Genius

This is what I believe is the Kings courtyard or gateway in Hampi. I'm not sure on the name, but lets face it, I'm not an Archaeologist and this name probably isn't in the original language anyway. It's quite a significant structure, and probably worth preserving. At least thats the view of the Archaeological Survey of India. As with most monuments of this kind there is a sign to inform visitors of the statutory protection

Pretty clear on causing damage. Unfortunately some agency protecting the site was given a budget, and every now and then feels the need to do something to demonstrate how that budget isn't entirely squandered through corruption. In this case, expect the classic bits of filler cement smothered over the structure. It may be necessary in this case, but for most monuments the repairs are distinctly cosmetic

So if that was the worst of the preservation my rant might stop, but it gets worse. How do you stop the blocks from shifting? Well you could try pinning the stones with big metal pegs...

Notice the first hint of a problem, the peg has fractured the rock. This then exposed the peg, and the overall effect is just knocking a piece off the stone. Now this could be historical damage, I don't know when this plan was formed by someone who clearly knew about as much about working with stone as I do. But it gets worse, they decided to 'repair' the entire structure. For all I know this damage could be ancient, or I fear that this rant could simply be a racist judgement of an embryonic archaeological body learning through experimentation about preservation. And that it would seem hypocritical coming from anyone whose country has demolished its own historic buildings and even entire towns... but until I find out that someone's family member wasn't friends or married to someone in a family which happened to have a truckload of metal spikes, I will assume it was so.