The Famous Historical City Agroha will be Developed as a World Heritage and Tourist Destination.

• 17 Oct 2023

Why In News?

On October 15, 2023, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal said that a prestigious museum will be established at the historical archaeological site of Agroha Dham in Haryana. Also, the historical place Agroha will now be developed on the lines of Rakhigarhi.

Key Points:

• Chief Minister Manohar Lal gave this information while addressing a press conference after offering prayers at the Mata Mansa Devi temple complex on the occasion of the first Navratri in Panchkula.
• Manohar Lal said that the archaeological site of Agroha is considered to be the capital of Maharaja Agrasen. With the development of this place, not only will this center of faith make its mark in the world, but this place will also become famous as a tourist destination.
• The Central Government has given approval for the overall development of Agroha archaeological site and the surrounding area through MoU according to the Rakhigarhi model.
• He informed that the excavation of Agroha archaeological site will be done jointly by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and Haryana State Archeology Department. Before starting the excavation, a GPR survey will be conducted in the prospective areas by the state government. After that there will be a joint MoU between ASI and Haryana Government.
• It may be noted that Chief Minister Manohar Lal had written a letter to Union Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy in the month of August regarding the excavation at the centrally protected site Agroha in Hisar district of Haryana. The Chief Minister had expressed the desire that the Haryana Government wants to highlight the archaeological heritage in the famous historical city of Agroha, Tehsil Adampur, District Hisar, so that an important chapter can be added to the historical and cultural field of the state.
• He has also requested to initiate a project to convert this site into a grand heritage site in Haryana and establish an archaeological site museum.
• The discovery of coins of Agroha district (republic) during excavation and the appearance of its ancient name 'Agradoka' in ancient literature including Mahabharata are enough evidence of it being the headquarters of the republic.
• The city of Agroha was situated on the ancient trade route between Taxila and Mathura and hence remained an important center of commerce and political activity. Earlier excavations proved the potential of the site and revealed five distinct cultural periods ranging from approximately the fourth century to the fourteenth century AD.
• The Chief Minister said that more than 100 archaeological sites have been identified across Haryana. These are being developed jointly by the central and state governments. Just as about Rs 23 crore is being provided by the Central Government to preserve the heritage of Rakhigarhi, similarly funding will be provided for Agroha also. Apart from this, the state government will also provide an adequate budget.