Puri: ‘Patharpuri’ the famous building which the legendary poet Rabindranath Tagore resided in and is supposed to have penned his Nobel-winning composition of poems ‘Gitanjali’ is soon to become a part of history. The Puri Municipality has decided to demolish the dilapidated structure located on Chakratirtha Road here even though it has evoked widespread resentment amongst locals and activists.
Puri Sub-Collector Bharat Charan Sahu has said that the building is in ruins and there is no other option but to demolish it.
It should however, be mentioned that there is a lot of nostalgia and history associated with ‘Patharpuri’. A large number of documents and articles penned by Tagore are still preserved at the building. Some of these documents have been lost due to decay and lack of proper maintenance, but even then those still there are invaluable.
A portion of the building prior to ‘Cyclone Fani’ was being used as a hostel for students of Samant Chandrasekhar Junior College. However, the asbestos roof of the building was blown away during ‘Fani’ and since then it has taken the look of an abandoned structure. But even then many are against its demolition.
When contacted, vice-principal of Samant Chandrasekhar Junior College, Sankarshan Dash said the institution had received a letter from the civic body regarding the demolition. “Since the building is synonymous with the legendary Rabindranath Tagore, we have requested the Works Department through a letter to construct a building which can be made into a ‘Tagore Museum’ to preserve the documents and artifacts in ‘Patharpuri’.
Local intellectuals and alumni of the college observed that the civic body should take steps for the restoration of ancient buildings that have historical importance instead of destroying those.
Convener of ‘Shree Jagannath Bhakt Parishad’, Suryanarayan Rath said, “’Patharpuri’ has many memories associated with Rabindranath Tagore. The government and administration should be careful about preserving this historical monument,” he said.
Priyadarshan Pattanayak, convener of ‘Shree Jagannath Sena’, opined on the same lines. He said the administration should never sacrifice this heritage building. “Instead the building should be preserved keeping in mind the history attached with it,” he said.
According to Jagabandhu Maharana, a social activist, the maintenance of ‘Patharpuri’ is under the college. “Instead of pulling it down, the government should take steps for its restoration. If a museum and a library came up on the premises of the building along with a statue of the bard, the importance of the place would increase,” asserted Maharana.
PNN
