TRONDHEIM: A proud moment for India, a country that has the largest number of heritage sites in the world has been marked over last week. A team of members from the data preservation facility – Arctic World Archive has initiated the deposit of India’s ancient historical site –Ajanta Caves –which will be digitised and restored for eternity.
Ajanta Caves is a pride of India, it is one of those few heritage sites that open an entire gateway to culture. The historic event of preserving the deposits was carried out at Svalbard, a remote island in Norway.
Talking about the UNESCO world heritage site, during the iconic event, Rune Bjerkestrand, Founder and managing director of AWA said in a video, “Ajanta Caves is a UNESCO world heritage site, in 1930, Laurence Binyon, the director of the British Museum and a leading authority of Asian Art, said that every study of all cultures in Asia leads to Ajanta Caves as a gateway of culture.”
“Experts across the globe believe that the paintings of Ajanta have a powerful impact on human consciousness if seen through the right eyes in its original glory. This deposit marks the beginning of a series of deposits of digitised and restored paintings of Ajanta Caves. One of the greatest arts of Ajanta, photographed by Benoy Behl, is in this token deposit, along with papers and quotes on Ajanta Caves and some more restored work.”
Bjerkestrand also thanked and dedicated the deposit to Leela Keshavji, Head of the Heritage Restoration of Sapio Analytics who passed away untimely a few days ago, while establishing her legacy in form of this deposit.
In order to support the initiative, AWA received messages from the greatest industrialists, bureaucrats and political leaders of India. Talking about the overwhelming support received, the Managing Director of AWA read a message from the former Cabinet Minister of India, India’s current Sherpa to the G20 countries, member of Parliament, Suresh Prabhu.
“The ancient art is now getting preserved for all generations to come, for their inspiration, peep into history and pleasure. Ajanta is an example of how rich we as past humans were and how we could build on in that future when humans will become machines, thanks to robotization. Art and culture which kept our inner faculties ti develop will be on the wane, but no one can develop technology unless human facilities work to optimum, getting creativity to fore. This art will help us all as true fully grown human, Congrats to Sapio, Piql and all to make it happen!” read the message by Prabhu. (ANI)