Rail Bandhu Magazine - Archaeological Survey of India

legacy
ASI has resurrected several forgotten and unprotected monuments
MANDU
The hill fort of Mandu, with
inscriptional evidence dating back to
AD 555 is situated only 35 km from the
district headquarters, Dhar. The rock cut
caves, namely, Lohani and Sat Kothari,
are the earliest examples of
architecture among the 60-plus
monuments. The important ones are
located in three groups known as royal
complex, Hoshang Shah’s Tomb and
Roopmati’s Pavilion.
LOTHAL
One of the most prominent cities of the Indus
Valley Civilisation, Lothal is located in the Bhal
region of Gujarat. Discovered in 1954, Lothal
was excavated from February 13, 1955 to May
19, 1960 by ASI.
Lothal has the world’s earliest known dock
yard. It connected the city to an ancient course
of the Sabarmati River on the trade route
between Harappan cities in Sindh and the
peninsula of Saurashtra and to the Middle East,
when the surrounding Rann of Kutch of today
was a part of the Arabian Sea. With its trade of
beads, gems and valuable ornaments reaching
the far corners of West Asia and Africa, Lothal
was an important trading centre.
RAILBANDHU | 120 | MAY 2012
KUMBHALGARH
The fort of Kumbhalgarh in Rajsamand district of Rajasthan was
built in the 15th century. The fort takes its name from Kumbha,
an extraordinary king whose empire, known as Mewar stretched
from Rajasthan into parts of Madhya Pradesh, with his capital at
Chittor. The ASI has been undertaking restoration work in the fort
area since 2004 which has more than 300 documented places of
worship.
Kumbhalgarh is home to another hero of Indian history —
Rana Pratap who was born here. This Rajput warrior is
immortalised in Indian ethos and culture as the one who stood
against the might of the Mughals and suffered valiantly for
upholding the principle of sovereignty and independence. The
fort has had an invincible reputation but succumbed once to the
combined strength of the forces of the Mughal emperor Akbar,
the ruler of Amber and the ruler of Marwar.
ALCHI
Situated on the banks of River Indus in Leh
district of the Ladakh region of J&K, the ASIprotected
Alchi Gompa is easily accessible
since it is the only one in Ladakh which is
located on flat ground. Founded by Ringchen
Zangpo, the great translator, the Alchi
Gompa displays Kashmiri influence in its art
and architecture. Within the monastery are
thousands of miniature-sized paintings
depicting Buddha. It has also been
nominated to be included in UNESCO’s
tentative list of world heritage properties.