Demolition men knocked down the rooftop parapet that proclaimed the name of 'Anjuman Islamia', as work began Sunday to pull down the building of the 133-year-old institution to make way for a high-rise complex.
Anjuman Islamia Hall, endowed with a towering ceiling and, perhaps, the first public hall of Patna, had hosted several well-known personalities and witnessed many important meetings since its inception in 1885.
The demolition is being carried out as part of a redevelopment plan to erect a new, seven-storey building of Anjuman Islamia, according to its owner, the Bihar State Sunni Waqf Board.
"We had issued a notice recently that December 19 would be the last day to host any marriage party in the hall. And all other bookings after that date were cancelled. And work has now begun on the demolition of the old building. The new building is expected to be ready by first half of 2020," board chairman Mohammad Irshadullah told PTI.
Bricks lay scattered on the grounds as workers were seen hammering down the top portion of the two-storey building, which once carried its name in three languages, Hindi, Urdu and English, reflecting the communal harmony symbolised by the the Anjuman-i-Islamia Society that had founded it.
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Irshadullah said the new building would have seven storeys, a parking basement and bear Islamic architectural design. It will house community halls, conference halls, a prayer hall and an educational coaching centre among other facilities.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had recently said the new hall should be ready for inauguration by Eid in 2020, said the board's chairman, who was present at that function.
Many local people and members of the community are, however, feeling aggrieved that a heritage building was being razed instead of carrying out its restoration.
"Patna, one by one, is losing its heritage landmarks. And, many of which are standing, are facing demolition in near future. Anjuman Islamia was a historic building, established when even the modern province of Bihar was not born.
So, many noted personalities, associated with freedom movements have visited the Hall. So, the loss of inheritance continues," lamented Md Umar Ashraf, a Bihar-born researcher and a student at Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi.
Ashraf has extensively researched on Anjuman Islamia's history. He had used social media to appeal to the people to help save the landmark, but the efforts met with virtually no response.
"More than blaming the government or the waqf for this demolition, people should also think and introspect. The elite doesn't care, the poor and the middle-class is engrossed with their own problems. Besides, we think, only making new structures is 'vikas' (development), but 'vikas' is also preserving our past for the future generation," said a local resident of Sabzi Bagh area neighbouring the hall on condition of anonymity.
Beside weddings, the hall has hosted many important events. The Bihar branch of the Anjuman Taraqqi Urdu had convened a meeting in the hall on May 27, 1937, to press for the promotion of Urdu language.
Irshadullah said the hiring cost for a wedding function is Rs 10,000 per day and it was likely to be increased once the new building comes up.
Asked if any effort was made to preserve the building, he said the ceiling had "become weak" at several places and water dripped from it in rainy season, a claim countered by many locals who said it just "needed repair and not a wrecking ball".
Ironically, in a 2008 publication -- Patna: A Monumental History -- released by the state government, the Anjuman Islamia Hall is listed as a heritage building.
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