Important archaeological sites being encroached

SIBSAGAR, August 17: They take pride in identifying themselves as Assamese. They speak proudly about their glorious heritage. But, when asked to speak out their preference categorically in matters related to personal interest and archaeologically important sites they are encroaching upon, they prefer their personal interest to the archaeologically important sites or monuments, be it the Momaikata Garh, the Talatal Ghar, the Kareng Ghar, the Rang Ghar or the Phakuwa Doul (Jaymati Doul), among others. The state revenue department has armed them with "Myadi Patta" in most of the cases, making unauthorised occupations authorised ones. On the other hand, some political leaders and members of the intelligentsia took the lead in paving the way for large scale encroachments on the land belonging to the historical monuments. There are also cases when officials of the state archaeological department and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) have been either threatened or assaulted. In one case, the unauthorised occupants of a monument's land in Sibsagar district served a pleader's notice on the archaeology department! It is alleged by members of the Committee for Celebration of the 770th Anniversary of Chau-Lung Siu-Ka-Pha that due the unholy nexus between some corrupt revenue department officials and the management of the Charaideo Tea Estate, about 80 bighas of the Charaideo "maidam" land were shown as the land of the tea estate in government land records and the "Myadi Patta" was also issued to the tea estate for the purpose. Several "maidams" (graves of Ahom nobles) are in the plot. The historic Jerenga Pathar, where princess Joymati was tortured to death for her refusal to divulge the whereabouts of her husband prince Godapani, has been allotted to private patta holders and public institutions without any attempt on the part of any of the authorities concerned to locate specifically and preserve the particular place where Joymati was tortured by the Chaodangs, the Ahom kings' executioners, for about 14 days. Joymati was buried at a place now located in the Jayanagar locality of Joy Sagar area. A "maidam" was built over the grave by prince Godapani who ascended the throne with the name of Godadhar Singha. But today the revenue department has issued pattas in such a way that the state archaeology department has been finding it difficult to get even a three feet wide and about 60 feet long passage to connect the "maidam", known as Phakuwa Doul, with the main thoroughfare running through the Jayanagar locality. The inhabitants of the area are mostly college teachers and bank employees. These people have knowingly or unknowingly started destruction of another unidentified "maidam" by taking away the bricks and soil from it to improve the thoroughfare running through the locality. The revenue department has added one more feather to its cap by obliterating the Kalugaon Jagaddhatri Doul from the Sitha map. In no other place on the earth such a development was witnessed, lamented archaeology department officials who were threatened with dire consequences by the encroachers when an attempt was made to preserve the Doul, adding, the water area of the historical tank located beside the monument has only been shown as reserved in the revenue documents. Apart from all these problems, lack of proper maintenance of the monuments presently under the control of the ASI and archaeology department has also been posing problems for the conservation of the Sibsagar monuments. Lack of adequate number of staff and vehicle have been cited as the common problems by the ASI and archaeology department people in this connection. Meanwhile, the district administration of Sibsagar has undertaken a drive to conserve the cluster of temples - Shiva Doul, Bishnu Doul and Devi Doul on the bank of the Sibsagar tank and to beautify the temple campus with the help of the Birlas. The ASI has also undertaken a special campaign as per the Prime Minister's directive to conserve and beautify several historical monuments and historically important sites in Sibsagar District.