Karnataka   

ASI urged to take over mosque and gumbuz for maintenance

NEEDS ATTENTION: The Shor Gumbuz in Gulbarga.

GULBARGA: The Government has sent a proposal to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to declare the Shahabazaar Mosque and the Shor Gumbuz in Gulbarga city as national monuments and take over their maintenance.

Commissioner of the State Archaeology, Museums and Heritage Department Venkatesh Machakanavar told The Hindu here on Tuesday that these two important monuments were now under the control of the State Archaeological Department and the Government had sent the proposal to the ASI with a view to conserve and protect them.

He said that the response from the ASI is awaited. With the meagre funds available with the State Archaeological Department, it had become difficult to maintain the monuments.

Moreover, the ASI had experts and trained personnel besides finances to conserve and maintain historical monuments.

Mr. Machakavanar said, “There are more than 10,000 monuments that need to be conserved and protected in the State.

However, only 1,000 are under the control of the State department. Another 700 are under the control of the ASI, while the remaining monuments were left uncared for and unprotected.”

He, however, said that the financial situation of the department had been strengthened after the allocation of Rs. 7 crore under the 12th Finance Commission headed by the Union Government giving room for more conservation activities.

Referring to the monuments in the district, Mr. Machakanavar said that one of the problems encountered in the conservation and restoration of these monuments was the encroachment of land surrounding them.

Mr. Machakanavar said the department had taken up conservation of select monuments in Bidar, Mysore, Srirangapatna, Gulbarga, Kittur, Bijapur which have been declared as heritage cities. The monuments included in the restoration and conservation work in Mysore and Srirangapatna are the Srirangapatna Fort, the Hanging Bridge, the Janana Mantapa and the Bathing Ghat. In Gulbarga, two monuments, the tomb of Allauddin, Bahmani king, and Langar-ki-Masjid, and in Bidar, Kali Masjid and Sadat Sawahi Tomb, have been taken up for restoration and maintenance. In Kittur, the fort will be covered under the programme.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Time sought
Works worth Rs. 1,235 cr. at Mormugao port soon
KCSF workers take out victory procession
Dead identified
Protest
Rousing reception to an able achiever
ASI urged to take over mosque and gumbuz for maintenance
Court issues stay order against NPCL
Five-member inter-State gang preparing to strike arrested
MPs, MLCs appeal against allowing diversion of Tungabhadra water
A.R. Rahman visits dargah in Kadapa
Workshop on herbal medicine
Desecration: police action sought
LeT suspects move High Court for bail
Nanaiah to join secular party
6,000 farmers trained in scientific cultivation methods
Farmers to form self-help groups
Official’s suspension sought
Water adalat
Bangalore today

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu