My trip to Balaghat:
I love forest and interior
villages. Perhaps this liking is taking me roaming around which is helping me
enriching my knowledge.
There are lovely forests on the
way to Seoni from Jabalpur the NH-7 National Highway. In Banjari village there
is a Medicinal plants forms. The delicious guava is the specialty of Lakhnadaun
Tahseel as I have tasted such a lovely guava after the guavas of Bedaghat in Jabalpur district. The
Bus takes about four hours from Madan Mahal to Seoni and there after about two
and a half hours from Seoni to Balaghat.
In view of historical Importance
there is not much in Balaghat. However, this place is famous for the tasty variety of rice (viz Kinnor) and
manganese (Mn) mines at Vorbeli. The temple of Kalipat at Police line and
Dargah of Kwaja Ajmeri at Mahavir gate market are important religious places at
Balaghat. There is a Avantika Bai circle
at Bus stand where a beautiful statue has been placed in the memory of the
freedom fighter Avantika Bai. In the surroundings of Balaghat there are many
places having historical importance. Lanji is one of them. Here is a palace of
historical importance built by a Gond king (name not known to me) in the
locality of Dumri Mohalla.
The ASI has not mentioned the
history of this palace which is ought to be mentioned for the tourists as well
as for the scholars of History. The King had constructed the palace surrounded
by digging the pond from three sides for the safety measures. The palace is in
dilapidated stage and poor condition.
The employees of ASI are keeping
this place neat and clean. However this place needs lots of attention by ASI to
maintain this pictorial site by maintaining Raja-Rani Pond inside of the palace
as well as the pond surrounding the palace and maintain the gardens and
planting trees surrounding the palace to bring its original glory up to maximum
possible extent. I must repeat that there is a need of
coordinating body of ASI, Forest Dept. and Tourism to protect as well as get
returns in the form of revenue out of the investment is made out of public
money. ASI cannot earn money without the assistance of Department of Tourism
through the publicity of the monument and beautification of the place.
I went to Koteswar Mahadev
temple on Riksha moving two kilometer from the Gond palace at Lanji.
The architecture appears of 11th
century AD and the Pujari of the temple told that this temple was built
by Kalturi king.
However the ASI has not
mentioned the history of this temple which is necessary. The ASI has hang the
notice board that to build any construction in its surrounding is a criminal
act and very interestingly a godown of Indane Gas is just at distance of
25meters which was built in 2002 and could not be removed till date. Why the
Govt. is waiting and for what? Who is responsible for such act? Is our
democracy? No, this is the leniency and misuse of our Noble Democracy.
On observing the repair work of
the temple, it appears that the archeologist must be absent at the time of
repair work and the contractor Karigar have
not taken care of the architecture of its originality and putting the statues at the right places.
There is lack of flower plants
and trees in the campus and in its surroundings. The pond adjacent to the
temple should also be decorated by horticulture and boating can be arranged by
the Depat. of Tourism .
In the Koteswar temple I met
with an employee of ASI named Mr.Vijay Lahari. On observing my interest and
willingness to visit Ganji Raja the religious place of Schedule Tribes of MP
& Chattisgarh and surrounding Maharastra State, he took me on his motorbike
as two wheeler is more comfortable than any other vehicle on its route due
to kachcha muddy lane and
we have to cross Sone river on its mid way. Thereafter we have to ride a muddy
steep hill about 15 meter and on moving 3 kilometer on wards we reached Ganji
Raja. On reaching this place few local people came to me and welcomed. I told
them that I did not come to perform any religious ritual, just to pay homage to
the deity.
The stone used in making the
statue of the deity is in shining Z black color. The statue is beautifully
built. The art appears similar as it has been built in the black colour statues
in Bhoramdev temple’s walls.
The people are coming here for Mundan
Sanskar and Bali of buffalos and goats after fulfilling their desires.
As per my observation it appears
this site has not come in the notice of ASI. But this area is in the notice of
Forest Department. It is beyond my understanding why the proper arrangement is
not made to stop deforestation. The tribal are cutting forest for cultivating
agricultural produce but it needs study to explore the prime reason of
deforestations. Due to this the water level has gone down and another reason is
boring done by the agriculturists. In my perception there is combined interest
of politician and businessmen on the shoulders of STs and a little interest of
the STs to get agricultural land which could be achieved in due course by
businessmen cum politicians to build resort or farmhouses. It is my personal
perception that this is happening as nowadays businessmen have entered in the
politics.
I was shocked on observing a
colony of tribal which was built by cutting hundreds of trees. It must be
permitted by the Govt. On what genuine ground, only God knows. It is also a
relevant example of misuse of Democracy.
On returning from Lanji to
Balaghat, I got down at Saltake 15 kms. before the Balaghat. From here on its
right a road goes towards Hatta village. From Saltake the Hatta village is
about 10Kms. There is a lovely and well maintained huge campus of Kothi of its Jamindar.
In this campus there is a newly
built temple. In this temple an old statue of god collected from an old temple
along with other statues of Radha-Krishna is placed. Just in front of this
place there is a beautiful Bawadi built in 16the century AD and rebuilt up to
18th Century AD.
This is in the supervision of
Dept. of Archeology , MP state. This is a beautiful place but kept in a bad
shape.
It has been kept dirtiest and is being used
for Juaa. I have taken their photographs.
If the Dept.of Archaeology cannot
protect the monuments, there is no need of keeping their Notice Boards at such
places.
Dr.Vijay Nath Sondhi
16.03.2013
9617177911
9899102826