1.3. Recent Developments and Studies (2001 Onwards)

And in 58-59, there is again cave 4 revealed two more elephant caryatides, and like that one by one they started discovering, and they started and they again in 1959-60 by this time it is almost 6 years to even taking the debris from the hillside opposite cave 1 to 4 you know that is how it is a six-year project only just to clear the debris.

In the late 50s, specifically during 1958-59 and again in 1959-60, archaeologists uncovered significant findings, including two elephant caryatides in cave 4. This work involved extensive excavation and debris removal, showing that clearing the site took almost six years, demonstrating the complexity of the project.

Imagine cleaning out your attic, which is filled with old boxes and furniture. It might take a long time to clear just the space before you can even start sorting through your treasures. Such is the situation for archaeologists digging in the caves, where they must carefully remove debris before they can analyze what remains.

Whereas in 2001 onwards, the deposit work is awarded to GSI Geological Survey of India towards the cost of geological and geotechnical and geophysical and geoenvironmental studies of the Pitalkhora caves and the surroundings.

Starting in 2001, significant advancements in research methodologies occurred with the Geological Survey of India being given the responsibility for comprehensive studies including geological, geotechnical, geophysical, and geoenvironmental assessments of the Pitalkhora caves. This indicates a modern, interdisciplinary approach aimed at understanding and preserving the site.

Think of this like renovating your house. Instead of just painting over the old walls, you hire experts to examine the plumbing, electrical systems, and foundations to ensure everything is safe and sound before making aesthetic changes. In a similar way, the GSI is ensuring the structural integrity of the caves before any conservation efforts.

So, now you can see that they have started looking at how the edges of the roof and the structure of the vertical aspect and the roof aspect are merging that is a lot of damage have occurred, and there might be a chance that it might collapse at any time. So, that is where they started giving some kind of support system at the edges so that there is a you know the balance of the structure as well.

Research indicated critical damage to the cave structures, particularly at the junctions of the roof and vertical walls. To prevent potential collapse, support systems were designed to stabilize these areas, highlighting the need for structural integrity in conservation efforts.

Imagine a large tree that has started tilting due to a strong wind. If you prop it up with supports, you can prevent it from falling until it regains stability. The archaeologists are doing something similar with the cave structures to ensure they don’t collapse.

Also, what you can see here is whatever the columns they already have and now retrofitting them and giving a kind of support to the ceiling as well. So, now you can see the scaffolding process because in the scaffolding process is a very important task because you do not need to like in a normal building project you hit the wall, you puncher it and then you try to keep a support system.

During conservation, existing columns were reinforced, and scaffolding was introduced to support the ceilings. Unlike traditional construction, where walls are simply reinforced, conservation requires careful handling of the cave’s historical elements, emphasizing that each artifact holds significant value.

Consider a historical building that needs repairs. Rather than demolishing parts of it, workers must be precise and careful with their tools to maintain the building's character. In conservation work, each part of the cave is treated with great respect, ensuring that its history remains intact.

And on the flooring part you know because there has been some times, it has been chipped out so that is where they start making some kind of flooring restoration has been done.

The cave's flooring also required attention as sections had been damaged. Restoration efforts included repairing these areas, ensuring that the flooring maintains its integrity and appearance, further contributing to the overall stability of the site.

When restoring an old wooden floor, you wouldn't just cover it up with carpet. Instead, you'd carefully replace or restore the damaged boards to preserve the floor’s beauty and function. Similarly, the restoration of the cave floors ensures that they are both safe and historically authentic.

Also, the paintings are most important elements that is where they keeps check to the risk. So, how to restore these paintings that is one of the biggest challenge and that is where you have to work out with the people from chemistry, with people from archaeologists because you need to see that there is a material scientists could also be involved in it, how we can actually protect them is very important.

The preservation of cave paintings is critical to the cultural heritage represented in the caves. This process involves collaboration among chemists, archaeologists, and material scientists to find the best methods to restore and protect these significant artworks, highlighting the interdisciplinary nature of conservation.

Imagine having a priceless painting at home that is starting to fade. You’d likely consult both an artist and a framer to ensure that the artwork is carefully restored and displayed under the right conditions. Just like that, conserving cave paintings requires a team of professionals working together to keep the art safe.

Now, what you can see is a small canal, but after having a thorough understanding of the topographic aspects and after having an understanding of where the water seepages are coming, they understood the root cause of the water is not just not in the cave, it is somewhere beyond the mountain.

To effectively manage water seepage, thorough analysis of the cave's surroundings was conducted. Researchers discovered that the source of water was from outside the cave, leading to the creation of channels designed to divert water away from the caves, significantly aiding in their preservation.

Think about trying to stop water from leaking into your basement. You wouldn't just put a bucket under the leak; instead, you'd look for the source of the water and find a way to redirect it. This preventive approach reflects the efforts to protect the caves from damaging water infiltration.

So, this is, it could be a very small intervention, but then a thorough analysis has to be done in order to protect these heritage structures. In fact, one of the scholars who actually worked on this particular structures M.N. Deshpande, and where there has been many names of this Pitalkhora, Pithalkhoraya ChiLeni, Khora, is a ravine, a gorge or a glein and Sinclair Levi which is a Brazen Glein, Pipal Khora which is Ficus religiosa which is a Bodhi tree which reflected the Buddhism.

Even minor interventions can have a significant impact on preserving heritage structures. Scholars like M.N. Deshpande helped document the historical names and significance of the Pitalkhora caves, which emphasize the necessity of collaborative and interdisciplinary efforts in conservation and risk management.

When planning a community garden, you need input from various experts: botanists for plant selections, landscapers for design, and local residents for input on what they’d like to see. Similarly, conservation of cultural heritage requires insights from multiple disciplines to make informed decisions.

--