Situated between the rivers, Pahunj and Betwa, the city of Jhansi is a symbol of great courage and quiet dignity, and it inspires respect. It is a city rooted in historical significance and culture. After the Marathas took over the fort of Jhansi, they added numerous constructions to it. Around the same time, a number of sweet potable water resources were also developed in the region.
In an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds, the District Magistrate of Jhansi, Mr. Andra Vamsi, who has taken up the task of restoring the centuries-old water bodies and structures, spoke about it at length.
PANI WALI DHARAMSHALA
In 1742, Subedar Naroshanker initiated the development of Jhansi and its water resources with the Pani Wali Dharamshala. Later on, many other sarais and Dharamshalas came up around the same water source. These structures are still there, bearing testimony of a great historical past.
“To the North, there is the present Lokmanya Tilak Girls College. To the East, there is Marghaata (crematorium). To the North East, there is a temple of Yamuna and to the South East is a temple of Ganga. The statue of Yamuna is called Annapurna. There is also a shed in front of the Yamuna temple, where the last rites and rituals used to take place. The other rituals were held in Mahadeo Temple,” Mr. Vamsi informed.
RESTORING THE DHARAMSHALA
During the reign of Bhaisaheb, the funeral rites held in Pani Wali Dharamshala were stopped and a new crematorium was developed on the Eastern side of Laxmi Taal. This was named Shyam Chopadra and was open to the public. To the south of Shyam Chopadra, another crematorium was built exclusively for the funeral rites of the members of the Jhansi state.
“The sanctity, cleanliness, and beauty of Pani Wali Dharamshala had actually begun getting restored a long time back, during the reign of Bhaisaheb itself,” the officer said.
Now, once again, under the aegis of the district administration, restoration work has been taken up on all heritage structures to revive their lost glory.
REJUVENATION WORK UNDER SMART CITY PROJECT
Pani Wali Dharamshala has now come under the Restoration and Rejuvenation Project of Smart City, Jhansi. Under this project, an ancient pond located at the center of Jhansi city and a Step Well of 75-meter length and 70-meter width have already regained their beauty.
While rejuvenating the water bodies, the main areas of focus were:
- Cleaning the hyacinth
- Modernizing and deep cleaning the ponds
- Desilting and diverting the sewage lines
- Removing unwanted encroachments and marking boundaries
- Diverting the excess and dirty overflowing water into the nallahs
- Restoring the Natwari Nala
The officer said that the pending aeration and filtration works of the pond will be completed by the month’s end. He appealed to all the citizens to desist from throwing any litter into the stepwell or any other water body.
Happy with the progress achieved so far, Mr. Vamsi congratulated the Nagar Nigam team, Mayor Mr. Ramteerth, MLA Mr. Ravi Sharma, and Nagar Ayukt Mr. Awanish for the beautiful work.
He also revealed that the work will not stop here, as this is just the beginning. Some similar projects in the pipeline are – renovation of Laxmi Taal and Jhansi Fort, façade lighting, sound, and light shows in historical monuments, upliftment of Narayan Bagh, and the renovation of GIC.
If everything goes as planned, the city of Jhansi will soon be able to take people back in time to offer glimpses of its past glory.
