В Мадхья-Прадеше предложили переименовать дворец Джахангира в честь его строителя

Trending 400 years on, Orchha’s Jahangir Mahal runs into Mughal link rowComments AA Text Size Small Medium Large Jahangir Mahal Orchcha Four centuries after Jahangir Mahal was built at MP's Orchha by Bundela ruler Veer Singh Deo, historians remain unsure whether Mughal emperor Jahangir ever visited the palace named after him, even as traditional accounts claim he stayed a night. During a recent visit for a state BJP meet, MP CM Mohan Yadav hinted that the Mahal should instead be called “Veer Singh Mahal”.During his visit to Orchha on Aug 31, the CM said, “Jahangir Mahal was built by Raja Veer Singh Dev and is called the Sun Temple. Jahangir never visited Orchha. It is not appropriate for me to comment further on this.“The palace should be named after the person who built it. But there was a malicious attempt to erase our historical heritage, to erase their names by the Mughals and the subsequent culture. That was not good”, former minister Narottam Mishra, who also attended the BJP's executive body meeting, said.Whether he did, or not, Jahangir Mahal at Orchha has carried that tantalising mystery in its stone for over four centuries.Built by Bundela ruler Veer Singh Deo in the early 17th century, the palace was named after Mughal emperor Jahangir as a mark of respect. Madhya Pradesh Tourism dates its construction broadly to 1605-1626. Traditional accounts associate it with Jahangir’s visit to Orchha, with some saying the emperor stayed for a night. Yet whether he actually visited and stayed in this palace remains debated.Dr Govind Batham, history professor and principal of Government College, Mada, Singrauli district, said there is no documentary evidence to establish that Jahangir came and stayed there for a night. “Some say he stayed for a night and some say he didn’t; it is not clear. We have no evidence that he came and stayed for a night,” he says.Local historian Om Prakash Dubey offers a fascinating interpretation. He connects the palace to the dramatic political relationship between Prince Salim, later Jahangir, and Veer Singh Deo, including Veer Singh's role in the killing of Abul Fazl.Dubey believes that after Jahangir became emperor, Veer Singh’s elevation as ruler of Orchha was followed by the construction of the magnificent palace for the emperor's ceremonial arrival. He also points to similarities between Jahangir Mahal and the Mughal palace at Agra.Spread across roughly an acre including its immediate premises, the palace rises in a dramatic three-storeyed mass of red and yellow sandstone. Four corner bastions crowned with chhatris anchor its square form, while a vast courtyard opens at its heart. From afar it resembles a fortress; step inside and it transforms into a maze of arches, galleries, chambers, stairways and filtered light.“Its beauty lies in the coming together of different architectural traditions,” says Ghanshyam Batham, curator, Orchha Museum.For Sheo Shekhar Shukla, additional chief secretary, culture, Madhya Pradesh, the significance of Orchha goes far beyond one palace. “Orchha is one of those rare places where the medieval texture of India is still intact,” he says. “The fort, the palaces inside it, its religious importance and its folklore together are a very unique proposition.”Shukla says the state has already sought permanent Unesco World Heritage status for the Orchha fort area and its larger historic ensemble. “We have sent a proposal to Unesco for the permanent inscription of Orchha,” he says, adding that the dossier has been accepted for consideration. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Bhopal | Silver Rate in Bhopal | Bank Holidays in Bhopal | Public Holidays in Bhopal | Petrol Price in Bhopal | Diesel Price in Bhopal | CNG Price in Bhopal | LPG Price in Bhopal Stay updated with the latest Bhopal news. Download the TOI App. End of Article Follow Us On Social Media Videos