Wrong, foolish to close temple tank for road: archaeology officials

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the Karnataka State Archaeology Department are shocked that the historic Vasanthpura temple tank is being closed to make way for a road.

DH had reported on Tuesday how the government was building a road over a kalyani (stepped temple tank) to help a private land developer. With the construction of the road, three-fourths of the tank space will be covered, with just a token tank remaining.

The tank, attached to the Vasanathavallabha temple off Kanakapura Road, was built 350 years ago by Shahaji Raje Bhonsle, father of Maratha king Shivaji.

With the story going viral, and even being tweeted by Rajya Sabha member Rajeev Chandrasekhar to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s handle, a panicky muzrai department came up with a string of excuses.

The BDA wants to acquire the northern part of the tank to widen the road, according to officials under whose jurisdiction the temple tank falls.

K Moortheswari, superintending archaeologist, Archaeological Survey of India, said, “Monuments cannot be defaced. If it is a tank of a living temple, where worship happens ritually, then it cannot be defaced. How can anybody close the temple tank?”

She said she had spoken to muzrai assistant commissioner G V Sridhar, who purportedly told her only a part of the tank was being closed. “I will take action only if somebody gives me a written complaint,” she said.

R Gopal, director of the state archaeology department, described the closing of a historical monument as an “act of foolishness”. “It is wrong. The muzrai department, custodian of the tank, has to protect it,” he said.