Monument Mitra Scheme
27-Jan-2023: Revamping Monument Mitra Scheme
Private firms will soon be able to partner with Archaeological Survey of India for the upkeep of 1,000 monuments under the Monument Mitra Scheme, which involves adopting and maintaining heritage sites.
Monument Mitra Scheme:
- Entity partnering with government under 'Adopt A Heritage' project aims to develop monuments, heritage and tourist sites
- Invites corporate entities, public sector companies or individuals to 'adopt' them
- Revamped scheme based on Corporate Social Responsibility model
- New website with names of all heritage sites to be launched
Heritage:
- Buildings, artefacts, structures, areas and precincts of historic, aesthetic, architectural, ecological or cultural significance
- Key concepts for determining heritage listing: historic significance, integrity, and context
- In India, heritage comprises archaeological sites, remains, ruins
- Primary custodian of 'Monuments and Sites' in India is ASI
Significance of Heritage:
- Storytellers of Indian History
- Embracing Diversity
- Economic Contribution: Revenue generation through tourism-related activities such as accommodation, transportation, and souvenir sales
Heritage Management in India:
- Lack of Centralised Database for Heritage Sites
- INTACH inventory of 60,000 buildings in 150 cities
- Heritage Encroachments
- Example: Taj Mahal's premises near Khan-i-Alam's Bagh
- Lack of Human Resource
- ASI facing shortage of qualified and competent staff
Government initiatives related to heritage management:
- National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities (NMMA), 2007
- Project Mausam
Revamping heritage sites in India:
- Heritage Impact Assessment for large infrastructure projects
- Adjoining conservation projects to city master plans and Smart City Initiative
- Using lesser-known monuments for cultural and wedding programmes to promote intangible heritage and increase visitor numbers
- Linking heritage conservation with climate action, using historic sites to educate and develop adaptation and mitigation strategies
Jagannath Temple
Lord Jagannath known as Patitapaban or "saviour of the downtrodden"
Location: Puri, Odisha, India
Construction:
- Constructed in the 12th century by King Anatavarman Chodaganga Deva of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty
- Known as 'Yamanika Tirtha'
- Called the "White Pagoda"
Part of Char Dham pilgrimages (Badrinath, Dwaraka, Puri, Rameswaram)
Unique architecture: massive compound wall, large temple complex with multiple towers, halls, and shrines
Ban on Non-Hindus:
- Only Hindus allowed inside the shrine to offer prayers to the deities in the sanctum sanctorum
- Non-Hindus barred from entering for centuries
- No clearly articulated reason for the ban
- Non-Hindus can get privilege of darshan of Patitapaban at Lion's Gate
- In 1984, servitors opposed Indira Gandhi's entry due to her marriage to a non-Hindu
- In 2005, a Thai princess was only able to view the Temple from the outside as foreigners are not allowed
- In 2006, a Swiss citizen was denied entry due to her Christian faith despite her large donation
History of attacks: Historians suggest multiple attacks by Muslim rulers might have led to the restrictions
Main attraction: Annual Rath Yatra festival where three main deities are taken out in a grand procession on a chariot
Unique food offering: Mahaprasad, prepared in the temple kitchen and distributed among the devotees.
Charaideo Maidams
24-Jan-2023: Centre has decided to nominate the Charaideo Maidams in Assam for the UNESCO World Heritage Centre this year.
Assam's Charaideo Moidams
- Represents late medieval mound burial tradition of Tai Ahom community in Assam
- Mortal remains of Ahom royalty buried with their paraphernalia
- After 18th century, Ahom rulers adopted Hindu method of cremation and entombed ashes in Maidam at Charaideo
- 90 royal burials at Charaideo are best preserved, representative of and most complete examples of mound burial tradition of Ahoms
Ahom Kingdom
- Established in 1228 in Brahmaputra valley of Assam
- Ruled for 600 years, till annexed by British India in 1826
- Founded by Chaolung Sukapha
- Suppressed older political system of bhuiyans and relied on forced labour of paiks
- Society divided into clans or khels
- Accepted Hindu religion and Assamese language, but didn't completely give up traditional beliefs
- Army consisted of infantry, navy, artillery, elephantry, cavalry and spies
- Expert in guerilla fighting and constructing boat bridges in Brahmaputra