Vidarbha’s Forts Face Decay: What Lies Behind Maharashtra’s Forgotten Heritage

thenewsdirt
Sep 22
7 min read

Vidarbha houses over 40 significant forts built during the Vakataka and Gond dynasties, yet these historically important structures remain in a state of severe deterioration.

Unlike their counterparts in western Maharashtra, these heritage monuments receive minimal conservation attention despite their archaeological and cultural importance. The region's forts, spanning centuries of Indian history from ancient Vakataka capitals to medieval Gond strongholds, continue to crumble while jurisdictional disputes and funding disparities prevent effective preservation efforts.

The disparity becomes evident when examining the activities of the Gad-Kille Samvardhan Samiti, the state-level fort conservation committee.

Heritage conservation activist Ramesh Satpute, who has organised fort-replica competitions in Nagpur for 36 years, confirmed that the committee concentrates primarily on western Maharashtra forts while neglecting those in the eastern region. This systematic bias has left numerous historically significant structures without adequate protection or maintenance.

Administrative Jurisdictional Complexities

The conservation challenges facing heritage sites across the region stem from complicated administrative arrangements between central and state authorities.

Many prominent forts, including Gawilgarh in Amravati, remain under the jurisdiction of the central government's Archaeological Survey of India, preventing state intervention even when local authorities express willingness to undertake conservation work.

Atul Guru, a newly appointed member of the state-level committee from Nagpur, explained that jurisdictional limitations prevent the state from interfering with centrally protected monuments.

Cultural Affairs Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar's office confirmed that the the Maharashtra government has requested transfer of temples and forts from the central archaeology department to state authorities for restoration purposes.

The state allocated more than Rs 1,000 crore over three years for cultural heritage preservation and decided to allocate 3 percent from District Planning Development Committee funds for heritage conservation. However, these commitments have not translated into visible improvements at heritage sites across the region.

The Archaeological Survey of India established the Nagpur Circle in February 2014, taking responsibility for 93 monuments across 11 districts.

The survey received Rs 4 crore allocation for conservation work, with priority given to sites including Mansar Stupa, Ramtek temple complex, Paoni and Dongartal forts in Nagpur district, and various structures in Chandrapur, Ballarshah, and other areas. Despite these allocations, many sites continue to face deterioration.

Security and Maintenance Failures

A particularly troubling manifestation of conservation neglect occurred in July 2022 when almost all 94 centrally-protected monuments in the region were forced to close due to the absence of security personnel.

The Archaeological Survey of India's Nagpur Circle had outsourced private security agencies to protect these historical monuments, but contracts ended on March 31, 2022.

Extensions were provided only until June 30, 2022, after which agencies withdrew their guards due to delays in floating fresh tenders.

The closures affected significant sites, including the Old High Court Building in Nagpur, recognised as the city's first National Heritage Monument, and the ancient Gawilgarh Fort near Melghat Tiger Reserve.

The lack of security left these monuments vulnerable to treasure hunters and miscreants, with no watchmen, barricades, or closed-circuit television cameras providing protection. Only two Conservation Assistants remained active in the entire Nagpur Circle, each responsible for supervising two sub-circles while spending most of their time in field supervision.

This security crisis highlighted systemic weaknesses in heritage protection infrastructure. The ASI's sub-circle offices in Nagpur, Chandrapur, Akola, and Lonar were also locked during this period. The situation demonstrated how administrative inefficiencies directly compromise the physical security of irreplaceable historical assets.

Individual fort conditions across the region reflect the broader conservation crisis. At Ballarpur in Chandrapur district, two main bastions of the historic Gond-era fort collapsed during torrential rains in July 2021. The protective walls developed large cracks, posing a threat to surrounding houses.

The fort, completed in 1320 AD by Gond king Adiya Ballal Shah, was already in dilapidated condition when water seepage caused the north-east bastion and the structure near the ancient Govind Baba temple to cave in.

Ballarpur Fort's deterioration exemplifies the widespread neglect affecting similar structures throughout the region. The rectangular-shaped fort, built with large black stones and featuring formidable defensive walls and towers, has seen its inner structures reduced to ruins.

While the outer walls remain largely intact, many structural elements are buried in earth, and local accounts suggest the presence of undiscovered tunnels within the fort walls.

The Chandrapur Fort presents another case study in conservation challenges.

The 500-year-old structure spanning 11 kilometres faced formidable deterioration before community intervention. Environmental activist Bandu Dhotre documented conditions including garbage heaps rising four feet high, trees with roots penetrating the 39 ramparts and walls, extensive encroachments, and dangerous wildlife inhabiting crevices.

A restoration effort by local volunteers beginning in 2017 managed to clean a 6-kilometre stretch, highlighting what dedicated conservation efforts could achieve with proper support.

Nagardhan Fort near Ramtek experienced partial wall collapses in 2012 due to neglect and substandard repair work, despite protection under the Maharashtra Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1960.

Subsequent beautification efforts in 2016, including painting and steel railings, sparked controversy among conservationists who argued these interventions undermined the fort's historical integrity.

Funding Disparities and Resource Allocation

The allocation of conservation resources reveals systematic bias favouring western Maharashtra over the eastern region. The state-level fort conservation committee manages funds that are disproportionately directed toward western Maharashtra forts, leaving eastern structures without adequate financial support.

The Archaeological Survey of India's Nagpur Circle operates with significant staffing shortages that compromise conservation effectiveness.

Of 90 sanctioned posts, 80 remain vacant due to ongoing recruitment rule revisions, leaving insufficient personnel to maintain 93 monuments across 11 districts.

Each monument requires at least one dedicated assistant for daily protection and maintenance, yet current staffing levels make this impossible.

Financial constraints affect even sanctioned projects. The Nagpur Municipal Corporation faces severe funding shortfalls affecting heritage development initiatives. Despite the state government sanctioning Rs 1,987.60 crore for infrastructure projects spanning 2022-25, only Rs 357.12 crore was disbursed, with the municipal corporation receiving just Rs 42.92 crore, representing merely 2 percent of the sanctioned amounts. This chronic underfunding forces civic authorities to either stall projects or proceed at an extremely slow pace.

The Rs 9.72 crore conservation plan for Gond King Bakht Buland Shah's mausoleum remained stalled for over nine months due to fund allocation delays. Despite detailed beautification plans and removal of illegal encroachments by Nagpur Improvement Trust, financial backing remained unavailable, disappointing citizens and tribal communities who view the site as crucial to the city's historical identity.

Tourism potential in the region remains significantly underutilised despite exceptional cultural wealth. The area contains 45 distinct tribal communities, with Gond artwork gaining national recognition through artists like Bhuri Bai. Traditional festivals, archaeological sites dating to the 5th century CE, and heritage crafts like Karvati sarees provide authentic cultural experiences, yet infrastructure development and marketing support remain inadequate.

Archaeological sites like Mansar hold potential for UNESCO World Heritage designation due to their exceptional Vakataka period remains. The site's strategic location creates tourism circuit opportunities linking Ramtek, Khindsi, Nagardhan, and Pench National Park. However, without adequate conservation and infrastructure development, these opportunities remain unrealised.

Recent initiatives suggest both opportunities and continuing challenges for heritage development. The state government announced Rs 45.87 crore for temple development and explored Corporate Social Responsibility funding approaches.

The Heritage Conservation Committee continues approving projects, including the Nagpur Municipal Corporation Town Hall renovation and park structural repairs. However, fundamental challenges remain unresolved.

Conservation efforts across the region continue to face institutional limitations and funding shortfalls despite occasional successes.

The experience reflects national patterns of ambitious planning constrained by implementation challenges.

Without addressing underlying structural issues, including jurisdictional clarity, adequate financing, and effective coordination mechanisms, heritage sites will likely continue experiencing deterioration patterns that have characterised past efforts throughout the area.