ARMENIAN MONUMENTS IN INDIA STUDIED
ARMENPRESS
MARCH 9, 2011
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, MARCH 9, ARMENPRESS: The Armenian monuments in India were
for the first time studied. Head of the foundation studying Armenian
architecture, monument scientist Samvel Karapetyan said today at a news
conference that an Armenian group consisting of six members with the
assistance of the Culture ministry was in India and during a month
studied 4000 monuments. About 5200 photos were taken for shooting
a film. Samvel Karapetyan said the studies of Armenian monuments in
foreign countries are necessary for having a complete history of the
homeland. The speaker said the monuments in Armenian communities cannot
be compared with even the smallest one in Armenia as the influence
of foreign culture is huge on them. “The monuments we saw looked very
poor,” Karapetyan said, adding that it was extremely difficult to find
Armenian monuments especially in big cities. The oldest of the found
cross-stones dated back to 1611. About the 90% of Armenian monuments
in India was studied, expect in Bangladesh and Pakistan.
The speaker said the Armenians also had dwelling houses but it was
problematic to recognize them. “It is difficult to find Armenian
monuments in a place where there are no Armenians any more,” he said,
adding that as of today about 200 Armenians are living in Calcutta
and only one of them, an old person is speaking in Armenian and lives
in old people’s houses.
From: A. Papazian