The Archaeological Survey of India completes 150 years

The Archaeological Survey of India completes 150 years of its existence as the Nation’s premier organization for archaeological research and protection of cultural heritage.

The Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh launched a year-long programme to commemorate the sesquicentennial anniversary of the ASI at a function here today.


Releasing a set of 12 books Dr. Singh said, “I am very happy that the ASI is implementing some of the recommendations made by the Central Advisory Board of Archaeology relating to epigraphy, archival management and record keeping publications”.
            “The Epigraphia Indica (Sanskrit & Dravidian and Arabic & Persian) has been published again after two decades. The Ministry of Culture has also introduced a National Professorship of Epigraphy with the Archaeological Survey of India. 

 

            

•    Today ASI protects more than 3677 monuments within the country and, with its expertise, is working at Ta-Prohm in Cambodia and at Vat Phou temple in Lao PDR and is now likely to take up conservation work at Ananda temple at Bagan, Myanmar and also at Myson (Mee-sone) group of temples in Vietnam. 

 

 

The Prime Minister also unveiled the foundation plaque for ASI’s permanent headquarters, which will come up at 24, Tilak Marg. 

 

  The Archaeological Survey of India (Devanagiri: भारतीय पुरातत्‍व सर्वेक्षण abbreviation: ASI) is a department of the Government of India, attached to the Ministry of Culture ^[1]. The ASI is responsible for archaeological studies and the preservation of archaeological heritage of the country in accordance with the various acts of the Indian Parliament^[2]. According to its website, the ASI's function is to "explore, excavate, conserve, preserve and protect the monuments and sites of National & International Importance."

The Archaeological Survey of India was founded in 1861 under British colonial administration by Sir Alexander Cunningham with the help of the then Viceroy Charles John Canning. At that time, its domain included the entire British India including Afghanistan and Burma^[7]. In its early days, the Survey was engaged in major exploratory activities which resulted in the discovery of important archaeological sites like Sankisa, Sravasti, Bharhut, Kosambi^[8]. Cunningham was instrumental in such findings and paved the way for newer studies in Historical Archaeology of India ^[9]. During the tenure of Cunningham (1867–68), A.C.L. Carlleyle of ASI discovered important rock paintings in the rock shelters of Suhagighat in the Rewa District, Madhya Pradesh^[10]. He recognized that some paintings were prehistoric and had no analog in Europe ^[10]. When Mortimer Wheeler became Director-General in 1944, the head-office of the Survey was located at the Railway Board building in Simla.

 Overview

The ASI administers 3650 monuments and archaeological sites and remains ^[11] of national importance under the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act 1958 (No 24 of 1958) and Rule in 1959.^[3] The important sites excavated very recently^[when?] include Harsha-ka-Tila at Thanesar in Haryana exposing a cultural sequence from the Kushan period to medieval periods, a Harappan town at Bhirranaand in Haryana has revealed a 4.5m cultural sequence consisting of Hakra Ware, Early and Mature Harappan cultures Sanauli in Uttar Pradesh is under excavation by the ASI since September 2005. Subsequently, ASI identified the site as a prominent cemetery site of Late Harappan period (early 2nd millennium B.C.), one among the five largest Harappan cities in the subcontinent, Dholavira in Gujarat has yielded many firsts in respect of Indus Valley Civilization, an Iron Age Urn Burial Site in Adichanallur, Tamil Nadu.