The Ministry of Culture’s decision to upgrade Hampi from a mini-circle to a full-fledged circle of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is set to pave way for better protection of monuments, besides release of additional funds towards their conservation and maintenance.
The exercise to upgrade the Hampi mini-circle is part of a larger move that has led to the creation of seven new circles of ASI across the country so as to strength the process of preservation of archaeological monuments along with registration of artefacts.
The other new circles are Trichy, Raiganj, Rajkot, Jabalpur, Jhansi, and Meerut. The Hampi mini-circle will be upgraded to a full-fledged circle because of its international significance as a place of archaeological heritage and religious significance, according to a communiqué from the Ministry. The group of monuments at Hampi was inscribed by the UNESCO as World Heritage Site in 1986.
Meanwhile, sources in the ASI said the upgrade plan was a welcome development as it not only results in release of more funds and deployment of additional staff but will help in focussed approach towards conservation and maintenance.
At present, there are nearly 85 monuments under ASI Hampi mini-circle and plans are afoot to reorganise the jurisdictional area so as to bring in more monuments in the Kalyana Karnataka region under Hampi circle, the sources added.
If the jurisdiction of Hampi circle is also expanded as planned, it will bring within its ambit monuments in Koppal, Yadgir, Bidar, Raichur, and Kalaburagi. However, upgrading Hampi into a full-fledged circle has only been announced and not yet notified, according to sources.
N.S. Rangaraju, former Head of the Department of Ancient History and Archaeology, University of Mysore, and convener of INTACH, Mysuru, said upgrading Hampi will expedite conservation plans which are otherwise held up as they have to be cleared by higher-ups. “Decision-making will be swift which is imperative in view of Hampi’s importance as a tourist destination of global importance,” he added.
There are conflicting views on whether expanding the jurisdiction of the Hampi circle will fetch more dividends or neutralise the gains of such an exercise.
Hampi receives around ₹6 crore for maintenance of its monuments which is inadequate and the adjoining Dharwad circle with almost 300 monuments within its ambit receives roughly the same amount. “If more monuments are brought under the jurisdiction of Hampi circle, additional funds accruing to it have to be allotted to other monuments outside the world heritage site region as well. More budgetary outlay per monument rather than redrawing the jurisdictional boundaries of the existing circles is what matters,” said Prof. Rangaraju.
