Vanishing Heritage of Vidarbha: Monuments Lost to Decay and Neglect

thenewsdirt
Jul 22
7 min read

Vidarbha holds within its landscape centuries of architectural and cultural heritage that has suffered decades of systematic neglect. From ancient Buddhist sites to medieval forts, from intricate stepwells to temple complexes, this region has witnessed the gradual disappearance of monuments that once stood as testament to its rich historical past.

Recent reports from the Archaeological Survey of India reveal an alarming reality. Five monuments from Maharashtra, including several from Vidarbha, have been officially classified as 'missing'.

These structures have not vanished overnight but have succumbed to years of administrative apathy, municipal negligence, poor maintenance, and citizen disregard. The story of these lost monuments reflects broader challenges facing heritage conservation across the region.

The Comptroller and Auditor General's performance audit has documented 92 monuments across India that are now considered missing, with Maharashtra contributing five to this concerning tally.

Archaeological Survey of India officials have acknowledged that whilst some monuments remain traceable, others have been submerged under dams, counted twice due to British-era documentation errors, or have modern colonies built over them.

The Vanishing Megalithic Heritage

Archaeological research in Vidarbha has revealed that numerous megalithic burial sites, popularly known as stone circles, have disappeared entirely despite being declared protected by the Archaeological Survey of India.

These prehistoric monuments, dating back over 2,500 years, were constructed as burial sites or commemorative memorials during ancient times.

The CAG report specifically mentions several missing megalithic monuments from the region, including stone circles at Arsoda, a group of 20 cromlechs at Chamorshi in Gadchiroli district, stone circles at Neeldoh and Takalghat in Nagpur district.

Dr Prabash Sahu from RTM Nagpur University has documented this disappearance in his research project titled 'On the Trails of Vanishing Megalithic Monuments in Vidarbha: Ignorance or Vandalism'.

Recent archaeological surveys in Chandrapur district have revealed the extent of destruction facing these ancient sites.

At Kalambha in Nagpur District, Megalith Stone Circle 4 has been destroyed, with boulders from the circle repurposed as agricultural boundaries. Similar patterns of destruction have been observed across multiple sites, where agricultural expansion, urban development, and sheer neglect have endangered these heritage locations.

The megalithic culture of Vidarbha primarily consists of cairn circles and stone circles, with over a hundred burial sites recorded, especially around Nagpur District.

However, threats from agricultural activities by local villagers have led to damage and destruction of these structures, with stones often removed and repurposed as farm boundary markers.

Buddhist Sites Under Threat

The Buddhist heritage of Vidarbha faces particular challenges, with several important sites experiencing various forms of deterioration and neglect. Pauni, an important early historic settlement in Bhandara district, represents one of the region's most significant archaeological discoveries.

Excavations at Pauni between 1968-69 and 1994 revealed evidence of a major garrison settlement with massive rampart construction dating to the Mauryan period. The site contained stupas, Northern Black Polished Ware, and silver punch-marked coins, establishing it as an important centre of Hinayana Buddhism in Vidarbha from approximately the 4th century BCE to the 2nd century CE.

Despite its archaeological significance, Pauni has faced ongoing conservation challenges. In 2022, the ASI Nagpur Circle landed in controversy after failing to prevent unauthorised religious events at the centrally protected monument.

Local politicians organised a 'Deepotsav' event despite being denied permission, with hundreds of people visiting the fort and lighting 5,000 oil lamps on the ancient circumambulation wall.

At Mansar, another significant Buddhist site, excavations have revealed a sprawling complex comprising palace structures, temple ruins, and Buddhist stupas from the Vakataka period. Over 2,700 artefacts were recovered during excavations between 1996 and 2008.

However, the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court was compelled to direct the ASI in 2014 to establish proper conservation measures and create an on-site museum, highlighting systemic neglect of this important heritage site.

The Adam site in Nagpur district, which has yielded evidence of structural remains and Buddhist findings, continues to face preservation challenges despite its archaeological importance. These sites collectively demonstrate the vulnerability of Buddhist heritage in Vidarbha, where administrative oversight often proves inadequate for proper conservation.

Neglected Temple Complexes and Forts

Temple complexes across Vidarbha have experienced varying degrees of deterioration due to poor maintenance and administrative neglect. The Markanda temple complex in Gadchiroli district, known as the 'Khajuraho of Vidarbha', exemplifies these challenges.

The Markandeshwar temple complex, dating from the 9th to 12th centuries CE, suffered significant damage approximately 200 years ago when lightning struck the main shrine, causing the upper portion of the spire to collapse onto the mahamandapa roof. Although a Gond king attempted repairs about 120 years ago, the restoration did not meet modern conservation standards.

The Archaeological Survey of India initiated large-scale conservation work in 2017, but progress has been hampered by irregularities and faulty execution.

Despite a sanctioned budget of Rs 2.25 crore for the restoration of the shikhara, only 20 per cent of the work had been completed by 2020, with the remaining 80 per cent still pending. The conservation work had to be restarted after experts identified significant shortcomings in the initial restoration efforts.

At Kelzar in Wardha district, archaeological excavations have revealed a medieval temple town built during the Yadava dynasty in the 13th-14th centuries. The site features temples built in the Hemadpanti architectural style, but many structures show evidence of destruction during foreign invasions, with headless Nandi idols and faceless deities indicating deliberate damage.

The Vairagad Fort in Gadchiroli district presents another case of systematic neglect. Despite being declared a protected monument, the fort has been reduced to remains, overshadowed by vegetational overgrowth.

While some repair work was undertaken around the entrance area, much of the fort structure remains in a deteriorating condition, with tilted minarets and collapsed sections.

Ramesh Satpute, who has organised fort replica competitions for 36 years, has documented the poor condition of over 40 big forts in Vidarbha built during the Vakataka and Gond rule. These structures are in very bad shape compared to the well-maintained forts of western Maharashtra, which receive the majority of state conservation funds.

Water Heritage in Ruins

The traditional water harvesting systems of Vidarbha, including ancient stepwells known locally as bavadis, bahuli, or pairyachi vihir, face particular threats from neglect and encroachment.

These structures, which served communities for centuries, are now largely unknown to the public despite their architectural and engineering significance.

A 600-year-old stepwell near Wela Harichandra village, built by the Bhonsalas, was documented by college students starting in 2010 after being discovered in ruins.

Despite its unique contribution to architectural heritage, the stepwell has hardly any recorded history and continues to deteriorate.

Recent visits by students and faculty revealed that many architectural elements have gone missing over time, with large portions of the structure having collapsed.

At Ramtek, the Karpoor Bavadi, located at the base of the hill, houses an ancient stepwell next to a crumbling temple. Visitors show little care for the structure, with people climbing on the shikhara with footwear. The complex may have originally contained multiple temples within a three-sided corridor around the stepwell, but broken architectural elements now lie scattered throughout the site.

These water structures represent sophisticated engineering achievements that ensured water access during dry months across Vidarbha. Many featured descending steps, stone staircases, galleries, and resting chambers that served multiple community functions beyond water collection.

However, extensive afforestation practices and agricultural development have affected groundwater resources, further diminishing the relevance and maintenance of these traditional systems.

The Lonar crater complex, despite its geological significance and designation as a Ramsar site, faces ongoing challenges from sewage discharge, agricultural runoff, and encroachment. The ancient temples around the crater shores are corroding due to changing water levels and pollution.

Cultural eutrophication from untreated domestic sewage and agricultural chemicals has led to deteriorating water quality, affecting both the unique ecosystem and the heritage structures within the complex.

Heritage conservation in Vidarbha reflects broader systemic issues affecting archaeological preservation across Maharashtra.

The region's monuments face threats from multiple sources: inadequate funding, insufficient staffing, jurisdictional disputes between central and state authorities, and a lack of public awareness about heritage value.

These challenges have resulted in the documented loss of significant cultural assets that once contributed to understanding the region's complex historical development.