[Assam] ASI move to preserve Charaideo maidams

[Manoj Das]

ASI move to preserve Charaideo maidams
By A Staff Reporter
 GUWAHATI, Feb 5 – The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is carrying on
conservation activities in four maidams of Charaideo areas in Sivasagar
district. It is also taking up exploration activities in some other maidams
– the tombs used to bury the last remains of the members of the State's Ahom
royal families, in the area during the current year.

Conservation activities are also going on in the Gargaon Palace and the
Sivasagar Talatalghar. Similar activities are also on in Suryapahar site in
the district of Goalpara.

Disclosing this to this newspaper here, sources in the ASI said that they
have plans to explore the archaeological sites of the entire Sivasagar
district this year. They also said that one of the maidams belonging to the
18 th century AD is being kept open for the visitors with the provision of
gateway, pathway, staircase, etc. This maidam is 15 metres in height and 30
metres in dia meters and is the biggest of the Charaideo maidams.

It needs mention here when the Ahoms entered Assam under the leadership of
Swargadeo Siu-ka-Pha in the early 13 th century AD, via the Patkai range of
hills, they first settled in the Charaideo areas.

Sources said that there have been problems in opening the underground
chambers of the Talatalghar due to the topography of the area and the
structural problems of the tunnel. These factors, along with the high ground
water table, lead to water seepage beneath the floor of the superstructure
of the building.

Moreover, the siltation in the nearby tanks has also added to the problem of
water seepage inside the underground tunnel, which is around four metres
beneath the surface.

Despite such problems, the underground chambers of the structure are opened
stretch wise. However, it requires a lot of investment and engineering
skill, as, the structure is around 400 years old.

Meanwhile, Ranghar, the first amphitheatre in Asia, which is also an
important monument of Sivasagar district, has been provided with garden,
toilet block, etc. Repair of its structure is also going on, said the
sources.

Conservation activities are also on at Suryapahar in Goalpara district. This
is a rare site of religious tolerance. Visitors' lobby in the site museum
and other amenities at the site have also been attracting visitors in an
increased manner to the site.

But the ASI is facing problems due to frequent bandhs called by various
organisations. Sources said that the ASI has plans to install signage
indicating maps, monuments and cultural texts in local, English and Hindi
languages during the next financial year.

On the ASI survey plans, sources said that the ASI could not expect to
conduct archaeological surveys in more than one district in a year, as,
village to village survey takes a lot of time and needs sufficient man
power.

Visitors: This winter, the Sivasagar archaeological monuments placed under
the ASI witnessed an increased number of visitors compared to the previous
seasons. The archaeological monuments of the district under the ASI
supervision include the Gargaon Palace, the Talatalghar, the Ranghar and the
Charaideo maidams.

The rush of the visitors to the Gargaon Palace, Talatalghar, Ranghar and the
Charaideo maidams was comparatively higher because of the public amenities,
proper gardening for beautification of the monuments, etc., said the
sources.

According to sources, the collection from the entry fees of the visitors of
these sites during December last was around Rs 80,000. For Indian visitors,
the rate of entry charge is Rs 5 per head, while it is Rs 100 per head in
case of the foreign tourists.

The ASI has not introduced entry fees in the other monuments placed under
its supervision in the State and other parts of the NE region. The entry
fees charged for the above Sivasagar monuments are also very nominal. But it
helps the ASI in providing better public amenities, to determine the number
of visitors and also to regulate their flow, said the sources.