Fragments of heritage, memories of the past

The ruler’s ‘throne’ was a chair made of cane, somewhat withered by age. His ‘palace’ was a haveli, one which had seen better days, the plaster gradually peeling off its walls today. In the same compound stands a set of buildings which clearly pre-dates the haveli in design and dwarf it in grandeur. Sadly, they are entirely ruined, parts of them now dangerous to walk in, hence out of bounds.

Welcome to Deora, once the capital of a small principality. Located east of Shankargarh, its setting is magnificent, in a verdant and agriculturally fertile region. The haveli is close to the river Tons. The ancestors of the ruler were minor feudatories of the larger powers that competed for control over the region. As those kingdoms collapsed, the principality gained a degree of independence, before accepting the suzerainty of the British. With Independence and the eventual loss of income from the land came a state bordering impoverishment.


Today, the ruler is no different from any other citizen of India. Of course, the difference being that his residence includes a ruined set of buildings that date to the mid 19th century, if not earlier. The buildings yield evidence of beautiful murals, rapidly fading. Under a tent in a central courtyard lies what was once a celebrated temple. Today, its structure no longer stands. The tent covers a Shiv linga, on which fragments of various other icons are kept, among them is a stunning chaumukhi marble linga.

The ruined temple in Deora’s ruler’s home is not an isolated example of heritage that is being lost. South of Shankargarh, just off the highway that leads to Chitrakoot lies Ramnagar. At its outskirts is a ruined Chandella temple. Located in a grove of trees next to a lotusfilled pond, it is a place of natural beauty. The temple here is on a list of ‘protected’ monuments. It has a protective boundary and a guard on the premises, but neither measure slows down the natural decay of a temple that is already in ruin.

The temple is filled with iconic sculptures. Some of these now lie face down in the mud, others have grassshoots sprouting next to them. In its prime, the shrine must have drawn people from around. The pond next to it must have been the temple tank. Today, the temple has no relevance to the local populace. The region is dotted with such sites. South of Ramnagar is Ratoura, home to another temple that is similarly of no consequence to locals. A few kilometres beyond lies the fort at Laurigarh, Access to the fort is via a road that tends to get washed off in parts in the monsoon cutting off any approach.

The government’s twin practices of trying to preserve an already dilapidated temple in exactly that state coupled with cutting it off from potential worshippers bodes ill for heritage. Such places need to be restored, even reconstructed if need be and the local community needs to have a stake in the site. If a site as iconic as Borobudur can be reconstructed, why should these lie in ruins?

What is needed an entirely new approach to managing heritage – one that moves away from mothballing sites and helps make historic sites. This will involve sites being reconstructed and then handed to the local community for them to interact with, with government agencies monitoring upkeep and generating awareness to drive tourism. And for private properties such as the one at Deora, the owners need to take a leaf out of the book of Rajasthan, where even tiny forts offer heritage experiences. It’s time for people to connect with their heritage again.