Bapu’s Admirers Want Patna Collectorate to be Linked with Gandhi Circuit
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The patna high court's stay on demolition of the centuries-old Collectorate building has emerged as another hope of rays, to those exerting their efforts to preserve and protect.
Recalling the Mahagandhi’s contribution to the nation and his work style on the 150th birth anniversary of the Mahatma, they urged the authorities to link the landmark with a Gandhi tourism circuit.
The high court's stay on demolition of the centuries-old Patna Collectorate has come as a "ray of hope" to people striving for its preservation and on the 150th birth anniversary of the Mahatma, they urged the authorities to link the landmark with a Gandhi tourism circuit.
Some iconic scenes in Richard Attenborough's Oscar-winning 'Gandhi' were filmed at the collectorate, whose Dutch-era Record Room was doubled up as Motihari jail, while British-built DM Office building was shown as a court in the movie.
Gandhi's sesquicentenary evoked the memories of the shooting of the fill in the early 1980s.
"People have been appealing to the Bihar government to save the collectorate and use it as a cultural space, but the government has been adamant about its demolition plan. The stay by the Patna High Court has sent a wave of confidence among heritage lovers," said Anjum Abdin, a city resident.
"Had it not been for a sustained people's movement running for around three-and-a-half years to save and preserve it, perhaps the historic Patna Collectorate would not have witnessed this landmark 150th anniversary of Gandhiji today," he said.
Many residents still fondly recall the crowd outside the Record Room or the artificial rain being created in front of the DM Office during the shooting of the biopic.
US-based professional Twisha Chandra, who hails from Patna, and also a member of the Executive Committee of London-based Gandhi Foundation, recently visited her hometown, and feels the struggle to save the collectorate is "bearing fruit".
"The collectorate was neglected during the huge Champaran Satyagrah centenary celebrations in 2017 organised by the Bihar government. Now that the court has stayed its demolition, the government should see the merit in its preservation. And, instead of planning to knock it down, it can link it to Gandhi circuit to promote tourism," she said.
Entire world is marking Gandhi's 150th anniversary and hopefully the court's final verdict will remove the wrecking ball dangling over it.
"On the 150th anniversary, a memorial plaque outside the building could have been put up as part of an overall plan to bring the landmark on the tourism map. In fact, the Bihar government should have restored and gifted the building to the city on the occasion," Chandra said.
