BHOPAL: The number of state-protected monuments has gone up to 383, as the process for preserving archaeological and historic monuments in the state is going on. Up to year 2003, it were only 289.

Important among these monuments are at Orchha, Gwalior, Narwar, Burhanpur, Mandla, Vyas Bhadora and Mandu. The State Museum, one of the best in the country, was constructed in the year 2005. Information about all galleries of State Museum is on the departmental website www.mparchaeology.org through virtual tools, besides, Holkar Gallery set up at Rajwada Monument, Indore and Museum of Nawab-era art and culture at Gol Ghar, Bhopal.

For collecting information about Madhya Pradesh’s monuments, a number of publications have been brought out including “Known and Unknown Encyclopedia of Historical Monuments of Madhya Pradesh, “50 years As Capital of Bhopal”, “Painted Rock Shelter of India” and “Masterpieces of Madhya Pradesh under vintage series of Madhya Pradesh, Indore, Bhopal and Gwalior. Four volumes of records of India’s first freedom movement in 1857 were also published. Volume-1 of book based on Colonel Sleeman’s letters will be published soon.

For the first time, Archaeology Department instituted Dr Vishnu Shridhar Vakankar Samman in the year 2006 and started honouring established scholars. For disseminating information about state’s cultural heritage, training programmes, research symposia, and exhibitions are being held at state and district levels. International research symposium was held at State Museum, Bhopal in year 2012. Under Narmada project, 34 monuments were re-located.

In view of outstanding works by State Government in archaeology sector, the Union Government has provided Rs. 18 crore under 12th Finance Commission and Rs. 175 crore under 13th Finance Commission for development and preservation of monuments in Madhya Pradesh.