Lecture on conservation of Temples

Aligarh : Mr K K Muhammed (Former Regional Director, Archaeological Survey of India-ASI and Padmashri Awardee) shed on how the site of Bateshwar temples is plagued by illegal mining in a webinar on ‘History and Conservation of Temples in Chambal Valley and the Role of Dacoits’ organised by the Department of Museology, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).

The mining work, going on in the surrounding area of Chambal Valley was, and still is, causing great harm to this priceless piece of heritage, said Mr Muhammed.

“There are 200 temples from the 9th-11th century at the site in highly ruined condition, as if a massive earth quake reduced them to rubbles. We need to maintain the momentum of our work and our commitment towards the cause to restore these historical places of worship,” revealed Mr Muhammed.

He discussed in depth how the historical site was full of dreaded dacoits, where nothing could be done without their permission. But, the presence of dacoits was a blessing in disguise as no antique smuggler had the courage to smuggle out sculptures from the complex.

In the welcome note, Dr Mohammad Irfan (Chairperson, Department of Museology) said that the webinar is a part of lectures to follow on topics based on the curriculum of graduate and postgraduate courses.

He pointed out that Museum Studies or Museology is an interesting, interdisciplinary field which inter-links different communities and contributes to social cohesion.

Mr Danish Mahmood (Assistant Professor, Museology) extended the vote of thanks, while Ms Farin Khan moderated the programme in which students, teachers and researcher scholars from various Indian states and countries such as US, Canada, Libya, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Iran participated.