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| Jammu's historical heritage vandalized | | Lion faced taps vanish from 'heritage market' | |
Early Times Report
jammu, Feb 17: In the din of commercial activity and huge rush of visitors, Jammu's famous Raghunath Bazar and the vicinity around has been deprived of precious heritage of historical significance- the lion faced water taps, the rarest of rare objects which used to give splendour and majestic look to places have disappeared from these areas.
These taps were not the indigenous objects instead said to have been imported by the Dogra rulers from England to give Jammu something precious and unique. These taps fulfilled not just utility purpose but more than that adorned the places where these were installed, both around the market and inside the city streets. But these have vanished over the years due to so called development works and greed of some people who uprooted the original taps of archival and antique value.
While missing of lion faced taps makes no difference to shopkeepers in general, there are a few who rue apathy of concerned departments in having failed to protect them. While some taps have gone missing during digging works by PHE or other departments in the RN Market, shopkeepers say some taps were stolen over the years by unknown elements who apparently knew the antique value of the objects. They are the ones who sell it for huge prices outside the city to groups for whom these are rare, exquisite and expensive items of unimaginable value in the international market. There was uproar from some quarters over theft of lion faced taps at certain points but nothing happened.
There are also reports that many original taps after this uproar were replaced, albeit by replica of lion faced objects which were far from being original ones. Even though these stand now erected at a couple of places, but these are just like any other ordinary tap, having no antique value. Department of Archives which ought to have realized historical and heritage significance of these objects has never taken any step to restore vandalized ones or protect/ preserve a few left at some places in old city areas and Raghunath Bazar.
Jammu is fast losing the objects which once used to be its pride of possessing unique heritage of historical importance. The grandeur and glory of these objects during Dogra Maharajas' rule has waned almost everywhere and so are the remnants of that era disappearing fast, courtesy unconcerned governments over the years who are least bothered to protect these as heritage items. But will the enlightened citizens wake up to protect and preserve whatever little is left in the name of heritage…! |
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