With Freedom Song, Drive To Save City’s Heritage Launched
When Vande Mataram was first sung at the United Bengal Home in Dhobi ni Pol in 1906, it was meant to act as a catalyst for India’s freedom struggle. More than 100 years on, it was sung once again at the pol on Sunday to kickstart another movement — to save Ahmedabad’s heritage.
More than 500 residents gathered at the pol and sang Vande Mataram with the tricolours in their hands to protest against attempts to pull down the home, which is both an intricately carved haveli and a memorial of the freedom struggle. During the protest, organizations like the Khadia Itihas Samiti and Khadia Sewa Trust held a signature campaign to preserve the remains of the structure and declare it a national monument. Besides 40 families of Dhobi ni Pol, more than 90 families of Desai ni Pol also joined in the cause. The residents are backed by other pols Moto in the area, including Lakhia ni Pol, Jethabhai ni Pol, Suthar Vado and Amrutlal ni Pol.
Leaders of the movement say this is not just about saving the haveli, it is about saving the unique lifestyle of the walled city and its crumbling historical structures. Some areas have already launched a signature campaign to stop commercial buildings coming up in narrow pols, saying these areas were designed as residential zones, incapable of taking the pressure of commercial activity. Khadia was once the historical and cultural epicentre of the city and wielded substantial political influence with powerful leaders and three lakh voters till the 1980s. But as commercial complexes came up, people started leaving. Today Khadia has only 75,000 residents.
“If commercial buildings are allowed, Khadia would be wiped clean of its unique heritage, which includes havelis and the pol culture,” said Dr Hemant Bhatt of Khadia Itihas Samiti. “This is a fight to protect our identity.” Bansi Patel, founder member of the Samiti added, “The United Bengal Home, though in ruins, is part of Khadia’s collective identity and hence we will fight to protect it and other heritage homes.”
Bengal Cultural Assn backs fight
Members of the Bengal Cultural Association surprised everyone by joining the protests at the United Bengal Home on Sunday. They offered residents of Dhobi ni Pol honorary life membership of the association. Tapan Bardhan, its executive committee member, said, “Over 50,000 Bengalis in Ahmedabad joined the protests because it is one of the oldest connections between Gujarat and Bengal. We want to participate in the restoration. We demand that the state government protect the remains and declare it as a national monument.”
