Human error8217; damaging Ajanta

The report, based on suggestions from various experts at a seminar organised by INTACH and attended among others by historians Dr R S Morwanchikar and Dr Dulari Qureshi, microbiologist Dr R R Deshpande and Dr Spink, who has been visiting the cavessince the last two-and-a-half decades, has also dwelt probably for the first time on how conflicts within different departments of the ASI have caused severe damage to the paintings, which date back over 2,000 years.

The report also states that most of the time, the conservation work is left to 8220;raw recruits with no education or training in art or history or conservation8221;. It states: 8220;Within a few weeks of their arrival here, three recruits begin cleaning the murals not knowing what damage they cause to them. While enthusiasm and sincerity may be all right, what is needed in a place like Ajanta is skill, knowledge, finesse and patience.8221;

Ironically, a number of historians who had expressed a desire to be associated with the conservation work, have been consistently turned down by the ASI so far.

Such is the trial and error that a number of samples of colour pigments, have yet to be put through a systematic laboratory analysis rendering all conservation measures undertaken so far futile. In fact, theASI has no records of the extensive conservation work carried out over the last 100 years. Hence, there is no way to determine which chemicals the paintings were subjected to.

There are also very few photographs taken before and after such conservation, making it impossible to ascertain whether the methods used have made any difference, the report alleges.

The report also places a question mark over the quality of work by the artists8217; assigned to conserve the paintings. Most of them are temporary workers with little knowledge of the chemicals they are using. The fact that they are employed on a daily wage basis and are not permanent employees of the ASI speaks volumes for their motivational levels, the report adds.

While welcoming the Japanese government8217;s endeavour to pump Rs 300 crore into the Ajanta and Ellora Development Project the first phase is already complete, the INTACH report says what the project needs to focus on is 8220;what is being preserved and why8221;? 8220;Otherwise, there is a danger ofkilling the goose that lays the golden eggs,8221; it states, expressing displeasure at the paltry sum set aside for conservation work.

As for the friction between various departments of the ASI, the report points out that there is no clear demarcation of duties. While the paintings are solely under the Chemical Department, the caves in which they are housed are under the supervision of the Conservation Department. The INTACH members cite instances when officials from the Conservation Department order that the caves be swept to simply prove their supremacy over the Chemical Department. Even as huge clouds of dust rise within the caves, not much of it leaving the immediate confines, officials of the Chemical Department can do nothing but wonder what damage the dust will inflict once it settles on the paintings.

The world knows that the historic cave paintings at Ajanta were made with extremely primitive equipment. What no one realises, however, is that modern India, with all the technology and scientificknowledge at its disposal, is still struggling to provide even basic of laboratory equipment to preserve these masterpieces.