Ajay Khajuria
More than a Century ago, the then Ruler of Jammu and Kashmir, Maharaja Pratap Singh, envisaged the need to promulgate the Jammu and Kashmir Ancient Monuments Preservation Act, 1920 (Samvat 1977) with the express purpose of ‘ the preservation of ancient monuments, for the exercise of control over traffic in antiquities and over excavation in certain places, and for the protection and acquisition in certain cases of ancient monuments and of objects of archaeological, historical or artistic interest.’
The visionary and progressive Maharajas were, perhaps, ahead of their times and understood the importance of conserving and protecting from unscrupulous elements the rich, but widely scattered, cultural heritage of the then multi-ethnic State of Jammu and Kashmir, comprising the five regions of Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit and Baltistan. It is ironical, however, that a century later the Mubarak Mandi Palaces Complex, the very seat of power of the Maharajas where this Act was conceived and promulgated, and which now itself stands declared as a Protected Monument in accordance with its provisions, appears to be at the receiving end of an onslaught to strip it of its historic significance and heritage value, in blatant violation of the Act.
The importance of protecting and preserving the Mubarak Mandi Heritage Complex can hardly be over emphasized. It symbolizes the best of politico-cultural traditions passed on by erstwhile rulers over successive generations, and embodies layers of history dating back to 1710.Also known as the ‘Raje – di – Mandi’ or ‘Durbar Garh’, the combination of imposing heritage buildings of the grand complex provides a glimpse into the glorious history of Jammu. With its unique architectural vocabulary combining European, Oriental and Indigenous architectural styles,the sprawling complex has remained the political, economic and cultural hub of Jammu for centuries,imparting a profound impact on the lives of inhabitants of the region, and continues to rule the hearts of the people of Jammu even today.
It holds immense associational value in connecting, historically and culturally,Jammu’s past with its present and also provides a cue to future generations, not only as an inspiration and a symbol of their identity and pride, but also as a source for academic research and discovery to trace the evolution of their society.The apparent move to convert this iconic Complex into a hotel, is likely to obliterate the pre-eminent heritage of people of Jammu,whichwill not only deprive them of the primary symbol of their glorious past and identity, but will also undermine their very ethos. In the famous words of Marcus Garvey, the early twentieth Century African-American ideologue, ‘A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots’.
As also pointed out in one of my earlier Articles (The Mubarak Mandi Debate: Unravelling the Muddle; Daily Excelsior;17 August 2021), it is now internationally recognized that heritage buildings that have outstanding significance in representing and symbolizing the core history and culture of a place or region need to be protected. International Protocols adoptedin this regard at various Intergovernmental Conventions, unequivocally prohibit such conversion and are Globally accepted, with UNESCO, the cultural arm of the United Nations, consistently leading International efforts to safeguard heritage across the World. The proposed move, besides violating these protocols, is in direct contravention of the Jammu and Kashmir Ancient Monuments Preservation Act, 1920 under which the Mubarak Mandi Complex stands declared a Protected Monument. The apparently reckless attempt to break the law by the very authorities whose job is to ensure that the rule of law is upheld is, therefore, quite unfathomable.
In fact, in keeping with the sanctity of its protected status, and its outstanding historic and cultural significance, a comprehensive Master Plan for the Conservation and Adaptive Reuse of the heritage complex stands already formulated by the Mubarak Mandi Jammu Heritage Society and approved by the Government since 2019. The Executive Committee of the said Society comprising conscientious public functionaries and citizens of Jammu who,after long deliberations and with help of professional conservation consultants, hammered out the said Conservation Plan,ensured that it adhered to the conservation norms, as laid out in the guidelines of the International Council for Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), an advisory body of UNESCO.
The cross-section of members comprising the said Executive Committee were, evidently, also mindful of the immense value and potential of the complex as a World class heritage and cultural tourism attraction, as amply borne out by the vision encapsulated in the adaptive reuse of the complex prescribed in itsconservation plan. The numerous thematic museum galleries, center for cultural exchange, art and craft center, temporary exhibitions, convention center,visitor interpretation center, etc. as envisagedin the plan are designed to provide world class attractions for engaging visitors interested in history and culture.Further, ethno-recreational activities proposed,like cultural programs, laser / sound and light shows, ethnic food stalls, festivals, etc.are likely to appeal to tourists having varying interests and to inhabitants of the region. Additionally, proposals envisaging modernization of the archives and the library, besides setting up a conservation lab, will provide a repository of information to facilitate research into the history and culture associated with the region.The ways and means for generating funds for meeting its maintenance and operational costs, as outlined in the plan, aim to make the Complex financially self-sustaining.
It is quite apparent that, besides restoring the complex to its pristine glory, the activities proposed in the plan are designed to elevateJammu’s tourism profile substantially to enable it to tap the International Cultural Tourism Market. The experiences on offer are also likely to attract to the complex a sizable percentage of the nearly 10 million tourists/pilgrims visiting the Holy Shrine of Vaishnodevi ji,thereby extending their stay in Jammu. This would prove to be a boon for Jammu’s tourism industry that has been experiencing declining footfall of tourists in the City of Temples, after shifting of the railhead from Jammu to Katra, and now poised to go further beyond. The vibrant cultural center will also open up new job and business opportunities in surrounding areas like PacciDhakki, Panjtirthi, Chowk Chabutra, Jain Bazar and Pacca Danga, and also facilitate resolving of issues like vehicular access and parking for the adjacent localities.
It defies logic as to how and why this plan,which envisages a multiplicity of positive cultural and economic fallouts, including a significant boost to the tourism economy of Jammu, has got derailed.Especially surprising is the abandoning, midway, of the under execution conservation work as per the approved plan, and inviting of an Expression of Interest to convert a portion of the Protected Monument into a Hotel.There is no precedence of such conversion of a Protected Monument into a Hotel either in Rajasthan, known for its flourishing heritage tourism industry, or anywhere else in the country. Moreover, It is anuniversally established practice that local communities are invariably involved while taking decisions pertaining to the conservation of their heritage, and their sentiments are respected. In the present case, however, it appears that the conservation plan prepared after wide consultation with citizens is being pushed under the carpet, and attempts are afoot to obliterate the primary symbol of the glorious history and identity of the people of Jammu,showing scant respect for their aspirations and sentiments.
It is also quite evident that, if converted into a hotel, the Complex will not only lose its authenticity and value for tourists, but will also remain perpetually inaccessible to local inhabitants, general tourists and scholars. This will dash to the ground the golden opportunity it presently offers,for Jammu to come on to the World Cultural Tourism Map along with the resultant increase in tourist footfall and their extended stay in Jammu. Cost effective rejuvenation of the old city areas, in its vicinity, will also fail to materialize. In short, the proposal to convert Mubarak Mandi into a hotel would, if carried through, besides annihilating precious heritage, amount to sacrificing the Interests of Jammu’s tourism economy to benefit, in violation of the Law, a single hotel entity.
The matter needs urgent and deep introspection by all concerned as it involves profound implications for all stakeholders. If this priceless symbol of our identity is lost then, the current politicians, opinion makers and conscientious intellectuals will have no answers for the coming generations when they ask for reasons for failing to preserve their heritage. For those actually at the helm of affairs it is even more important to consider urgent course correction, to avoid living with the ignominy of being remembered by posterity as the guardians who turned destroyers of the protected heritage entrusted to them.
(The author is a retired JKAS officer and formerly Director Tourism Jammu and founding Member-Secretary (ex-officio) cum Executive Director of the Mubarak Mandi Jammu Heritage Society.)
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