Protests erupt at world heritage site in India's Orissa State over hike in entry fees

Officials at the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) must be disappointed today if they thought that their implementation of increased entry fees at listed monuments was going to be trouble-free. While ASI spokespersons' assertion that the new entry fees are in line with the cost to visit heritage sites in other countries may be true, this did not stop protesters from massing at the gates to the UNESCO-designated Sun Temple at Konarak in Orissa State.

Sun Temple, Konarak *

Concerned that the increased entry fees would deter tourists from visiting the site, local residents effectively shut down the ticket counter for much day on April 2, 2016. While they finally agreed to end their demonstration after receiving the promise of a meeting with site administrators next week. Expect more protests if the ASI does not back down.

At a broader level, there is a lesson here for any country seeking to impose across-the-board changes to heritage site entry fees. Given that the economic importance of heritage sites is likely to vary widely from one community to the next, early consultation and a sensitive approach to implementation are vital if the changes are to be accepted.

* Photo credit: By Souvik Burman - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28028170

Bureaucratic inertia stymies restoration work at Elephanta Caves in Mumbai Harbour

Elephanta Caves, a world heritage site on a small island in the Sea of Oman near Mumbai, boast an impressive archaeological legacy dating to the 2nd century BCE. Associated with the cult of Shiva, the caves feature rock carvings and sculptures.

While the prospect of electricity being brought to Elephanta Island prompted lots of publicity last year, money set aside for restoration work at the site in last year's budget has yet to translate into any concrete action.

Temple at Elephanta, 1907

  

While work at Elephanta Caves was supposed to include landscape restoration, installation of signage and interpretation centres, improved access for disabled people and improved visitors’ amenities, nothing has actually been done apart from a "project teport." In classic bureaucratic fashion, restoration work has reportedly been stymied by the fact that responsibility for the site overlaps between the Archaeological Survey of India and the Forest Department.

It is sad to think that red tape alone is enough to stop important restoration work, despite the required funds being available.

Indian Tourism Ministry enlists tech in its struggle against litterbugs and vandals

While heritage-related technology news has lately foccused on the use of imaging and remote sensing to preserve world heritage sites - if only virtually - that are threatened by the iconoclasts of so-called Islamic State and their ilk, India's Ministry of Tourism has enlisted technology in its longstanding fight against litterbugs.

The Times of India reported this week on the launch of a smart phone app that will allow users to take photos of graffiti, garbage and other "violations" and upload them to a "control room" manned by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), whose mandate include upkeep of monuments.

The app will initially focus on 25 monuments, including world heritage sites such as the Red Fort, Qutub Minar and Taj Mahal.

Hopefully the Ministry of Tourism will undertake an evaluation of the app's effectiveness. While I suspect the impact of "crowdsourcing" public services is often overrated, this app may just appeal to smart phone users who seem never to miss an opportunity to pull out their device.

Angry bees attack tourists at Sun Temple in India's Orissa State

Fifteen tourists visiting the Sun Temple at Konârak, on the shores of the Bay of Bengal, suffered bee stings this week, after being swarmed by bees reportedly angered by monkeys' destruction of their beehive on the temple grounds.

Sun Temple, Konarak (credit: Ajaydubedi)

Authorities closed its ticket counters following the swarming, which was the second incident in as many days. Built in the 13th century CE, the temple is outstanding for its scale, architecture and art, and features a remarkable representation of the sun god Surya's chariot. The temple was inscribed as a world heritage site in 1984.

Undoubtedly tourists unable to enter the site are hoping that the temple's errant bees will be quickly rehoused.

The mystery of Queen Victoria's disappearance at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Railway Terminus

Without a doubt the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST), formerly known as Victoria Terminus Station, is one Mumbai's most iconic buildings and an outstanding example of Victorian Gothic Revival architecture in India. Inscribed as a world heritage site in 2004, CST continues to serve as a key transportation hub for Mumbai, with three million commuters passing through its doors daily!

While the terminus featured most recently in international news headlines in 2008 when it was the site of a bloody attack in which gunmen killed 58 people and injured more than 100, a new intrigue is playing out at the CST this week as the disappearance of a

a new (if much lesser) indignity has been visited on the CST with the coming to light of the mysterious disappearance of the station's imposing statue of Queen Victoria.

While the statue had been relocated from the CST in the 1950s as part of a national campaign to rid the country of its colonial vestiges, it was being kept in the grounds of a nearby zoo until it vanished without a trace, and railway officials contacted by the Indian Express newspaper are reportedly "clueless", not only as to the statue's whereabouts but even when it was taken.

Historians and conservationists are understandably worried, and it is widely assumed that the statue has been spirited away and sold.

Survey uncovers 300 historical buildings in Old Delhi

In an effort to bolster India's 2012 application for UNESCO to inscribe Old Delhi as a world heritage site, the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) has undertaken an in-depth survey, as a result of which 300 historical buildings have reportedly been added to a list which already features over 1,000.

Most of the properties date from the British colonial period, although some go back to the Mughal era. Some of the havelis (mansions) identified through the survey are in good condition, but many are decrepit as their private owners are unable or ill-disposed to maintain them.

Taj Mahal under threat by al-Qaeda?

A number of Indian media outlets are reporting in recent days on a threat purportedly made by the Islamist militant group al-Qaeda against the Taj Mahal and other heritage sites in India.

While the reports are short on detail, security forces are said to be on heightened alert and visitors are additional subjected to additional checks.

Assuming this is a credible threat, let's hope the increased security is enough to prevent any terrorist incident.

Indian world heritage site slideshow

This weekend's Indian Express features a slideshow of 15 of the country's top world heritage sites. The photos are all top-notch, and it's nice to see sites other than just the Taj Mahal showcased.

Fatehpur Sikri, Uttar Pradesh

My favourite photo is that of Fatehpur Sikri, the capital of the Mughal Empire in the second half of the 16th century.

Activist judge raises the alarm over a crematorium near the Taj Mahal

Not only is the Taj Mahal India's foremost tourist destination, it is also a leading world heritage site and its iconic white dome and minarets are among India's most recognizable cultural symbols.

As such, it is perhaps no surprise that an Indian Supreme Court judge, during a recent visit to the famous mausoleum, was concerned that its beauty was being sullied by smoke from a nearby wood-burning crematorium. Moved to action, he reportedly raised his concern with fellow judges, who in turn issued an order to the State of Uttar Pradesh to relocate the wood-burning crematorium or replace it with an electric one. 

The state government has 15 days to respond, though it is not clear what sanctions it would face if it fails to do so.

Marketing India's world heritage sites

New Delhi newspaper The Sunday Standard has reported on the launch of a new website by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to promote the country's treasure trove of world heritage sites. At present, a handful of sites attract huge crowds each year (the Taj Mahal comes to mind), while others receive relatively few visitors.

Through its new website, the ASI hopes to broaden the appeal of "lesser" sites, thereby showcasing the amazing breadth of India's cultural heritage while at the same time boosting revenue from entry fees at all 32 of India's world heritage sites.

The annotated map accompanying the website, which is reproduced above, is slickly produced and a handy reference to anyone planning a trip to India who is interested in visiting some (or perhaps all!) of its world heritage sites.

Explosives disposal at World Heritage Site in India

The Hill Forts of Rajasthan, recognized as a "serial" world heritage site in 2013, are each impressive in their own right and date back variously to a thousand-year period between the 8th and 18th centuries. Tourists visiting one of the forts - Rathambore - in Sawaimadhopur district - can now rest a bit easier knowing that they are no longer at risk of being blown up by the one-tonne cache of explosives that was being stored there for several decades.

The Rajasthan Heritage Conservation Authority has announced that a National Security Guard team had successfully disposed of the explosives in an operation last week. While NDTV reported that the issue has been pending for several years, with multiple reminders sent to the Rajasthan government by the Archaeological Survey of Indian, there is no indication why the 10th century fort was being used to store explosives in the first place.