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Serious threat to historical monuments in Agra
Tuesday, 12 December 2006, 18:30 IST
Agra: Encroachments around historical monuments are proving to be a serious threat to the survival of some of the lesser known though historically important buildings in the city of the Taj Mahal.
With land prices soaring and builders of all sorts making a beeline to usurp every inch of available space in the city, the bare survival of some of these structures has become uncertain.
Before India's independence in 1947 there used to be more than 240 monuments in and around Agra but now fewer than 50 remain, say officials and experts.
"Conservation and preservation have to be a joint venture of the government agencies and people's groups as it is not always possible to police all the monuments," said Amit Mukerjea, head of the history department at St John's College.
Agra, located about 200 km south of New Delhi, is India's biggest tourist draw, thanks to the Taj Mahal, a 17th century marvel built by Mughal emperor Shahjahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz.
Many visitors to Agra also visit the city's Mughal Fort and the nearby Fatehpur Sikri, a large complex that served as the capital of Mughal emperor Akbar.
But thickly populated Agra's lanes and neighborhoods abound with proof of the long Mughal rule. Unfortunately, they are disappearing one by one.
Even Christian cemeteries are going off the map, their land taken over by colonizers and government town planners.
Agra looked better planned and maintained in the 1960s and 70s, say old timers, although a plethora of development and urban planning agencies exist today.
Many even in Agra admit that but for patches, much of the city stinks. This has caused worry to hoteliers and tour operators - and those concerned about Agra.
The encroacher's' long arms now threaten to gobble up Babar's Ram Bagh, across the Yamuna, Mariam's tomb near Sikandra, Bagh Farzana and Begum Samru's garden to name just a few of the relatively better known places.
The Archaeological Survey of India routinely sends out notices about the encroachments but the district administration rarely ever takes any action, say some officials. The police, it is alleged, mostly look the other way.
Although Agra boasted of over half a dozen architectural marvels, residents appear to lack a sense of pride and love for their history.
"The younger generation will have to play a more pro-active role to prevent further damage to this heritage and cultural wealth," said Surendra Sharma of the Braj Mandal Heritage Conservation Society.
"The district authorities should draw up plans to inject a sense of belongingness and a passion for conservation in the youths," he added.
Source: IANS
Source: IANS
