Kalaburagi monuments miss Unesco tag, people criticise govts

Kalaburagi/Vijayapura: Union tourism minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat informed Rajya Sabha that no Karnataka monuments are being considered for Unesco nomination. Shekhawat answered an unstarred question asked by Lahar Singh Siroya, saying, "However, four properties—monuments and forts of the Deccan Sultanate, monuments of Srirangapatna island town, evolution of temple architecture: Aihole-Badami-Pattadakal and Hire Benkal megalithic site—are already included in the tentative list, which is a prerequisite for the further inscription process," he added. His reply led to a debate among history enthusiasts, who termed it another discrimination towards the North Karnataka region by state and Union govts. Dr Krishna Kolhar Kulkarni, convenor of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), Vijayapura, told TOI that the tentative list was cancelled at Unesco 2 years ago. "As per Unesco's new policy of accepting nominations, a monument should be independent. There is a need for the deputy commissioner concerned to submit a revised proposal. The proposal should be prepared in a specified proforma by involving history and tourism experts, and it should go through the official channel in DC, state govt, union govt, and then to Unesco. Instead of doing it, some politicians are wasting time just making statements," he regretted.He also stated that INTACH Vijayapura is preparing a proposal only on Gol Gumbaz and Ibrahim Roza at its own cost.Dr Rehaman Patel, an artist and researcher in Kalaburagi, said that it was shocking news for Kalaburagi people that no new monuments in Karnataka were presently under consideration for nominations for the Unesco tag. "The department of archaeology, museums, and heritage submitted a proposal to the World Heritage Advisory Committee through the Union department of culture, in Feb 2014, to include the monuments and forts of Kalaburagi, Bidar, and Vijayapura districts under the title ‘Monuments and Forts of the Deccan Sultanate' on the World Heritage Tentative List. From Kalaburagi, the Bahmani Fort and Haft Gumbaz are recommended for the Unesco tag. Even the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) committee of Unesco reviewed and accepted the proposal on April 15, 2014, adding it to the tentative list," he mentioned.Mohammed Ayazuddin Patel, a noted photographer and historian, commented that ‘Monuments and Forts of the Deccan Sultanate' highlights that a dossier was prepared in collaboration with the Indian Heritage Cities Network Foundation (IHCNF) on the said Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-protected heritage structures. "This dossier was subsequently submitted to ASI and forwarded to Unesco. Now we need to restart it from the beginning, but both govts are least bothered," he asserted.