Context: A Parliamentary panel report named ‘Issues relating to Untraceable Monuments and Protection of Monuments in India’ was presented in both houses of Parliament.

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• After prayers at the Martand Sun Temple ruins in May 2022, the Archaeological Survey of India, under the Ministry of Culture, expressed concern to the Anantnag district administration, deeming it a rule violation.

Key Recommendations of the Report

• Conservation Priority: The ASI may explore the possibility of permitting puja/worship/religious activities at centrally protected monuments of religious significance if  such actions wouldn’t negatively impact the monuments’ state of conservation and preservation.
  • Ministry of Culture Stand: The Ministry of Culture Outlined that as per the policy decision, revival of worship is not allowed where it was not in vogue at the time of protection (by the ASI) or has been abandoned for long.
    • As of now, ASI only permits worship and rituals at monuments wherein such traditions were on at the time of the monument coming to the agency’s custody.
• Untraceable monuments: The Culture Ministry could manage to provide Action-taken Taken Notes on only 21 out of the total of 35 recommendations.
  • ASI must “conduct the survey for identifying monuments on priority, in a time-bound manner”.
  • The survey results “must be placed in public domain”
  • It should include the data relating to expenditure incurred on them and the problems in and around the monuments.

Concern

• Pandora’s Box: Many of the protected monuments include dilapidated temples, dargahs, churches, and other religious sites, which will be an administrative and conservation nightmare.

ASI rules for prayers are allowed at Protected sites:

• Prayers are allowed at protected sites only if they were “functioning places of worship” at the time it took charge of them. Eg: namaz is held every Friday at the Taj Mahal.
  • No religious rituals can be conducted at non-living monuments (where there has been no continuity of worship when it became an ASI-protected site)

About Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)

• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Culture.
• Functions: Maintenance of ancient monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national importance.
• Regulation: It regulates all archaeological activities in the country as per the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, and Antiquities and Art Treasure Act, 1972.

News source: Indian Express