impact and honour our nation’s glorious history while living its sanguine present. The young of the country, with the guidance from the old, can be the forerunners of change.