ASI Heritage Day show a hit at Purana Qila

NEW DELHI: On World Heritage Day, Purana Qila gave stiff competition to the city's three world heritage sites in terms of footfall. At least 12,000 visitors thronged the Qila on Friday to witness the ongoing excavation project by Archaeological Survey of India and the artifacts discovered that have been put on public display for the first time. The response was so overwhelming that ASI has decided to keep the onsite exhibition open on Saturday as well though access to the excavation site will be restricted.

Delhi circle chief Vasant K Swarnkar said, "The antiquities on display and onsite exhibition will also be open on Saturday. But the excavation site will be cordoned off after a point, so visitors can see the objects only from a distance." Protected by a glass covering, the artifacts on display were viewed by curious visitors. They were given an opportunity to actually go inside the excavated trenches and see history being unearthed right in front of their eyes. The ongoing excavation is the third at Purana Qila, the two earlier ones having taken place in the 1950s and 1970s, respectively.

There were a large number of enthusiasts who came with their families to exclusively observe the excavation. Parents were seen explaining to their children what was it all about and how important it is to know our history and respect our heritage. "I came with my wife and children to see how excavation is done. It's exciting to witness the unearthing of our past," Aditya Trivedi, a businessman from Vaishali, said.

But there were others who were not aware of the excavation site and had come there just to spend the time. "I walked here with my friend for a picnic as today is a holiday. I was not aware of the excavation. It was a unique experience for me," said Rekha Jorwal, a resident of Madangiri.

There were some, though, who sounded skeptical about the exercise. "Excavation of a historical site is a very sensitive exercise. Such a large number of visitors actually disturb the experts and creates hurdles for the work. There should be some restrictions if sites have to be opened for public visits," Umesh Sharma, a history teacher, said.

Apart from Mughal era artifacts, items discovered dated back to the Sultanate, Rajput, Gupta, Sunga, Kushan, Mauryan and even pre-Mauryan periods. Visitors got to see a rare 12th-century sculpture of Vishnu, a terracotta seal from the Gupta period, pottery typical of the Kushan and Gupta periods, structures from the Rajput and Kushan periods, copper coins, terracotta human figurines, beads made of semi-precious stones and glass, ear studs of terracotta and charred wheat and rice grains. Latest findings included an ivory pendant, human figurines, a Gajlakshmi tablet and objects from the Mauryan period.

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