ASI restores lost glory of 200 Bateshwar temples

NAGPUR: Bateshwar temple complex at Morena in Madhya Pradesh is apparently the only complex with as many as 200 temples of Shiva and Vishnu at one place in India. Also, this is one temple complex which was restored literally from rubble.
The credit for bringing back the glory of temples goes to the survey staff of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) who, from 2004 to 2012, convinced dreaded Nirbhay Singh Gujjar, perhaps the last dacoit of Chambal, about the importance of these sacred places and the need for their restoration.
This was disclosed to TOI by KK Muhammed, former regional director (north) of ASI here on Friday. He was in the city to deliver the ‘Lokmanya Balgangadhar Tilak memorial lecture’ organized by the department of ancient history, culture and archaeology (AHCA), Nagpur University.
Bateshwar complex that has 200 Shiva and Vishnu temples is situated 40km from Gwalior. These were built between the 9th and the 11th century during the Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty, some 200 years before Khajuraho temples were constructed. The area was under the control of Nirbhay Singh Gujjar and Gadariya dacoits.
Narrating the difficulties encountered by him during conservation work, Muhhamed said that while the restoration work was on, the mining mafia had begun encroaching the area which led to destruction of temples again due to blasting in the vicinity.
Muhammed said that neither the state nor the central government could help him resolve the problem. The then RSS chief K Sudarshan listened to his request who then urged MP government to stop mining in the area. Following this, ASI resumed the work again.
Muhammed said that he could complete major restoration work of Bateshwar with just Rs 2 crore. The ASI restored 80 of the 200 that existed there and the work on another 40 is half complete.
Earlier, BV Kharbade, director general of National Research Laboratory for Conservation of Cultural Property, Lucknow, described various techniques used in conservation of artefacts in forts, palaces and temples.
The methods include preventive, remedial and restoration techniques. Giving examples of temples of Malai Mahadeshwara, Meenakshi and Madurai, Kharbade explained the various conservation methods.
Head of the AHCS department Preety Trivedi, in her concluding remarks, said that considering the examples of two speakers there was a ray of hope that not all heritage was lost yet. There was a hope for restoration of ancient monuments. Associate professor Prabash Sahu welcomed the dignitaries.