R-DAY CELEBRATIONS : Freedom Fighter Jagannath Soni To Hoist Tricolour
“Danko Vagyo, Utho Ladvaiya Jagjo Shura,” – the signature song of Prabhat Feris during the freedom struggle – will once again reverberate in Khadia area on Republic Day. It will mark new beginnings of the movement to protect the city’s heritage buildings.
Ninety-year-old freedom fighter Jagannath Soni, a resident of Desai ni Pol, will hoist the tricolour on Republic Day in the backyard of United Bengal Home – one of the oldest havelis in the city. This haveli, which was recently damaged in an attempt to replace it with a commercial building, is at present being restored to its original state after residents of Khadia fought to protect it.
Soni, who participated in the Dandi March, said, “We hope to reawaken unaware residents of the walled city that they must unite and raise their voice for the cause to protect the heritage of the walled city. Taking lessons from the eyeopening incident that occurred at the Dhobi ni Pol where the residents protected a heritage haveli, we have hosted this program.”
More than 200 families of Desai ni Pol, 50 families of Dhobi ni Pol, members of Khadia Itihas Samiti and Khadia Sewa Trust will sign a pledge to conserve walled city heritage structures and resist commercialization of the area during the program.
Dr Hemant Bhatt, from Desai ni Pol Yuvak Mandal, said, “We want this spirit of reawakening to spread to the entire walled city. We have planned to host a program in the backyard of United Bengal Home to motivate walled city residents to the cause of conservation.”
