Mira-Bhayandar: Breathing new life into priceless treasures from the past and retaining its historic identity seems to be a missing task in the agenda of the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC).

This is evident by the fact that the civic administration has been shying away from safely preserving the heritage masterpieces including a rare stone stupa with a roughly cut cow and calf (Savatsa Dhenu) and two cannons which were found in the Anand Nagar area of Uttan and behind the Karanja Devi temple in the nearby Manori area during an inspection conducted by a team led by the assistant director (archaeology) from Ratnagiri division in May, 2023.

While the cannons are believed to be from the pre-British-era, Savatsa Dhenu which symbolizes eternity or Moksha is said to be more than 2,500 years old. The director of the Mumbai-based Directorate of Archaeology and Museum-Dr. Tejas Garge in his letter (dated 7, June, 2023) to the erstwhile municipal commissioner had allowed the civic body to safely remove the masterpieces under the supervision of the archaeology department officials and install them at a suitable location in the premises of the Janjire Dharavi Fort in Uttan.

Nearly three months after receiving the letter, the MBMC responded on 31, August, 2023 expressing their inability in moving arisen and restoring the artefacts for three reasons- the cannons were found in a private property which was out of their jurisdiction, devotees had started worshipping the Savatsa Dhenu thinking that it was a “lingam” (symbol of Lord Shiva) and relocating it could lead to religious disharmony and thirdly the restoration was possible only after receiving CRZ clearances and funds from the state government.

“It’s nothing but lame excuses, if the civic administration had taken needed steps on time, the question of worship and religious disharmony would have never arisen. The ancient artefacts hold immense historical value and needs to be protected for future reference.” said social activist- Rohit Suvarna who is also an active member of Team Janjire which has been following up on the issue, since the Directorate of Archaeology and Museum directed the MBMC to conduct the restoration work.

Notably, it is mandatory to enter the analytical details of the artefacts in the registry of the Archaeology and Museum, before its re-installation.

Similar Discoveries

While a large number of cannons in forts across the state have been documented in old literature, similar steles engraved with a cow and its suckling calf

have reported to be found in the vicinity of the Maa Jivdani Temple in Virar, Lord Shiva Temple in Parel and also carved on walls in caves including the Panhale Kaji cave complex in Konkan.