Imphal, Oct 22 The high-powered committee, constituted to take appropriate steps following the demolition of the historic Redlands Buildings in Meghalaya's capital, Shillong, on Wednesday, suggested restoring the structure’s former glory through anastylosis, in line with the norms, ethics, and guidelines of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and UNESCO.
The historic Redlands Buildings in Meghalaya's capital, Shillong, also called Manipur Rajbari, was dismantled from September 29 to October 8 at the instance of a Manipur government department, reportedly to make way for a new Manipur Bhavan or a guest house of the Manipur government.
A senior official said that the Manipur government earlier constituted a Monitoring and Supervision Committee for the reconstruction and restoration of the historic Redlands Buildings.
A consultative meeting chaired by Ngangom Uttam Singh, Director, Municipal Administration, Housing and Urban Development (MAHUD) and Information and Public Relations, was held on Wednesday and deliberated on the recent events relating to the dismantling of the majestic Manipur Rajbari at Shillong and the way forward concerning the historic building.
The meeting suggested engaging reputed professional conservation and preservation experts to prepare a complete development plan and to guide the state government in the execution of the work.
The meeting also suggested engaging local experts in the field to interact with and monitor the conservation experts in order to ensure preservation of historical features, original architectural design, and cultural significance.
Various organisations in Manipur and Meghalaya said that the Manipur government’s Planning and Development Authority’s (PDA) official attempted to shift responsibility to the Department of Art and Culture about the pulling down of the historic Redlands Buildings in Shillong.
Many political parties, including the BJP and the Congress, senior political leaders, MPs, dozens of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), student bodies, Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), the apex body of the Meitei community in Manipur, have been strongly protesting the demolition of the historic building and demanding an inquiry into the Rajbari demolition.
The historic Redlands Building, constructed in the 1940s in Shillong, was one of the residences of the erstwhile king Maharaja Bodhachandra Singh. The demolition of Redlands Buildings in Shillong has triggered widespread condemnation from various organisations, including Meitei Heritage Society, historians, scholars, citizens and experts, who describe the demolition as an irreparable loss to Manipur’s political and cultural heritage.
--IANS
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