AGRA: The Seventeenth-century Mubarak Manzil, a Mughal heritage web site also referred to as Aurangzeb‘s Haveli, was largely demolished in Agra just three months after the state archaeological department issued a notification to protect the monument. Over 100 tractors of debris were removed from the site after the demolition drive, local residents said on Thursday. They say a builder, in connivance with officials, demolished it.
Mubarak Manzil has a significant place in history, detailed in Austrian historian Ebba Koch’s e-book ‘The Complete Taj Mahal and the Riverfront Gardens of Agra’. Constructed throughout Aurangzeb’s reign, it served as a residence for key Mughal figures, together with Shah Jahan, Shuja and Aurangzeb. The construction was modified beneath British rule, changing into a customs home and salt workplace. By 1902, it was referred to as Tara Niwas.
Plaque at Agra web site indicated Aurangzeb constructed the monument
In September, the state archaeological division had issued a notification calling for objections to the location being declared a protected monument inside a month, however none had been raised. And two weeks in the past, officers from Lucknow visited the location to provoke preservation measures. Nonetheless, demolition started shortly after their go to, leaving the historic construction in ruins.
Locals alleged {that a} builder, in connivance with police and administrative officers, carried out the demolition regardless of objections and the presence of a police outpost close to the location alongside the Yamuna.
A neighborhood resident, Kapil Vajpayee, advised TOI, “I filed several complaints with the authorities, but no action was taken. So far, 70% of the structure has been destroyed.”
Agra DM Aravind Mallappa Bangari confirmed that the authorities had been “aware” of the difficulty. “We have taken cognisance of the matter. Archaeological Survey of India and the revenue department have been directed to conduct a probe. The sub-divisional magistrate has been asked to visit the site and present a report. Meanwhile, no further changes will be allowed at the site,” Bangari stated.
Archibald Campbell Carlyle’s 1871 report offered detailed insights into the structure of Mubarak Manzil. A marble plaque on the web site indicated it was constructed by Aurangzeb after his victory on the Battle of Samugarh. Historian Rajkishore Raje added that Aurangzeb renamed Dara Shikoh’s palace to commemorate his triumph in the identical battle.
The 1868 map of Agra locations Mubarak Manzil close to the pontoon bridge, the place the present iron bridge stands. Throughout British rule, the East Indian Railway used it as a items depot. The construction’s purple sandstone base, arched decrease flooring, and minarets mirrored a mixture of Mughal and British architectural influences.
