Karnataka: Hampi pillar disfigured for Siddaramaiah's function, ASI issues notice
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has issued a notice to the Congress-led Karnataka government after a historical pillar inside Virupaksha Temple in Hampi was allegedly disfigured. It sought an explanation from the state's Endowments Department as to why a drilling machine was allegedly used in the protected area. The ASI alleged that a hole was drilled in one of the pillars last week during a recent function attended by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Drilling machine used to attach flag
The ASI investigation found that a drilling machine had been used to insert a nail into one of the pillars for attaching a flag during the event, The New Indian Express reported. An official from ASI Hampi Circle said, "The ASI team has taken note of the damage. Photographs of the damaged part in the pillar have been taken for documentation." Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and even minor damage to heritage monuments is treated with utmost seriousness.
ASI summons Endowments Department officer
The ASI has also issued a notice and summoned the Endowments Department officer in charge at Hampi. It questioned why local officials did not intervene when the drilling took place on the historical pillar. Local activists called for the suspension of officials responsible for the damage and urged the ASI and Hampi management officials to exercise greater vigilance to protect the historical sites from damage.
ASI's notice to Karnataka Endowments Department
Kannada Jyothi function, VIP presence
The incident took place during the Kannada Jyothi function, which was attended by CM Siddaramaiah, and poles were decorated with Kannada flag colors. An activist reportedly suggested that local officials may have been hesitant to act due to the presence of numerous politicians and VIPs. This is not the first time that Hampi pillars have suffered damage. In 2019, an outrage was triggered after four men vandalized the Hampi pillars. They were caught on camera committing the act.
Know the significance of Hampi
Hampi, which is now a small town in northwest Karnataka, was the capital of the Vijayanagar kingdom in the 16th century. The temple ruins at Hampi are dispersed across a large region. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986. In 2019, it was also ranked second on The New York Times list of 52 must-see places in the world.
