05-31-2007, 11:35 PM
From Pioneer, 31 May 2007
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Each fort has a story to tell
Madhukar S Orchha
<b>The Forts of Bundelkhand, Rita Sharma, Vijai Sharma, Rupa, Rs 795</b>
At long last there is a book on Bundelkhand. Rita and Vijai Sharma deserve our congratulations. It is a labour of love to have authored this splendid coffee table book.
<b>Although this region is in the heartland of the country, it is a little known area in central India. During ancient times, before the coming of Islam, this region was known as 'Jajakabhukti'.
When the Bundelas conquered this region, the name was changed to Bundelkhand. They spoke a western Hindi dialect called Bundeli. Bundeli is spoken in the southern most part of this region. To the north, lies the Kanauji dialect and to the northwest, the region of the Braj Bhasha-speaking districts. All three dialects are similar. In medieval times, they were widely used for writing poetry. Alas, these dialects are now in a state of decline, having been overtaken by modern Khari Boli Hindi.</b>
When India became independent in 1947, there were two parts to Bundelkhand. The Jhansi division of the United Provinces was referred to as British Bundelkhand and the rest, comprising more than a dozen princely states, was known as Native States Bundelkhand.
<b>Today, British Bundelkhand is a part of Uttar Pradesh, and most of Native States Bundelkhand are part of Madhya Pradesh. Together they make a total of 13 districts, all of them south of the Yamuna and north of the Narmada, east of the Chambal and West of the Tauns. These districts are Chhatarpur, Damoh, Datia, Pana, Sagar, and Tikamgarh in Madhya Pradesh, and Banda, Chitrakut, Hamirpur, Jhansi, Jalaun, Lalitpur, and Mahoba in Uttar Pradesh.</b>
Rita and Vijai Sharma, IAS officers of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, are familiar with Jhansi, where they have been stationed.<b> It is not possible to include all the big and small forts of Bundelkhand in one book, as there are more forts per square kilometre than in any other region in India. Other forts that need mention are listed below: In the district of Datia, the fort at Indergarh and the magnificent fort at Seondha. The latter, is situated on the banks of the river Sindh, and is a jewel among forts.</b>
In Tikamgarh, there are picturesque forts at Baldeogarh, Mohangarh, Jatara, Ramgarh and Khargapur. There is no mention of the Dhubela and Rajgarh forts in Chhatarpur district. Khimlasha fort in Khurai Tehsil of Sagar district, too, needs to be mentioned, thanks to its ancient roots. In the next edition, I am sure the authors will include these and other forts.
<b>An important question that emerges after reading this book is what is going to be the fate of these forts. The climate of central India is quite different from that of Rajasthan. There is far more rainfall in this region. The Rajasthan forts and palaces are located in a dry region and are, therefore, better preserved. In central India, greater rainfall plays its role in the destruction of masonry buildings. What then, is the solution to preserving them? </b>The Government has neither the resources nor the will to spend money on their maintenance.
The Madhya Pradesh Government has given Rajgarh fort to the Oberoi Group of Hotels to run as a Heritage Hotel. Formerly a section of this fort housed a primary school. The Oberoi Group is slated to spend a fair amount on its rehabilitation.
The Devigarh fort in Mewar is an excellent example of restoration work done on an old structure, with a very successful hotel having come up there. This could act as an example for the leasing of forts in Bundelkhand, which could save them from eventual decay and destruction.
If fort-hotels were allowed, many tourists, both Indian and international, would patronise them, and local people would get better employment opportunities. Money spent on renovation and repair, would then give a new lease of life to these old forts. And the story would have a happy ending.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Maybe the Well-off Modern Indians will let these go way to make way for a new India.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Each fort has a story to tell
Madhukar S Orchha
<b>The Forts of Bundelkhand, Rita Sharma, Vijai Sharma, Rupa, Rs 795</b>
At long last there is a book on Bundelkhand. Rita and Vijai Sharma deserve our congratulations. It is a labour of love to have authored this splendid coffee table book.
<b>Although this region is in the heartland of the country, it is a little known area in central India. During ancient times, before the coming of Islam, this region was known as 'Jajakabhukti'.
When the Bundelas conquered this region, the name was changed to Bundelkhand. They spoke a western Hindi dialect called Bundeli. Bundeli is spoken in the southern most part of this region. To the north, lies the Kanauji dialect and to the northwest, the region of the Braj Bhasha-speaking districts. All three dialects are similar. In medieval times, they were widely used for writing poetry. Alas, these dialects are now in a state of decline, having been overtaken by modern Khari Boli Hindi.</b>
When India became independent in 1947, there were two parts to Bundelkhand. The Jhansi division of the United Provinces was referred to as British Bundelkhand and the rest, comprising more than a dozen princely states, was known as Native States Bundelkhand.
<b>Today, British Bundelkhand is a part of Uttar Pradesh, and most of Native States Bundelkhand are part of Madhya Pradesh. Together they make a total of 13 districts, all of them south of the Yamuna and north of the Narmada, east of the Chambal and West of the Tauns. These districts are Chhatarpur, Damoh, Datia, Pana, Sagar, and Tikamgarh in Madhya Pradesh, and Banda, Chitrakut, Hamirpur, Jhansi, Jalaun, Lalitpur, and Mahoba in Uttar Pradesh.</b>
Rita and Vijai Sharma, IAS officers of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, are familiar with Jhansi, where they have been stationed.<b> It is not possible to include all the big and small forts of Bundelkhand in one book, as there are more forts per square kilometre than in any other region in India. Other forts that need mention are listed below: In the district of Datia, the fort at Indergarh and the magnificent fort at Seondha. The latter, is situated on the banks of the river Sindh, and is a jewel among forts.</b>
In Tikamgarh, there are picturesque forts at Baldeogarh, Mohangarh, Jatara, Ramgarh and Khargapur. There is no mention of the Dhubela and Rajgarh forts in Chhatarpur district. Khimlasha fort in Khurai Tehsil of Sagar district, too, needs to be mentioned, thanks to its ancient roots. In the next edition, I am sure the authors will include these and other forts.
<b>An important question that emerges after reading this book is what is going to be the fate of these forts. The climate of central India is quite different from that of Rajasthan. There is far more rainfall in this region. The Rajasthan forts and palaces are located in a dry region and are, therefore, better preserved. In central India, greater rainfall plays its role in the destruction of masonry buildings. What then, is the solution to preserving them? </b>The Government has neither the resources nor the will to spend money on their maintenance.
The Madhya Pradesh Government has given Rajgarh fort to the Oberoi Group of Hotels to run as a Heritage Hotel. Formerly a section of this fort housed a primary school. The Oberoi Group is slated to spend a fair amount on its rehabilitation.
The Devigarh fort in Mewar is an excellent example of restoration work done on an old structure, with a very successful hotel having come up there. This could act as an example for the leasing of forts in Bundelkhand, which could save them from eventual decay and destruction.
If fort-hotels were allowed, many tourists, both Indian and international, would patronise them, and local people would get better employment opportunities. Money spent on renovation and repair, would then give a new lease of life to these old forts. And the story would have a happy ending.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Maybe the Well-off Modern Indians will let these go way to make way for a new India.