Looking beyond ASI’s conservation at home

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) was established in 1861 to preserve and conserve sites of national importance. Over the years it has been the custodian of 3,677 monuments and archaeological sites in India. Little, however is known of its work outside the country.

An exhibition of paintings and text at the National Gallery of Modern Art starting next week intends to highlight some of the ASI’s work in preserving important heritage sites in neighbouring countries which have shared some kind of lineages to the Indian culture.

Some of these sites include the Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan, Angkor Wat Temple in Cambodia and Ananda temple in Myanmar.
ASI has been helping its neighbouring countries preserve their cultural and heritage structures using the expertise they have developed over the years in conserving its own in India. In Afghanistan for example, sites of Harappan culture have been found in the Helmund Valley in the south and the Oxus Valley in north; Asokan inscriptions at Kandahar and Jalalabad, the remains of Buddhist shrines and Brahmanical images found all over Afghanistan speak of age-old commonalities between the two countries. The ASI has helped conserve and restore the damaged Bamiyan Buddhas.

Similarly an ASI team was deputed to Angola for the re-organisation and restoration of the Central Armed Forces Museum at Luanda in 1989-90 based on its proposal prepared in 1986. This museum, located in the fortress of Sao Miguel, was built by the Portuguese after defeating the Dutch colonisers in 1648. This 17th century fortress, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, was found to be in a very bad state due to constant effects of humidity, water seepage and salination. It is generally agreed that the earliest settlers of Myanmar were mostly adventurers from India who landed at the port of Martaban, and who were instrumental in the discovering the heritage and precious monuments.

In Myanmar, the majority of the monuments are at Bagan which was the capital and seat of the dynasty for a long period. The ASI and the government of Myanmar prepared a list of 2,230 monuments and 892 unexcavated ancient mounds in the area.

The exhibition will be displayed at the National Gallery of Modern Art from July 18 till August 1.