The demolition of the 17th-century Mubarak Manzil, a Mughal heritage site, by an Agra-based builder, has sparked outrage among many, including famed India-based Scottish historian William Dalrymple.
The razing of Mubarak Manzil in Agra, in collusion with police and administrative officials, speaks volumes about the sad state of ancient monuments and archaeological sites in our country.
It has been reported that apart from Mubarak Manzil, at least three other historical sites were demolished or naturally destroyed in the past four months in Agra. These included the Shahi Hammam (1620), Zohra Bagh, and a 500-year-old Ibrahim Lodhi-era mosque.
A flabbergasted Dalrymple posted: “It’s almost as if India is going out of its way to destroy its appeal as a tourist destination. Neglect your main heritage centres, allow developers to raze all its heritage properties, and then be surprised when this great country has fewer tourists than Dubai or Singapore…”
India, one of the oldest civilisations in the world, has a treasure trove of ancient heritage monuments and sites that date back centuries. These monuments stand as a testament to the architectural brilliance of their respective eras and provide a glimpse into India’s rich cultural heritage.
Dalrymple is right when he says that despite having a rich cultural heritage, India is attracting fewer international tourists as the country is neglecting its heritage monuments.
Lost Glory
We proudly showcase world-renowned monuments and sites like the Taj Mahal in Agra or, for example, Hampi in Karnataka to tourists. However, behind these few well-preserved monuments lie a slew of numerous heritage structures and sites in a dilapidated condition – unaccounted for, destroyed, and lost forever.
According to the Ministry of Culture website, as of January 2025, India has more than 3,696 ancient monuments and archaeological sites of national importance. These monuments are protected and maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
The ASI is responsible for the research, conservation, and maintenance of these monuments under the AMASR (Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains) Act, 1958. The Act protects monuments and sites that are more than 100 years old.
An array of structures, including prehistoric sites, Stone Age rock shelters, Neolithic sites, megalithic burial sites, rock-cut caves, stupas, temples, mosques, tombs, churches, cemeteries, forts, palaces, step-wells, and ancient mounds and sites, form part of these monuments. Further, state governments and union territories have also declared monuments/sites as being of state importance under their respective Acts.
In the event of any damage or encroachment to a monument, ASI officials are authorised to file police complaints, issue show-cause notices for the removal of encroachments, and coordinate with the local administration for necessary action. Sadly, the officials have failed in their duty to preserve, protect, and conserve these monuments. So much so that some monuments have gone missing from the ASI’s list.
In a submission made to Parliament by the Ministry of Culture, it was reported that 50 of India’s 3,693 centrally protected monuments were ‘missing’. This was revealed in the submissions made by the ministry on December 8, 2022, to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism, and Culture as part of a report titled ‘Issues Relating to Untraceable Monuments and Protection of Monuments in India’. These included 11 in Uttar Pradesh, two each in Delhi and Haryana, and some in states like Assam, West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
Among the old sites that had vanished according to the ASI were the Kos Minar, a medieval milestone in Haryana state; the Guns of Emperor Sher Shah in Tinsukia town; the Telia Nala Buddhist site in Varanasi; and the Barakhamba Monument, a 14th-century tomb building in Delhi. Interestingly, all these monuments had been earlier de-notified by the ASI.
Safeguarding Heritage
The ASI and the Ministry of Culture have erred by de-notifying some of these structures, meaning they are no longer classified as monuments of national importance. This has placed them in the dangerous reach of unscrupulous land developers and construction mafias looking for spaces to build, sell, and profit.
There are not enough security guards to oversee these monuments. The Parliamentary Committee (PC) was informed that security guards were posted at only 248 of the 3,693 monuments. “The committee notes with dismay that out of the total requirement of 7,000 personnel for the protection of monuments, the government could provide only 2,578 security personnel at 248 locations due to budgetary constraints,” the PC report said.
In the just-concluded winter session, the government informed Parliament that a survey undertaken by the ASI through its various field offices revealed that 18 protected monuments and sites were “not in good state of preservation”.
The government needs to address the specific challenges faced by the ASI in the upkeep of monuments.
The ASI needs to be provided with sufficient funds, personnel, and resources to maintain these heritage monuments. The local community around historical sites must also be involved in their upkeep and maintenance. A sense of pride and awareness should be instilled in the local community.
In a country where meeting the basic needs of citizens has become the primary focus of successive central governments, many monuments and sites have perished due to activities like urbanisation, the construction of dams and reservoirs, and even encroachments. A number of cases regarding unauthorised constructions carried out in prohibited and regulated areas in various states and UTs have also been highlighted.
Sadly, citizens often seek ways to circumvent the procedures for quick solutions, damaging the sites and structures. On November 27, an IIT researcher was killed in a pit collapse at the Harappan historical site of Lothal, Gujarat. The joint team of IIT Delhi and IIT Gandhinagar was carrying out a soil sample survey and hadn’t bothered to inform or seek permission from the ASI. The digging was carried out within the 100-metre prohibited limit of an ASI-protected site. The researchers even had an excavator working on a nearby road project to dig a 12-foot-deep trench, just 50 metres from the main gate of the Lothal site, which falls within the prohibited area.
Each monument and even the remains narrate a story of India’s glorious past, and they must be preserved as a legacy for future generations.
(The author is Contributing Editor, NDTV)
Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author
