Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda is among the most affected areas by the recent floods in the River Vishwamitri in Vadodara. Numerous departments have reported significant damage, including the university’s Arts Faculty’s Archaeology Department.
Floodwaters have submerged numerous invaluable relics, most notably a 4th-century statue of Lord Buddha kept in the basement of the Archaeology Department.
This statue, discovered by researchers at the Devni Mori Archaeological Site, 100 kilometres from Vadnagar, remains underwater alongside other artefacts such as 2,000-year-old terracotta vessels, bricks, shells and bones.
Prof. Sushmita Sen, Head of the Archaeology Department, expressed concern over the extent of the damage. “Since the department’s establishment in 1950, their basement had never experienced such severe flooding. The area served as a repository for artefacts from various excavations, aiding students in their studies. The rapid influx of water left no time for the removal of these historic items,” she said.
Efforts are underway to drain the basement. Prof. Sen emphasised that despite this, steps would be taken to dry and preserve the majority of the collection.
The flood has not only endangered vital cultural heritage, but it has also impacted the department’s educational resources with items used in student field trips still submerged. The full extent of the damage is yet to be assessed.
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