Kashmir has a rich archaeological base as compared to Jammuand Ladakh. According to the records of ASI (Archaeological Survey of India),Jammu has eight monumental sites out of which four are under the supervision ofASI, while as Kashmir has 69 monumental sites out of which 41 are under ASI.All the historically important sites at Awantipora, Martand, Parihaspura,Ushkar (Baramulla) etc. are in shambles. The Buddhist site at Harwan isdilapidated and attention could have developed it on modern lines to show theBuddhist culture that flourished in Kashmir from centuries past. Kashmir isrich in archaeological remains of antiquity but unfortunately, none of themonumental remains has been documented or preserved on the modern lines. Thoughthe ASI has excavated different sites at different times still authenticreports are wanting. We have some architectural surveys, maps, plans etc. butthe public is unaware of them. Whosoever worked on it has left it incompleteand the people are still unaware about it. So the need of the hour is toprotect, excavate and preserve the heritage sites so that the history ofKashmir could be reconstructed in broad perspectives. Additionally, many mythsand legends have been created on the basis of non-historical literature, whoseproper answer can be given by the proper archaeological surveys andexcavations. The two excavated sites of Burzuhom and Gufkral had not even beenexcavated properly and there are little data about the two sites. Thesemi-monumental structures, the Megalithic stones, associated with these sitesare an important historical asset. Neither the sites have been preserved norhave any special attention paid to its cultural entities. An ancient settlementof Burzahom was among the list of sites expected to get World Heritage statusat a two-week UNESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific and CulturalOrganization) meeting held in Doha on 20 June 2014, which indicates theimportance of Burzuhom. Neolithic site of Burzuhom is a storyteller of lifebetween 3,000 and 1,000 BC. It is known for its unique subterranean dwellingpits, unusual petroglyphs, including one that appears to depict two suns, andevidence of ancient cranial surgery. Apart from Burzuhom, there are varioussites which have not been explored by the Archaeological Survey of India and byindividual archaeologists.
The unplanned urbanization is also an important threat to the heritage of Kashmir. Like most urban areas in India, Kashmir has to affront intense development pressure. The impact of this pressure is harder in the old city where every inch is constructed, where population density is extremely high. (400-500 persons per hectare) Urbanization processes as a result of population growth, migration, infrastructure initiatives and illegal construction have a direct impact on cultural heritage. This unplanned urbanization destroyed various sites in Kashmir. The Kushan site of Kotabal in Kuthar Shangus was destroyed by Gujjars of the area, they used iron brushes to clean the plates thus damaged the inscriptions and used them for their constructional purposes; the rest of the site was brought under cultivation and was destroyed. A part of Martand temple has been converted into an apple orchard and some of thestones of the temple have been taken away for domestic purposes.
The famous Martand temple built by king Lalitadatya ofKorkata dynasty has a park in the front which is well developed and maintainedand the temple is in shambles. The inscriptions and the artistic designs havebeen either destroyed or taken away and used for constructional purposes. Sameis the case with other historical monuments. A temple at Parhespora (Pattan)was handed to Jammu and Kashmir Tourism department by Jammu and Kashmir CultureDepartment who completely destroyed the base of the temple and built a newshed, invited artists to built sculptures. Thus at the cost of heritage, a newart gallery was set up in Parhespora (Pattan). The temple at Lodhu in Srinagaris in the midst of a tank which is the earliest remaining stone sculpture isalso in shambles. All this may be due to ignorance of Historical Knowledge,which could be outcome through proper research and documentation.
The immediate need of the hour is to protect the monumentsof Kashmir, if not at least to document before it is too late. The monumentsshould be well documented and preserved through scientific lines for the futuregenerations to broaden the knowledge about the architecture of Kashmir inancient and early medieval Kashmir.
The author is a Research Scholar of Ancient Indian Historyat Dept. of History, Aligarh Muslim University.