ASI opens exhibition on World Heritage Day at Jantar Mantar

The theme of the exhibition, according to the official, aims at “creating awareness around how various disasters can have a long-standing impact on these sites.

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Delhi circle, inaugurated a photo exhibition at Jantar Mantar on Friday to mark World Heritage Day. The exhibition, themed “Heritage under threat from disasters and conflicts”, will run until Sunday evening and is open during Jantar Mantar’s visiting hours, ASI officials said.

An ASI official said the exhibition, showcases photographs and information about several UNESCO World Heritage Sites across India (RAJ K RAJ /HT PHOTO)

An ASI official said the exhibition, showcases photographs and information about several UNESCO World Heritage Sites across India. “Several of the monuments featured in the exhibition are under the care of ASI. ASI shoulders the responsibility to protect and preserve several of the heritage monuments in India. ASI has over the years protected more than 3,600 monuments and sites, of which 43 have been inscribed on the World Heritage list,” the official added.

The theme of the exhibition, according to the official, aims at “creating awareness around how various disasters can have a long-standing impact on these sites.” From the Trimurti Elephanta Cave in Maharashtra to the Sun Temple in Konark, Odisha, and from the Khangchendzonga National Park in Sikkim, inscribed in 2016, to the Manas Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam, inscribed in 1985, the exhibition covers a wide spectrum of India’s heritage diversity.

In Delhi, notable sites such as the Red Fort complex, Humayun’s Tomb, and Qutub Minar with its adjoining monuments have also been featured. Meanwhile, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway in Tamil Nadu was among the exhibits that attracted considerable attention, visitors said. Kavita H Vatkar from Mumbai, who visited with her sister and mother, was seen reading aloud from the exhibition bulletin: “The construction of the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, a 46-km long metre-gauge single-track railway in Tamil Nadu, was first proposed in 1854, but due to the difficulty of the mountainous location, the work only started in 1891 and was completed in 1908.”

She added, “I have learnt so much from this exhibition. It was definitely a very interesting visit.”

While entry was free on Friday, regular ticket prices for Jantar Mantar apply on Saturday and Sunday. The exhibition will conclude at sunset on Sunday, coinciding with the site’s closing hours.