Our consent must for Rajgir fest: ASI

Patna: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has asked the Nalanda administration to stop preparations for Rajgir Mahotsav at Quila Maidan till permission is granted by its Patna circle office. Preparations were in full swing for the three-day annual cultural event at Rajgir scheduled to be inaugurated by CM Nitish Kumar on Saturday.
TOI carried a report in these columns on Wednesday, pointing out the fact that Quila Maidan is one of the protected archaeological sites of ASI and consent of its director general (DG) is mandatory for raising any temporary or permanent structure, which require digging holes and other forms of alteration at the venue.
“I have asked the superintending archaeologist of our Patna circle to issue a notice to Nalanda district administration to stop the activities at Quila Maidan till permission for the same is issued by my office,” ASI’s DG Usha Sharma told TOI over the phone from Delhi on Wednesday.
Nalanda DM Thiyagarajan SM, however, said a letter seeking permission for organizing Rajgir Mahotsav was sent to ASI on November 7. But Sharma said she did not see any such letter. “I will inquire about it,” she said.
On being asked about ASI DG’s instructions, Thiyagarajan said his office only received a letter from ASI Patna office regarding restriction on digging holes at Quila Maidan. “Unauthorized digging of holes has been stopped at Quila Maidan. ASI’s assistant superintending archaeologist at Nalanda has also inspected the site and submitted a positive report,” Thiyagarajan said, adding that preparations for the event were going on.
ASI’s Patna circle superintending archaeologist D N Sinha did not respond to repeated phone calls made by TOI.
The protected ASI monuments at Rajgir include all ancient structures and artificial ancient remains situated within half a mile of the two ancient cities, known as old and new Rajgriha. Archaeologists have claimed that the remains of new Rajgriha have been found underneath Quila Maidan. Most significant is the 22km-long Cyclopean Wall, which is adjacent to the maidan. It is believed to have been built in the pre-Mauryan era, before 3rd century BC, using massive undressed stones to provide protection to the ancient city.
CM Nitish Kumar had said on October 16 last year that the state government would pitch for UNESCO’s world heritage status to Rajgir’s ‘Cyclopean Wall’ after the ruins of ancient Nalanda University was accorded that status in July.
Officials in tourism department, which jointly organizes Rajgir Mahotsav with Nalanda district administration every year since 1986, claimed that preparations would be completed by Thursday. “In fact, the number of workers has been increased from 75 to around 250 to erect the stalls in time,” said an official at Rajgir.