Sir,
There is no dearth of cultural heritage of Dogras. Undeniably, our ancestors nurtured our arts, culture and traditions in the best possible manner manifested in the form of Basohli Paintings, Kala Dera temples, Krimchi temples, Pandav Caves, numerous folk songs etc. The latest additions among these were the architectural and cultural edicts from the erstwhile Dogra Dynasty which ruled the state for 101 years, particularly Mubarak Mandi(official residence of erstwhile dogra rulers), which unfortunately is in ruins today.
A decade or more has passed since the govt expedited the process to restore the granduer of this architectural marvel, but till date various political and bureaucratic hurdles have held back the process, leaving the structure to face the vagaries of nature, resulting into its collapse. This historic complex spreads over 14 acres of prime land and is steeped in history of 187 years. Barring few places, no major portion has been renovated. Sadly, our history is crumbling in front of our eyes without anyone paying heed to it. Not only this, other historical buildings too have faced this political wrath and have either collapsed or at the verge of it.
What is needed at the moment is a strong political will and clear vision so as to restore and invigorate our heritage. Govt. can consult all the stakeholders so as to expedite the process and if need be private players can be taken into consideration as in CSR under ‘Adopt a Heritage: Apni Dharohar, Apni Pehchan’ of Govt of India. It’s my earnest request to the Governor to prioritize this project so that we can see our Mandi stand to its pristine glory.
Ansh Chowdhary
Roop Nagar Jammu
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