Infra issues pull back Unesco tag push for Karnataka's heritage sites

Hubballi: For over a decade now, the monuments of Srirangapatna, Aihole-Badami and Vijayapura are making futile efforts to get into the privileged Unesco world heritage sites’ list.

Poor planning, encroachments and lack of administrative efforts have meant that these historically and culturally significant monuments are still not on the world tourism-map.

While experts unanimously believe that this tag will put another ring of protection around these monuments and give greater visibility for Karnataka’s art and culture worldwide, they also say that unless authorities concerned take adequate measures to make these monuments tourist-friendly and meet all world standards in conservation, getting the tag makes no difference.

They give the example of Pattadakal, a Badami Chalukya dynasty era site, which received world recognition in 1987. Yet, it is struggling with lack of connectivity and poor hospitality infrastructure.

India has 44 world heritage properties, out of which Karnataka has three historical sites — the group of monuments at Hampi, Pattadakal and the sacred ensembles of Hoysalas in Belur, Halebid and Somanathapura — and Western Ghats, the natural heritage site.

This apart, the union government has listed monuments and forts of the Deccan Sultanate, monuments of Srirangapatna, evolution of temple architecture at Aihole–Badami-Pattadakal and Hire Benkal, a megalithic site near Gangavathi, in the tentative list for recognition.

The Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage, (DAMH) is preparing a dossier for Lakkundi (Gadag) and Shravanabelagola (Hassan), in a bid to get international recognition for these monuments.

While the Unesco recognition does not provide any monetary benefit to the monuments, it helps them get better tourist inflow and standardise conservation efforts.

There have been several instances when the Unesco monitoring committee has stepped in to prevent adverse development work in Hampi to ensure that the monuments are protected.

Srikumar M Menon, associate professor, National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru, who specialises in ancient Indian architecture, says the world heritage site list would make a difference to any monument as a majority of visitors prefer to visit Unesco-recognised sites.

“By getting recognition for these monuments, which highlight various phases of history in Karnataka, the state can boost tourism. The greater footfall also means the administration will be forced to maintain them,” he says.

However, many of the enlisted monuments lack basic facilities such as roads, toilets, drinking water facility, parking area, hotels, lodges and most importantly, documentation.

Unesco requires governments to present site descriptions in a prescribed way.

The chances of Aihole, Badami and monuments at Vijayapura getting the Unesco tag are bleak as these monuments suffer from encroachments.

Ramesh Mulimani, Superintending Archaeologist at Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Dharwad, says they have been requesting the district administration to clear encroachments and enhance connectivity to these monuments. However, so far, the progress is very slow.

“Unesco requires monuments to be in their historical condition. In Vijayapura and Aihole, in spite of those monuments carrying a very significant part of our history, they are encroached upon. The government is making efforts to clear them,” he says. 

Hire Benkal, a prehistoric era site seems to be the frontrunner in getting the tag, as the government is making all efforts to get the recognition.

Dr K V Rajendra  

The site stands in complete negligence as there is no proper connectivity or research to establish its actual period.

“We know very little about the structures at Hire Benkal. The ASI is looking at these monuments only from the point of view of archaeological importance, whereas this site has anthropological and social importance too. There are over 200 plus cave paintings in and around this site. We need to identify them, do research on them and present them to the international committee, for recognition. However, with ASI lacking expertise on these subjects, we are unable to get the much-needed conservation tag to this site,” says Gangavathi -based researcher Sharanabasappa Kholkar. 

Srirangapatna has immense potential to draw visitors given its proximity to Bengaluru and Mysuru, says Rajani M B of NIAS. But she warns that the boundaries drawn for Unesco recognition can be “a double-edged sword”.

While it protect structures within the core and buffer zones, it can leave outlying features exposed to redevelopment pressures from rising tourism.

‘Protect the edges’ 

“If these boundaries don’t include all remnants, the very popularity of the site can end up damaging its unprotected edges,” she says.

“Karnataka is making efforts to get Unesco tag for several of our monuments. We are preparing a dossier for Hire Benekal and other sites. With Unesco making it mandatory that only one monument will be recognised from a country per year, getting recognition for all our monuments is becoming a bit difficult,” said A Devaraj, the DAMH commissioner.