On Saturday (11th November), the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) issued a notice to the Karnataka Endowments Department after officials dug a nail into one of the pillars of the UNESCO-protected Virupaksha Temple in Hampi.
As per reports, the incident took place during the visit of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to the temple on 2nd November this year. The officials used a drilling machine to dig a nail into a pillar to supposedly manage the crowd of devotees who enter the premises from the south and exit from the North
In its notice to the Endowment Officer, the Conservation Assistant of ASI made it clear, “I have to state that Sri. Virupaksha Temple and Complex is a centrally protected monument maintained by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, Archaeological Survey of India, Hampi Circle through Hampi Sub Circle, Kamalapur.”
Archaeological Survey of India has issued notice to Karnataka Endowments department after ASI protected Hampi's Virupakseshwar Temple pillar was allegedly nailed to alter the movement of devotees during the visit of CM Siddaramaiah to the temple last week. pic.twitter.com/aL6J3fdS6a
— ANI (@ANI) November 13, 2023
“This office has noticed that, you have closed the actualNorthern exit of the Virupaksha Temple Garbhagruha by barricading at the steps and a separate way was done for the devotees as such your office has not taken any permission to close the exit and also your office has fixed the MS hollow pipes in between pillars by making holes and inserting the iron piece in the decorative pillars which is the clear violation of the section 30 of AMASR Act (Amendment and Validation Act) 2010,” the ASI made it clear.
The Karnataka Endowments officials did not seek permission from the Arcaheological Survey of India and dug a nail into the UNESCO Heritage site without their consent. ASI made it clear that under the AMASR Act, desecration of a protected monument is punishable with imprisonment that can extend up to 2 years and a fine of upto ₹1 lakh.
“Any person who moves any antiquity in contravention of a notification issued under sub-section (1) of section 25 shall be punishable with fine which may extend to One lakh rupees: and the court conviction a person of any such contravention may by order direct such person to restore the antiquity to the place from which it was moved. This is for favour of kind information and for further needful action in the matter please,” it concluded.
It must be mentioned that the monument complex suffered damage when four miscreants deliberately vandalised and brought down some pillars in February 2019 A court in Hospet fined them Rs 70,000 each and ordered them to re-erect the pillars.
