A cave at Barabar hills in Gaya. Picture by Suman

Gaya, Feb. 21: The ancient caves at Barabar hills could soon get some healing touch. Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has prepared a plan to conserve the series of caves, which have developed cracks.

The superintending archaeologist of the Patna circle, Sanjay Kumar Manjul, told The Telegraph: “The cracks in the caves are very old. They have grown from the original cavities present in the caves. The caves were left unfinished at the time of their excavation. During monsoon, water leaks through these cracks, posing a threat to their originality. ASI has prepared plans for conservation of these caves and we will decide how to fill up these cracks.”

Known as Satgharwa and are spread across Gaya and Jehanabad districts under the Magadh division, the caves have been declared as centrally protected monument. However, these cracks not only pose a threat to the caves, residents rue that the potential to attract tourists to Barabar hills has also not been tapped.

An important reason behind tourists giving this ancient tourist site a miss is because of the dilapidated condition of the roads leading to Barabar hills.

The caves at Barabar hills, situated on the Gaya-Patna road around 24km north of Gaya and nearly 100km south of the state capital, are one of India’s earliest rock-cut caves, which have been prepared by cutting granite rocks having interiors polished in such a way that they shine like glass.

Around 25km north of Gaya are the Vanavar hills. History has it that emperor Ashoka got these caves excavated during his rule. Four of the caves in the Barabar hills have seven chambers. The Sudama or Nigrodha cave was carved out before the rest. The Karna Chaupar, a single cell cave, is almost equally polished.

Scratches and cracks have developed on the outer walls as well as the interiors of most of these caves.

Uday Kumar, who runs a small shop at the foothills of Barabar, said: “Only four to five tourists visit this place each day. There are days when not a single tourist comes here. The number of foreign tourists is even fewer, maybe one or two in a month. The number does not go up during the peak tourist season between October and February.”

Magadh division commissioner Vivek Kumar Singh told The Telegraph: “Barabar hills is a Centre-protected monument and the forest department looks after the adjoining areas. The civil administration has to keep in mind both the ASI and the forest act, while working in these areas. However, a plan has been chalked out to ensure development of the areas as well as smooth road connectivity up to the Barabar hills. There is a plan to integrate the Barabar hills with Bodhgaya so that foreign tourists visiting Bodhgaya also visit this ancient site.”