Geographically
speaking, peninsular India can be divided into four distinct regions.
Himalayan mountainous region of far north, fertile flats of North and
North-West India of Indus-Ganga river basins, central plateau region
of Godawari-Krishna river basins and the tropical southern India. The
central plateau region is known as the Deccan plateau.
Historically
speaking, the first empire that was established on the Deccan plateau
around 78 CE, was by Satakarni kings, defeating the ' Saka'
feudatory Governor Nahapana's rule. In the later centuries Chalukya,
Rashtrakut and Yadav dynasties had ruled the Deccan plateau. In 1294
CE, Delhi ruler Allauddin Khilji defeated the Yadav King Ramdevrai
and established Islamic rule in the Deccan. In 1347 CE , Bahmani
empire was established on the Deccan and it appeared that the entire
Deccan plateau might go under Muslim Kings.
Around
this time, or in the year 1336, two Princes, Harihar and Bukka from
Sangama dynasty, established an Hindu kingdom on the bank of river
Tungabhadra. They built a fabulous capital city for the empire here
and named it as 'Vijayanagar' or Victorious city. Vijayanagar
empire, without any doubt, delayed the advance of Islamic kingdoms on
the Deccan for at least 200 years. In the year 1565, five Islamic
Kingdoms came together and defeated Vijayanagar army. This event had
great historical importance.
The
traces of earlier Hindu kingdoms are still found in the Deccan at
many places like Ajantha, Ellora and Doulatabad fort. However nothing
can beat the ruins of fabulous city of Vijayanagar on the bank of
Tungbhadra river located near a place now known as Hampi. As I have
mentioned above, Vijayanagar kingdom was in existance for more than
200 years and was known to be extremely wealthy state. After the
defeat of the Vijayanag army, the invading Islamic armies had carried
out destruction of this once beautiful city mainly for purpose of
searching hidden treasures such as gold and jewels. In spite of the
complete destruction, a visitor can still see the signs of original
affluence and wealth at almost every step in the city. Actually Hampi
ruins are spread over 26 square Kilometers. However most of the
really important ruins are located in a centralized area.
Now,
almost after 550 years, since Hampi was destroyed by Muslim armies
looking for hidden wealth, some criminal minded miscreants, still
hoping to find treasures in the ruins, have vandalized a 4 pillared
open type brick-and-lime structure or a “mandapa” with crow bars
and wooden poles. This ancient Mandapa is
situated on the way to Malyavanta temple in Hampi and is popularly
known as “Gaali Gopura.”
Hampi
is a declared World Heritage monument. The Malyavanta temple and the
surrounding area are under the control of the Archaeological Survey
of India (ASI). A team of archaeologists is now expected to reach
Hampi to study the reasons for the mandapa’s collapse. However the
reasons of this vandalizing act are not difficult to find. Recently,
round-the-clock patrolling of the area, by teams comprising personnel
from the police, ASI, Karnataka State’s archaeology department and
the Hampi World Heritage Area Management Authority has been
discontinued for no justifiable reason. The culprits perhaps knew
this and found it easy to go on their treasure hunt.
This
incidence hopefully is an eye opener for the police and other
authorities who are now planing now to secure Hampi monuments and
also catch the guilty and bring them to book. ASI also should take
immediate steps to rebuild the Mandapa as it was earlier.
For
any person like me , who has visited Hampi and remembers and
cherishes the beauty of this great city now in ruins, this news is a
real shocker and has made me very angry with the lethargy of the
security personnel. I can only hope that corrective action would be
taken immediately.
25
September 2012
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