First published: 28/01/19.

Zoë Sheng 2.0

Champaner-Pavagadh

Champaner-Pavagadh (Inscribed)

Champaner-Pavagadh by Zoë Sheng

If any site in India should be de-listed it is Champaner. Unlike Manas which I find has no more value left, this inscription makes a mockery of any kind of buffer zone and management plan requirements. There is definitely value here and I enjoyed what I saw, a massive fort area that covers the two prominent mosque, several tombs and city walls, a hill that I didn't visit because there was a festival and I think the driver wanted to avoid getting stuck in traffic for hours (or an excuse), definitely value. However, even 7 years on since the last review nothing has changed. It has been inscribed for 13 years now. The slums are still inside the archeological park, the trash keeps piling up and we get charged 600 rupees for two mosque entries. The best part of these are the carvings but you will admire it for 20 minutes max and it is not as spectacular as other carvings in India.

The good news is that the road from Vadodara only take 40 minutes now, and if you want another approach you could get off Godrah junction and find a ride from there. I took an Ola for 1,400 half day outstation trip, with the driver coming sightseeing himself. Interesting enough there was NO guide service touting at either mosque. I expected a lot more from this and scheduled half a day else I would have rushed to somewhere else for the afternoon but instead I spent more time in Ahmedabad.

I think a message should be sent by putting this site on the in-danger list to get the state party moving.

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