GOVERNMENT MUTE ON THE DESTRUCTION OF A FEW MEGALITHIC SITES IN HAZARIBAGH. JHARKHAND. EAST INDIA.

PUNKRI BURWADIH

PUNKRI BURWADIH. 

THE GRACEFUL MEGALITHIC COMPLEX IT ONCE WAS PRIOR TO THE ARRIVAL OF NTPC IN THE REGION.

Punkri Burwadih is perhaps one of the most renowned megalithic sites of India. It is the only site in India where hundreds gather  to view the Equinox sunrises twice every year. Apart from it the site is visited by tourists everyday. 

The State Government for many years has been declaring big plans to protect and promote the monument. So have the Town Administration, State Archaeology department and even the Archaeological Survey of India. The state government issued a declaration that it has sanctioned Rs 2.75 crore for the preservation of the ancient monument, which eventually turned out to be a false promise on the part of the government.

A newspaper report of the former central tourism minister revealing his plan to declare Punkri Burwadih as a tourist spot. The newspaper also reports that an amount of 2.75 crore of rupees was also sanctioned by the Jharkhand Government for the preservation of this prehistoric monument. 

This eventually has turned out to be a false assurance and promise by the governments as the megalithic site slips into gradual destruction. 

NOTE THE BOX IN GREEN WHICH CLEARLY INDICATES THE BUDGET SANCTIONED BY JHARKHAND GOVERNMENT FOR MEGALITHS OF HAZARIBAGH IS A WHOPPING Rs 2.20 CRORE...THIS EVENTUALLY TURNED OUT TO BE A FARCE.

The arrival of various ASI and State Government officers to the site and their extravagant talks in regards to the protection of this amazing prehistoric site have turned out to be hollow promises so much so that this amazing prehistoric site now stands at the brink of its complete ruination. 

NTPC who has arrived here to mine the land around the megaliths too had made loud and extravagant talks in regards to the protection of the site. 

The iconic photograph of the Equinox surnise from between the two menhirs in Punkri Burwadih on Equinox mornings.Inset: Hundreds gather to witness the rare spectacle of the sunrise in the megalithic site on Equinox mornings.

In one of my earlier books describing the beauty of the Punkri Burwadih and its surroundings I had written,"...if there is heaven on earth this is ti, this this it...". Little did I know then that the very significant prehistoric monument of our country will soon fall prey to various companies from outside the region totally obliterating the ancient relic in the process of digging coal and other raw material from blow its surface.

NTPC has built a substation quite near to this ancient monument spoiling the aesthetics of the megaliths and obstructing the ancient alignments of the megaliths to the encircling hills.

The villagers have begun building ugly dhabas for the truckers from the various coal mines in the vicinity. One has even come around very near the megalith and the trucks with their coal are parked near the ancient monument. 

NTPC WENT ON RECORD FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE MEGALITHS, BUT THESE WERE MERE WORDS

The  State Government sanctioned an astronomical amount for the protection of Punkri Burwadih megaliths. Nothing has happened yet.

I am explaining the megaliths to V.S.Dubey, the then Secretary of State, Jharkhand along with the then D.C and the then Commissioner of Hazaribagh. They had promised the protection of the site. All in vain.

NTPC'S substation has come up in the vicinity obstructing the ancient alignments of the megaliths to the hills in the horizon in the process. Photo also shows buildings that are coming up in the field.

 A  dhaba has mushroomed in close proximity of the megalithic site.  Trucks too are taking shelter beside it. This poses direct  threat to the ancient site (visible to the right of the photo) as any day the trucks would mow down the stones.

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BANADAG

Twenty years ago I discovered the ancient megalithic burial site of Banadag. 

I soon informed about the discovery to the Town Administration, State Archaeology Department and even ASI Ranchi. 

Several Archaeology and Administration officers visited the site and assured me of the immediate protection of this very ancient tribal burial site.

These people took no action in regards to the protection of it and the site today stands in total ruins and the concerned governmental agencies are responsible for it.

BANADAG.
THE GRACEFUL MEGALITHIC SITE IT ONCE WAS.

BANADAG TODAY.
A road has been made to run from between the ancient megalithic site and several stones have been towed away by the villagers.

TIMES OF INDIA  ran an article informing the destruction yet no governmental agencies cared to protect this ancient site.

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CHANO (ROLA)

Chano is a small yet a very rare and very ancient astronomical megalithic site. The site like Punkri Burwadih needs protection at any cost. 

THE CHANO (ROLA) MEGALITHS.
The site could be tiny but it hides stunning astronomical and geometrical positioning of the stones made in the past.

THE CHANO (ROLA) MEGALITHS TODAY.
What a pitiable condition the site is in today; with buildings having mushroomed just adjacent it the site has become dump yard of garbage.

The megaliths of Chano (Rola) has the potential to rewrite the history of ancient India reveals stunning astronomy and geometry in the positioning of the ancient stones by the ancient megalithic astronomers.  Today Chano has become a garbage dumping ground of the local area and the land is bound to be usurped any day while the ancient stones taken away by the villagers for their domestic purposes.

The buildings that have come up around the megaliths  have completely thwarted the alignments of the site towards the sunrises and sets of the Solstices and also towards the cardinal directions.

Many ASI Officers and governmental officers have visited the site and assured protection, but all in vain.

TIMES OF INDIA CARRIED AN ARTICLE INFORMING ABOUT THE THREAT TO THIS ANCIENT MEGALITHIC SITE.