Nalanda ruins: ASI submits progress report to UNESCO

PATNA: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has submitted a report to World Heritage Committee (WHC) of UNESCO with regard to progress in the implementation of recommendations made for conservation, historical research and preparation of master plan for ancient Nalanda ruins.
The WHC, while inscribing Nalanda ruins in the coveted world heritage list on July 15 last year, had made four recommendations to the Government of India for further conservation and site management among other measures at the site. A report was required to be submitted to WHC of UNESCO by December 1 this year.

The corresponding report signed by Janhwij Sharma, joint director (conservation) of ASI, was uploaded to its website earlier this week.

The report states that the area of Nalanda ruins and its vicinity has been subjected to historical research through excavation as per WHC recommendations. The Sarai mound at the protected site and Rukmini Sthan around 1km away were taken up by Patna circle and excavation branch of ASI in 2016-17. Rukmini Sthan is believed to be the satellite site of Nalanda Mahavihara and contemporary of Nalanda in Gupta-Pala period.

Deliberating upon structural conservation works, the ASI report states that major conservation works were undertaken at the temple site 13 and 14, monastery number 1, 8 and 10 during 2016-17 and 2017-18 and it is still under way.

With regard to scientific or chemical conservation works, the report states that a major scientific treatment of monastery number 10 was taken up by the specialized science branch of ASI in 2016-17 and 2017-18.

On landscape development, the report states that new garden has been developed at temple site 12, 13 and 14 and the aesthetic garden development is almost complete.

The report also mentions about plans to upgrade the ASI museum near Nalanda ruins. The ASI has stated that a detailed project report (DPR) has been prepared for extension of the museum to accommodate more antiquities now kept in its storage.

With regard to preservation of resource document, all the original drawings belonging to different years of excavation beginning a century ago have been preserved in digital form.

Apart from the measures taken by the ASI, the report also mentions about the steps taken by state government for preparation of an integrated master plan for Rajgir, including Nalanda Mahavihara. The state government has committed to preparing a master plan by the end of 2018 to regulate area development around Nalanda Mahavihara as per the guidelines related to world heritage site.

The core area of designated world heritage site covers 23 hectares surrounded by a buffer zone of 57.88 hectares. The report further states that Housing and Urban Development Corporation has been roped in to prepare the integrated master plan, which is aimed at preserving the outstanding universal value of Nalanda ruins as recommended by the WHC.

Nalanda Mahavihara ruins was discovered during the 1915-37 and 1974-82 excavations. UNESCO included it in its tentative list of world heritage site in 2009. Nalanda ruins finally made it to UNESCO's world heritage list in July last year.