Some sculptures, parts of a temple and steps leading to a water body, were accidentally discovered during excavations at a burial ground of the Lingayat community last year.
Indicating institutional neglect, the state government's archaeologists had to stop excavations at a 12th-century temple complex in Beed due to a fund crunch.
A senior official from the department of culture said the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums was conducting scientific clearances at the Sakaleshwar temple in the pilgrimage centre of Ambejogai. Also called the Barah Khambi temple, the complex is estimated to date back to the Yadava period with some elements of the Kalyani Chalukyas.
Some sculptures, parts of a temple and steps leading to a water body, were accidentally discovered during excavations at a burial ground of the Lingayat community last year.
"The directorate was given an administrative approval of Rs 20 lakh for this excavation of which Rs 4 lakh was spent in the 2017-18 fiscal. Work began in mid-March but had to stop at the end of the financial year. It will re-start after funds are sanctioned in a month in this new fiscal. It is true that this break has some impact on the scientific clearances," he added. The official stressed it was necessary to conserve the site and add it to the list of state protected monuments.
For almost 20 years, the directorate has not been given a separate head in the budget for conducting archaeological excavations, which has affected its core mandate, admitted an archaeologist working at the field-level.
"The directorate adjusts funding from the head meant for conservation and repairs. Agencies like the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) can persist with their work even after the financial year changes as they are sure the project will continue," he lamented. Vijay Kumar Gautam, principal secretary (culture) could not be contacted.
"We have less evidence from the 6th to 13th century. There are few towns like Ambejogai with such evidence of a comprehensive nature. This is a fully-developed temple complex. It can help us study the concept of religion in those times and the political climate. The Yadava dynasty was a major empire and the study will help us understand its nature and cultural references," said Indologist and archaeologist Saili Palande-Datar.
Palande-Datar said scientific clearances would help remove buried sculptures and idols, help the restoration of the temple and map and document monuments in the area to develop it as a tourist centre. A site museum can also be created.
"The complex has a temple named after the Yadava general Khola Nayaka aka Kholeshwar who may have repaired the temple or given grants to it," she added, stating the temple dated back to the late 11th or early 12th century. Two inscriptions have also been found at the site.
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