HUBBALLI: In a shocking incident, a historical pillar inside Virupaksha Temple in Hampi was disfigured, allegedly to tie a flag during a recent function attended by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Officials from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) issued a notice to Endowment Department officials and sought an explanation. It has come to the notice of the ASI team that a drilling machine was used on one of the pillars to put in a nail. A flag was attached to the pillar during a function held last week, and the mishap came to light when the poles were being cleared of decorative items.
An official from ASI Hampi Circle said the officer in charge of the Endowment department, who works in Hampi, was summoned and a notice slapped. “The ASI team has taken note of the damage. Photographs of the damaged part in the pillar have been taken for documentation. As Hampi falls under the UNESCO Heritage Site list, even the slightest damage to the heritage monuments is taken seriously. It’s not being asked why local officials did not act when drilling was being done,” the official said.
Local activists demanded that officials responsible for the act should be suspended. “On the day of the Kannada Jyothi function attended by CM Siddaramaiah, poles were covered with the Kannada flag colours. As several VIPs were attending the function, local officials did not act. ASI and Hampi management officials must be alert whenever any big functions are conducted in Hampi,” suggested an activist.