Union Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitaraman inaugurated the World Heritage Week Photo Exhibition organised by Archeological Survey of India at Thiyagarajar College in Madurai today. She urged the students to pursue the knowledge from the tradition and heritage of Tamil carved in rocks by our ancestors. 

India is very rich in cultural heritage. The wealth in the form of monuments and sites spread across the country. In order to propagate its richness Archaeological Survey of India under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India conduct various Cultural Awareness Programme on the occasion of World Heritage Day (18th April), World Heritage Week (19th – 25th Nov), International Tourism Day (27th Sept) and International Museum Day (18th May) etc. 

Interestingly India possess 42 World Heritage properties. Out of which 34 belongs to cultural, 7 of Natural and 1 mixed category. In this regard Archaeological Survey of India, Trichy Circle proposed to observe World Heritage Week (19th to 25th November). During the week-long celebration it is proposed to have events at Brihadeeswara Temple, Gangaikondacholapuram and Brihadeeswara Temple at Thanjavur (World Heritage Site); Lower Rock-cut Cave Temple, Trichy; Thirumayam Fort, Thirumayam; Bhagavati Amman Temple at Chitral, Kanyakumari. The focus of this events is to interact with school/college children and active participation in multiple activities and cultural events in order to inculcate awareness on tangible and intangible heritage of India including World Heritage sites.

It is also proposed to have an outreach programme near to centrally protected monument at Tiruparankundram. Today the Government of India, archaeological Survey of India is pressing hard to disseminate awareness to various cross-section of people by reaching people to their footsteps to create awareness to showcase the legacy of our past glory.

The Archaeological Survey of India jointly with Thiagarajar College, Madurai is celebrating the World Heritage Week from 19th to 25th November 2023. As part of this celebration, an exhibition with the theme of “Rock Cut Temples in South Tamil Nadu” (8th century CE – 13th century CE) is arranged at Madurai. The week-long exhibition will showcase the history, architecture, iconography and inscriptions of the major rockcut temples in south Tamil Nadu, which will throw more light on religious practices, social economic condition of that particular era.

The major attraction would be the models on display to show case the rock-cut architecture and also involve the views to have hands-on activities and end up with interactive quiz competition. The photo exhibition is open to general public. It will be held at the Dr. Radha Thiyagarajan Auditorium, Thiagarajar College, Kamarajar Salai, Madurai from 20th November 2023. The exhibition will be inaugurated by Hon’ble Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman. Subsequently on the same day school students will be take on field trip to nearby Rock-cut cave Temples. 

 

 

 

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