I-Day celebration through people’s participation at all ASI’s lesser-known monuments

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

Responding to the clarion call made by headquarters and promote lesser-known monuments in its jurisdictions, this Independence Day, the Aurangabad Circle of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) through mediation of its staff will encourage the villagers including senior citizens and respectable persons to take out a selfie holding tri-colour flags in front of the lesser-known monument in their neighbourhood, during the fortnight (August 2 to 15). Later on, the photo taken with their lesser-known monument has to be uploaded on the website - harghartiranga.com.

The superintending archaeologist (Aurangabad Circle) Dr Shiv Kumar Bhagat said, “ There are 75 monuments (situated all over Marathwada, Ahmednagar and Nashik districts), in the jurisdiction of the circle. Of which, five ticketed monuments - Ajanta Caves, Ellora Caves, Daulatabad Fort, Bibi ka Maqbara and Aurangabad Caves are in the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, while one ticketed monument Pandav Leni Caves is in Nashik.”

“The officials concerned have been asked to contact and communicate with the villagers through the ASI staff deployed at each lesser-known monument. The villagers, senior citizens and respected persons or social leaders will be encouraged to visit the lesser-known monument in their neighbourhood with a tri-colour (of any size); take a selfie (or photo) with lesser-known monument in the background and upload the same on the official website. The villagers can visit in groups as well,” said S K Bhagat.

According to an ASI official, “All monuments of different grades, whether well-known or lesser-known, are equal in the eyes of the ASI. The office is custodian of all the monuments and it has to upkeep them unbiasedly. The categorisation (of lesser-known) is just made as the monuments other than the ticketed monuments which are not known to the majority of the citizens. The tri-colour movement is a part of the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ drive launched by the Government of India to celebrate Independence Day from August 2 to 15.”

Dr Bhagat appealed to the citizens,“ It is an earnest appeal to all to kindly ensure that the tri-colour flag is not made of plastic material. This will enable us to keep the monument free from plastic pollution.”