ARCHEOLOGY
The Archaeological Survey of India continued its activities in various
fields like excavation, exploration, conservation of monuments, maintenance
of site museums, preservation of antiquities and art treasures and running
of the School of Archaeology, etc.
I. EXPLORATIONS AND EXCAVATIONS
Explorations In the course of explorations in parts of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat,
Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Mahara-
shtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamilnadu, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, a
large number of sites representing various periods from prehistoric to
medieval period were discovered. Amongst important discoveries, men-
tion may be made of : Megalithic Cairn Circles, rock-shelters with engrav-
ings and medieval fortresses in Mehboobnagar district (Andhra Pradesh):
sculptures and pottery in Bhagalpur district (Bihar); historical sites in
Vadodara district (Gujarat); neolithic and megalithic sites in Bellary and
Shimoga districts (Karnataka); early stone age sites, painted rock-shelters
and remains of an early Gupta temple, stupas, viharas and megaliths in
districts Raisen and Rewa (Madhya Pradesh); sites yielding stone age
tools and traces of chalcolithic settlements yielding late Harappan pottery
in Ahmednagar district (Maharashtra); sites containing prehistoric tools
and remains of temples in Pali district (Rajasthan); mounds with chalcoli-
thic and medieval relics in Malda district (West Bengal); and sites yielding
ancient pottery and remains of old castles and sculptures in Bijnore and
Ghazipur districts (Uttar Pradesh).
Indo-French Expedition The Indo-French archaeological expedition carried out Geo-archaeo-
logical investigation in a part of ancient Sarasvati region in district Rohtak
and district Hissar, Haryana; and district Jhunjunu Rajashtan, besides
locating some Late Stone Age sites near Jhunjunu, located remains of a
canal of the medieval period nearby Darba and also collected data about
the drainage pattern of area since the last glaciation.
Excavations During the year 1983-84, further excavations were carried out at
Fatehpur Sikri, district Agra, Sringaverapura, district Allahabad; Hulas,
district Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh; Hampi, district Bellary, Banahalli, dist-
rict Kolar, Karnataka; Khajuraho, district Chattarpur, Madhya Pradesh;
Ballaldhipi, district Nadia, West Bengal; Banawali, district Hissar, Haryana;
Kambarmedu, district Mayuram, Tamilnadu; Goraj, district Vadodara.
Gujarat; and Ramapuram, district Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh.
As a result of these excavations interesting remains and scores of an-
tiquities were brought to light of which the significant ones comprise; bases
and foundations of buildings of Mughal period at Fatehpur Sikri; histori-
cal antiquities and structural details of an impressive tank complex at
Sringaverapura; late-Harappan settlement of Hulas; hitherto unknown struc-
tural relics of the capital city of Vijayanagara at Hampi; developed Phase
of neolithic culture at Banahalli; remains of temples of Chandella period
at Khajuraho; a portion of temple-complex, cruciform in plan and pyramidal,
in elevation with a massive brick-wall at Balladdhipi; impressive gateway
with bastions containing a drain and cross wall of Protohistoric period at
Banawali; cultural deposits of neolithic and megalithic habitation and
early medieval period at Kambarmedu; brick foundations of a temple of
Goraj; besides sequence of cultures of chalcolithic, megalithic and medieval
period at Ramapuram.
Copying and Studying Inscriptions Nearly two hundred and thirty Sanskritic and Dravidic and one hundred
and sixty three Arabic and Persian inscriptions were located, copied and
studied in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya
Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamilnadu and Uttar Pradesh.
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Village-to-Village Survey of Antiqua- In continuation of last year's work, the Archaeological Survey of India
rian remains and various Universities carried out exploration in 24 districts in different
States.
II. CONSERVATION
Structural Conservation The conservation works carried out during the year 1983-84 by the
Survey to the centrally protected monuments have been eventful. A part
of the Archaeological Survey of India's resources and manpower had been
diverted to Goa where Government of India had held the Retreat for the
Heads of the Commonwealth countries who attended the CHOGM Meet-
ing at Delhi during the third week of November 1983. Large-scale struc-
tural repairs had been carried out to Born Jesus Church, Church of St.
Francis of Assissi, Cathedral of the Holy See and to St. Castan Church
at Old Goa; decayed plaster was removed and provided with fresh lime
plaster as per original. Another notable work done during the year under
report is the conservation of Chandramouleswara temple at Nattery in
Tamilnadu. The badly shattered gopura and the out of plumb walls of
the temple were dismantled after proper documentation and are being
rebuilt as per original after providing firm foundations. The other notable
work attended to by the Survey is the dismantling completely of a group
of temples of Papanasi at Alampur in Andhra Pradesh after proper docu-
mentations and transportation of them to the new place of reconstruction.
Otherwise the temples will be submerged in water due to the Srisailam.
dam Project. New wooden beams have been provided in place of missing
ones inside the gopura of Ramappa temple at Palampet in Andhra Pradesh
and the work is in progress. Major repairs to the Lord Jagannath temple
at Puri in Orissa have been attended to. Weathered and damaged archi-
tectural stone pieces upto the spire portion are being removed and replaced
with new ones. Strengthening of pillars of Mukti Mandapa by rein-
forcement and epoxy resin is completed. The work of rotary drilling,
grouting the drilled holes with liquid cement is nearing completion at Bagh
Caves in Madhya Pradesh. Extensive structural repairs such as restoring
the missing ceiling slabs and beams as per the original construction was
done at Baba Lauli's mosque in Ahmedabad in Gujarat. Conservation to
the northern porch of Dwarakadhish temple at Dwaraka has been taken up.
Repairs by way of removing the dislodged ashlar stones of the toe of
Jaisalmer Fort are in progress.
The other well-known monuments undergoing structural repairs are
Pari Mahal, Dera Temple at Babour in Jammu and Kashmir, Datumpa
Gumpha at Tabo in Himachal Pradesh, Bastion and fort at Bhatinda,
Punjab, Taj Mahal, Agra; Sishmahal in Agra Fort; Asaf-uddaula Imambara
at Lucknow; Nirvan Stupa Kushinagar in U.P.; Excavated remains at
Antichak in Bihar; Raipithoragarh, Sikander Lodi's tomb; Mahammadpur
Tin Burji; Purana Qila in Union Territory of Delhi; monuments at Bangarh
and Neelkanth in Rajasthan, Bawa Man's mosque at Champaran in Guja-
rat; Jama Masjid at Mandu; Man Singh's Palace at Gwalior; Buddhist Stupa
at Gyaraspur; Hamam, Khanna in Chowk Mohila at Burhanpur in M.P.,
Venkatesaperumal temple at Tirumukkundal; Five Rathas at Mahabali-
puram; Choleswara temple at Melpudi in Tamil Nadu; Bibi-Ka-Maqbara at
Aurangabad in Maharashtra; Aguada Fort at Goa; Trimurthi Narayana
temple at Bandalike. Basavanna, temple at Hallur; Gol Gumbaz at Bijapur
in Karnataka; temples at Bhubaneswara like Rajarani temple, Lingaraja
temple; Sun temple at Konarak in Orissa; Hazar Duari Palace and Immam-
bara in Murshidabad; the tomb and mosque of Mursid Kulikhan at Sahji
Katra. in West Bengal.
Landscaping and maintenance of During the year under review large scale horticulture operations were
Gardens carried out in a number of monuments besides their regular maintenance.
Landscaping and drilling of a tube-well for augmenting water supply was
done at Vaishali in Bihar, landscaping the sand dunes at Sun Temple at
Konarak, development of Archaeological site at Vishnupur, Bankura dist-
rict in West Bengal; tree planting around Sati Complex and Victory Tower
at Chittorgarh; large-scale landscaping and gardening work around monu-
ments at old Goa has been carried out. The existing gardens around
monuments in Agra and Delhi were given face lift by trimming the lawns,
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96 A
pruning trees and introducing plants. An informal garden has
been laid around the archaeological remains and museum.
Chemical Preservation Extensive chemical cleaning and preservation works were carried out at
the following new important monuments. Chemical treatment and pre-
servation of two Canvas paintings at Saint Francis Assissi Church in Old
Goa, preservation and treatment of main altar (guilded area) in Basilica
of Bom Jesus Church; insecticidal treatment to the back side of main alter
in Cathedral of the Holy See, Goa; Chemical treatment and preservation of
paintings in Chilkong Gumpha, and Dom Long Gumpba at Tabo, golden
paintings, inlay work and plain marble in Diwan-i-Khas at Red Fort, Delhi
and treatment of paintings at Brihadisvara temple at Tanjavur and Vadak-
kuntha temple in Trichur, Kerala, were carried out. Large-scale chemical
cleaning and preservation work was also carried out at the Taj Mahal,
Agra.
Expeditions Abroad Two teams of Chemical experts were sent to Bhutan for the treatment
of mural in the monasteries.
III. ANTIQUITIES AND ART TREASURES
The implementation of Antiquities and Art Treasures Act was continu-
ed through the Central Government and the State Governments and Union
'Territories.
The work of registration of antiquities continued and nearly 15,000
Registration Certificates were issued. A substantial number of objects of
An including arms and weapons which were intended for export were
examined by the Advisory Committees and the Director General and 2405
export certificates for non-antiquities were issued. Further the export of
objects found to be antiquities by the Director General or his nominee was
stopped and out of such antiquities registerable items were registered with
the Registering Officers under the Antiquities & Art Treasures Act, 1972.
Archaeological Survey of India has set up Expert Advisory Committees
for the issue of non-antiquities certificates at all international exit points.
Twenty-four cases of temporary export permits were handled. Permits
were issued for exhibitions sent abroad by Government and other agencies.
Several cases regarding grant of financial assistance for photographing
of the antiquities for registration received from various States, Union Ter-
ritories and individuals were considered and deserving cases were given
assistance.
IV. ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUMS
The Museums Branch of the Archaeological Survey of India looks after
site museums built in different parts of India. The branch with its head-
quarters at Calcutta functions through four Regional Offices located at
Delhi, Madras, Sarnath and Velha Goa. The programme of setting up of
four more museums at Gwalior Fort (M.P.), Chandragiri (Andhra Pra-
desh), Ratnagiri (Orissa) and Rupar (Punjab) has been initiated. Thus
with the addition of these museums the number of site museums under
the Museums Branch of the Archaeological Survey of India comes to
twenty-nine. The work of construction of museum building at Ratnagiri
(Orissa) is in progress.
During the period under review the work of organizing the Archaeological
Museum at Lothal (Gujarat) has been completed. The Archaeological
Museum at Velha Goa has been extended and the entire museum reorga-
nized in connection with the CHOGM. The work of organizing the
Archaeological Museum at Badami, District Bijapur is in progress. The
work of Photo-documentation of the Museums objects has made consider-
able progress.
Besides holding exhibitions in individual museum, a large-scale Photo-
graphic exhibition entitled "Indian Archaeology and World" was mounted
at Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi.
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V. SCHOOL OF ARCHAEOLOGY
The Archaeological Survey of India runs a School of Archaeology for
one year's postgraduate diploma course. It is a professional course with
emphasis on field work and practical training in different disciplines of
Archaeology like prehistoric and geological investigations, excavations, ex-
plorations, structural conservation, chemical conservation, drawing, photo-
graphing, surveying etc.
At present it functions under a Director. Trainings or classes are
mostly organized under the charge of an officer of the Survey specialized
in a particular branch of Archaeology. The University prefessors are also
invited to impart training to the students.
The current session is the twenty-fifth since its inception in 1959.
Besides imparting training to fresh post-graduate students, recruited through
an all-India test, the School offers training to in-service personnel of the
State and the Central Governments. Moreover, short-term training courses
on conservation of monuments are also organized to develop adequate ex-
pertise amongst officials and the staff en-aged in such works. The same
courses extend facilities for refresher training to the newly-recruited officers
of the Survey.
The School has attracted trainees also from the neighbouring countries
like Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burma, Indonesia, Kampuchea, Nepal, Sri
Lanka, Thailand etc.
VI. PUBLICATIONS
The Survey brings out regularly sepcialized archaeological and epigra-
phical publications besides books for tourist and interested public. Dur-
ing the period under review following publications were brought out : (1)
Ancient India : numbers 1 and 2 have been reprinted, volume III and IV
sent to the press for reprinting; (2) Indian Archaeology-A Review : the
issue for 1980-81 was brought out and the issue for 1981-82 sent to press
for printing; (3) Epigraphia Indica : Volumes XVI to XX and Index of
volumes XXI-XXIII were reprinted. Volume XXXIX parts II-V are in
final stage of printing, part's VI and VII of the volume XXXIX and parts
I and II of volume XL are in the press; (4) South Indian Inscription :
volumes XXI, XXII and XXIV are at the final stages of printing; (5)
Annual Report on Indian Epigraphy 1972-73; (6) Epigraphia Indica
Arabic & Persian Supplement : the issue for 1975 has been pub-
lished; (7) Memories of the Archaeological Survey of India : Memoir No.
79 Karandia Plates of Rajendra Chola, Ratnagiri (1958-61) Vol. II in
Memoir No. 80, have been printed, Memoir No. 78, part II Lothal, and
Memoir No. 81, Images of Nepal are in the press; (8) Corous Inscrip-
tion Indicarum : Inscription of the Parmaras Chandellas, Kachchapaghatas,
and two minor Dynasties. Part III of volume VII is in final stage of printing;
(9) guide-books : Ajanta by D. Mitra and Hempi by D. Davakunjari are
in the press (10) Picture post cards : Delhi, Sets A and B, were brought
out, Belur and Mandu black and white picture postcards and a colour set on
Sanchi are in the Press.