ASI probes 'risks' to UNESCO World Heritage Khajuraho temples

Taking cognisance of a complaint by a Maharashtra heritage expert the Archaeological Survey of India ASI is probing allegations of certain activities reported from the vicinity buffer zone of the ancient Khajuraho Temples a UNESCO World Heritage siteThe quiet development follows objections by the Jalgaonbased Heritage Foundation Director Bhujang Bobade to the ASI DirectorGeneral Madhya Pradesh ASI officials Prime Minister Narendra Modi and othersBobade said in his complaint that a group of Jain Temples in the close proximity of the Khajuraho Temples have recently carried out certain minor renovations and used chemicalsynthetic paintsThis poses a severe threat to the safety of the 1112 centuriesold Khajuraho Group of Monuments comprising two dozen temples They were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986 and accorded global protection Surprisingly not a single concerned authority has bothered to acknowledge my email complaints so far a miffed Bobade told IANSIt was in December 2021January 2022 that locals were taken aback to witness painting and minor repairs being undertaken on the equally ancient cluster of Jain Temples outside the Khajuraho Group of Monuments but falling within the iumliquestfrac12buffer zone of the UNESCO World Heritage siteAs per UNESCO rules there is a minimum 300metre buffer zone around all such World Heritage Sites where no such activities that can potentially harm the designated protected monuments are permitted The Jain Temples here have apparently flouted the rules claimed BobadeSocial media was agog with viral photos and videos of the facelift work that has now given the old Jain Temples a sparkling white facade barring two the Parshvanath and Adinath Temples a sharp contrast to the darkgreyish brown demeanour of the world heritage complex beside and later confirmed in a site visit by IANSWhen contacted the ASI Jabalpur Circle Head Dr Shivkant Bajpeyi said that the Jain Temples do not come under their jurisdiction and hence they dont interfere in their activitiesHowever after the concerns raised in certain quarters we have sought a Status Report which has been received After studying it we shall examine further measures Bajpeyi told IANSThe temple trustees vehemently denied having effected any repairsrenovation but admitted that the Jain Temples around the Khajuraho complex were given a makeover with a coat of fresh paintThis is a part of the regular maintenance that is carried out periodically as required This is not the first time and we have painted these temples in the past asserted the Jain Temple Prabandhan Committee JTPC Member Ramesh Jain to IANSWhen asked why the Parshvanath and Adinath Temples were spared the brush and paint Jain said those two temples are managed by the ASI A crosscheck by IANS with the local ASI office verified the claimASI officials in Delhi said that the JTPC has been demanding that the ASI hand over the remaining two Parshvanath and Adinath temples for proper upkeep but that would not be possible on several groundsNow with the ostensible blessings of a prominent Digambar Jain guru Acharya Shri Vidyasagarji Maharaj a new Jain temple is also being constructed some 300350 metres from the boundaries of the existing Jain temples near the Khajuraho Group of Monuments sparking concerns afresh in officialdomThe Acharya is revered by top politicians including the Prime Minister Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and other bigwigs across the political spectrumThe Jain Temples are described as live monuments with top religious leaders and commoners congregating or praying and celebrating festivals thereBobade cautioned that if the UNESCO rules are flouted it could lead to forfeiture of the World Heritage Site tag resulting in a huge embarrassment for India and urged that prompt remedial steps be taken to protect the Khajuraho Temples its identified buffer zone plus the coveted titleBuilt during the reign of the Chandela Dynasty the Khajuraho complex is the largest concentration of medieval Hindu and Jain temples coming up over 11 centuries agoOriginally the site comprised 85 Khajuraho Temples sprawled across 20 sq kms but now barely two dozen temples survive in a 6 sq km areaThe temples are noted for their intricate detailed carvings symbolism stunning erotica and the expressions of ancient Indian art that continue to amaze the modern worldThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever