INTACH to open Bhagalpur Chapter next month; Gaya on radar

Aiming to expand its footprint in Bihar, heritage body INTACH is all set to open its new chapter in silk city Bhagalpur next month, a move that is likely to boost efforts to preserve old building and landmarks in the historic city.
Headquartered in New Delhi, Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), a non-profit organisation established in 1984, besides the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), works on protection, conservation and promotion of tangible and intangible heritage, through its 187 chapters spread across the country in various cities.
"Yes, we have been working on this (Bhagalpur) Chapter in tandem with our Bihar Chapter for long and it will come up in December. Bhagalpur, being a historic place with its wealth of architectural and cultural heritage, especially its importance as a 'silk city' and as home of the ancient Vikramshila University, is an important sign-post in Bihar's and India's historical journey.

"And we are happy that an INTACH presence will now be there as well and help preserve the heritage of the city," Director of INTACH's Chapters Division Rahul Pathak told PTI.
INTACH's Patna Chapter, established soon after the Trust's inception in 1984, is one of the oldest in the country. Besides, the state capital, a new chapter was launched in Vaishali district in north Bihar earlier this year. The overall framework for the state is handled by the Bihar Chapter, which was formed a few years ago.
"Bhagalpur as a city and the district in general falls in the region that has been mythically called the Anga Kingdom. Its 'Tassar Silk' is famous the world over, lending the city its nickname.

"Besides the sartorial legacy, the district has its cultural richness in dance, folk songs, cuisine and as the place associated with many famous writers and personalities. And, now INTACH's new chapter will open here on December 19," Co-Convener of INTACH Bihar Chapter Arun Kumar Prabhat said.

The new chapter would be one of the first major steps in the state in the field of heritage preservation, post the new Bihar government taking charge on November 20.
Bhagalpur city and the district is home to sites and buildings dating from ancient to British-era, but not much has been done in preserving the contemporary heritage here.

While the ruins of ancient Vikramshila University, second in fame only to Nalanda University, is centrally-protected under the ASI, no sites or buildings are protected under the Bihar State Archaeology in the district.
Patna Chapter founding member S K Sinha, in his 80s now, says, "Few decades ago, the then government wanted to dismantle Patna's Sultan Palace, built in the 1920s, but it was only after INTACH Patna's intervention that the building was saved."
Bhagalpur city, headquarters of the eponymous district, is dotted with ancient temples of both Hindu and Jain religions, centuries-old Islamic 'khanquahs' (hospices) and palaces, and British-era buildings and graveyards.

Being an important city of Bengal and later of Bihar after creation of Bihar & Orissa province in 1912, it has old city landmarks like Town Hall, Collectorate, Bhagalpur Central Jail, old police stations, schools and colleges, and the historic Ghantaghar, a clock tower built in dedication to King Edward VII of Britain.
Legendary actor Ashok Kumar was born in the city in 1911, while eminent author Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay spent his childhood and early youth and wrote part of some of his landmark works like "Devadas", "Srikant", and "Charitraheen" in the city.
Nalini Sinha, a Bhagalpur native now working in Delhi, laments the neglect of city's heritage.

"Do people in big cities or even in Patna even know that 'Devadas' was dreamed and scripted here in Bhagalpur. Most of them will not believe it. And, it is sad that even filmmakers, who have adapted his iconic work multiple times, have not really given the place its due," she said.
Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, even spent some time in a mansion situated here on the banks of Ganga, called 'Tilla Kothi' and wrote a few verses of "Geetanjali".
"The Seedhi Ghat in Barari has this iconic temple, and is badly in need of restoration, before its glory fades out completely," Nalini rued.

Syed Faizan Raza, a Jaipur-based IT professional who has a branch of his family from Bhagalpur, is both fascinated and saddened by the state of colonial-era graveyards in the Silk City.
"I visit Bhagalpur on and off and everytime I go there, the condition of graveyards I see there look worsened. They should be preserved for their history and if maintained properly can even bring tourists, especially families of those, whose ancestors are buried here.
"But, instead of seeing indiscriminately at our history, we treat them with 'angrezon-ka-hai' attitude, not knowing, we are losing pages from our history books, thus creating a gap in our understanding of our immediate past," Raza said.

Incidentally, INTACH is also planning to open a chapter in the holy city of Gaya, home to the World Heritage Site of Mahabodhi Temple and the historic Vishnupad Temple.
"We are trying to mobilise volunteers and if we get sufficient response, we would like to open a chapter there (Gaya) as well," Pathak said.
Seeking to popularise heritage, especially among the children and youth, INTACH has annually held 'India Heritage Quiz' for schoolchildren for last two years. Recently, a similar quiz for college students and the corporate was also held this year.
The second edition of the school quiz, spanned the entire country, ranging from Srinagar to Port Blair and Daman to Darjeeling, among 110 cities.

"We also conduct outreach programmes in Patna, and hope the Bhagalpur Chapter would help us preserve heritage of the 'silk city' too," Sinha added.