Iconic monuments of Hyderabad and Sasaram become part of temple-return debate
Charminar in Hyderabad | Sasaram’s Sher Shah Suri Tomb in the backdrop (right) (Photo: Jitendra Kumar Singh)
A grand building built to mark the founding of Hyderabad by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah in 1591, the iconic Charminar has withstood the uncertainties of the times. But since the late 60s, a religious structure is taking shape under a canopy, under the southeast minaret. The police and the ASI have probably been non-committal on the temple to maintain peace.
Responding to an RTI query in 2012, the ASI said, “As per the AMASR (Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains) Act, 1958, Rules 1959, the AMASR Act, 2010 (Amendment and Verification), the temple near the construction of the temple The construction of the south-eastern minaret of Charminar is considered an unauthorized construction by the ASI.”
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Bhagyalakshmi Temple, as it is now called, has evolved over the decades. No dispute has been raised, although the temple has evolved from the mid-20th century onwards, virtually connected to a monument, which has given its name to a number of brands, from cigarettes to cement. Is it the result of the city’s secret religious and cultural syncretism? “Perhaps,” says heritage activist Mohammad Safiullah, who laments the fact that the monument is yet to receive the World Heritage Site tag. “It is certain that the four faces of the Charminar differ markedly in design but only the southern face changes and changes. We don’t take care of our protected monuments.”
The lack of such care is evident in the visible encroachment on the massive tomb of Sher Shah Suri at Sasaram in Bihar’s Rohtas district. The octagonal tomb with arched gates in the middle of a man-made lake is a breathtaking snapshot of history. To its east is Sarveshwar Mahadev Temple on the bank of the lake.
A temporary structure dating back to the 70s, it is now a place of worship spread over 9,500 square feet. A mosque, which is also located on the south side of the tomb, on the banks of the lake, is another enclave. The 2017 amendment to the AMASR Act, which bans any construction in prohibited areas (within a 100-metre radius around a protected monument), resonates little in Sasaram. In fact, since 1977, the ASI has reported 16 encroachments, some of which were demolished. But now it seems to be resigning from the status quo. An e-mail sent on May 28 to Dr. Gautami Bhattacharya, the superintending archaeologist, ASI, Patna circle, on the status of encroachment did not elicit any response.