GUWAHATI, Jan 22 - People�s ignorance has been harming many historical monuments like ramparts, buildings, sculptures and stone inscriptions, thereby affecting proper study of the historical legacy of the people of the State. Such ignorance has also caused a despicable apathy of many people in society towards the historically important monuments, etc.
Such blatant ignorance and negligence have led to miseries to the historic Momaikota Garh, which is inalienably linked to the famous Battle of Saraighat, in which the Assamese army led by legendary military general Lachit Barphukan, inflicted a conclusive defeat on the Mughal army led by Rajput general Ram Singh in AD 1671.
Such ignorance and negligence has now damaged a stone inscription inscribed in Saka 1660 (AD 1738) at the instance of Barraja Phuleswari (AD 1714-44), the first queen to rule the State during the Ahom era. The stone inscription is kept in the campus of the Ugratara Temple here. It is one of the finest testimonies to the development of the Assamese script and this has made it important for those conducting studies on the development of the Assamese script.
The inscription also carries other relevant information for epigraphic studies. But this inscription and some sculptures in the campus of the Ugratara Temple, have been defaced by the temple authorities, who have applied cement paint on them, contrary to norms of archaeological conservation. But, neither these artefacts, nor the temple, belonging to the pre-Ahom era, have been handed over to the Archaeology Directorate for proper conservation, said Director, Archaeology Dr D Kauli.
