Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 22: Dogra Sadar Sabha has demanded that the Mubarak Mandi Heritage Complex be opened to the public, during fixed hours on all days, to enable citizens and tourists to savor the grandeur of the historic complex and witness the steps being taken to restore it to its pristine glory.
Stating this in a press conference at Dogra Bhawan, here today, Th Gulchain Singh Charak, former Minister and President, Dogra Sadar Sabha, J&K said that it also needs to be ensured that the work is carried out in a transparent manner under the close supervision of the experts of the Archeological Survey of India to ensure that the conservation norms are adhered to, and no aspect of the precious heritage is lost during the restoration work.
President Dogra Sadar Sabha also expressed grave concern over the reports that the already inadequate staff in Directorate of Archives, Archeology and Museums, J&K was being further reduced by transferring a large portion of the posts in the department to the Union Territory of Ladakh without any real need to do so. Against about 55-60 monuments, a number of museums and a huge record dating back to over 300 years including the iconic protected monuments like the Mubarak Mandi Palaces Complex, Jammu and the Shergarhi Complex in Srinagar being looked after by the Department in Jammu and Kashmir, there are only 2 or 3 protected monuments, and hardly any record under the care of the department in the Union Territory of Ladakh, he explained.
He emphasized that there is no justification in purported shifting the newly created post of Curator, Dogra Arts Museum from Jammu to Ladakh, as the department has no museum there at present.
Charak also called upon the concerned authorities to take immediate steps for proper preservation of the priceless paintings and other artifacts of the Dogra Art Museum, and the rare Archival records. He cautioned that any move to shift the Archives from the Mubarak Mandi Complex will be suicidal as the archives are an intrinsic part of Dogra heritage and have been the soul of the complex for centuries.
Col Karan Singh Jamwal, Brig M S Jamwal, Gambhir Dev Singh Charak, Amanat Ali Shah, S Kulbir Singh, Janak Khajuria and Chander Mohan Sharma were also present during the press conference.
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