RAJNAGAR: THE CITY OF RUINS
2:48 pm
Overlooking
the land of Mithila - where art and culture flourishing from centuries, the
city of Rajnagar in Bihar, is a site of an extra ordinary architectural
experiments.
Rajnagar as its name indicate appears to be
connected with royal abode, is well known for its palaces, temples and
architectural beauty.
During the reign of
Maharajadhiraj Lakshmishwar Singh, the area around Rajnagar was selected as the
site for the construction of Palatial building to accommodate his younger
brother Rameshwar Singh. Lakshmishwar Singh gracefully granted lakhs of rupees
for this construction. Later on after the death of Lakshmishwar Singh, Rameshwar
Singh ascended the throne of Darbhanga Raj and made his headquarter at
Rajnagar.
During
the time when Delhi was established by Lutynes for being the capital of India,
Rajnagar was created with the same intention of being the capital city of Raj
Darbhanga by British architect Dr. M A Coronie, but that didn't happened due
very near to Indo-Nepal border.
Rameshwar Singh built
his palaces, secretariats and temples of Brahmanical deities at an enormous
cost and with great grandeur. For this he called some architects from Itlay. The
whole of the palatial complex is enclosed by a brick wall having a beautiful
arched gateway on all the four sides.
This
erstwhile city of Rameshwar Singh, credited for the construction of amazing
edifices, now has been lying under open skies in a very dilapidated condition.
But the ruins are still charismatic and able to
attract thousands of traveler, history and architecture lovers around the world
to this lost city.
The
ruins of Rajnagar is a vast open museum of the grandeur of its history,
architecture and religious beliefs.
The
structural remains at Rajnagar inside the compound wall includes Navlakha
Palace, Durga Mandir, Kaali Mandir & Kamakhya Mandir. Outside these compound
wall there lie a number of monuments which includes Ardhnarishwar Mandir, Shiva
Temple & Revenue office.
Goddess
Kaali, believed to be the principal deity of Raj Darbhanga, during the reign of
Rameshwar Singh, a highly qualified tantric of its own time. Dedicated to her
Rameshwar Singh built several temples around his palace and secretariat.
The intricate carvings either on the walls of
Palaces, Secretariat or temples are even today able to spellbound the visitors.
Whether we talk about Durbar Hall, Naach Ghar or
different temples, all are competing in itself with its architectural grandeur
and intricate carvings.
But tragic story of this city of temples and
palaces, Rajnagar is similar to Titanic.
Using different advanced and updated materials,
this palatial complex was most advanced and strong buildings of that time and
same is assured by its chief architect M A. Coronie, but this whole township
collapsed during the 1934 earthquake, just 8 years after its completion.
Before the morning of 15th January 1934 this
complete township was glittering like gold but suddenly everything turned into
ashes. Palaces, secretariat, temples everything collapsed and in a flash, with nothing
leftover.
Thus a city filled with world class architecture
became a city of ruins.
Later on this complete region was handed over to
the relatives of Rameshwar Singh, but till date no one bothered about the
shabby condition of this heritage site.
Governments, ASI, Heritage agencies as well as
locals all are watching just as a mute spectator but these ruins are not just
standing rather crying in-front of every spectator that "SAVE ME" and return my "Golden Days".
माना की चंद दीवारें हो गयी थी ज़मींदोज़,
वापस जो अगर खड़ी हो जाएं एक रोज़,
लौट आएगी वही रौनक, वही शान वही शौकत,
राजनगर की फ़िज़ा में फिर से लौट आएगी वही मौज।
Happy Travelling !!
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