Protection and Conservation policies with special reference to the Archaeological Sites in Seven sister States of North Eastern India

Abstract

            History has grown in importance in recent years, attributed to the increasing importance of heritage and cultural tourism, which has both national and international appeal. While there is a need to maintain and conserve our own rich historical and cultural legacy, it is equally critical to showcase our history to the present through adequate protection and conservation of historical sites across India. Since independence, there has been considerable work in this approach with relation to more popular and famous places in north and south India. At the same time, there exist regional inequalities in the preservation, conservation, and popularization of our heritage, with some places receiving attention while others in some regions remain unnoticed. This paper on 'Protection and Conservation Policies of Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, and Christian Sites with Special Reference to is an attempt to capture the importance of the rich historical and cultural heritage of the seven sister states of North Eastern India, which witnessed diverse historical development and processes right from prehistoric times to modern times. There has never been a comprehensive effort to integrate many of the most important historical sites in all seven states under one study to find their current status, which has significant implications for history, archaeology, tourism and culture and folklore studies. North-eastern states have an increasing advantage over the rest of the country when it comes to preserving and promoting history and culture, among other things.

       Physically and culturally, these seven states, collectively known as the "Seven Sisters," are almost cut off from the rest of the country.  It has also contributed to a widening gap between the inhabitants of the Northeast and those in other regions of the country because of their isolation. The cultures of these states are mostly unknown to the majority of Indians. This region is abundant in natural beauty, unique culture, and soothing beauty. According to current statistics, none of these states are in the top ten most visited tourist destinations in India. They have enormous potential to increase the money generated by Indian tourism. These states are rich in historical and archaeological legacy, dating back to the Prehistoric civilizations that mark the Kashi and Garo Hills of north-eastern India. There is an urgent need to emphasize diverse ancient sites, with a particular emphasis on Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, and Christian site protection and conservation programmes. As a result, the purpose of this paper is to fill gaps in research on these topics.