The archaeological survey of India true to its name adopts only archaic methods. There is a rule of the department that states that if one wants to photograph even as hobbyist , any monument under its control using a tripod, then prior approval in writing must be obtained from its Regional office which has control over that particular monument. Recently when we decided to visit Belur and Halebid We decided to approach the Bangalore office of the archaeological survey of India and obtain permission for using tripod. We were scheduled to leave for Belur on 23rd January and knowing well the way in which indian government department works, we decided to approach them on 11th January and went to their office. A lady dealing with such issues in that office told us to write a letter addressed to the Superintending Archaeologist requesting for permission to photograph using tripod stating our camera details like make etc , the dates of visit to Belur and Halebid, and purpose (Hobby). We were told that since that week there is a intervening holiday for a day, we can get the permission letter only on 18th January. It is a different matter that the office had a lot of people doing nothing and that the work involved is sending our letter to the boss (who sits in a cabin down the corridor) and he has to approve it. In other words , there is no great work involved in the process of approval. Anyway, one does not argue with government department people if he or she wants the work done. As expected the approval letter was not ready on the promised date. A couple of phone calls later and after learning that the lady dealing with issue normally comes to office only at 11.30 AM every day though office starts at 9.30 AM, We approached the boss direct and after a couple of calls ,got the approval by speed post on 22nd January. The biggest joke is that the approval letter contained the following covenant :
“This permission issued only for hobby of taking photographs
The permission is valid for 23.1.10 & 26.1.10 only
“Three copies of Publication/ colour slides will be given to the ASI free of cost. ASI will be at liberty to use the same for its own publications only. The copyright of the photographer shall duly be acknowledged either in the preface or below the material reproduced by ASI in its own publications” .
They are really true to their name, archaic. In this age of Digital Photography, they want colour slides and that too three copies free !!!!
Anyway we did not use the tripod.But the highlight is that even if we had used the tripod at Belur nobody would have bothered us.
The next one is just still better. There is small museum at Halebid run by the same department. The entrance fee is Rs.5/. Here visitors are not allowed to photograph any exhibit (stone carvings) though they are lying in a open yard exposed to all elements of nature. Inscrutable are the ways of god and the archaeology department.
The icing on the cake is captions that have been put out about each exhibit. One brilliant caption was in front of a huge stone slab . The caption ”Inscriptions“ stated the obvious.Probably nobody in the department knows to read the Kannada inscription. So we do not know what the inscriptions are. They have a created a new god also. The caption in front of one female sculpture read as ”Diety “ Probably there was a god to whom those dieting used to pray to cure obesity during Hoysala rule. Unfortunately we could not photograph ”Diety” as we are not allowed to do so.
I overheard three children (big,medium small) reading a board in front of a sculpture in Halebid. (This board was in many places) The board reads as ” Do not Touch and Damage“ The small kid read aloud ”do not Touch“ and stopped. On prompting by the eldest the middle one read ”and Damage“. The eldest then asked the mother ” Ma can i then damage without touching“
I always thought that in India, unlike some western country, citizens do not get dole. I am wrong . We have employment in government !!.