BENGALURU: While the government is actively working on establishing new museums and restoring heritage sites under Mission 2022, a 13th century stone, with inscriptions on both sides, lies ignored in Doddanekundi. Locals and heritage enthusiasts have been striving for the last eight years to protect the stone, but nothing has happened so far. Agitated over the neglect, they have taken to social media to voice their wrath.
“Belonging to the Hoysala dynasty, the stone has the name Neerakundi inscripted on it, the original name of Doddanekundi. This clearly shows that the area existed even then. The details of the same can also be found in Epigraphia Carnatica, Bengaluru volume,” said Swaminathan Natarajan, archaeology and heritage enthusiast and resident of the area.
The locals pointed out that the stone was initially in the middle of the road, and during some civil works, the authorities moved it to the side. Now, a portion of it is under cement.
Also, people stick advertisements and posters on the stone. “The inscriptions have started to wither off.
We have been requesting the BBMP, archaeological department and the deputy commissioner to protect and shift it to the museum. But nothing has been done. The stone has been lying unprotected and abandoned,” said another local. Director of the Department of Archaeology,Museums and Heritage, R Gopal said that some funds have been reserved for restoration of archaeological sites, but this stone is not a part of it.
Kavyashree, Deputy Director, Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage, had earlier visited the site in 2018 and again a month and half back.
“A temple is being constructed in the vicinity and we had earlier requested them to accommodate the stone in their premises. But they refused to do so. Now, another temple is coming up and we are requesting them to house it in their premises. We cannot shift it to the museum because of space constraints. Besides, since the stone speaks of the history of that place, we are keen to keep it in Doddanekundi itself,” she said.