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| Sunday, August 20, 2006 |
| Dogra heritage in a shambles
A number of palaces in Jammu have already collapsed or are in an advanced stage of decay as no steps have so far been taken to preserve them. These edifices have the potential of being preserved as living monuments to attract tourists who pass through the town while on their way to the Vaishnodevi shrine or the Kashmir valley. The history of the Dogra rule is hidden in these palaces. Not only the government's neglect, but also the killer earthquake of October 8 last year has caused further damage to these structures. Although the Central Government has now decided to prevent further damage to these monuments by allocating an initial amount of Rs 3 crore for this year, initiative on the part of the state agencies is lacking. Initially there was confusion whether the PWD or the Tourism Department would do the restoration work, but now it has been decided that INTACH would provide expertise to the Tourism Department for the job. This has brought a ray of hope for the preservation of these places that are masterpieces of craftsmanship. The Jammu and Kashmir chapter of INTACH has prepared a detailed report about the condition of these palaces and has also suggested certain measures to restore them to their past glory. The central Tourism Department has also got a report prepared and has engaged some conservation architects to begin the job. However, there is confusion among various organisations of the state government, which continue to create hurdles in the way of starting the restoration work. Much time was lost as the Archaeological Department of the state government was earlier asked to do the restoration work without any resources. Thereafter the Public Works Department (PWD) came into the picture and left without doing any work, as its engineers were not trained in the restoration of archaeological monuments. It is learnt that the authorities were planning to first take up the restoration work of the building that earlier housed the high court. The archives would be shifted to this building soon after it was conserved. But voices of dissent over the decision to shift the archives there have started emanating as the original plan of the Tourism Department was to make the building a lively monument. Dr Lalit Mangotra, president of the Dogri Sanstha, says the complex should be restored as a "living monument" so that tourists visited here. The thrust of the government should be to promote tourism in Jammu by restoring the dilapidated palace complex. The successive Dogra rulers built the palace complex, which is commonly called as the Mubarak Mandi. Maharaja Gulab Singh built the first structure in the complex that lies in the heart of the city overlooking the Tawi that flows through the city. The work was completed during the reign of Maharaja Ranbir Singh, recalls Mr Dharam Chandra Prashant, a noted historian. These palaces now house government offices that are causing further damage to the magnificent buildings by white washing the wall paintings and nailing wires on the carved marble structures. The wall paintings in the palace where the cultural section of the Information and Public Relations Department is housed are covered under thick smoke and grease as the staff cooks there. Minutely painted papier-m`E2ch`E9 ceilings of many palaces have already collapsed. The magnificent two-storied marble hall, in which the Department of Geology and Mining was located, has completely collapsed. The white marble pieces from the debris were being carried away by unscrupulous elements. The red stone palace that housed the high court and the Public Service Commission till the recent past is now decaying, as the area has become a parking place for vehicles. The emission of the vehicles is turning the red stone into black. The historic Gol-Ghar building was the first victim of neglect when it was gutted in a fire in the 1980s. The ruins of the imposing multi-storied structure stand as a mute testimony to the Dogra rule. The debris of the palace can still be seen lying in the area. Mr Salim Beg, chairman of the J&K chapter of INTACH, has suggested restoration of the Gol-Ghar on priority, as it is one of the prime archaeological structures within the complex. Portions of the structure are in an extremely precarious condition. Another red stone building is the Rani Charak's palace. It has developed cracks, but could still be conserved. Some arches and columns in the palace require immediate repairs. The survey conducted by the central Tourism Department has assessed that a sum of Rs 44 crore would be required to restore the palace complex. However, experts point out that it might take several years to complete the job, as a pittance of Rs 3 crore has been earmarked for this year. Preservation of the palace complex has never been on the agenda of the governments that came in the state in the past 60 years. A committee headed by Dr M. S. Randhawa was appointed by the government in the late 1970s to suggest measures for the preservation of the magnificent Dogra heritage. However, the report of the committee was never implemented. The palaces, one by one, were consumed by fires or decayed due to the passage of time. Over the years the palace complex that earlier housed the office of the Prime Minister of J&K, Assembly and many other offices, has suffered extensive damage that was never taken care of. The miniatures on the walls in many of the buildings have already faded or vanished. Most of the buildings in the palace complex have been declared unsafe. The only surviving gateway structure adjoining the office of the divisional commissioner is in a bad shape. Roots of trees have entrenched in the walls. Many trees were jutting out of the structure. The gateway is a high-rise two- storied arched opening towards the main bazar. The wooden door constructed more than 180 years ago, according to estimates, is still intact. Poonch House Another magnificent piece of architecture, the Poonch House that was built near the canal road by the erstwhile ruler of Poonch in 1930s, also needs immediate attention of the government as it has also got damaged at many places. The palace now houses the institute of music and fine arts. The recent earthquake has destroyed the historic fort in the Poonch town. Its rear, southern and eastern portions have completely collapsed. There are wide cracks on the walls, INTACH has reported. The entire complex even before the earthquake was not in a very good condition. The other monuments in the Poonch town, including the Moti Mahal, Baldev Mahal, Sheesh Mahal, Syndicate building and the Haveli Mian Gulab Singh, are also in an advanced stage of decay. The Moti Mahal, which houses the Army office, was badly damaged due to the earthquake. The Sheesh Mahal, that houses the girls' school, has been declared unsafe and the haveli, which was the oldest residential building in the town, has almost collapsed. Reasi Forts The Bhimgarh and the Zorawar forts at Reasi in Udhampur district that are an important part of the Dogra history are also fading due to neglect. The Bhimgarh fort that was built in the 19th century has suffered major damage although it has been declared a protected monument by the state Department of Archaeology. The structure of the fort has weakened due to the growth of vegetation on it. The bastions on the southern and northern sides have suffered major damage and a portion of the fort has collapsed. The Zorawar fort is lying unprotected with only two small structures standing there. This is virtually disrespect to the legendary general who extended the boundaries of the state far and wide. The historical complexes in the Ramnagar town have also decayed due to official neglect. |
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