Kaladi Mahajan
Not too long ago, a Telugu friend of mine visited Jammu all the way from Vizag. Standing adjacent to Dogra Art Museum amid the rubble strewn across, he said, mockingly, is this the place from your Maharajas used to rule this vast state of Jammu and Kashmir? Poor me, subdued in a moral dilemma prevaricated and tried to dodge the question, just to evade any assumptions, spurious or otherwise, that he’d have made regarding the Mubarak Mandi’s state of being. Perhaps, he was right, for the condition of Mandi has not improved much, if not gone downhill in all these years of unsystematic restoration works. Every time, I see this building, a wistful longing of the ancient grandeur oozes out from the great stories that I had heard from my grandparents, evoking awe and nostalgia at the same time. I mused over the incompetency of successive governments and ineptitude civil society of Jammu which failed to take up this issue at a much broader canvas. People forget that this is not like any other run of the mill building of the city but a symbolic piece of reverence for millions of Dogras of this planet, who ruled this state for over a century and have bitten the dust to safeguard our borders valiantly.
Perched upon the Dhounthly spur against the backdrop of Shivaliks on the right side of River Tawi, the monument has lately become synonymous with the varied cultural hues of Jammu region in general and Dogras in particular. This entire complex is a melange of Rajasthani, Baroque, and Mughal architecture. The complex is spread over 12 acres and has a vast network of buildings, 24 to be precise. Some scholars say that the Mubarak Mandi complex constitutes the world’s largest complex built over a span of 213 years by various rulers. The oldest structure in the palace dates around 1710. Since then, the palace has grown manifolds. The first construction started during the reign of Dhruv Dev, which was further expanded by Raja Ranjit Dev and later by the Jamwal Dyansty.
As per Jerath, these palatial buildings were erected on four strata. The first strata were constructed during the times of Dhruv Dev and Ranjit Dev, wherein they constructed palaces around a centrally placed park. Second strata were built by Maharaja Gulab Singh. Third Strata was constructed during Maharaja Ranbir Singh’s reign wherein structures like Gole Ghar were constructed, which were architecturally superior to other buildings. At the fourth strata buildings were constructed to suit the whims of various queens and other members of the royalty. However, after Maharaja Hari Singh ascended the throne, the Mandi complex was rendered vacant as the palace was shifted to the Ramnagar, near Manda Hill. And ever since Independence, the building was used as an official complex for various government departments and High Courts, till 1995 when many departments were shifted out from here.
This brings us to the larger question which pertains to the maintenance of this royal monumental complex. The present condition of this magnanimous structure is in dire straits. Even earlier, I had apprised the then government regarding the fragile condition of this monument vide letter titled “Restore Mubarak Mandi” to the editor of this paper. But unfortunately, there’s no comprehensive plan for its restoration. It has been decidedly acknowledged that this monument needs an urgent Overhauling in order to prevent it from further defilement. A significant portion of the posterior side has already collapsed due to the weather’s vagaries. The mysterious 2006 Toshakhana fire had also caused a significant damage to the structure.
Thanks to the self-defeating obsession of New Delhi with Kashmir which has landed Jammu and its civil society in a fix and took a huge toll on our heritage. Our history was left to be distorted, cluttered at the whims and fancies of few Kashmir centric leaders. They had no encouraging motive to rebuild our heritage, our sites, our landmarks. A recent RTI filed by me with Request Number: ALSOI/R /E/20/00113 shockingly revealed that this structure isn’t under the jurisdiction of Archaeological Survey of India. Additionally, I reserve a right to question the recent tweet of Deputy Commissioner Jammu which read “Aesthetic illumination of Mubarak Mandi is being taken up under Jammu Smart City Ltd. Execution period is 3 months….”. My only contention here is that why the cart is being put before the horse. Logic demanded that structure should have been renovated first and such adornments could have been put in place later.
Be that as it may, an effective meaningful restoration strategy must be devised for its conservation in close cooperation with INTACH and ASI. The sheer absence of cooperation and understanding between different departments is the bane of many a trouble in Jammu and Kashmir in respect of starting and completing of vital projects. Therefore, the Government must consult all the stakeholders so as to expedite the process and if need be, private sector can be roped in through their CSR initiatives under “Adopt a Heritage: Apni Dharohar, Apni Pehchan”. Additionally, Mubarak Mandi Jammu Heritage Society must be made accountable. I earnestly request the concerned authorities to take appropriate measures as early as possible in this regard, for every passing day is making our history to crumble in front of our eyes. In the light of emotive feelings of people attached to this monument, it’s essential that we expedite the process and restore the building to its past glory and sheen.
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