New Delhi: In an incident which has sparked outrage among historians and history lovers across the country, a builder in Agra has largely demolished a 17th-century Mughal heritage site named Mubarak Manzil. The infuriated locals have reportedly alleged that the builder and the officials are hand in gloves and hence the former was able to reduce the historic site to rubbles. Also known as ‘Aurangzeb Ki Haveli’, it was built on 20,000 square-feet of land. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has criticized the incident and demanded that the ‘haveli’ be restored.
Famous India-based Scottish historian William Dalrymple has also expressed his anger at the incident. In his official X (formerly Twitter) handle, he said, “It’s almost as if India is going out of its way to destroy its appeal as a tourist destination. Neglect your main heritage centres, allow developers to raze all its heritage properties, and then be surprised when this great country has less tourists than Dubai or Singapore.”
As per the locals, Mubarak Manzil was the landmark of the area until a few days ago. Mohammed Hanif, a resident of Belanganj, Agra, while speaking to News18, said that a local builder who claimed ownership of the Manzil destroyed a symbol of their community’s heritage. He also alleged that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the district administration were silent during the whole incident. Notably, Agra DM has halted the demolition to “maintain status quo at the site” and revenue department has launched a probe.
Demolition after efforts to make it ‘protected monument’
Notably, in September 2024, the ASI issued a notification in which it invited objections to the proposed designation of the site as a protected monument. Since Mubarak Manzil has great historical significance, there were no objections. As per reports, ASI officials even visited the site to finalise the process. However, before they could make it a protected monument, the builder has reduced the historic place to rubbles.
Mubarak Manzil: An example of the bygone Mughal era
Mubarak Manzil was built by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb at the place where he rested after he decisively won against Dara Shikoh in the Battle of Samugarh. It was a rectangular building which was shaped like an oblong. Its length was 171 feet and its breadth was 84 feet excluding the corner towers. At each corner, it had a fine octagonal tower with each having a pillared cupola rising above the building’s roof.
The three-storey structure had intricate details. On the eastern side, it had a colonnade with fluted pillars and engraved arches. There were 15 openings on the west wall while the south side has three doorways. On the exterior of the second storey, a covered-in corridor with plain arches opening outwards ran along its sides. Towards the middle of Mubarak Manzil’s inner western side, there is a compartment which was probably used as a ‘masjid’. Later during the British rule, Mubarak Manzil was modified and converted to a customs house salt office.
The demolition of Mubarak Manzil, a 17th-century Mughal heritage site in Agra, has sparked widespread outrage. A builder, allegedly colluding with officials, razed the historically significant structure despite ongoing efforts to designate it a protected monument. The incident has drawn condemnation from historians like William Dalrymple and political figures. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
