Save Historic Patna Collectorate

Let's rise from our long and deep slumber. Our heritage and our identity, both at stake.

For more information direct message on Save Historic Patna Collectorate page or Instagram handle

Tearful adieu to Patna Collectorate.

By Team Save Historic Patna Collectorate.

Patna Collectorate crucified. 😔

Will we still not wake up!

Frozen frames from our heritage walk held on April 17, 2022 on the eve of the World Heritage Day and to mark six years of Save Historic Patna Collectorate . Despite heat, these heritage warriors came out and supported. We are thankful to all those who joined on ground or online. See you soon, with something even bigger! Till then keep showering your love and support to Patna, its heritage and this mission.

All pics by Team Save Historic Patna Collectorate

A wonderful and timely documentary by Live History India on Patna's self-inflicted injuries to its priceless heritage that is rapidly vanishing amid government's apathy and people's indifference to its treasured past in a bid to create a monolithic soulless future that will be economically rich but culturally and morally bankrupt.



Save Historic Patna Collectorate

Patna's Disappearing Heritage Buildings | Heritage in Our Cities Over the last decade, Patna has seen a big chunk of its colonial era heritage vanish. Razed to the ground, to make way for concrete towers and commercial rea...

Dainik Jagran, Patna edition.

Apr 18, 2022.

At least they carried two paragraphs. Heritage lovers must thank them.

Be Walk-al for Local.

Come and enjoy the heritage of your city and support the cause of heritage preservation before it's too late.

Heritage trail: Golghar to Science College, Patna.

144-year-old Secunderabad Club gutted.

A priceless jewel of India, crafted in the year 1878 with beautiful architectural elements, went up in flames, the unforgiving fire consuming a century-old heritage in its infernal sweep.

An extraordinarily sad day for India.

Such clubs, did began as places of exclusive retreats for the few, but over a period of time and with changing political set-up, they do acquire a different aura, and become part of the fabric of any city, so much so that the loss of this club in Secunderabad, twin city of Hyderabad, is being mourned by a large number of people, including those who never saw it, let alone visit it.

The visuals of the building engulfed in flames, triggered the images of destruction of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris in 2019, and hence felt more painful.

The Club was set up in 1878 by the British, and underwent a few name changes before they settled on Secunderabad Club. The fact that a large amount was wood was used in its making, made the fire even more devastating, abd according to reports, it's billiards room, rare and antique tables and other furniture have all been gutted in the incident.

But, colonial-era clubs not only are pieces of architectural jewels, they also house sone rare collections in their libraries. And, Secunderabad Club, represented with its striking lion emblem, housed some extraordinary rare books too in its now burnt down library.

According to its official website, the collection consisted of 33 volumes on birds and one on venomous snakes of the Indian Peninsula, as well one on the Nizams Dominions.

The antiquity and worth of the books made the Club store them in a huge fire-proof safe! We praying, these books have been saved at least.

The loss of Secunderabad Club, now located in Telangana, holds a mirror to the rest of society.

Pic 1: Secunderabad Club on fire, courtesy NDTV website.
Pic 2: Pic of the Club taken in 1888 by Lala Deen Dayal.
Pic 3: Secunderabad Club in early 20th century via Wikimedia Commons.
Pic 4-5: Scenes of the gutted Club.
Pic 6-7: Images from rare books on birds and snakes which was part of the Club's library.

160th Foundation Day of Patna College.

Jan 9, 1863- Jan 9, 2022.

Do you know, like Patna Collectorate, it's part of the Dutch heritage of Patna.

The origin of Patna College can be traced to the establishment of Patna High School in 1835 which later gave birth to Patna Branch School in 1854 and eventually the Collegiate School in 1862 out of which the college was born in 1863. J K Rogers was its first principal-in-charge while its first full-fledged principal was J W McCrindle renowned for his English translation of Megasthenes's 'Indica'.

While the central main administrative block was built over an old 17th century Dutch o***m godown, the East and West Wings were added later in the 19th century in British era.

The Language Block constructed further down is connected to the main building by a long shaded corridor called the 'Ewbank Corridor' named after one of its old principals.

Its architecture, a mix of ionic and doric columns has delighted students, faculty and passers-by for ages. Historian J N Sarkar and J C Jha had devoted a complete volume titled "A History of Patna College 1863-1963" to mark it centenary.

The college has produced great barristers like Sachchidanand Sinha who became the first president of the Constituent Assembly, it also gave birth to the national poet Ramdhari Singh Dinkar. Legendary politicians like Shri Krishna Sinha, Anugrah Narayan Sinha, ex-Chief Justice, Supreme Court B P Sinha, and famed socialist leader Jayaprakash Narayan, among others, and countless doctors, engineers, administrators, artists, architects, etc in between.

Among its faculty included history stalwarts like R S Sharma, K K Datta, S H Askari, Sir Jadunath Sarkar, and Y J Taraporewala (History), M T Gulrajani (English), Gyanchand (Economics). European teachers V H Jackson, J L Hill, and principal J S Armour, among others are still remembered.

Text: Excerpts from a 2014 news story "Patna College: 'Oxford of the East' in need of restoration" by Kunal Dutt for PTI.

Pic 1: 160th Foundation Day ceremony courtesy Tarique Anwar
Pic 2, 4: Bihar Tourism
Pic 3: Postcard from Worldwide-Mint.

Prince of Wales Museum, Bombay turns 100.

A historic and iconic landmark of Bombay (now Mumbai) completes hundred years of its inauguration.

The Prince of Wales Museum of Western India, as it was named, was built to commemorate the visit of the then Prince of Wales (later King George V) to India in 1905-6.

The foundation stone of the museum was laid by the Prince of Wales on November 11, 1905 after his arrival in Bombay.

It was established by the public contribution aided by the government of the then Bombay Presidency.

This memorial in the form of a museum was to be erected on the plot of land known as the Crescent Site on the southern tip of Bombay island. The building was completed in 1914 but it was opened to the public much later on January 10, 1922, by Lady Lloyd, wife of then Governor of Bombay Lord George Lloyd. Until then it was used by the military as a hospital (The Lady Hardinge War Hospital) and a children’s welfare centre.

A few decades after Independence, Bombay became Mumbai and the museum was renamed to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya.

A Grade I heritage building of the city, it is set in a well laid out garden which retains its original plan. It has been awarded first place for Heritage Building Maintenance by the Indian Heritage Society, according to CSMVS website.

The architect of the building, George Wittet, was selected after an open competition in 1909. Wittet is known for the Indo-Saracenic style of architecture of which this museum is one of the best examples.

The dome of this building is designed after the Gol Gumbaz of Bijapur and the finial is copied from the Taj at Agra.

A statue of Prince of Wales (later King George V) is placed in the manicured garden, with inscription plates on its pedestal.

This celebrated monument has been featured in many films and finds place on vintage postcards too.

Images courtesy: Online archives.
Picture 2: Bombay 100 Years Ago.






#100

इंडियन नेशनल ट्रस्ट फॉर आर्ट ऐंड कल्चरल हेरीटेज (INTACH) की याचिका पर सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने एक वर्ष पहले 18 सितंबर, 2020 को बिहार सरकार के एक आदेश पर रोक लगा दी थी. बिहार सरकार ने गंगा नदी के किनारे बसे इस पुराने परिसर को गिरा कर इसके स्थान पर नए कलेक्ट्रेट के निर्माण की योजना बनाई थी.

पटना: सदियों पुराने कलेक्ट्रेट कैंपस को गिराने पर सुप्रीम कोर्ट के रोक लगाने से इतिहासकार खुश Bihar News: इंडियन नेशनल ट्रस्ट फॉर आर्ट ऐंड कल्चरल हेरीटेज (INTACH) की याचिका पर सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने एक वर्ष पहले 18 सितंबर, 2020 को ब.....

One year of Supreme Court stay on demolition of the historic Patna Collectorate.

''SC stay on demolition of historic Patna Collectorate gave us hope'' A year ago, on September 18, 2020, the apex court had, on a plea filed by heritage body INTACH, ordered a stay on the Bihar government''s plan to build a new collectorate complex by razing the Dutch-era landmark on the banks of the Ganga.