THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA (ASI)

The Archaeological Survey of India, under the Ministry of Culture, is the premier organization for the archaeological researches and protection of the cultural heritage of the nation. Maintenance of ancient monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national importance is the prime concern of the ASI. Besides it regulate all archaeological activities in the country as per the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. It also regulates Antiquities and Art Treasure Act, 1972. For the maintenance of ancient monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national importance the entire country is divided into 24 Circles. The organization has a large work force of trained archaeologists, conservators, epigraphist, architects and scientists for conducting archaeological research projects through its Circles, Museums, Excavation Branches, Prehistory Branch, Epigraphy Branches, Science Branch, Horticulture Branch, Building Survey Project, Temple Survey Projects and Underwater Archaeology Wing.

ACTIVITIES
ASI is a large organization with an organized work force at the base and the Director General at the apex. Its major activities inter-alia is as under: Conducting archaeological explorations and excavations; Maintenance, conservation and preservation of protected monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national importance; Chemical preservation of monuments and antiquarian remains; Architectural survey of monuments; Epigraphical and numismatic studies; Setting up and re-organization of Site Museums; Training in Archaeology; Bringing out archaeological publications; Archaeological expeditions outside India ; Horticulture operation in and around ancient monuments and sites. Implementation and regulation of - The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958;

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is the premier organization for the archaeological research, scientific analysis, excavation of archaeological sites, conservation and preservation of protected monuments and areas of national importance, maintenance of site museums and overall regulation of legislations related to antiquities and art treasures. It is an attached office under the Department of Culture. Being an attached office, the ASI has its own head designated as Director General. An Additional Director General, two Joint Director General and 17 Directors assist the Director General in performing his duties. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), as an attached office under the Department of Culture, Ministry of Tourism and Culture, is the premier organization for the archaeological researches and protection of the cultural heritage of the nation. Maintenance of ancient monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national importance is the prime concern of the ASI. Besides it regulate all archaeological activities in the country as per the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. It also regulates Antiquities and Art Treasure Act, 1972. For the maintenance of ancient monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national importance the entire country is divided into 24 Circles. The organization has a large work force of trained archaeologists, conservators, epigraphist, architects and scientists for conducting archaeological research projects through its Excavation Branches, Prehistory Branch, Epigraphy Branches, Science Branch, Horticulture Branch, Building Survey Project, Temple Survey Projects and Underwater Archaeology Wing.

CHEMICAL PRESERVATION
The Archaeological Survey of Indias Science Branch is responsible mainly for the chemical conservation treatment and preservation of some three thousand five hundred ninety three protected monuments besides chemical preservation of museum and excavated objects countrywide.

SPAB
The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings was founded by William Morris in 1877 to counteract the highly destructive 'restoration' of medieval buildings being practised by many Victorian architects. Today it is the largest, oldest and most technically expert national pressure group fighting to save old buildings from decay, demolition and damage. The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings is involved in all aspects of the survival of buildings which are old and interesting. Our principal concern is the nature of their "restoration" or "repair", because misguided work can be extremely destructive. To us the skill lies in mending them with the minimum loss of fabric and so of romance and authenticity. Old buildings cannot be preserved by making them new. Morris was particularly concerned about the practice, which he described as "forgery", of attempting to restore buildings to an idealised state from the distant past. Instead, he proposed that ancient buildings should be protected, not restored, so that their entire history would be preserved as cultural heritage. Today, SPAB still operates according to Morris's original manifesto. It publishes books, and runs courses and a telephone advice line. The Society also has a branch in Scotland, and the Mills Section, which is the only British national body concerned with the preservation, repair and continued use of traditional windmills and watermills. Our work is guided by these principles: Repair not Restore Responsible methods Complement not parody Regular maintenance Information Essential work Integrity Fit new to old Workmanship Materials Respect for age

UNESCO
As defined by the Constitution, the purpose of the Organization is: "to contribute to peace and security by promoting collaboration among nations through education, science and culture in order to further universal respect for justice, for the rule of law and for the human rights and fundamental freedoms which are affirmed for the peoples of the world, without distinction of race, sex, language or religion, by the Charter of the United Nations. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) were founded on 16 November 1945. For this specialized United Nations agency, it is not enough to build classrooms in devastated countries or to publish scientific breakthroughs. Education, Social and Natural Science, Culture and Communication are the means to a far more ambitious goal : to build peace in the minds of men. Today, UNESCO functions as a laboratory of ideas and a standardsetter to forge universal agreements on emerging ethical issues. The Organization also serves as a clearinghouse for the dissemination and sharing of information and knowledge while helping Member States to build their human and institutional capacities in diverse fields. In short, UNESCO promotes international co-operation among its 192* Member States and six Associate Members in the fields of education, science, culture and communication. UNESCO is working to create the conditions for genuine dialogue based upon respect for shared values and the dignity of each civilization and culture. This role is critical, particularly in the face of terrorism, which constitutes an attack against humanity. The world urgently requires global visions of sustainable development based upon observance of human rights, mutual respect and the alleviation of poverty, all of which lie at the heart of UNESCOs mission and activities. Through its strategies and activities, UNESCO is actively pursuing the Millennium Development Goals, especially those aiming to: halve the proportion of people living in extreme poverty in developing countries by 2015 achieve universal primary education in all countries by 2015 eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education by 2005

 help countries implement a national strategy for sustainable development by 2005 to reverse current trends in the loss of environmental resources by 2015. UNESCO and the United Nations Millennium Goals UNESCO's World Heritage mission is to: encourage countries to sign the World Heritage Convention and to ensure the protection of their natural and cultural heritage; encourage States Parties to the Convention to nominate sites within their national territory for inclusion on the World Heritage List; encourage States Parties to establish management plans and set up reporting systems on the state of conservation of their World Heritage sites; help States Parties safeguard World Heritage properties by providing technical assistance and professional training; provide emergency assistance for World Heritage sites in immediate danger; support States Parties' public awareness-building activities for World Heritage conservation; encourage participation of the local population in the preservation of their cultural and natural heritage; encourage international cooperation in the conservation of our world's cultural and natural heritage. UNESCO deploys its action in the fields of: Education Natural Sciences Social and Human Sciences Culture Communication and Information

ICOMOS
It is an international non-governmental organization of professionals, dedicated to the conservation of the world's historic monuments and sites. The International Council on Monuments and Sites is an association of professionals throughout the world that currently bring together over 7500 members. ICOMOS works for the conservation and protection of cultural heritage places. It is the only global non-government organisation of this kind, which is dedicated to promoting the application of theory, methodology, and scientific techniques to the conservation of the architectural and archaeological heritage. Its work is based on the principles enshrined in the 1964 International Charter on the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites (the Venice Charter). ICOMOS is a network of experts that benefits from the interdisciplinary exchange of its members, among which are architects, historians, archaeologists, art historians, geographers, anthropologists, engineers and town planners. The members of ICOMOS contribute to improving the preservation of heritage, the standards and the techniques for each type of cultural heritage property : buildings, historic cities, cultural landscapes and archaeological sites In an attempt to achieve the proper identification, protection, conservation, and preservation of the world's irreplaceable heritage, the Member States of UNESCO adopted in 1972 the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (better known as the World Heritage Convention). The Convention complements heritage conservation programmes at the national level and provides for the establishment of a World Heritage Committee and a World Heritage Fund. The World Heritage Committee has, among other essential functions, to identify, on the basis of nominations submitted by States Parties to the Convention, cultural, natural and mixed properties of outstanding universal value which are to be protected under the Convention and to list those properties on the World Heritage List. ICOMOS is named in the 1972 UNESCO World Heritage Convention as one of the three formal advisory bodies to the World Heritage Committee, along with the World Conservation Union (IUCN), based at Gland (Switzerland), and the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM), based in Rome (Italy). It is the professional and scientific advisor to the World Heritage Committee on all aspects of the cultural heritage. It takes part in the work of the World Heritage Committee and in the implementation of the Convention.

ICOMOS is responsible for the evaluation of all nominations of cultural and mixed properties made to the World Heritage List by States Parties to the World Heritage Convention against the basic criterion of outstanding universal value and the criteria laid down by the World Heritage Convention The purpose of ICOMOS involvement with the World Heritage Convention is provision of the highest available degree of professional expertise in the evaluation of World Heritage nominations and other aspects of implementation of the World Heritage Convention. The purpose of this document is hence to ensure that the credibility of ICOMOS in performing these functions is above question and to this end it brings together a variety of practices and decisions that have been previously adopted.

INTACH
It was founded on 27Jan, 1984 in the presence of Rajiv Gandhi, our first chairman. The vision of our founder members was to create a membership organization to sere as a catalyst or heritage awareness and conservation in India. INTACH has over the past 20 years blazed the trial or the conservation and protection of our natural and cultural heritage. We have acted as a vehicle for civil action by moving judicial courts to save heritage, as well as engaging and educating the public in heritage awareness. Its primry mandate is the listin of natural and built heriotage sites to create a national inventory. Its first listing was complted for Shekawthi in Rajasthan. Golconda Fort, AP was one of the first architectural heritage projects in which INTACH played a catalytical role by writing to the chief minister and publicizing the perils of unplanned urban encroachment. INTACH renders services to specific aspects of cultural heritage conservation initiatives: Architectural Heritage Natural Heritage Material Heritage / Art Conservation Living / Cultural Heritage Heritage Education and Communication Heritage Regulations IDC - INTACH Documentation Centre and Library

INTACH strives to Spread heritage awareness among public Protect and conserve India's heritage Document cultural resources of India Formulate heritage policy and regulations Train and develop skills and related professions Emergency response to save heritage Form strategic partnerships and collaborations

Conservation Ethics Authenticity Conjecture Integrity Patina Rights of the indigenous community Respect for the contributions of all periods Inseparable bond with setting Minimal intervention Reversibility Legibility Demolish/ Rebuild

ROLE OF INTACH The role of INTACH is to institutionalize the conservation of the unprotected architectural heritage all over India. It should accomplish this objective by establishing Local Chapters. INTACHs local Chapters should promote the culture of conservation (Article 8), and make an inventory of architectural heritage (Article 5). They should develop ways and means to conserve local architectural heritage in consultation with INTACHs Regional and Central offices. Each Local Chapter should compile an annual State of the Architectural Heritage Report for its area and submit annual and quintennial plans for conservation works to be undertaken in its locality. INTACHs Regional and Central offices should compile this data to produce an annual national State of the Architectural Heritage Report which should highlight heritage in danger and formulate conservation strategies for its protection.

To further facilitate its goal of protecting architectural heritage, INTACH should establish inter-disciplinary Advisory Committees at the regional and national level. These Committees should act as clearing-houses for awarding grading for listed buildings and sites, conservation plans, assessment reports, scientific studies, funding proposals, legal and administrative measures for conserving the unprotected architectural heritage. INTACH should facilitate and coordinate its activities with the Government and other interest groups, local, national and international, which are concerned with the conservation of architectural heritage. INTACH should establish appropriate benchmarks for professional fees for conservation work and promote adherence to this scale in all conservation projects, INTACH should review this Charter and if necessary, make amendments to it every five years.

The Burra Charter Process

THE NARA DOCUMENT ON AUTHENTICITY

Preamble The Nara Document on Authenticity is conceived in the spirit of the Charter of Venice, 1964, and builds on it and extends it in response to the expanding scope of cultural heritage concerns and interests in our contemporary world. In a world that is increasingly subject to the forces of globalization and homogenization, and in a world in which the search for cultural identity is sometimes pursued through aggressive nationalism and the suppression of the cultures of minorities, the essential contribution made by the consideration of authenticity in conservation practice is to clarify and illuminate the collective memory of humanity.

Cultural Diversity and Heritage Diversity The diversity of cultures and heritage in our world is an irreplaceable source of spiritual and intellectual richness for all humankind. The protection and enhancement of cultural and heritage diversity in our world should be actively promoted as an essential aspect of human development. Cultural heritage diversity exists in time and space, and demands respect for other cultures and all aspects of their belief systems. In cases where cultural values appear to be in conflict, respect for cultural diversity demands acknowledgment of the legitimacy of the cultural values of all parties. All cultures and societies are rooted in the particular forms and means of tangible and intangible expression which constitute their heritage, and these should be respected. It is important to underline a fundamental principle of UNESCO, to the effect that the cultural heritage of each is the cultural heritage of all. Responsibility for cultural heritage and the management of it belongs, in the first place, to the cultural community that has generated it, and subsequently to that which cares for it. However, in addition to these responsibilities, adherence to the international charters and conventions developed for conservation of cultural heritage also obliges consideration of the principles and responsibilities flowing from them. Balancing their own requirements with those of other cultural communities is, for each community, highly desirable, provided achieving this balance does not undermine their fundamental cultural values.

Values and authenticity Conservation of cultural heritage in all its forms and historical periods is rooted in the values attributed to the heritage. Our ability to understand these values depends, in part, on the degree to which information sources about these values may be understood as credible or truthful. Knowledge and understanding of these sources of information, in relation to original and subsequent characteristics of the cultural heritage, and their meaning, is a requisite basis for assessing all aspects of authenticity. Authenticity, considered in this way and affirmed in the Charter of Venice, appears as the essential qualifying factor concerning values. The understanding of authenticity plays a fundamental role in all scientific studies of the cultural heritage, in conservation and restoration planning, as well as within the inscription procedures used for the World Heritage Convention and other cultural heritage inventories. All judgements about values attributed to cultural properties as well as the credibility of related information sources may differ from culture to culture, and even within the same culture. It is thus not possible to base judgements of values and authenticity within fixed criteria. On the contrary, the respect due to all cultures requires that heritage properties must considered and judged within the cultural contexts to which they belong. Therefore, it is of the highest importance and urgency that, within each culture, recognition be accorded to the specific nature of its heritage values and the credibility and truthfulness of related information sources. Depending on the nature of the cultural heritage, its cultural context, and its evolution through time, authenticity judgements may be linked to the worth of a great variety of sources of information. Aspects of the sources may include form and design, materials and substance, use and function, traditions and techniques, location and setting, and spirit and feeling, and other internal and external factors. The use of these sources permits elaboration of the specific artistic, historic, social, and scientific dimensions of the cultural heritage being examined.

INTERNATIONAL CHARTER FOR THE CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION OF MONUMENTS AND SITES (THE VENICE CHARTER 1964) It is essential that the principles guiding the preservation and restoration of ancient buildings should be agreed and be laid down on an international basis, with each country being responsible for applying the plan within the framework of its own culture and traditions. The Athens Charter of 1931 contributed towards the development of an extensive international movement which has assumed concrete form in national documents, in the work of ICOM and UNESCO and in the establishment by the latter of the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and the Restoration of Cultural Property. DEFINITIONS
Article 1 Article 2 The concept of a historic monument The conservation and restoration of monuments w.r.t sciences and techniques Safeguard the conserved and restored monuments Conservation of monuments on permanent basis The conservation of monuments for social use The conservation of a monument with the traditional setting, No new construction, demolition or modification must be allowed. Historical importance, the moving of all or part of a monument cannot be allowed Preserving the items of sculpture, painting or decoration RESTORATION modern technique construction, for conservation and

Article 3 Article 4 Article 5 Article 6

Article 7

Article 8

Article 9 Article 10

Article 11

The valid contributions of all periods to the building of a monument must be respected, Replacements of missing parts Additions cannot be allowed

Article 12 Article 13

Article 14

HISTORIC SITES, monuments must be of special care EXCAVATIONS PUBLICATIONS

Article 15 Article 16