Hyderabad: Charminar is an ancient monument constructed by Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah, the ruler of the Qutub Shahi Dynasty, in 1591. It is situated on the banks of the Musi River in the old city, beside the Makkah Masjid. Known for its intricate designs with Persian marbles, it is layered in an Indo-Saracenic style of architecture, combining elements of the Mughals with grand arches and high minarets, along with a touch of Hindu architecture in the form of stucco works and floral inscriptions similar to those seen at Indian temples. This eventually made it one of the prominent landmarks of Hyderabad.
Charminar is still portrayed today as an example of the ‘Deccani style’ of architecture, alongside Gol Gumbaz and Bidar Fort. Its age is almost 435 years, making it older than the Taj Mahal itself, which is the seventh wonder of the world.
But why is Charminar not included on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites? Every year, the World Heritage Committee selects one monument from each country and tags it with the World Heritage inscription. Around 2010, Charminar was also pushed for securing the UNESCO World Heritage Site tag. At that time, officials of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) made several claims to complete the restoration of Charminar before the committee’s visit. However, as time progressed, reports stated that several layers of moss and lichen were still present on the structure. ASI, in return, stated that their planned chemical treatment would only happen after the delegates inspect the site.
This clearly showed incompetence and a lack of coordination between the state government and ASI, which resulted in rejection by the delegates. The officials stated that the reason for their decision was primarily due to “illegal encroachments and management issues in Charminar as well as in the surrounding areas.” Other reasons included cleanliness, lack of proper infrastructure around the site, and incomplete submission of documents to the Committee. The government of then-Andhra Pradesh never thoroughly clarified or resubmitted the necessary documents.
This status was eventually passed over to Rajasthan’s Jantar Mantar in 2010. But there is still time to make things right. It is time for the current state government to take matters into consideration, because this title would not only place Hyderabad’s monuments on the world map but also aid in preserving and protecting such monuments. Heritage activists belonging to Hyderabad have expressed their deepest concerns and are hoping that the government will take up this matter seriously.
This article is written by Reddy Naga Adithya, a student of Loyola Academy, Secunderabad, interning with Deccan Chronicle.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
