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Back from the Brink

Back from the Brink

Author: Rohit Parihar in Kumbhalgarh
Publication: India Today
Date: September 20, 2004

Introduction: Two years of meticulous conservation work by the ASI has restored the magnificent fort to a great extent. But the real challenge is to make Kumbhalgarh a viable tourist destination.

Two years ago, when Jagmohan, then Union minister for art, culture and tourism, visited the 15th century Kumbhalgarh Fort in Rajasthan, he was shocked to see that the beautiful palaces, dams and temples that even invading armies had spared, were falling apart for want of maintenance. Monuments as significant as the birthplace of Maharana Pratap and around three dozen temples were in a dilapidated condition while the view of the magnificent fort was obstructed by unkempt foliage.

Jagmohan immediately directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to restore the vandalised fort and develop its surroundings. For the next 18 months, hundreds of workers toiled hard in the forbidding remoteness of the Kumbhalgarh Fort in Rajsamand district to repair the worn out monuments. As the task near completion, they have the satisfaction of carrying out the largest and quickest conservation project in the state in recent years.

Situated 90 km from Udaipur, the Kumbhalgarh Fort has long been shunned by authorities and travellers alike because of its remote location in  the middle of a wildlife sanctuary. Built as a strategic alternative to the Chittorgarh Fort, it is surrounded by a 36 km seemingly impenetrable wall that runs 7 m wide. The massive wall was not as badly damaged but the other monuments presented a big challenge to the ASI. All around were damaged walls, decaying wooden doors, sunken flooring, broken beams, dilapidated domes and mounds of debris.

Undaunted by the enormity of the task before them, C. Dorji, superintending archaeologist, and his team began work. They scoured the debris for evidence on what stood there earlier. It took a lot of meticulous research to find out and then replicate the original structure using a mix of the debris and new stones. Care was taken to ensure that the restoration work did not stick out like a sore thumb. In one temple, a wall built a few years ago to support the ceiling was replaced with a pillar created from debris found in the fort. In another temple, ASI researchers spent six months sorting out tonnes of debris to get an idea of what the original dome and ceiling looked like.

It was not always possible to retain the original flavour though. Some repairs have not been done in the precise traditional manner for want of resources and time. "You have to either let monuments fall for want of ancient material or make do with something that comes closest to save them for some more decades," says D.C. Sharma, conservation assistant. Similarly, conservation activists may object to the use of modern paints but officials defend their decision.

The undulating topography of the fort only added to the problems. Camels had to be used for transportation within the fort. Since he is from the hills, Dorji didn't find it difficult to trek for miles on the slopes but all other ASI officials confirmed weight loss during the project. So pronounced was the effect that the Kumbalgarh Fort is referred to as a health resort in ASI circles. "The fort has been given a new lease of life," says Dorji. The ASI is now laying stress on landscaping its surroundings. Besides, step wells, water ponds and three major dams that broke down decades ago are being restored, including a feature near Mama Deo temple where Maharana Kumbha was killed by his son.

A larger controversy awaiting the Kumbhalgarh Fort pertains to the Tourism Ministry's light and sound programmes. Although the proposal to instal colour and high-mast lights was dropped, the use of plastic parking lights and kota stone seats has created eyesores. Then again, most tourists do not stay the night in Kumbhalgarh, raising doubts about whether the late evening shows will have a sizeable audience to make them financially viable.

Clearly, the ASI needs to come up with ways to retain tourists at Kumbhalgarh. The forest, tourism and police departments can work in tandem with the ASI to offer camping sites within the fort. But the ASI is wary of such proposals because it doesn't have the manpower to ensure the safety of visitors. Sometime ago, a hotelier started a horse safari inside the fort but a tourist fell off and died. In Chittorgarh Fort, a drowning death resulted in a lawsuit against ASI officials.

In the past, the Kumbhalgarh Fort has withstood invaders, vandals and time. Now the ASI must not let mishaps like these mar its future.
 


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