Two years ago, when Jagmohan, then Union minister for art, culture and tourism, visited the 15th century Kumbhalgarh Fort in Rajasthan, he was shocked to see that the beautiful palaces, dams and temples that even invading armies had spared, were falling apart for want of maintenance. Monuments as significant as the birthplace of Maharana Pratap and around three dozen temples were in a dilapidated condition while the view of the magnificent fort was obstructed by unkempt foliage.

Jagmohan immediately directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to restore the vandalised fort and develop its surroundings. For the next 18 months, hundreds of workers toiled hard in the forbidding remoteness of the Kumbhalgarh Fort in Rajsamand district to repair the worn out monuments. As the task near completion, they have the satisfaction of carrying out the largest and quickest conservation project in the state in recent years.

PICTURE SPEAK
BEFORE	AFTER

Situated 90 km from Udaipur, the Kumbhalgarh Fort has long been shunned by authorities and travellers alike because of its remote location in the middle of a wildlife sanctuary. Built as a strategic alternative to the Chittorgarh Fort, it is surrounded by a 36 km seemingly impenetrable wall that runs 7 m wide. The massive wall was not as badly damaged but the other monuments presented a big challenge to the ASI. All around were damaged walls, decaying wooden doors, sunken flooring, broken beams, dilapidated domes and mounds of debris.

Undaunted by the enormity of the task before them, C. Dorji, superintending archaeologist, and his team began work. They scoured the debris for evidence on what stood there earlier. It took a lot of meticulous research to find out and then replicate the original structure using a mix of the debris and new stones. Care was taken to ensure that the restoration work did not stick out like a sore thumb. In one temple, a wall built a few years ago to support the ceiling was replaced with a pillar created from debris found in the fort. In another temple, ASI researchers spent six months sorting out tonnes of debris to get an idea of what the original dome and ceiling looked like.

It was not always possible to retain the original flavour though. Some repairs have not been done in the precise traditional manner for want of resources and time. "You have to either let monuments fall for want of ancient material or make do with something that comes closest to save them for some more decades," says D.C. Sharma, conservation assistant. Similarly, conservation activists may object to the use of modern paints but officials defend their decision.

The undulating topography of the fort only added to the problems. Camels had to be used for transportation within the fort. Since he is from the hills, Dorji didn't find it difficult to trek for miles on the slopes but all other ASI officials confirmed weight loss during the project. So pronounced was the effect that the Kumbalgarh Fort is referred to as a health resort in ASI circles. "The fort has been given a new lease of life," says Dorji. The ASI is now laying stress on landscaping its surroundings. Besides, step wells, water ponds and three major dams that broke down decades ago are being restored, including a feature near Mama Deo temple where Maharana Kumbha was killed by his son.

A larger controversy awaiting the Kumbhalgarh Fort pertains to the Tourism Ministry's light and sound programmes. Although the proposal to instal colour and high-mast lights was dropped, the use of plastic parking lights and kota stone seats has created eyesores. Then again, most tourists do not stay the night in Kumbhalgarh, raising doubts about whether the late evening shows will have a sizeable audience to make them financially viable.

Clearly, the ASI needs to come up with ways to retain tourists at Kumbhalgarh. The forest, tourism and police departments can work in tandem with the ASI to offer camping sites within the fort. But the ASI is wary of such proposals because it doesn't have the manpower to ensure the safety of visitors. Sometime ago, a hotelier started a horse safari inside the fort but a tourist fell off and died. In Chittorgarh Fort, a drowning death resulted in a lawsuit against ASI officials.

In the past, the Kumbhalgarh Fort has withstood invaders, vandals and time. Now the ASI must not let mishaps like these mar its future.

LOCAL VILLAGERS

Bonded in History The ASI is doing more than just conserving monuments at the Kumbhalgarh Fort. Officials have for long wanted to shift out about 400 people living in two small villages inside the fort-one inhabited by Muslims, the other by tribals. The Muslims are descendants of the artisans employed to build the fort. The tribals trace their lineage to the captains in charge of security of the fort. One day, ASI officials who were trying to prevent vandals from defacing the fort were attacked by the miscreants. The Muslim villagers rushed to save the officials and handed over the attackers to the police. "Had it not been for the villagers, I would have been lynched," says D.C. Sharma, conservation assistant.   PICTURE SPEAK TEAM WORK: Villagers at the conservation site The ASI has now employed about 100 villagers in the project. Some months later, a Muslim villager helped the ASI and the police recover an idol stolen from the Juna Bhelwara temple inside the fort. The tribal villagers, on the other hand, voluntarily provide drinking water to the workers at the conservation site. With such bonding, the ASI is considering a proposal to convert the two villages into heritage sites with owners running traditional goods shops. Of course, they will have to shift their homes to some other place. The villagers are happy and want to cooperate. "My son earns more now by running a restaurant in the village," says Dungar Singh Ranawat, a tribal villager whose ancestors looked after the security of Kumbhalgarh Fort for centuries.

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