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.
