Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi

Are you one of those Indians who haven't visited the Taj Mahal yet? Well, you are not alone. Most of us are caught up in the rat race that leaves us no time to even make that pending annual pilgrimage trip, leave alone travelling or exploring the country! But the Go-UNESCO challenge aims at changing just that.

The challenge is open to anyone who has the desire to travel and encourages people to visit the country's 28 UNESCO world heritage sites before the yearend. Now, that's a challenge indeed, more so for those have full-time jobs. However, careful planning of the itinerary and managing one's leaves can change that vouch participants from Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Trivandrum and Hyderabad who have already struck off some sites of their list.

Barrier-Free Sanchi

By Shefali Tripathi Mehta; Deccan Herald; March 11 2012

School and college trips invariably took us to Sanchi, just a few hours from Bhopal. We looked forward to such trips, except for the history lessons.

And god knows how difficult it is to run from history when in Sanchi. So, I am not ashamed to confess that we found Sanchi rather monotonous. Also, in those days, the landscape was stark and even the winter sun felt harsh. But history grows slowly on some.

During subsequent visits, the ‘book in stone’ was slowly deciphered and devoured. Insight alone leads to appreciation. Yes, I could see the yakshini with the ‘bobbed hair’, discern the danam in Sanskrit engraved before the names of thousands of donors and take in the stories from the life of Buddha, beautifully etched in stone. History began to pulsate.

Turning 150, ASI Has No Conservation Policy Yet

The Times Of India; January 10 2012

BHOPAL: A century and a half since the Archaeological Society of India (ASI) was set up, the country still does not have a heritage conservation policy.

Calling for a multidisciplinary approach to heritage conservation, ASI Regional Director (North) PBS Sengar said it was now working on a conservation and management policy. "There is no conservation policy in the country," said Sengar in his speech at the inaugural even marking 150 years of ASI. "ASI is on course for preparing a heritage conservation policy," he added.

Currently heritage monuments and sites are regulated by the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. ASI regulates Antiquities and Art Treasure Act, 1972.