ZONAL CULTURAL CENTRES
- These centres have already established themselves as a premier agency in the field of promotion, preservation and dissemination of culture in the entire country.
- They promote performing arts by significant contribution in literary and visual arts.
- The 7 zonal cultural centres were established under this scheme during 1985-86 at Patiala, Kolkata, Thanjavur, Udaipur, Allahabad, Diinapur and Nagpur.
- The Government of India has provided a grant of 5 Crore to each ZCC and each constituent State has provided Rs.1 Crore.
- From 1993 all the Zonal Cultural Centres have been sending their folk artistes for participation in the Republic Day Folk Dance Festival. This festival is inaugurated by the President of India every year on 24th/25th January at the Talkatora Indoor Stadium in New Delhi.
- A Scheme of Theatre Rejuvenation provides an opportunity to students, actors, artists, directors and writers to perform on a common platform.
- The ZCCs promote craftsmen through ZCCs identify the different performing/folk art forms in their area and select one or two talented artists in each of the fields.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA
- The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) was established in
- It functions as an attached office of the Department of Culture. The organisation is headed by the Director General.
- The major activities of the Archaeological Survey of India are :
- Survey of archaeological remains and excavations;
- Maintenance and conservation of centrally protected monuments, sites and remains;
- Chemical preservation of monuments and antiquarian remains;
- Architectural survey of monuments;
- Development of epigraphical research and numismatic studies;
- Setting up and reorganization of site museums;
- Expeditions abroad;
- Training in Archaeology;
- Publication of technical reports and research works.
- Under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, the ASI has declared 3675 monuments/sites to be of national importance in the country which includes 21 properties that are inscribed on the World Heritage List by UNESCO.
- Three sites, namely,
- Champaner-Pavagarh Archaeological Park in Gujarat,
- Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Teminus) Station in Mumbai
- Brihadisvara temple complex, Gangaikondacholapuram and Airavatesvara temple complex, Darasuram as an extension to the Brihadisvara temple complex, Thanjavur (now commonly called as the Great Living Chola Temples)
have been inscribed on the World Heritage List of UNESCO in 2004.
- Nomination dossiers for the following sites have been sent to the World Heritage Centre for inscription on the World Heritage List of UNESCO :
- Shri Harminder Sahib (Golden Temple) at Amritsar, Punjab.
- Majuli Island in Mid-stream of river Brahmaputra in Assam.
- Valley of Flowers as an extension to the Nanda Devi National Park in Uttaranchal.
- Red Fort, Delhi (a deferred nomination).
- The total number of individual structures being maintained by the ASI is over five thousand.
- Underwater Archaeology Wing: It searches study and preserve the cultural heritage lying submerged in inland or territorial waters. It carries out exploration and excavation in Arabian Sea as well as in Bay of Bengal.
- Science Branch: The Science Branch of the Survey with its headquarters at Dehradun and field laboratories in different parts of the country carries out chemical preservation of monuments, antiquities, manuscripts, paintings, etc.
- Horticulture Branch: The Horticulture Branch of the ASI maintains gardens in about 287 centrally protected monuments / sites located in different parts of the country.
- Epigraphy Branch: The Epigraphy Branch at Mysore carries out research work in Sanskrit and Dravidian languages while the one at Nagpur carries out research work in Arabic and Persian.
- Expeditions Abroad: The ASI has taken up the conservation project of Ta Prohrn, Cambodia under the ITEC programme of Ministry of External Affairs.
